Ethnography Project Report
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Spring Hill College *
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Communications
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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docx
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Radomski 1
Andrew Radomski
Karen Town
COM-102-322
7 December 2023
St. Symphorosa Catholic Church Ethnography Report
While personally, I do not attend mass as often as I would like to, St. Symphorosa is a community united by shared experiences, religion, and free will, rather than merely a place of worship. The church is essential for moral development, spiritual advancement, and the creation of enduring relationships. In addition to religious rituals, the church also gets together for the annual summer carnival, marriages, baptisms, and other community events throughout the year. With the community population currently declining and the St. Symphorosa church going downhill post-2020, I find it more important now than ever to gain insight into the beliefs that are shared amongst its members. A shared goal and a dedication to Catholic principles binds this community together, and through learning more about its perception from inside the community, it may become more evident as to how it can rebuild. Although I am a member of the church community myself, I held an insightful conversation with my 31-year-old brother Jimmy, who is an avid member of the church as well, to gain more knowledge about his personal beliefs, the influence of the church on his day-to-day life, and important events that aided his feeling of community. The interviewee's experiences inside the church were explored through a series of nuanced questions that attempted to bring to light both the good and bad parts of his relationship with St. Symphorosa. To allow him to more
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naturally converse his thoughts and emotions, I aimed to ask more open-ended questions directed
toward his personal relationship with the church community. Afterwards, delving into his more distasteful opinions on the community allowed for an objective point of view on its culture.
According to the interviewee, growing up with the church close by made it easier for him
to regularly go, which in turn shaped his moral compass and beliefs. Through living a mere half mile away, the church was always close enough to accommodate my brother in his religious experiences. Through listing his devotion to moral decision-making, acts of compassion, and prayer as concrete examples of his faith in action, it was evident that St. Symphorosa helped shaped his life in many ways. On top of this, my brother was born out of wedlock, allowing him to witness our parents get married in the very church that he grew up a part of. This turned out to be a turning point in his relationship with the community, as he felt it greatly shaped his positive feelings towards the church. The church's commitment to providing a sense of belonging and support was demonstrated by the regular Mass attendance, the presence of well-known individuals, and community activities such as the summer carnival. On top of this, the church is very welcoming to newcomers. When talking about an upcoming mass, named Adoration, the St. Symphorosa bulletin states in July of this year, “If you have never been to Adoration, please don’t be intimidated. The only one wanting to keep you from Adoration is the Enemy. You can use the hour to pray the Rosary, reflect on Sacred Scripture, or just sit in silence. Bottom line? It is time spent with our Savior” (“Online Directory”). Through an open-minded opinion on its new members, St. Symphorosa has always been a welcoming place to all people.
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Unfortunately, COVID-19 had a very negative impact on the church community. Though it was not alone, St. Symphorosa suffered majorly. The interviewee expressed disappointment and a sense of loss during the lockdown in 2020, as the actual closure of the church interfered with his accustomed religious practice. In a time when prayer was needed more than ever, the church closing its doors negatively impacted my brother’s point of view on it. It was clear to him
that he wasn’t the only one, as the church experienced substantial changes after 2020, losing members and dealing with financial difficulties. Luckily, the relationships with family and friends outside of Mass remained strong. With the church losing members, it decided to merge clergy with a nearby parish, St. Rene. As stated by the Archdiocese of Chicago, “St. Rene and St. Symphorosa will unite to form
a new parish, effective July 1, 2020. Both churches will continue to hold regularly scheduled Mass within the new parish. St. Symphorosa will be designated the parish church” (“Archdiocese”). With a hope for a brighter and more populated future, the two churches combined to be called Two Holy Martyrs. According to the interviewee, the establishment of Two Holy Martyrs and St. Symphorosa’s partnership with St. Rene were beneficial moves that aided in the rebuilding effort by attracting new members. He still believed, nevertheless, that more work was required, including the launch of fresh initiatives to involve the neighborhood and increase the church's size and income.
