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TC3033
Guest
You’re making my point. Nobody is talking about “fellowshipping” in the actual sanctuary (at least I’m not), but yet that always seems to come up. I’d love for those people to be shooed outside or to the center.
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PJM
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PJM
Guest
WITHOUT DISAGREEING
Here is an OPEN invitation for any and all Protestants {or even Catholics} who whould like to discuss ANY faith related issues:thumbsup:
God Bless you
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TC3033
Guest
Is this a demographical thing? I have never been to a Mass and been invited to coffee/tea afterwards…like ever.
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simspt
Guest
Totally agree but its ironic that for example Fundamentalists tend to have a me, the bible and Jesus mentality yet are very community oriented while meeting to worship. Catholicism doctrinally is very community focused yet Catholics not so much in parish life in my experience in general. The community strength of these fundamentalists groups has at their aim fellowship to strengthen and support each other’s relationships and obedience with Christ not to just feel good. Eg Bible studies, outreaches, support groups…Their general attitude towards each other is much more friendly as a whole also which last time I checked is something our Master commands. As far as Fellowship goes I think the typical Protestant finds themselves with more opportunity or at minimum the Catholic must make a greater effort compared to our Protestant brothers and sisters. I have read that some believe this started way back during the Reformation when Protestants focused more on the liturgy of the word and Catholics the liturgy of the Eucharist. Who knows?? One qualifier…my sample size as a Catholic convert 5 years ago is admittedly small therefore could be very biased however I have read books written by Catholics that tend to view this as a major issue regarding Catholics leaving the Church for fundamentalism.
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Catherinabird
Guest
I recently went to Mass in a small parish in the mountains (<20) and so I obviously stuck out as being “new”. I was invited to refreshments afterwards and several people talked to me. My own parish is so much larger (thousands) and I just found out they have coffee and tea in the fellowship hall afterwards. Who knew! Not me! No one even notices I am there, and you have to seek out fellowship activities if you want to participate. However, they do have them, and they do have coffee and tea.
I think numbers can make a huge difference in how aware you are of everything going on and who you get to know. If you attend a full semester’s worth of lectures with a class of 500, the chances that you will bond with the other students is less than if you took the same class with 50 people.
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TC3033
Guest
I understand what you’re getting at, and I’m sure size can make a difference…but we go to a pretty small Parrish and I’m sure that if there were something after Mass I’m pretty sure they’d make an announcement or but it in the bulletin. I’ve just never been to a Mass where they invite everyone for coffee or tea afterwards. I guess I just assume that there isn’t anything afterwards.
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Catherinabird
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That’s what I did until I found out otherwise.
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phil19034
Guest
I disagree with this. Less than 25% of Catholics attend Mass every weekend. I argue that the “cultural Catholics” are the ones not attending.
Some of the Catholics attending Mass every weekend might not be fully Catechized or fully Evangelized, but they are doing more than simply “going through the motions.”
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phil19034
Guest
Some parishes do, some parishes don’t. When I was a kid, they had coffee and donuts downstairs in the cafeteria after every Sunday Mass. But they didn’t announce it often.
My current parish has a donut Sunday for just one mass, every few months. But they never announce it either. If you are at the mass with the donuts, you will see them after mass. If you are not at that mass, no donuts for you.
One thing is very common for Catholic Parishes and dioceses. No matter how much people want to say we are organized religion, we are not well organized
Every time my parish staff asks for feedback regarding how the parish is doing, the number one thing that keeps coming back from the laity is “better communication.”
People don’t often know what’s going on, and there isn’t a single place to view all the happenings of the parish.
I think this plays a role in “fellowship” issues too. I think it’s more a result of disorganization than anything else.
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goout
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Catholicism has a little different focus. Fellowship is not *the * reason for being there.
That being said, yea many Catholic Churches could do better with fellowship.
That being said, yea many Catholic Churches could do better with fellowship.
