Changing Parishes

[Not The Philosopher]

So - when I started RCIA (about a year ago), I pretty much just picked the parish/program that was closest to my house.

Lately I've had an increasing interest in the Latin Mass, and have been spending a lot of Sundays at a much more traditional parish, and have been toying with the idea of switching over to that one. On the one hand, I feel much more at home in a traditional parish, and I think that that environment might be a better one for me (not that there's anything actively heinous with my current one; it's fairly meat and potatoes, if somewhat on the liberal side). On the other hand, it feels kind of awkward to just drop the parish that I went through RCIA and the works with so suddenly (especially since it's literally on the same street as me). Part of me thinks I should just try to get more involved with my Parish and find my own niche.

Thoughts?

[Maggyie]

If the new parish feeds you better than by all means. Right now we live very near a parish church and although it's not as great as our old parish, we did go ahead and register there officially. It's very worthwhile to be a member of your neighborhood church if at all possible. But again it's all about where you will have the most growth as a Christian.

[cmaD2006]

Feel free to do what you need to do. I've had to face the choice of changing parishes. It isn't easy, but if you pray about it and confirm that it is the right thing for you to do, then go do it.

[Lilllabettt]

If I had a parish literally on the street, it would take something fairly serious for me to go elsewhere. Just because I know what an opportunity that is. That's me ... I am on the lazy side.

[Slappo]

I'm pretty sure one's proper parish is based on geographic location - not that this is ever followed anymore since modern man now has the automobile as means of transportation.

That being said, if your parish does not offer the extraordinary form of the mass, and that is what you find to be most fulfilling for you spiritually, by all means attend the EF. Many parishes won't have the resources/time/energy/desire to offer both forms of the mass which, although undesirable, is just a fact of life. If your parish offered the EF and another St. John Doe's Parish 10 Miles Away offered the EF, I'd say stick with your local parish even if they have horrible musicians and boring homilies compared to St. John Doe's.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Slappo' timestamp='1348078617' post='2484221']
I'm pretty sure one's proper parish is based on geographic location - not that this is ever followed anymore since modern man now has the automobile as means of transportation.
[/quote]

This is true, but it is mostly just a canonical feature. It is relevant for things like marriages and baptisms, but even then it is more of a formality than anything else. If I were asked to speculate, I would guess that the concept of the territorial parish may be on the way out in the next couple centuries.

Nothing about registering at a different parish says that you cannot attend your local parish. You can even contribute to both if you so choose. Registering somewhere is useful for their purposes (for instance getting an idea of numbers, looking for volunteers, budgeting), but it does not mean as much to you as a simple parishioner.

[TheresaThoma]

If you feel more comfortable at the other parish go for it. This year will be the third year I have been part of RCIA and we accept that in some cases those that went through RCIA will start attending other parishes for various reasons (it is closer to their home etc).
Like Nihil Obstat said there is no rule that you can't be active in both parishes. For weekday Masses I attend the parish that is on my college campus (I even lector there) but for Sunday and other activities I go to the parish closest to my house.

[Nihil Obstat]

If I had a church down the street from me I would probably be able to go to weekday Mass more often. It is a dream of mine to just be able to pop down to church two minutes away.

[Not The Philosopher]

Well, it seems like the majority has sided with the "go with your heart" option here.

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1348079058' post='2484228']
This is true, but it is mostly just a canonical feature. It is relevant for things like marriages and baptisms, but even then it is more of a formality than anything else. If I were asked to speculate, I would guess that the concept of the territorial parish may be on the way out in the next couple centuries.

Nothing about registering at a different parish says that you cannot attend your local parish. You can even contribute to both if you so choose. Registering somewhere is useful for their purposes (for instance getting an idea of numbers, looking for volunteers, budgeting), but it does not mean as much to you as a simple parishioner.
[/quote]

Yeah, keeping some level of contact with my local parish seems like a good idea. Though this raises a technical question: if I register at the other parish, should I let the rectory of my current one know about it? It seems clear cut in a case where you're moving out of town and won't be available/attending at all, but this seems to be a bit of a gray area.


[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1348084164' post='2484270']
If I had a church down the street from me I would probably be able to go to weekday Mass more often. It is a dream of mine to just be able to pop down to church two minutes away.
[/quote]

Indeed. Unfortunately, Full-Time Job has rendered this mostly rendered this opportunity null. Although it was quite a boon for the evening classes during RCIA.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Not The Philosopher' timestamp='1348101984' post='2484462']
Yeah, keeping some level of contact with my local parish seems like a good idea. Though this raises a technical question: if I register at the other parish, should I let the rectory of my current one know about it? It seems clear cut in a case where you're moving out of town and won't be available/attending at all, but this seems to be a bit of a gray area.
[/quote]

I actually am not quite sure how that is typically handled. I am assuming, again for practical purposes, that they would appreciate some kind of notice of de-registering, because I doubt that the other parish even has a way of letting your current parish know that you have registered elsewhere. I bet you could find out if you called the parish office.

