A tale of two churches

[mark_a]

I’d go where my wife wants to. She can be mean.

I think it depends on if you have children, and if you have a strong faith. If you have children your obligation would be primarily to them and to chose a parish that will not warp their spiritual development, likewise for someone who is weak in their faith.

If one has a strong faith they they would be obligated to do their part to turn around the “soft” parish.

We have a home parish that isn’t or geographic parish. But when we moved to the area and my wife returned to her faith, and I joined the Church, that’s where it was done. It’s where everyone we have grown with for the last 3 years lives, and it’s where my KoC council and my wives PSR class is. Besides it’s as close as another parish in travel time.

In the summer, when we don’t have PSR classes, we parish hop and try a bit of all of them, there are some beautiful churches in the area. I try to hit the Latin mass as much as I can, because I love it, my wife not so much. We’ve got a Byzantine church in the area that we plan on visiting this sumer.

This whole discussion reminds me of some people that I have known who just can’t seem to find a church that suits them. They find a church, get enthused about it. But familiarity breeds contempt, and sooner or later they find something in a sermon they don’t like, and they’re off to find a new church.

Looking back, this seems to be something unfamiliar amongst Protestants when I was a kid. Is this a fairly recent development? The well-to-do Baptists went to a particular church. Generations of them. And so forth.

Catholics I’ve known who leave the Catholic Church have had an ax to grind. They may church hop after they leave, they may find their way back, but I’ve never known anyone to hop to and from the Catholic Church.

Why so?

By the way, I am not above attending a certain service at a certain parish just because I like the cantor.

 

[LilyM]

With all due respect, that is an extraordinarily arrogant and presumptuous statement to make. You are not the Pope–you aren’t even a bishop. It is not your painful duty to cut off local parishes from the unity of the Church. You are speaking as a modern Westerner rather than as an orthodox Catholic, it seems to me.

Edwin

No, I’m not the Pope or Bishop. Never pretended to be. However, those two particular authorities have given us poor humble layfolk plenty of guidance as to how they desire the unity of the Church to be expressed on a local level - in terms of faith and morals as well as liturgy and other disciplines.

With the help of this guidance, I think it’s possible for us to discern which local branches of the vine they would think are fruitful, and that those are the ones we should be grafted onto if we are to bear fruit ourselves.

As I said, all of us have a duty to make every effort to assist those parishes that aren’t doing well, but sometimes staying with your local pastor will only be giving him the impression that he’s fine and doesn’t need to change when the truth may be the opposite.

 

[Lrning]

If there is a rule that says we are supposed to belong to a certain parish based on geographic location, I’m not familiar with it. Does anyone have a link to a source for this?

 

[Trelow]

If there is a rule that says we are supposed to belong to a certain parish based on geographic location, I’m not familiar with it. Does anyone have a link to a source for this?

I’m thinking you’re tied to the diocese bit not the parish. But I know squat about cannon law.

 

[clmowry]

I disagree.

Rejecting the pope is not the defining characteristic of a Protestant. It’s rejection of Church teaching.

i.e. We wouldn’t classify the Orthodox Church as Protestant.

The Pope may be a symbol of Church Unity and the Ultimate arbitraitor of disputed doctirnes, but is not the Pope we follow, its the Church’s teaching. Pope’s come and go. The Church remains.

Chuck

Hmmmm.

A is nominally loyal to Rome but B rejects the pope? Seems to me B is more of a Protestant than A.

 

[Truthstalker]

If there is a rule that says we are supposed to belong to a certain parish based on geographic location, I’m not familiar with it. Does anyone have a link to a source for this?

Can. 372 §1. As a rule, a portion of the people of God which constitutes a diocese or other particular church is limited to a definite territory so that it includes all the faithful living in the territory.

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1C.HTM

It doesn’t say parish. But

Can. 374 §1. Every diocese or other particular church is to be divided into distinct parts or parishes.

What is the distinction if people disregard parish lines for their own choice?

In the olden days, I’ve heard, parish walls were absolute. What changed it?

 

[clmowry]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen it taught that its a sin to go to a parish different from the one you formally live in.

Anyone got a reference to such a teaching?

Typically, it’s not even a concern. i.e. You don’t have a multitude of Catholic Churches in the immediate vicinity. So “choice” frequently isn’t even an option.

In my case, I’m blessed with 5 within about 10 miles. I go to the one that has been aligned with my kids school district.

I’ve never even seen a map that says which parish my house might be in.

I guess if you ever had a parish that was “empty” right next to one that was “overflowing” then maybe the Dioceses might crare. I’ve just never seen this before.

Chuck

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1C.HTM

It doesn’t say parish. But

What is the distinction if people disregard parish lines for their own choice?

In the olden days, I’ve heard, parish walls were absolute. What changed it?

 

[Trelow]

Deanery then perhaps?

 

[Truthstalker]

This is from New Advent.

A parish is a portion of a diocese under the authority of a priest legitimately appointed to secure in virtue of his office for the faithful dwelling therein, the helps of religion. The faithful are called parishioners, the priest parochus, curate, parish priest, pastor. To form a parish there must be (1) a certain body of the faithful over whom pastoral authority is exercised; the ordinary manner of determining them is by assigning a territory subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the parish priest. Uncertainty of parish boundaries may work harm and the Council of Trent (Sess. XXIV, c. xiii, de ref.) orders the boundaries of parishes to be defined. The faithful become parishioners by acquiring a domicile or a quasi-domicile (see DOMICILE) within the territory, or by simply living in it for a month (Decree, “Ne temere”, on marriage, 2 August, 1907).

newadvent.org/cathen/11499b.htm

The concept of a parish seems to imply that one must live within its boundaries to be a parishioner; all Catholics are implicitly members of their geographic parish.