What organization in the state of Minnesota provides services to more than one million people with an estimated $5.4 billion in annual economic impact on the local economy? If you guessed the Catholic Church, then you are right on the money.
Economic impact isn’t a traditional lens used to scrutinize Church activity, but it is the focus of a study commissioned by the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), and authored by two scholars at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The study was supported by the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota and the Institute for Policy Research at the Catholic University of America.
Released earlier this year, Fruits of the Vine: The Economic Impact of the Catholic Church of Minnesota is a 20-plus page publication that highlights the wide-ranging economic contributions of the Catholic Church across the state.
The report is very accessible to the average reader and is recommended reading to Minnesota Catholics who are interested in the intersection between public life and the practice of our Faith.
As a business with a distinctly Catholic mission and membership, we at Catholic United Financial were curious to know more about the connection between Catholic religious activity and economic activity in the North Star State.
Jason Adkins, Executive Director and General Counsel of the MCC and a past member of the Catholic United Financial Board of Directors, praises the report as providing “objective econometric data to measure the impact in a way that not many had considered regarding faith communities.”
But more than presenting favorable stats and results, the Fruits of the Vine report should encourage Catholics that their Faith and the Church are “ bearing tremendous fruit for the common good,” Adkins says.
“The report emphasizes that the Church’s presence as an employer with a large institutional footprint, and its work in social services, healthcare, and education is not just spiritually valuable, but it is economically impactful for the state economy,” says Adkins “The Church is a critical part to the state in solving public problems and strengthening communities. For Catholics and non-Catholics alike, this report highlights that the Church is a partner with the broader community for the common good.”
Adkins offers answers to our questions about the report’s eye-opening research on the intersection between the Catholic faith and the economy where we live, work and worship.
CUF: What message do you want the report to convey to Catholics? Is that the same message for non-Catholics, or is there a different point you want to emphasize to that audience?
Jason Adkins of MCC: The message to Catholics is one of awareness and encouragement. Your Faith, lived out through the ministries of the Church, is bearing tremendous fruit for the common good.
The message to non-Catholics is related but distinct—even if you don’t share the Church’s beliefs, you certainly benefit from its presence in your community as an employer and service provider. We serve all people not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic. All we ask is that we are free to serve the community consistent with our beliefs and not be subject to discriminatory mandates.
CUF: When they think of the term “impact”, most people think of the religious or social ministries of the Catholic church. Why is it vital to communicate the economic impact the Church has as an employer, an entertainment venue, a property owner, a health services provider, and more?
Adkins: Faith-based institutions like the Catholic Church are not antiquated institutions or adversaries to progress but instead are vital community partners that play an outsized role in strengthening society, driving economies, and saving taxpayers money. By highlighting the Church as an employer, an education and service provider, we help people understand the indispensable role it plays in our everyday lives. The Church is not on the sidelines of civic life but rather is a cornerstone of it.
CUF: According to Fruits of the Vine, the Church contributes $56 million annually in “magnet effects”, attracting 900,000 people to Catholic churches for religious and social events. What is the magnet effect and how does it impact local communities?
Adkins: Magnet effect refers to Church events and activities, including weddings, baptisms, festivals, fish fries, and others, that attract outside visitors.
Much like professional sports or concerts, church events draw people in, generate spending, and foster a sense of community. One parish’s fish fry or wedding celebration may not draw the same number of people as a Vikings game does on any given Sunday, but across Minnesota’s 600-plus parishes, the cumulative effect is significant and comparable, especially because these events are happening year-round and in every corner of the state.
[The magnet effect of] religious tourism offers spiritual enrichment while boosting local economies, especially in areas that might not benefit from traditional tourism. The Cathedral [of St. Paul] alone attracts thousands of visitors each year and creates magnet effects for the city of St. Paul.
CUF: Catholic United Financial encourages volunteerism among Catholic communities. Does research reveal what impact local Catholic volunteers have in the delivery of these services, and the ability of the Church to provide them?
Adkins: Fruits of the Vine does measure the impact of the volunteer hours of Catholic organizations…Volunteers not only keep costs low, but more importantly, they strengthen communities by fostering a culture of service and putting their faith into practice every day. Without volunteers, many of the Church’s most impactful ministries would be drastically limited in scope.
CUF: The report states that parish ministries reduce reliance on government services. Why is reduced reliance listed as one of the benefits of church-provided social services?
Adkins: The state cannot love people. The Church meets people where they are at with personal, relationship-based support in a way public systems cannot. This eases the burden on taxpayer-funded programs that are already stretched thin and often only provide short-term relief. Church-provided social services aim to address root causes like isolation, addiction or family breakdown, and in the process, foster community rooted in faith.
CUF: Is the MCC concerned that, despite the scale and scope of the Church’s impact revealed in Fruits of the Vine, the story isn’t being told in secular media?
Adkins: Yes, I think the scale and scope of the Church’s impact, especially in education and healthcare, can often be overlooked or underreported in the media and our culture. Part of the reason is that faith-based institutions don’t always frame their work in economic or civic terms, even though their impact is deeply tied to the public good. That is precisely why we’ve published Fruits of the Vine—it helps to bring data and clarity to a story that’s been quietly unfolding for decades in the Church.
CUF: How should Catholics share the story of the economic contributions of the Church?
Adkins: I would encourage Catholics to share this information confidently and proactively with their family, friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners. Fruits of the Vine is intended to open the door for a deeper dialogue of the important role the Church plays in our society. Catholics sharing this report is being a witness to the good of the Church.
Read the Fruits of the Vine publication yourself to be informed about the $5.3 billion annual economic impact that the Church has on the state of Minnesota. The report is available to read for free from the Minnesota Catholic Conference website. Visit www.mncatholic.org/fruitsofthevine to view.