[Not The Philosopher]

Probably a good idea.

[TheUbiquitous]

[url="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/08/quaeritur-at-which-parish-should-i-register/"]Important points[/url] from Fr. Z which may or may not apply:

[indent=1]That said, if one has multiple parish memberships – and especially if one partakes regularly in the material benefits of such – going regular to Mass and confession, picking up a bulletin, enjoying the coffee and doughnuts, calling on the assistance of the pastor to bless one’s house, one’s car, one’s herbs (on Assumption, of course) – one has the corresponding obligation to the best of one’s ability to support those multiple parishes.[/indent]

[indent=1]It is reasonable (though canon law is mute on this topic) that the percentage of one’s financial support be somehow proportionate both to one’s financial condition, and also to one’s use of a parish’s resources. We are not talking some specific figure or percentage here. We are not dealing with a consumer good. Still, it is a matter of common sense that if you go to daily Mass six days a week in one parish, confession biweekly in another parish, and Sunday Mass in a third parish, but you only put in an envelope to support my “Sunday parish,” you might need to examine my giving habits.[/indent]

[indent=1]Now if one could, technically, be a member of two or more parishes, but one chooses to exclusively use the “services” of one of those parishes, it follows that one’s financial support should be directed toward the parish one attends.[/indent]

[OnlySunshine]

My family faced a similar problem in 2007 when we were continuing to attend the same Church where my sister and I received CCD and the Sacraments of Initiation. My mom and dad were concerned with the lack of fellowship and the instability of the clergy -- it seemed like the priests were constantly being moved around due to personality differences. It didn't seem healthy at all. Even now, the parish is losing members because they are not challenging their parishioners. One priest was forced into retirement for speaking about something controversial.

All this occurred while I was lukewarm in my faith. My mom and dad looked around at other Churches and found one about 8 miles from our house. At the time, the pastor was someone my mom's family was friends with for a very long time. They decided to try it out and instantly felt at home. They registered to be members and withdrew from our old parish. Now, for me, it took some time for me to become used to the new parish. After my reversion in December 2007, I tried again to attend there and loved it. I understood what my parents found there -- fellowship and stability. After all, the pastor had been there for over 20 years!

It's been almost 5 years since I registered myself in the parish and it is the only Church I want to attend. We've grown as a family here and our current pastor and associate pastor are AMAZING! Our pastor is the one who is helping me in my discernment and we've participated in CRHP, Bible Study, volunteer work at the festival and other functions, choir etc. I've made rosaries for the missions, as well. All this was not available to us at our old parish.

I don't blame them for the lack of growth but I do wonder why they've had such a problem the past 10 years. It's down the street from my house so I attend daily Mass there (or used to). I haven't gone to daily Mass in a while since I started school because I've been so busy.


All that said -- I think you should attend whatever Church you feel at home in and can find programs that contribute to your spiritual growth.

Edited September 25, 2012 by MaterMisericordiae

[Papist]

I moved in 2007 and remain at the parish that is closer to my previous house. This is due to the fact that the parish nearest my current residence, which is 2 minutes away, is one of them...how do I say... a traditionalist's worst nightmare. I literally have to force myself to not weep when I have attended Mass there. I am not going to subject my children to such a Mass and have them think this is the norm. Going to daily Mass there is painful enough. They do what I call the speed Mass. It seems the priest is trying say the Mass as fast as he can. Has anyone else experienced such?

[Basilisa Marie]

I grew up with a wonderful Novus Ordo parish that used Latin mass parts at the later mass (not only could I sleep in, but I got Latin! Best EVER!) Now that I'm in a different state for school, the parish that's a 2-minute walk down the street from me is has a Fr. Speedy for daily mass. The University masses that are a ten minute walk have some of the most frustratingly bad music and use of liturgical space I've seen. The homilies everywhere venture no further than "Love Jesus and love your neighbor"...which is all well and good, but there's nothing more complex than that. It's so frustrating when you feel like you could do a better job of exegesis than the pastor (and that's not saying much). And the closest parish with any kind of regular adoration is a 40 minute drive away.

So I guess the moral to my story is to put up with less-than-fruitful liturgy only when you have to.