My first impressions as a lifetime member of the St. Symphorosa Catholic Church were mostly based on my own experiences and viewpoints. Personally, I did not expect a positive outlook for the church’s future. With its decline in population and budget, I had a pessimistic outlook into St. Symphorosa moving forward. However, the interview uncovered complex viewpoints that contributed to a deeper comprehension of the difficulties the church faces, and
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yet, also highlighted the tenacity of its members. The interviewee's recognition of the difficulties facing the church struck a chord with my own observations, but his hope for the future allowed me to step out of my own shoes and see a more unbiased view of the community. Through exploring the congregation's changing character after 2020, key moments that shaped belonging, and the personal impact of the church through the eyes of a committed member had changed. It was hard to be unbiased in conducting this research, as I had expected my brother to feel the exact same as I had. However, his hopeful interpretation of St. Symphorosa was unexpected. My understanding of the community has grown as a result of this journey, which has highlighted the value of unbiased observation in revealing hidden narratives. Works Cited
“Archdiocese of Chicago Provides Updates on Eight Renew My Church Groupings.” Archdiocese of Chicago
, www.archchicago.org/news-release/-/article/2020/02/06/archdiocese-of-chicago-provides-
updates-on-eight-renew-my-church-groupings
. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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“Online Directory.” Online Directory
, https://container.parishesonline.com/bulletins/01/4065/20230716B.pdf
. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Radomski, James. Personal interview. 30 Nov. 2023.
Ethnography Project Interview:
31-Year-Old Brother Interviewed
(As Recorded on Notes App)
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1.
How has your experience as a member of our Catholic church community influenced your personal beliefs and values, and in what ways do you see these beliefs manifesting in your daily life?
1.
Experience at St. Symphorosa has shaped beliefs and values, fostering a strong moral compass.
2.
Being so near the church makes it easy to go
3.
Beliefs manifest through acts of kindness, prayer, and a commitment to good moral decision-making.
2.
Can you share a specific moment or event within the church community that significantly
impacted your sense of belonging or connection with others? How did it shape your sense
of belonging to the community?
1.
A pivotal moment in the church was seeing parents married there. This built a stronger connection with the atmosphere.
2.
This event highlighted the shared values and purpose that bind our community.
3.
All three of us were baptized, had first communion, and was confirmed there. (Me, him, and my sister)
3.
In what ways do you feel our Catholic church creates a sense of community and support for its members? Can you describe any rituals, traditions, or gatherings contributing to this unity?
1.
The Catholic church creates community through regular Mass, fostering spiritual growth and enlightenment.
2.
A lot of family friends and other familiar faces are often seen.
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3.
Neighborhood marriages, newborns being baptized, and family friends going to school there contribute to a supportive network.
4.
Annual summer carnival is always a hit and everyone goes. The beer garden is especially appealing for parents to hang out.
4.
When COVID-19 closed our church in 2020 for lockdowns, how did you feel about our sense of community? What did you do to attempt to maintain positivity and support for the church, if anything?
1.
During the 2020 lockdown, there was a huge loss of connection with the building and how they practiced faith.
2.
No loss of connection to the community, as it built relationships with family friends that stemmed outside of mass.
3.
Not much positivity held towards the church. Strong feelings that we needed mass
more than ever during COVID.
4.
More upset than anything that the church had locked down.
5.
Reflecting on your experiences within our Catholic church, can you discuss any changes or emotions that were felt as the church evolved? With our church slowly losing members
post-2020, what do you think could be done to rebuild a strong sense of community and belonging?
1.
Church and coinciding school going downhill. Losing money and members fast.
2.
Summer fest and carnival not as good.
3.
As the church evolved, strong need for positive changes.
4.
Pairing with St. Rene and combining as Two Holy Martyrs was a good thing. Brought in more members and helped rebuild.
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5.
To rebuild, need to create more engagement through new programs. Anything to boost church economy and size is good.