Can I belong to two different parishes?

[CMatt25]

Let’s be careful with semantics.

“Registered” is one of those words that means what whomever is using it intends for the word to mean. It doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing as “member”.

Typically, “registered” means that a person’s name and information is known to the parish. And there is probably some label “Registered” in a database with a next to it. There might be another that says “Member”. Or those might be considered to mean the same thing. There are usually all kinds of check boxes that describe the kind of affiliation a person has with a given parish. There are plenty of people who are active in multiple parishes so they are listed in multiple parish databases.

But back to your question…

Typically the diocese and the parish will sync their databases a couple of times a year. If someone is showing up as a member in multiple parishes then this will probably get fixed at that point even without the involvement of the parishioner. But it is certainly good policy and polite to inform a parish if you no longer will be a member so the database can be updated at a more convenient time.

True enough. I know in one of the parishes I earlier alluded to, registration in the parish if outside one’s territorial is meant as parish membershp. YMMV elsewhere. It’s always best to ask.

But if someone is showing up as “a member in multiple parishes” and it is fixed without the involvement of the parishoner, how is the “fix” determined without the parishoner being involved?

 

[Jegudiel]

It doesn’t matter if you register or not. Registration is an administrative convenience that many parishes in the US do. Sometimes there are incentives like envelopes for collections or whatever, but it means absolutely nothing to Church law. You may attend Mass wherever you like, but you are not a parishioner anywhere, no matter if you register or not, except at your territorial parish.

Untrue.

 

[ProdigalSon1211]

I live right across the street from a Church in my hometown. I am a registered parishioner at this Church. However, I really enjoy going to another Church about ten minutes away and give regularly to that church. Can I also be a registered parishioner at this Church?

The Catholic Church is the universal Church ! That is what I like about it. I attend a main parish near my house but sometimes i attend a parish that is far from my house. I am also interested in visiting all the different parishes in my diocese. It is good to meet fellow Catholics and interesting to see how different Churches look aesthetically.