Dinner program helps build Catholic Community

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Catholics need to become friends. We are a community of believers. Instead of just getting into our cars and going home, we should meet each other, and encourage one another.

Peace,
Ed
 
The program sounds worthwhile. I know a common complaint among converts is the relative lack of community in Catholic parishes, compared their former church. I am not sure why such differences exist, but perhaps building a sense of community in a parish is a valuable goal. Certainly it would be vital to a parish stewardship model which has served some diocese well e.g. the Diocese of Wichita
 
This is new? Our parish has had a monthly dinner night for years. Each month we go to a different house (and host one month) with 4 other families. There is a specific effort to have one open spot each month in each home for new parishoners. There are about 10 homes each month hosting a dinner.
Dale_M said:
The program sounds worthwhile. I know a common complaint among converts is the relative lack of community in Catholic parishes, compared their former church.
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This is certainly my experience. After converting, I found the Catholic community limited to parish events. This has even been my experience in the Knights of Columbus. If it wasn’t for pancake breakfast, parish picnic, parish cleanup, coffee and doughnuts, etc, I’d never see other parishoners.

But my wife and I think perhaps this is the Seattle area. We moved from a well established community (lots of friends and family) to Seattle, and have found it extremely difficult to meet other families, even within the parish. My experience the last 6 years is that Seattle is full of passive-aggressive types, and it is very difficult to penetrate that layer.
Dale_M said:
I am not sure why such differences exist, but perhaps building a sense of community in a parish is a valuable goal.
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I think it is. Before I converted, I had lots of friends at my church. We’d even get together on weekends for bbq’s, games, etc. And whenever someone was in need, everyone knew and responded generously. All I see through our parish now is a prayer chain email when someone needs help.

One specific instance at our previous parish (we bounced from a few before settling where we are now) I think shows how a lack of community is problematic. There was an email on the prayer chain for an elderly lady who fell and broke her hip. Her daughter asked for prayers for her mother’s speedy recovery. I brought it up at our Knight’s meeting, and we resolved to offer assistance such as yard maintenance, cleaning, etc. Her daughter made it clear to us that our help wasn’t needed, and that she had everything taken care of. She’d taken the time off of work, and she’d see to her mother’s needs.

We were taken aback by the vehemence of her refusal of help. One Knight approached her and her mother after mass, again offering to help. Her response was that she didn’t appreciate being harassed when she was more than capable. I can’t imagine what prompted such a response. But it seems to me that in my pre-Catholic days, even if there was refusal, there would be a warm, thankful response for such an offer. This lady’s response made it very difficult to detect any sense of community.
 
Suudy said:
This is new? Our parish has had a monthly dinner night for years. Each month we go to a different house (and host one month) with 4 other families. There is a specific effort to have one open spot each month in each home for new parishoners. There are about 10 homes each month hosting a dinner.
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Wonderful. My parish, sad to say, has never sponsored in-home get-togethers.
This is certainly my experience. After converting, I found the Catholic community limited to parish events. This has even been my experience in the Knights of Columbus. If it wasn’t for pancake breakfast, parish picnic, parish cleanup, coffee and doughnuts, etc, I’d never see other parishoners.
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We don’t even have that. A once-a-year potluck put on by the Latinos in the parish, and that’s it. 😦

Don’t Catholics want to mix and get acquainted with other Catholics? I’m not sure that they do.

It was worse when I was young. Bunches leaving Mass at or right after Communion so they could get across the street to the bakery to get bread and pastries before the rest of the folks left the church. 😦
 
Rich_Olszewski said:
Wonderful. My parish, sad to say, has never sponsored in-home get-togethers.

We don’t even have that. A once-a-year potluck put on by the Latinos in the parish, and that’s it. 😦

Don’t Catholics want to mix and get acquainted with other Catholics? I’m not sure that they do.

It was worse when I was young. Bunches leaving Mass at or right after Communion so they could get across the street to the bakery to get bread and pastries before the rest of the folks left the church. 😦
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That was never my experience. To all Catholics reading this, start a group. Talk to other people. We should not be strangers to each other.

Peace,
Ed
 
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