As this was a completely anonymous survey, I could not surmise if one response 'matched' with another (for example- one Byzantine Catholic's husband is a deacon and they have 4 kids...the survey does not give me a matching set of answers), so I suppose it is not terribly scientific. In any case....on to the results!
Who are you?
42% of respondents said Byzantine Catholic 34% Orthodox
Remainder- equal amounts of the categories- Other Eastern
Catholic, Roman-rite Catholic, Liturgical
Christian (non-Catholic/Orthodox- such as Lutheran and Episcopalian) Non-liturgical
Christian (such as Baptist)
What kind of cleric is your husband?
50% of respondents said priest, 35% deacon, most preparing for priesthood, one ‘permanent’
deacon, 15% identified as pastors
How many children - college-age and younger- do you have?
None- 8%
1-2- 42%
3-4- 42%
more than 4- 8%
How many hours on average per week do you devote to church
ministry?
less than 4 hours 25.00%
4-10- 50.00%
10-20- 8.33%
more than 20- 16.67%
--- some of the responses to what each clergy wife does for the
church:
Cooking, singing, volunteering with altar society activities
Church, Bible studies, meeting with home bound people
I teach Sunday school, lead children's choir, and support
the youth/youth meeting.
Sending out daily emails, spiritual articles, etc., singing
in choir, Planning for annual festival, cooking for annual festival, shopping
for church, ordering items for church, church bookstore, bookkeeping, food
pantry, etc.
Cantoring, providing counselling, special events
catechist in our parish RCIA program, other misc activities
Currently, I teach religious education in person on Sunday's
for an hour and in an online classroom for 1/2 hour every Thursday. Plus, prep
time for that. I do many other odd jobs though too.
run mom's group, teach Sunday school, coordinate homeschool
groups that meet in the church, do NFP support, manage facebook group
cantor, posting on blog, cleaning
How many hours on average per week do you work for pay?
under 10- 50.00%
10-20- 8.33%
21-40- 25.00%
more than 40- 16.67%
--- some of the responses to what the clergy wife does outside
the church:
university assistant professor
Medical Technologist (lab tech)
Project Manager (working 39-40 hours per week)
Receptionist
part-time portrait photographer.
No pay. "Matushka"
psychotherapist
stay-at-home mom
Just quit my day job after baby #4- I'm a stay at home momma
now
clinical Aromatherapist (aprox 8hrs/month)
teach at college level
We are a diverse group of women...tomorrow I will publish the results of questions such as
--- Before your husband was ordained or entered seminary, what
was your greatest fear? hmm....what's your best guess?
My heart's prayer goes out to all these wonderful souls, and to those wives of clergymen who did not or could not take part in the poll. A heartfelt thanks, then, to each and every one of you .. not least to those who serve in among the Coetibus Anglicanorum, and the Lutheran and Anglican converts to the Roman Rite. Pray also for your sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, even mothers and fathers who choose to answers God call to witness in celibate devotion, as nuns, monks, brothers and sisters, and priests .. the harvest is rich indeed, may the harvesters hands be many.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful prayer- thank you!
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