Christian community in suburbia

[Sojourner]

[url="http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2005/10/catholic_land_u.html"]Amy Wellborn[/url] also linked to the MOJ discussion and there are some interesting reader comments on her blog. One I hadn't thought of at all:

[quote]I guess I am surprised that no one has mentioned a logistical catalyst for the emptying-out after Mass pattern: it became essential during the Baby Boom.

Having lots of Masses surely predated the Baby Boom, but with the Boom, it became essential to clear out to make room for the folks for the next Mass. I can remember the jockeying (not just cars but also pedestrians) vividly as a child in the '60s. People were discouraged from getting there too early and hanging around afterwards. Actively discouraged. (This was Long Island, and people did not beat around the bush, though it was done in tones to suggest it was designed to help everyone. I remember the shock in the parish when a new curate posted signs at the doors when he said Mass, "Judas was the first to leave.")

I think this developed into a habit that has yet to break completely. People who learned these habits as kids have passed them on (unintentionally, to be sure) as they in turn became parents.[/quote]

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Oct 27 2005, 11:42 AM'][url="http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2005/10/catholic_land_u.html"]Amy Wellborn[/url] also linked to the MOJ discussion and there are some interesting reader comments on her blog. One I hadn't thought of at all:
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That's what I was trying to express in my point #2 above....

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Oct 27 2005, 11:54 AM']That's what I was trying to express in my point #2 above....
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Right ... but I hadn't thought of the link to the Baby Boom.

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Oct 27 2005, 12:04 PM']Right ... but I hadn't thought of the link to the Baby Boom.
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Neither did I, as I was not born until the border years between baby boom and GenX.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Oct 27 2005, 12:22 PM']Neither did I, as I was not born until the border years between baby boom and GenX.
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Yep. Although in my case I'm squarely GenX. And in addition I wasn't Catholic until a couple of years ago.

[annie]

Our parish here in Wheaton is over 2500 families. We have bonded over the last 3 years as we have been worshipping like nomads--different public buildings, and for the last 2 yrs in the school gym. One of our parishoners (son of a teacher at the school) burned out church down. Tradgic as it is, we have really bonded, esp with the priests. I agree with whomever posted that the size of the parishes is a huge factor. Easy to be just a face in the crowd. I know in a previous parish, CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) was a huge help to forming small groups.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='annie' date='Nov 2 2005, 08:50 AM']Our parish here in Wheaton is over 2500 families.  We have bonded over the last 3 years as we have been worshipping like nomads--different public buildings, and for the last 2 yrs in the school gym.  One of our parishoners (son of a teacher at the school) burned out church down.  Tradgic as it is, we have really bonded, esp with the priests.  I agree with whomever posted that the size of the parishes is a huge factor.  Easy to be just a face in the crowd.  I know in a previous parish, CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) was a huge help to forming small groups.
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I have a friend who does Christ Renews His Parish, but it's in a different diocese. I'd like to look into something like that.