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Wannano
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:bigyikes:
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goout
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That’s called a false dichotomy.
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Sarcelle
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ctb95
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I go to mass primarily to receive the sacraments, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t desire fellowship and community, especially before or after mass.
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Anne1964
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In my area the level of fellowship varies widely from parish to parish, which I imagine is true of most areas.
My parish has many young families with lots of kids. We offer many activities for families. We have a homeschool group, too. We also have an active senior group. We do not have anything for middle aged single people, but we do have activities for young adults. We have coffee hour after both Sunday masses. The coffee hour after the first Sunday Mass is well attended because parents are waiting for their children to finish faith formation classes. The coffee hour after the second Sunday Mass is much smaller. We do not have much of anything for adult formation, which is disappointing.
We are a fairly small parish with fewer than 500 families and I would say that our biggest problem is poor communication among groups.
In my area the larger parishes offer more for adults, I am assuming, because they have the staff to do so. My parish relies on volunteers for virtually everything and we only have three part-time people working in the parish office.
I read four bulletins each Sunday to see what is being offered at the surrounding parishes and I have been to classes and activities at all of them.
I like the suggestion someone made to have a central list of all parish activities in a city or town.
My parish has many young families with lots of kids. We offer many activities for families. We have a homeschool group, too. We also have an active senior group. We do not have anything for middle aged single people, but we do have activities for young adults. We have coffee hour after both Sunday masses. The coffee hour after the first Sunday Mass is well attended because parents are waiting for their children to finish faith formation classes. The coffee hour after the second Sunday Mass is much smaller. We do not have much of anything for adult formation, which is disappointing.
We are a fairly small parish with fewer than 500 families and I would say that our biggest problem is poor communication among groups.
In my area the larger parishes offer more for adults, I am assuming, because they have the staff to do so. My parish relies on volunteers for virtually everything and we only have three part-time people working in the parish office.
I read four bulletins each Sunday to see what is being offered at the surrounding parishes and I have been to classes and activities at all of them.
I like the suggestion someone made to have a central list of all parish activities in a city or town.
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ConfusedLucy
Guest
The Eucharist is the focus but going it alone in your faith is really hard. On a practical level we are expected to have fellow Catholics in our lives, eg it’s preferred that we marry other Catholics, we are expected to have Catholic godparents and sponsors for sacraments and some Catholics feel we should only pray and serve with other Catholics (not sure I agree with all of those myself) and it can seem impossible to do this without appropriate fellowship opportunities at church.
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HolyCrusader007
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Wrt Catholic brotherhood or fellowship…We could be better, could be worse though 
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Tommy999
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I would imagine that Catholic parishes are similar to most mainline Protestant denominations in that the answer would be, “It Depends”.
It mostly depends on how active the congregation is and how much they want to have fellowship with one another.
A healthy church/parish tends to have a good amount of selfless people who love the Lord who also like to serve. Such churches/parishes also tend to have leaders to support and promote fellowship. These leaders also ensure there are enough people who serve so that nobody gets too burned out, which is what happens when too few people volunteer to lead or host fellowship or classes.
However, I’ve also seen Protestant congregations who stampede out of church as soon as the service ends because they want to “beat the Baptists” to all the local restaurants rather than have fellowship with other parishioners, although some go out to the restaurants with other church parishioners.
That is why I would answer, “It depends” to your question.
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Peter_J
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Love it.
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Graceful_Lamb
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The parish in which I converted to Catholicism is very good at fellowship. Lots of social events, lots of opportunities to volunteer, etc.
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CurtHo
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A few thoughtsfor ConfusedLucy:
Having non-Catholic God Parents for your family is NEVER a good idea. This is because you made a promise to the Catholic Church (Jesus) that you would raise your child in the Catholic faith. How can you do that if you proxy your child faith away by having non-Catholic God Parents? They can’t teach what they cannot understand, so overtime your wishes are re removed and they will replace your wishes with their desires.
- But doesn’t that take away from Christ? You either give Jesus 100% of yourself or not. I go to Mass strictly for one thing and it is to commune with Jesus. It is my time with him and I will Not allow anyone to distract my mission. He is my all and deserves my full attention.
- It seems impossible to do this alone? But you’re not alone in prayer, are you? Jesus is their with you, so you’re NOT alone. That is unless you feel that you are. As for me, when I pray it is the times that I do not feel alone, because God is present and if I am at Mass or at Adoration. He is before me in the Most Holy Eucharist.
- I agree with having other Catholic in our lives. Yes, marring other Catholics, serving with other Catholics, have other Catholics as part of your life as God Parents, Sponsors are important. I would say that it is essential.
Having non-Catholic God Parents for your family is NEVER a good idea. This is because you made a promise to the Catholic Church (Jesus) that you would raise your child in the Catholic faith. How can you do that if you proxy your child faith away by having non-Catholic God Parents? They can’t teach what they cannot understand, so overtime your wishes are re removed and they will replace your wishes with their desires.
