Advice on Getting Connected in a Parish for a Wannabe Catholic

[Searching4Adam]

All, I hope this is the correct forum, if not please redirect me! I am investigating Catholicism (will probably join the next RCIA course this Fall) and am looking at how to get connected in a Catholic parish. We have attended as a family but irregularly, where people don’t really approach us and say hi and I have noticed that the websites for Catholic churches don’t typically give as much detail on life outside of a weekly mass as we are used to in the evangelical world . We are used to evangelical where they have child care/programs for kids of all ages, bible studies on a very regular basis and other such offerings.

Do most parishes offer separate study groups or are those typically offered elsewhere within the Diocese?

On a related note we are more familiar with the long, bullet point sermons, featuring a handy cheat sheet you fill out with life lessons. The homilies we have experienced are typically nice and well thought out but don’t leave you pondering how to apply what you’ve learned in your own life. I know the purpose of the mass is different, to receive the eucharist, but this might be difficult to get used to.

We also have young children who are used to the child care and not sitting still during a service so any recommendations on that part of the mass are welcome!

 

[hwriggles4]

Here’s my suggestion:

Make an appointment to talk to a priest or a director of faith formation. That would be insightful and a learning experience.

Look at parish bulletins in your local area and see if there are any up and coming teaching classes on a Catholic subject. My parish is doing a Vatican II Series, and other parishes are doing Symbolon.

I just came from a Christ Renews His Parish retreat. We had a few non-Catholics in attendance, with some planning to enter the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). It was a unique experience, and I think it planted some seeds for the three attendees (one is already enrolled in RCIA for next fall) who were open to inquiring. They were also welcomed.

Hope this helps.

 

[Allegra]

Do you read the bulletin? Usually information about Bible study and religious education is in that. If you’ve only just started, keep in mind that many of those programs take a break during the summer, so that might be why you aren’t seeing as much. I know our parish doesn’t do Children’s Liturgy, Bible study, or mens or womens’ groups in the summer time. Even the choir is off! You could call the parish office and ask about what’s available and who you could call to get involved. If you parish literally hasn’t got anything, you can call the diocese and see if another nearby parish has a Bible study you could participate in.

 

[GrowingFaith]

I’ll be praying for you and your family as you explore the Church, and get to know Her better!

I know how you feel about the study groups. When I first started exploring Catholicism, I attended two parishes that did have study groups, but trying to find information on them was like finding a needle in a haystack. When I moved to my current city, the parish I started attending did a great job of advertising what they had to offer on a day-to-day basis, like men’s groups, women’s groups, Bible studies, etc. I feel I got lucky with this parish! But, like hwriggles4 said, talking to a priest or a DFF can make the process a lot more simple. Also, RCIA is a great resource for learning about the faith, connecting with other Christians, and discovering what that particular parish has to offer in terms of study groups and other activities to get involved in.

In my 3ish years of attending Mass and exploring, I have to admit that not too many people have approached me to introduce themselves. I always found that odd. I was raised in a small Baptist church, and as I grew up my family and I attended many Protestant denominations, and it seems that at every church I went to, people were rushing to approach me and start a conversation as soon as they realized they didn’t know me! I changed my approach, and started introducing myself to random people I saw at Mass. Nine out of ten times, they were very polite and receptive, and seven out of ten times, they were able to give me some great info about “extracurriculars” that the parish offered.

As far as the homilies go… Well, every priest has his own style. At my current parish, one priest gives homilies that always work towards the goal of pointing you in a certain direction. He always tries to connect the Biblical message to modern situations and how we can use those lessons in our everyday life. Another priest gives great homilies about events from Scripture, but doesn’t really connect it to us, and how we can apply the principles today. He sort of gives us the dots, and leaves us to connect them, but when I talk to him one-on-one about it, he is able to connect it to my life, and give more of a bullet-point guide. I feel like it’s similar to Evangelical pastors. You just have to search and find who speaks to you, who offers what you’re looking for. But try to keep an open mind, because every homily has a great message if you are open to it. I’m not baptized, and cannot receive the Eucharist, but Mass still has great meaning to me. Gathering with other Christians, thanking Him for the countless blessings I have in life, seeing and taking part in the Traditions that Christ has passed down to us, facing my own sins and all the ways I’ve let Him down, and hearing that He still loves me… It’s a truly beautiful experience!!!

