Crossing Parish Lines

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If anyone has any insight on this question, I’d be glad to hear it. Can parish boundaries overlap? Is it possible to be within the purview of two parishes?
 
Where I live, I could have joined any one of three parishes.
 
It’s possible insomuch as there are territorial parishes and “personal” parishes (or those erected to serve a particular purpose). Take for instance college towns - you’ll have a territorial parish for the region of town that includes the campus but also another parish specifically to serve the campus. In that case, they overlap in a manner of speaking. Otherwise, I’ve never heard of such in the Midwest.
 
To answer both your questions: most definitely. I’ve encountered a number of situations where this is the case. In my home town, both parishes are considered ‘sister parishes’ and the registered parishioner of one also receives the privileges of the other (usually the parish-tuition rate for the catholic school, use of either church for weddings, and the St. Vincent de Paul society). Another situation was part of the process of consolidation of Parishes by the Diocese. The two parishes were consolidated into a “Catholic Community”. Each parish kept its registered parishioners, but there was a common administration entity, including priests who served both parishes at the same time. A third when missionary parishes share the same priest. In my home Diocese of Charleston, SC, there is such a shortage of priests, that three small independent parishes that are too far away to be consolidated sometimes share a single priest. You may be a parishioner of one parish on Sundays, but need to go to one of the other parishes for daily mass or sacramental prep as they may not be available at the single parish. There is, of course, the occasion that independent University chapels sometimes function as a fully-fledged parishes. Finally, there is the situation where ethnic parishes were established close together and are able to both support themselves to the point where they both need to stay open. One of our Order’s parishes is only one block from another parish. Ours was the ethnic Italian parish and the other was the ethnic Irish parish. While the demographics have since changed (ours is now largely Philippino and theirs is largely hispanic) both parishes stay open and function within the same geographical limits.

God Bless,
Br. Ben, CRM
 
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Thank you all for your support. I appreciated your detailed responses 👍
 
We have a boundary line based on a somewhat wriggly river so it can be confusing to work out until you realise this.
 
CRM_Brother said:
While the demographics have since changed (ours is now largely Philippino and theirs is largely hispanic) both parishes stay open and function within the same geographical limits.
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So as far as boundary lines are concerned, you fall within the territory of both the ethnic Italian parish and also the ethnic Irish parish, then?
 
yes,but in many cases there isint even a boundary, since they have been consolidated into what is essentially 1 parish.
 
You may be able to join the mailing list “membership database” at any of three parishes, however, you reside inside the boundaries of a parish (same as you reside in a state, country, county, etc.) There may be Ethnic parishes that do not really have boundaries that you may also attend/get in the database of. I live in a strange town where we have two parishes that do not have boundaries. It would be so much easier if the Diocese would draw lines here!!
 
TheLittleLady said:
There may be Ethnic parishes that do not really have boundaries that you may also attend/
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I was under the impression that ethnic parishes had boundaries as well, but were superimposed on top of the boundaries of geographic parishes.

If there are multiple Polish parishes (ex given) in a city, do they not have boundaries with the other Polish parishes?
 
You could be correct, I have never seen an ethnic parish map.
 
My Diocese, from what I can discern, has no territorial boundaries between Parishes. We encompass multiple counties but that’s about as specific as we get.

I belonged to a Hungarian ethnic Parish. It was awful. Thankfully it CLOSED. I’m “technically” a member of the remaining Parishes that merged. However, I usually attend either the Diocesan Cathedral or local Franciscan Shrine.

Personally, I don’t get involved with the Parish life. I would attend and contribute money but I wouldn’t dare get involved past that. The last thing I wanna do is get hounded to volunteer for Bingo, bake sales, or Parish Council 😖
 
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I have my home parish but attend multiple churches in the deanery since my church has daily mass at 7 am but sometimes that’s to early. I go to evening masses quote often at other churches. Nothing wrong with it. It’s nice meeting others and also every church does things a little differently. One Church I go to sings the our father which is different. And of course I go to an EF Mass quite often too at a Church a few towns over.
 
The parish you belong to is where you and your family will worship, receive sacraments and one day have a funeral Mass. It’s the people who live in your community who attend there.

I could never understand a person driving past multiple parishes to attend another church, because he didn’t like the pastor of the parish in his own town.

Jim
 
Cecilia_Dympna said:
Hi. What do you mean? You wouldn’t be allowed in the Church? I have never heard of this. Have you personal experience of this?
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When I was a kid, we lived at the very edge of the parish in a new subdivision. Special permission had to be obtained to enroll me in CCD classes in the adjacent parish which was more preferable as it was on Saturday morning instead of afternoon after school.
 
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