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TC3033
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As the non-Catholic in a “mixed marriage”, I can’t seem to figure out why I don’t feel welcome at my families parrish. I keep hearing that isn’t the case, so I can’t figure out at all why I would feel that way.
In other news.
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/030/013/scaled.php?1260338978
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ConfusedLucy
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In my own case I have faith that I can live as a Catholic without any help from fellow Catholics if that is God’s will even if the logical part of me thinks I will surely fail.
Back to the topic I would argue that if there is no need for Catholic fellowship then why are we required to assemble for mass? Why can’t we all just listen to it over the internet and receive the Eucharist in the same way that people who can’t leave their homes do? Why do we have Godparents and sponsors at all? Surely we do these things for a reason.
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PJM
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phil19034
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I think parish demographics and part of the country (and part of the diocese) have a lot to do with this.
For example, if you live in Boynton Beach, FL; the parish there (which I’ve been to once) is filled with things after mass and opportunities to participate during Mass too. Since that’s an area filled with transplants (and converts) they have more parish activities because there are many people there who do not have family close by (i.e. retirees who have family back north, etc).
On the flip side, a geographic parish in the middle of New York City might not have as many social programs as a personal (ethnic) parish a block down the street.
My parish, a 130 year old Suburban parish (in a 12 year old Church building - our church burned down on Christmas Eve in 2000), has family movie night a few times a year and an annual pot-luck dinner. In addition to Bible study and CYO sports, there are plenty of fellowship events for non-Catholic spouses. For example, our most recent “Discovering Christ” had a non-Catholic in attendance. Our parish also participates in our area’s interfaith fellowship program where area Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish Synagogues take turns hosting everyone for fellowship (though it’s interesting that when the event is hosted at a Catholic Church or Synagogue, besides the clergy, only the Catholics & Jews show up)
Point is some fellowship events lend themselves more to devout Catholics while others are more social and/or Christocentric in nature.
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Peebo
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A Catholic church is different than a Protestant church…Jesus Christ is truly present in the Tabernacle of every Catholic church…a Catholic must show reverence to the presence of our Lord…that is why there is no talking as you would find in a Protestant church…more so an Evangelical/Pentecostal church which holds no such belief in the real presence… so there is quite a bit of fellowship and greeting one another in church before the actual service begins…so to a stranger entering a Catholic church they might perceive it as unfriendly when that is not the case at all…there are different ministries…groups. in our church all through the week…fellowship is just waiting for anyone who asks to be involved in any of the many activities…
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PJM
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GREAT! But your missing the point. The surest way to JESUS IS through His Mother:thumbsup:
NOT the only way; just the surest; easiest and best way
Very good! and no one s suggesting that you give THAT up. Mary adds too, and does not subtract from one’s personal relationship with Jesus. Such a relationship IS Her goal for each of us…
AGREED, but if Christ is TRULY accepted and in the marriage; God will make it possible
God Bless you
Patrick
Having non-Catholic God Parents for your family is NEVER a good idea. This is because you made a promise to the Catholic Church (Jesus) that you would raise your child in the Catholic faith. How can you do that if you proxy your child faith away by having non-Catholic God Parents? They can’t teach what they cannot understand, so overtime your wishes are re removed and they will replace your wishes with their desires.
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PJM
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ConfusedLucy
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I get that Catholic Godparents are better and in theory it’s a wonderful benefit to the child to have additional people involved in their upbringing but in practice there are a lot of Catholics who don’t have other Catholics in their lives. Maybe their families and friends left the faith, maybe they have moved from where they grew up or maybe they are a convert. It’s all very well to say we don’t need to bother with fellowship and just focus on the Eucharist but it puts people in very awkward situations when they need to come up with a Catholic Godparent for example.
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Rosebud77
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For health reasons I do get Mass online, My calling is as a Solitary also, At my age ( heading for 80) I have no family here and meet folk only in my small outings, No idea what faith if any they have but selling rosaries etc I have deep chats with many.
My faith and my spiritual life have never been stronger,
My Anglican life and the idea of fellowship?
Not for me.
Often forced and artifical and thank God when it is over
Real fellowship is the simple meetings that come about, In Killarney this week , lost count of how many I met and chatted in depth with, so many asking for prayer too
Thinking of the words of Jesus, that we are to be as light and LEAVEN… Yeast…
All clubbed together that does not work.
The daily world is the flour, the darkness…
I was humbled at the weekend when lady came to the stall and said, “You helped me and were kind to me when I was upset” … that was two years ago,
And a man in the cathedral as they were cleaning, the same…
Oh and read Nehemiah, who refused to hide in the temple when things are bad, Same reason.
Strength from mass into the world of work and family…
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