Do You Attend Mass at Your Terroritorial Parish or Even Within Your Diocese?

[Cor_ad_Cor]

I live on the diocesan border. All of my sacraments have been in the neighboring diocese; I have never attended Mass or any other liturgy in my territorial diocese, let alone territorial parish. I’ve only met one person from the territorial parish. It is small and over fifteen miles from my home, and due to roads, would take over thirty minutes to drive to; my parish of choice is large, 12 miles/15 minutes away, and has been my spiritual home most of my adult life. Only once has it ever remotely been a cause of concern by a diocesan staffer, and that was quickly rectified by the pastor of my chosen parish.

 

[MSSheBear]

Yes, I attend Mass almost always at my Territorial Parish! It is for the most part a wonderful parish that is only a mile and a half from my house. This is where I came into the Church last Easter Vigil. I checked on the diocese website to make sure it was my territorial parish. The parish on one side of me had the reputation for being “progressive.” That one I would not have attended.

I find it very convenient to not live so far from the church. I am much more likely to attend events. I don’t know what I would do if I had to move to another part of the diocese, if I would just commute or try another parish.

 

[Khalid]

I attended Mass at my territorial parish (which is a bit liberal), a different church in the same diocese that offers the Tridentine Mass, and at the local Melkite Greek Catholic Church (I believe it would be my “territorial parish” as a Melkite, as there’s only one Melkite church within twenty miles). Mainly the Tridentine Mass when I had the opportunity.

I received my sacraments of initiation as an infant in the Orthodox Church. I believe the OP is my faith community; prior to that, the church offering the EF was. Where will I receive my sacraments in the future? I know not, beyond “from a Catholic priest or hierarch”.

Now, as a novice of the OP, I hear Mass in the Ordinary Form as done by the OP in the Priory.

 

[stanncie]

I attend mass at a church that is literally less than 10 minutes from my house but its not my territorial parish. My territorial parish is about the same distance but I prefer my parish because there are a greater number of activities and i love the people there. I occasionally go to my territorial parish for mass and I go to another parish that is maybe 12 minutes away for regular confession because i don’t feel comfortable confessing to my parish priest since he knows me very well. I’m registered at the parish i regularly go to and I use the envelopes.

 

[CMatt25]

When I’ve attended Catholic Masses, I’ve gone to what is the territorial parish for those Catholics in my vicinity. But after the priest said something in a homily which left a bad taste in my mouth, I attended others but within the diocese for Catholics where I live. To go to another diocese for a Catholic Mass would have been a further hike than I’m willing to take.

 

[AbideWithMe]

Parishes have designated areas they are to service and Catholics living in those areas are (traditionally) expected to go to that Church - “territorial”. It’s an administrative thing with many ramifications. For example…it prevents people from following a “favorite priest” around from parish to parish (and of course taking their money with them). It prevents this “very good priest” from being overloaded with work while another priest (not as charismatic or well liked) has nothing to do…
In short it prevents parishes from becoming “cults of personality”.
There are other reasons for it…but this was the one that sprang to mind for me.

Peace
James

That’s something I used to respect about Catholicism, and I’m disheartened, as an Evangelical Christian, to see so many Catholics who practice what looks like church hopping from my viewpoint.

Cat and Sirach----I think Sirach’s post makes a good point, but I still think going to one’s territorial parish is the ideal, for numerous reasons. I remember reading something from the Anglican C.S. Lewis many years ago that sort of touched on this subject, and he convinced me as an Evangelical to not be a church hopper.

I do regularly visit a variety of churches for classical music concerts----I love the very old German organs that can be found in some of the churches of my area, so I’ll go quite a distance to hear a recital. And I appreciate the architecture of some of the wealthier old churches. But, my home church is my home----it’s where people really know me and love me anyway , and I reciprocate. It’s a real community of my neighbors.

 

[Seeker1961]

I attend the parish that is closer to my job than my house, because the Mass times are more convenient to my work schedule. It’s simply easier for me to go there before or after work. I’m lucky because the parish is also wonderful!

 

[Vico]

Where did you or your children receive your sacraments?

Where do you plan on receiving your sacraments in the future?

Do you consider your territorial parish to be your faith community?

Every now and then this topic comes up and I have to admit it does not make sense to me.

