Cliques

[AStrictPerson]

Hello to everyone!

When I was a child I went to a parish where most of the parishioners had formed a sort of clique.

My family never really fit in. I’m not sure how all the animosity began; but there could be many reasons. One could be that since my mother is a very sickly person, we could not always make it on Sundays and on the Holy Days. Instead of helping her, all her friends left her and judged her. All my friends left me and my siblings met the same experience. I’m sure there were misunderstandings.

Now we go to a different parish, where we all spread God’s Word instead of keeping it in the clique. My mother is getting better and now I can help her more. But I believe this whole situation is terribly wrong and disturbing; even if there were misconceptions, no one should treat a family like that. It was not a healthy experience. 

[Guest]

Welcome to Phatmass.

Very sorry you had this experience and as only a young child.  It was good to read you have now found a rewarding parish.  It was good to read too that your mother's health has improved and that you are able to be a help to her.

You are not alone in your childhood unhappy experience of parish community , and no it is most definitely not right nor healthy, nor even Catholic i.e. in the true meaning of what community and parish, Catholicism, is really all about.  I think that parish cliques are not unusual, sadly. 

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by BarbaraTherese