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latingirl
Guest
I do not belong to a Parish but this is mostly because in my life, I have moved around a great deal. Or maybe it’s because I have commitment issues… 
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roseb
Guest
I have a somewhat related question. What diocese does one belong to if they live in one but attend a church in a different diocese (and are registered there)?
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Little_One0307
Guest
Good question, I will be looking for the answer when it is posted.
However, I venture maybe it is the diocese that you are registered and attending the parish in.
God bless.
T
TimothyH
Guest
This thread brings up an issue which I personally think too few Catholics think about or take seriously.
Baptims makes us members in Christs body but it doesn’t end there. Membership in Christ’s body is not metaphorical. Membership in Christs Body is real, and it was meant to be lived out in the context of families and individual Christian communities. Family life first, and parish life (centered squarely around the Eucharist) second, are the contexts under which Christ’s call to love is to be carried out. Family and parish life is where we are supposed to support, educate, care, and pray for each other. And we are supposed to get to know each other in the context of the individual Christian community, to make close friends, so when one of our fellow members of Christ’s body starts doing something stupid, we can pull them aside and help them get back on track. And they hopefully will do the same for us.
I feel that as Christians, especially as Catholic Christians, have a responsibility to register at our parish. More than that, I feel very strongly that we are to live out our call to love each other primarily in the context of the family, but also in the context of the parish. But too many don’t take this seriously and so they attend a Church which as a practical matter is too far away to do anything in terms of parish life other than attending Mass on Sunday.
Don’t we want other Catholics praying for us and asking the saints to pray for us? Don’t we want people to know what is going on in our lives so that when bad things happen they can support us? Don’t we want our daughters marrying good Catholic men? That isn’t going to happen unless we get involved in a parish. At some point we have to put aside our own desires for a certain type of music, liturgy, architecure, or whatever, and commit to living in a real and visible Christian community, something more than some invisible spiritual union of people who share a common baptism.
-Tim-
And that’s exactly my point. We are all members fo the Body of Christ but many Catholics seem to treat the idea of Christ’s Body effectively the same way Evangelical Protestantism does. Whether you believe that the Church is invisible and spiritual, or that there is one, visible, and hierarchical Church doesn’t really matter if you don’t identify with it in some way and if you don’t engage with other members of that Church in a real and meaningful way. Seatuck is exactly right.
Baptims makes us members in Christs body but it doesn’t end there. Membership in Christ’s body is not metaphorical. Membership in Christs Body is real, and it was meant to be lived out in the context of families and individual Christian communities. Family life first, and parish life (centered squarely around the Eucharist) second, are the contexts under which Christ’s call to love is to be carried out. Family and parish life is where we are supposed to support, educate, care, and pray for each other. And we are supposed to get to know each other in the context of the individual Christian community, to make close friends, so when one of our fellow members of Christ’s body starts doing something stupid, we can pull them aside and help them get back on track. And they hopefully will do the same for us.
I feel that as Christians, especially as Catholic Christians, have a responsibility to register at our parish. More than that, I feel very strongly that we are to live out our call to love each other primarily in the context of the family, but also in the context of the parish. But too many don’t take this seriously and so they attend a Church which as a practical matter is too far away to do anything in terms of parish life other than attending Mass on Sunday.
Don’t we want other Catholics praying for us and asking the saints to pray for us? Don’t we want people to know what is going on in our lives so that when bad things happen they can support us? Don’t we want our daughters marrying good Catholic men? That isn’t going to happen unless we get involved in a parish. At some point we have to put aside our own desires for a certain type of music, liturgy, architecure, or whatever, and commit to living in a real and visible Christian community, something more than some invisible spiritual union of people who share a common baptism.
-Tim-
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TrueLight
Guest
This thread brings up an issue which I personally think too few Catholics think about or take seriously.
And that’s exactly my point. We are all members fo the Body of Christ but many Catholics seem to treat the idea of Christ’s Body effectively the same way Evangelical Protestantism does. Whether you believe that the Church is invisible and spiritual, or that there is one, visible, and hierarchical Church doesn’t really matter if you don’t identify with it in some way and if you don’t engage with other members of that Church in a real and meaningful way. Seatuck is exactly right.
Baptims makes us members in Christs body but it doesn’t end there. Membership in Christ’s body is not metaphorical. Membership in Christs Body is real, and it was meant to be lived out in the context of families and individual Christian communities. Family life first, and parish life (centered squarely around the Eucharist) second, are the contexts under which Christ’s call to love is to be carried out. Family and parish life is where we are supposed to support, educate, care, and pray for each other. And we are supposed to get to know each other in the context of the individual Christian community, to make close friends, so when one of our fellow members of Christ’s body starts doing something stupid, we can pull them aside and help them get back on track. And they hopefully will do the same for us.
