How does one break in?

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Reds29

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We attend a parish whose direction is solely to strengthen ones personal relationship with Jesus, which is important, however we are seeking that communal relationship with fellow Catholics our own age and older and younger. The Parish has no desire to engage the idea of community.

I have a young family and want to participate in church activities with other families so my kids grow up loving the church. I am struggling with this.
 
Do y’all not have any activities outside of mass on other days?
 
Is there any other parish close by offering activities for Catholic families? How about something at the diocesan level?

I know in my hometown there is one parish that has a very active LifeTeen program and the teens tend to go there. There is another parish that has a lot of children’s activities, so the families with younger kids often go there. The other two parishes are more geared for adults and one of them is probably going to get shut down due to declining attendance and declining neighborhood.
 
I drove by a large Baptist church this evening. It was full of families out doing something on their campus. People are always there on Wed. evening. In the summer the families are often outside enjoying some outdoor activity on the expansive grounds. It looks very community oriented.
 
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Perhaps if your parish doesn’t do things that promote community you could be the one to start initiating those type of events.
 
That is the plan. We just moved to the area coming from a place where we were highly involved in family ministries.

What concerns me is we have low Mass attendance rate in our schools and our school chaplain sends kids to the baptist church because we have nothing to offer them. Its sad
 
Obviously, there is a problem! It is difficult but somehow you have to band together with others and start changing things. Hang around after mass. Talk to strangers.
I wish you luck.
 
One of our parishes have childrens liturgy. I agree parents need to stand up and take charge. What i was hopeing with having pastoral blessings essentially is to create something that increases weakly Mass attendance in our schools and encourage young adults to come back to the church.
 
Just be careful of romanticizing these very close church communities. One of my evangelical friends belongs to a church like this, and she says there are definite “in” groups and “out” groups. It can be hard to break in.
She says (somewhat wryly): “Were not one of the Golden Families”
 
Thats what exists now. With groups that arent advertised and you have to be invited. What i think needs to be done are events where everyone is invited. Thats a good tip though thank you.
 
Reds29 said:
Thats what exists now. With groups that arent advertised and you have to be invited.
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Oh man, I’m sorry.
My own parish has a secret men’s group you have to be invited into. We lived in this parish for 20 years before I ever heard of it 😠
I was also surprised because we have a lot of groups and they’re all very open for new members, it whatever
 
I think small private groups can exist as long as the people in those groups dont stay to those groups. People need to be fed and refueled and if those groups can donthat so they can go out and be really positive people to other then thats great.

I hope thats the case with your group.

Out of curiosity what does that mens group do. Thats one thing i am starting is a mens group thing.
 
0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
My own parish has a secret men’s group you have to be invited into. We lived in this parish for 20 years before I ever heard of it 😠
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That seems weird to me. Is this normal?

Small faith groups I can understand. But I don’t think a “secret” group would get far in my parish. Most people haven’t even heard of the non-secret ones, lol!
 
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