Does your parish enjoy opportunities for good fellowship after Sunday Mass?

[Solomonson]

Does your parish enjoy opportunities for good fellowship after Sunday Mass?

If it does, what do you think are the keys to good fellowship following Sunday Masses?

 

[mackbrislawn]

Does your parish enjoy opportunities for good fellowship after Sunday Mass?

If it does, what do you think are the keys to good fellowship following Sunday Masses?

Yes, our does, with donuts and coffee afterwards. And years ago, at our small rural church, everyone would talk together outsider.

 

[Dorothy]

Our parish goes to the hall after every Sunday Mass. The keys to good fellowship is to remember to sit with people you are not familiar with. I do this by saying…“do you mind if I sit with you?” I usually have someone with me who can meet new people also. We have tables that seat six to eight people. I have gotten to meet a lot of parishioners I had never had a chance to speak to before.

Another good thing is that our pastor goes around and chats at some of the tables. (He couldn’t possibly go around to all in the same day.)

The only time of the month when this is not done is when the Knights of Columbus have their monthly pancake breakfast fundraiser.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Nope. It’s “Catholics, start your engines.” All attempts at post-Mass coffee & donuts have collapsed after a couple weeks.

 

[tawny]

Yes, we have pancake breakfasts after the Sunday morning Masses. Also coffee & cake every Wednesday after the morning Mass.

 

[dixieagle]

Refreshments are served after every Mass, and once a month there is a Sunday jazz brunch in the spacious and beautiful church hall.

I also love the fact that breakfast and lunch are served every day for a very nominal cost (great way for lonely folks to spend some time with other people) and there is a parish supper every Wednesday. No complaints in the parish fellowship department at our parish!

 

[Horton]

We do have coffee & donuts after Mass. I do not go. Can’t tell you why I don’t go but it’s just something I haven’t made a habit of doing. Maybe I’ll try it next Sunday.

We do have a friendly parish. It’s not a huge parish but big enough and we do have social events. Although I’ve only been at this parish about 16 months I know many people from various ministries.

I don’t necessarily believe it is the parish responsibility to ensure socialization. It is our responsibility to foster social interaction with our brothers & sisters. We can do this by becoming involved in what ever ministry we feel called to. Having social time after Mass is great, but it’s not the only way to get to know others.

I sit near the front always and I “know” the people near me from just sitting near them. I couldn’t tell you everyone’s name yet but this is the beauty of the Catholic Church, at least at all parishes I’ve belonged to, most people are friendly and welcoming.

 

[thequeen]

We have nothing after the masses here. So I sometimes go to the cathedral downtown where they have more going on after Mass.

 

[StephieNorthCo]

Coffee and donuts, or pancake breakfast. As our retired pastor would say at mass closing, “fresh and delicious”.

Blessings,
Stephie

 

[corsair]

We attend an FSSP parish. There is an 8:00am low Mass and a 10:30am sung High Mass.
Coffee is available after each Mass but the 8:00am folks never stick around very long. Now after the 10:30am High Mass, it’s totally different. Very friendly exuberant people and kids.

Large families with 7, 8 or 10 kids. It’s a real enjoyable “after Mass” time.

 

[Usige]

Well my parish has opportunities for fellowship after all morning masses, but I wouldn’t say the parish “enjoys” said opportunities since less than 3% go.

I am firmly in the camp of “I don’t personally care one way or another”. I would actually rather spend time after mass praying in the pew than socializing, but I tend to leave after the priest exits the nave to avoid the round of applause for the choir.

That is not to say that fellowship opportunities aren’t important, but rather I think it odd to want to spend time eating donuts when I have just received the Bread of Life.

 

[EqualinHim]

I find it sad that not all churches (Protestant and Catholic) offer fellowship opportunities after services. One of the things that drew my mom away from the Roman Catholic Church was the lack of fellowship in her home parish. People would race out of the parking lot. At my friend’s Byzantine rite church it is a different story. There is only one Sunday Mass and people linger for hours in the fellowship hall. I’ve attended their Mass & Fellowship. It’s wonderful. People that treat Church as a solo or ‘only my family’ experience are missing out on what scripture says about intentional relationships and loving those outside of our immediate family. My Protestant Church offers fellowship in the form of coffee/muffins served after services.

 

[asia53]

Every 3rd Sunday is Burrito Sunday, Burrito (potato, egg, cheese, hash browns, sausage or no sausage for the veggies) smothered with green chili , sour cream, salsa, cookies, donuts and some kind of fruit for $5.

The money is donated to a Catholic charity. I heard it is around $400 to $600.

 

[MSSheBear]

I voted that our parish has something going on after one Mass. We don’t have any meet and greet thing going on but it seems there always some event being celebrated after the eleven a.m. Mass. I attend the eight a.m. Mass so I don’t socialize after Mass. I find attending Daily Mass and the knitting group more helpful.

 

[babochka]

This is how my parish is. We take turns providing lunch and 60-70% percent of the congregation comes down on any given Sunday. It isn’t the same 60-70% each time, either; nearly everyone comes down at one time or another. Visitors always get a personal invitation unless they duck out right away. We are very small and we enjoy each other’s company. It’s nice to be able to hang out and feel ourselves and our children before heading home.

 

[Solomonson]

Our parish goes to the hall after every Sunday Mass. The keys to good fellowship is to remember to sit with people you are not familiar with. I do this by saying…“do you mind if I sit with you?” I usually have someone with me who can meet new people also. We have tables that seat six to eight people. I have gotten to meet a lot of parishioners I had never had a chance to speak to before.

Another good thing is that our pastor goes around and chats at some of the tables. (He couldn’t possibly go around to all in the same day.)

The only time of the month when this is not done is when the Knights of Columbus have their monthly pancake breakfast fundraiser.

I believe that is HUGELY important…

 

[SMHW]

We have coffee and donuts after all Sunday Masses. It’s normally in the courtyard (where we have tables and chairs) but it moves inside when rainy or extremely windy.

Now I’d say that the majority of people don’t stay and socialize but a significant amount do.

 

[Solomonson]

Refreshments are served after every Mass, and once a month there is a Sunday jazz brunch in the spacious and beautiful church hall.

I also love the fact that breakfast and lunch are served every day for a very nominal cost (great way for lonely folks to spend some time with other people) and there is a parish supper every Wednesday. No complaints in the parish fellowship department at our parish!

That sounds absolutely amazing! That’s good stuff! To be blunt, in a very positive way it’s what I expect of huge, evangelical Protestant parishes.

Good stuff…

 

[Solomonson]

Nope. It’s “Catholics, start your engines.”** All attempts at post-Mass coffee & donuts have collapsed after a couple weeks.**

Same at my parish. Why do you think that is? In my parish I believe it’s because of the people who try to control such ministries such as hospitality.

A parish about 45 miles from my house really bit the bullet and hired a parishioner couple to set-up refreshments after Mass. From 08:00 to 8:00 PM – a total of seven Masses each Sunday. In addition the pastor and his assistants were at each coffee social. They did this for a year until teams from each Mass could be built up. It worked, but it took a great deal of effort.

 

[Solomonson]

Well my parish has opportunities for fellowship after all morning masses, but I wouldn’t say the parish “enjoys” said opportunities since less than 3% go.

I am firmly in the camp of “I don’t personally care one way or another”. I would actually rather spend time after mass praying in the pew than socializing, but I tend to leave after the priest exits the nave to avoid the round of applause for the choir.

That is not to say that fellowship opportunities aren’t important, but rather I think it odd to want to spend time eating donuts when I have just received the Bread of Life.

Roughly how many attend your Masses?