Some priests have told me that it is no longer expected that one attends one’s territorial parish since that is not mentioned in the 1983 code of Canon law and some say one should attend one’s territorial parish.

We live in a global community now and I don’t understand if one is registered at a parish, and spends one’s times, talent at money at one parish, why one can’t belong to that parish?

This is the reasoning, in canon law, that the faithful are under the care of the pastor assigned by the bishop. One can also be under the care of a bishop (or a priest) in a personal parish. The faithful are enrolled by baptism or profession of faith in a ritual Church sui iuris, and assigned to a proper parish with a proper pastor and a proper ordinary for governance. Some sacramental matters must be approved by the proper pastor or ordinary.

Can. 518 As a general rule a parish is to be territorial, that is, one which includes all the Christian faithful of a certain territory. When it is expedient, however, personal parishes are to be established determined by reason of the rite, language, or nationality of the Christian faithful of some territory, or even for some other reason.

Can. 519 The pastor (parochus) is the proper pastor (pastor) of the parish entrusted to him, exercising the pastoral care of the community committed to him under the authority of the diocesan bishop in whose ministry of Christ he has been called to share, so that for that same community he carries out the functions of teaching, sanctifying, and governing, also with the cooperation of other presbyters or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of the Christian faithful, according to the norm of law.

 

[jeannetherese]

Hi Truelight,
I wonder if we could add one more category to the poll so that it will differentiate between local parish and parish at large.
I read the poll as conflating Territorial with mass at the church closest to my home.
Our Archbishop has created a “parish at large” and invited the FSSP into the Archdiocese to offer the Extraordinary Mass. We now have two separate geographical locations in which the FSSP provides this mass in two separate cities (but still within the recently extablished parish at larg which does not have territorial boundaries.
I most frequently drive in to assist at mass at my parish at large, but also assist at my local parish.
I recognize some other posters on CAF as also assisting at our parish at large and wonder how we might best categorize ourselves within the poll.
I went with your second option. (not my local/territorial parish but within my diocese).
May God bless you and all who visit your thread. Amen.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Where did you or your children receive your sacraments?

I recieved baptism in my territorial parish. Confirmation in another parish because the bishop does not get round to every parish each year. All my children were baptized in our territorial parish. One received confirmation in our territorial parish; the others were confirmed in other parishes. I was married in my wife’s territorial parish

Where do you plan on receiving your sacraments in the future?

In my territorial parish.

Do you consider your territorial parish to be your faith community?

Yes!

I think Canon Law does require us to receive some sacraments in our territorial parish although exceptions can be made. I think that it’s important to worship in your territorial parish. Obviously, there are reasons why this may not be the case. For example, my mother goes to church in a neighbouring parish. The parish church of that parish is in the next street to the one in which she lives. it is much more convenient for her to get there than to her proper parish church. I also believe that when we go to church we all need to remember why we go. We go to worship God. We need to put aside matters such as we don’t like the priest or we don’t like people who go to that church. Mind you, I would not go to my own local parish if I though the priest was too liberal and the Church’s liturgy was not being celebrated correctly. Our parish is blessed with a very orthodox and traditional priest.

 

[Vico]

A situation can occur where one lives near a state border and the closest parish is in the next state. Then the nearest Catholic church would not even be in the same diocese. We should be contributing to a parish in the diocese where we have established a domicile or quasi-domicile.

 

[Seamus_L]

I attend the EF, so the answer is no.

 

[TrueLight]

Thanks everyone for those who responded. Keep the answers coming!

I

I think the “global” mindset has hurt the Catholic Church, and I think that those who eschew their territorial parish need to carefully and prayerfully consider the possibility that they might be practicing a kind of religion commonly seen in evangelical Protestantism, in which the focus is on “me, myself, and I”, or actually, on “my family,” which makes it sound more spiritual.

I think that’s a bit harsh.

My husband and I attend our territorial parish, which is down the block from our house.

That’s wonderful. My territorial parish is a couple of blocks away, but guess what? The first mass I attended was a TLM, I was instructed by the FSSP and the mass I attend regularly is a TLM.

I don’t think it is neither sinful nor less spiritual to attend a parish that you like.