I feel that as Christians, especially as Catholic Christians, have a responsibility to register at our parish. More than that, I feel very strongly that we are to live out our call to love each other primarily in the context of the family, but also in the context of the parish. But too many don’t take this seriously and so they attend a Church which as a practical matter is too far away to do anything in terms of parish life other than attending Mass on Sunday.
Don’t we want other Catholics praying for us and asking the saints to pray for us? Don’t we want people to know what is going on in our lives so that when bad things happen they can support us? Don’t we want our daughters marrying good Catholic men? That isn’t going to happen unless we get involved in a parish. At some point we have to put aside our own desires for a certain type of music, liturgy, architecure, or whatever, and commit to living in a real and visible Christian community, something more than some invisible spiritual union of people who share a common baptism.
-Tim-
Excellent points.
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dans0622
Guest
Hello roseb,
“Can. 372 §1. As a rule, a portion of the people of God which constitutes a diocese or other particular church is limited to a definite territory so that it includes all the faithful living in the territory.”
Dan
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jpjd
Guest
Great comment, Timothy! This is worth printing out and keeping! The point you (and Seatuck) make here is exactly what being in the Body of Christ is all about and is what makes a parish vibrant. A vibrant parish is a community of people who gather to worship, pray, educate, support, and care for each other; not a collection of individuals who come to attend Mass. Thank you for this post, and may all who read it take it to heart.
This thread brings up an issue which I personally think too few Catholics think about or take seriously.
And that’s exactly my point. We are all members fo the Body of Christ but many Catholics seem to treat the idea of Christ’s Body effectively the same way Evangelical Protestantism does. Whether you believe that the Church is invisible and spiritual, or that there is one, visible, and hierarchical Church doesn’t really matter if you don’t identify with it in some way and if you don’t engage with other members of that Church in a real and meaningful way. Seatuck is exactly right.
Baptims makes us members in Christs body but it doesn’t end there. Membership in Christ’s body is not metaphorical. Membership in Christs Body is real, and it was meant to be lived out in the context of families and individual Christian communities. Family life first, and parish life (centered squarely around the Eucharist) second, are the contexts under which Christ’s call to love is to be carried out. Family and parish life is where we are supposed to support, educate, care, and pray for each other. And we are supposed to get to know each other in the context of the individual Christian community, to make close friends, so when one of our fellow members of Christ’s body starts doing something stupid, we can pull them aside and help them get back on track. And they hopefully will do the same for us.
I feel that as Christians, especially as Catholic Christians, have a responsibility to register at our parish. More than that, I feel very strongly that we are to live out our call to love each other primarily in the context of the family, but also in the context of the parish. But too many don’t take this seriously and so they attend a Church which as a practical matter is too far away to do anything in terms of parish life other than attending Mass on Sunday.
Don’t we want other Catholics praying for us and asking the saints to pray for us? Don’t we want people to know what is going on in our lives so that when bad things happen they can support us? Don’t we want our daughters marrying good Catholic men? That isn’t going to happen unless we get involved in a parish. At some point we have to put aside our own desires for a certain type of music, liturgy, architecure, or whatever, and commit to living in a real and visible Christian community, something more than some invisible spiritual union of people who share a common baptism.
-Tim-
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Not automatically. Whichever parish “owns” the territory where your place of residence is. I say it this way because back when I was in the Philippines we belong to a parish not too far away. Then a few years later another parish sprung up which is even closer than the parish we belong to. But when they redrew the lines of the parish territories, we still belong to the original parish. But we go like 90% of the time to the closer parish for the obvious reason that its closer. Plus we have gotten to know the priest there.
It might not always be the nearest. But do check the nearest parish and see if you belong to their territory. If not, ask them. Thats the best way to find out.
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quiet52
Guest
If you aren’t registered with any parish and pass away, only the parish in which you reside geographically is obligated to offer you a Catholic funeral Mass. If you prefer that your funeral Mass take place in a different parish, one that you’ve been attending regularly and hopefully been offering your time, treasure and talent more than to any other parish, then you should be registered at that parish.
I’m not saying this is the only reason why a Catholic should choose a parish to register in – but think about it. If something happens to you, wouldn’t you want your loved ones and acquaintances to honor you in prayer in a place where at least someone knew you?
I’m not saying this is the only reason why a Catholic should choose a parish to register in – but think about it. If something happens to you, wouldn’t you want your loved ones and acquaintances to honor you in prayer in a place where at least someone knew you?
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Little_One0307
Guest
Okay, I will check into that. Thanks for you time in answering my question.
God bless.
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Little_One0307
Guest
Actually this never entered my mind. I probably won’t mind who will do my funeral, as I hope and pray to be enjoying heaven, if I am lucky I’ll be in purgatory for a good while.
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