I apologize for the long reply, and for not being able to help with the kid situation. I hope that my experiences can help you and your family on your journey with Christ, and I thank Him for people like you that want to work to develop a closer, more personal relationship with Him. I pray that someday we will sit together at His feet, and sing Him a duet that will bring tears to His eyes.

 

[johnnyc176]

All, I hope this is the correct forum, if not please redirect me! I am investigating Catholicism (will probably join the next RCIA course this Fall) and am looking at how to get connected in a Catholic parish. We have attended as a family but irregularly, where people don’t really approach us and say hi and I have noticed that the websites for Catholic churches don’t typically give as much detail on life outside of a weekly mass as we are used to in the evangelical world . We are used to evangelical where they have child care/programs for kids of all ages, bible studies on a very regular basis and other such offerings.

Do most parishes offer separate study groups or are those typically offered elsewhere within the Diocese?

On a related note we are more familiar with the long, bullet point sermons, featuring a handy cheat sheet you fill out with life lessons. The homilies we have experienced are typically nice and well thought out but don’t leave you pondering how to apply what you’ve learned in your own life. I know the purpose of the mass is different, to receive the eucharist, but this might be difficult to get used to.

We also have young children who are used to the child care and not sitting still during a service so any recommendations on that part of the mass are welcome!

Here are some suggestions from a convert.

devinrose.heroicvirtuecreations.com/blog/2012/01/26/tips-for-inquiring-protestants-on-choosing-a-parish-and-rcia-program/

He also wrote a very good book explaining how he came to be Catholic…

protestantsdilemma.com/

 

[Casilda]

The short video by Devin Rose is actually pretty helpful on going about choosing the right parish. But that philosophy is frowned upon because ideally you should be able to attend your closest parish. THAT alone would solve problems with connecting with people and fellowshipping. I am a revert who married a Protestant who is now Catholic and while in Protestant churches we were very connected. Now we feel like grapes that fell off the vine and turning into raisans, lol. We do not attend our local parish because for about two years it did not have a priest and since convert/revert issues are dependent on the actions of a priest we were forced to go elsewhere in search of a priest who was THERE and not so busy.

Our Eastern Catholic parish is very small and the priest is excellently Orthodox. He preps us for the homilies by publishing the upcoming Sunday readings in the bulletin for study throughout the week. You should be able to do this on your own with your kids so they will pay attention to the homily.

There are generally two weekly Scripture studies for adults, one on Sunday after mass. Another group led by the priest can sometimes be a formation class or studying through a Catholic faith book. Children have their religious ed classes after mass as well. There are no child care classes during mass because Christ welcomes little children to the mass, they can go up with their parents during communion to receive a blessing. The Byzantine Catholic church actually communes baptized babies, they receive the Eucharist.

During summer we have a mass exodus of vacationing parishioners. So no Bible studies. BUT check out your diocese! I found out by accident that the local Roman Catholic diocese holds courses during the summer and catechist training. Another option is look online for Catholic apostolates that maybe in your area. My husband found one, though not local, in his area of expertise. He has been able to meet with clergy and laity to travel and teach. The Legion of Mary is one example. Many are not tied to a particular parish but serve the local area, nationwide, or even worldwide. So if you think of your local parish where you get fed, sustained, but the whole Catholic church worldwide where your talents can be used and expanded, it will be better for you.

 

[Searching4Adam]

Great tips. The bulletin does provide some information for our local parish (and yes my preference is to make a home with the local parish or one very close by). I have read Devin’s book like @johnnyc176 suggested and it is quite good and along with Scott Hahn has lead me to where I am now. I will get inquire more about offerings before or after the next mass I attend since it sounds like most things happen at the local parish.

I am curious about apostolates like @Casilda suggest. Any recommendations on where to look/start?

 

[Casilda]

Great tips. The bulletin does provide some information for our local parish (and yes my preference is to make a home with the local parish or one very close by). I have read Devin’s book like @johnnyc176 suggested and it is quite good and along with Scott Hahn has lead me to where I am now. I will get inquire more about offerings before or after the next mass I attend since it sounds like most things happen at the local parish.

I am curious about apostolates like @Casilda suggest. Any recommendations on where to look/start?

I do not know if they are listed anywhere. My husband listens to a lot of Catholic lectures online, like Scott Hahn and other apologists. In searching he has come across Catholic jewels like this one. You can join a chapter or start your own

streetevangelization.com

 

[Casilda]

The local Roman Catholic diocese website has a few listed under ‘lay organizations’.