 

[TrueLight]

Hi Truelight,
I wonder if we could add one more category to the poll so that it will differentiate between local parish and parish at large.
I read the poll as conflating Territorial with mass at the church closest to my home.
Our Archbishop has created a “parish at large” and invited the FSSP into the Archdiocese to offer the Extraordinary Mass. We now have two separate geographical locations in which the FSSP provides this mass in two separate cities (but still within the recently extablished parish at larg which does not have territorial boundaries.
I most frequently drive in to assist at mass at my parish at large, but also assist at my local parish.
I recognize some other posters on CAF as also assisting at our parish at large and wonder how we might best categorize ourselves within the poll.
I went with your second option. (not my local/territorial parish but within my diocese).
May God bless you and all who visit your thread. Amen.

Unfortunately, once you post the poll, you can’t add any more categories. That’s a good point about personal parishes though.

 

[TrueLight]

So, I see so far a little bit over half of the people attend Mass at their territorial parishes.

 

[superamazingman]

My family attends the territorial parish. Before the current pastor arrived 3 years ago, we went to another more faithful parish across town, but now that we have a territorial pastor that teaches what the church teaches and celebrates the liturgy faithfully according to the rubrics, we have moved there.

 

[Brendan]

We are registered and attend at a diocesan personal parish, not the territorial one. Tthe personal parish is actually the closer one.

(and the closest one of all is a Polish ethnic personal parish )

We recieve the Sacraments at the personal parish we are registered at.

 

[Cat]

Don’t you think it depends on how well a person has developed spiritually, Cat? I can appreciate that a revert or someone not very strong yet in their faith would need to find spiritual nourishment to help them grow closer to Christ. Those reverts who work and only have one hour for mass on Sunday would truly not be remiss in their desire to “be fed.” Maybe that is the interior call that the Spirit is giving them for this time in their lives.

St. Teresa of Avila spoke about these reverts in her early mansions of Interior Castle, saying that they have a deep desire to hear good** homilies**, read good books, etc.

Those of us who are spiritually balanced enough to stay within our own parish may be able to overlook many deficiencies and open our hearts to serve and take an active part in the parish community.

I speak from the perspective of a Catholic who converted after 47 years of evangelical Protestantism.

THE key stumbling block for evangelical Protestants is the issue of authority. Evangelical Protestants believe in sola Scriptura, and that they themselves are part of the “priesthood of all believers” and therefore are able to interpret the Scriptures themselves according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

That’s why they “church hop”–because they believe that the Holy Spirit is leading them from church to church.

I think the hardest thing for any evangelical Protestant is to get to a place where they are willing to hand over the authority that they have enjoyed all their lives to a human being who they don’t even know personally, and to accept that this man speaks for Jesus Christ on this earth, and that this man is the leader of a real and visible Church on this earth. It is very hard for an evangelical Protestant to OBEY a man/Church instead of “the leading of the Holy Spirit.”

And thus, I think that it is a poor idea for a convert to begin their Catholicism by saying, “I don’t want to attend my territorial parish, so I’m going to shop around and attend a parish that I DO want to attend.”

It seems to be a continuation of the same “I follow the leading of the Holy Spirit instead of the leading of a human being” attitude that characterizes evangelical Protestantism.

On the other hand, I really have no right to impose a burden that Holy Mother Church has NOT imposed. In recent years, many bishops, including ours, have lifted the requirement to attend a territorial parish, and this means that converts and cradles are both free to attend the parish of their choice. So there is no disobedience when a Catholic (convert or cradle) decides to attend a different parish than their territorial parish.

So submission to authority isn’t an issue and I’m wrong to fuss over it. I just hate to see the “parish” method of organizing Catholics disappear after so many centuries. It was such a good system. But time marches on and changes happen, and thankfully, Holy Mother Church is not stuck in the past.

 

[Khalid]

It is all about authority - the authority of Rome to impose liturgical rubrics and to disseminate doctrine and dogma, the priest to abdicate teaching, to teach oppositely, or to permit liturgical abuses. In such a case, I follow the authority of the Holy Father.

 

[TrueLight]

It is all about authority - the authority of Rome to impose liturgical rubrics and to disseminate doctrine and dogma, the priest to abdicate teaching, to teach oppositely, or to permit liturgical abuses. In such a case, I follow the authority of the Holy Father.

And what does the Holy Father say about territorial parishes?