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phil19034
Guest
I’m very familiar with those stats. However, a large percentage of that 63% are the people who are not coming every week.
This has been a struggle for “ages” because historically it was the role of the parents to catechise their kids.
Older Church buildings / campus often do not have large meeting rooms, etc. unless they have a school. “Sunday School” was a protestant innovation, which we obviously sort of adopted (I say sort of because some Parishes, like mine, only have Children’s Faith Formation during the week, not on Sundays).
If Adult Faith Formation classes/events are not working at your parish, then it’s most likely an issue of advertising.
Does Father push them from his homilies and/or during announcements? Or is it just in the bulletin or with people standing in the narthex after mass?
Does your parish have a standing Evangelization committee that is focused on simply evangelizing the parishioners? My parish, for example as two committees (1) an Adult Faith Formation & Evangelization Commission made up of volunteers who focus on logistics of planning events and (2) Evangelization Team which is made up of selected parishioners who have a love & talent for evangelization, this team acts as a “think tank” for evangelization.
If your parish has a subscription to FORMED, you need to advertize it AND make sure people understand what it really is. I’m aware of many devout Catholics who never log into their parish’s FORMED account because they think it’s something they have to come into the parish for – no matter how many times they have been told it’s a “Catholic Netflix for them to watch at home”
Does your parish promote Diocesan events and events from other parishes? Big diocesan events, like a diocesan Men’s and Women’s conferences and teen retreats can really be energetic. But if the parish only promotes their own events, it can hurt.
It’s starts for the top. If the Pastor and his staff are very energetic about ALL events (both in & out of the parish) then it helps when your parish is having something.
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Peter_J
Guest
Demographical, geographical, possibly multi-aphical. See
Just goes to show that we each bring different experiences/memories with us.
Also, when the topics of “coffee hours” comes up off-forum, I pretty much never hear anything directly negative against them. People generally just say something like “I wouldn’t mind if my parish decided to have one, but I wouldn’t go to it.”
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TC3033
Guest
I was just wondering because post Mass coffee/tea/whatever gets brought up on here a lot as a common occurrence, but it seems like the churches where we’re at never do it.
More just curious since I’ve never seen it…
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Peter_J
Guest
Tbh as I read this thread, I have to wonder what areas are being referred to. For instance, it’s hard for me to even imagine living in an area where church is all about the coffee hour.
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zaffiroborant
Guest
All my life in every parish I’ve been in Children’s Faith Formation (which I still call CCD) has been on Saturday. As a kid it was only on Saturday, by HS it was on Tuesday and Saturday.
I wish dioceses would have a clearing house/webpage for events and such at churches in the diocese. I’ve attended studies, groups and events at other parishes because the evenings worked out for me or they were closer to work, but they are not always easy to find.
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zaffiroborant
Guest
We have coffee, juice and donuts after the 9 o’clock Mass, even though my kids are in HS this is still their favorite Mass. The donuts and all are there at the beginning of the 10:30 Mass but of course you can’t have them. People generally hang out a few minutes after Mass, my kids have made arrangements with friend at church to play, but no one stays long. This is probably good because there is not enough parking to accommodate 2 Masses worth of cars.
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Usige
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It’s likely geographic. All but 1 of the 5 parishes I have attended over the past 10 years have had coffee and donuts after Mass. Three parishes have them after all morning masses and even the “stiff”/“unfriendly” people at the traditional Latin Mass have donuts after each mass on the first Sunday. At least two of the parishes also have something like a breakfast in the parish hall every other month.
I know when ministries I’ve been attached to hosted donuts that we went through close to 40 dozen donuts, gallons of coffee, tea, tang and lemonade during the 3 morning masses.
Even after non-donut Sundays at the TLM you can find dozens of families and their kids talking in the parking lot or standing on the lawn, under the trees chatting away.
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rcwitness
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Doesn’t donuts after Mass violate the one hour fast before/after Communion?
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zaffiroborant
Guest
I’m pretty sure there are no requirements to fast after Communion.
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