Okay to leave parish for another?

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crenfro

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Is it wrong to change parishes? I read somewhere that once I join a parish, I’m obligated to stick with it.

I want to join another parish where confessions are held when they’re scheduled to be held and where protestant ministers don’t give homilies. Sometimes confession is cancelled, or for half the time scheduled in the bulletin. I know priests are busy, but isn’t it important to have confession at a consistent time for more than 15 minutes a week for an entire parish?

And if it is okay to join another parish, do I write a letter of resignation or something like that to my old parish, including the information that I’ll keep up with any pledges (monetary) I made previously?
 
crenfro said:
Is it wrong to change parishes? I read somewhere that once I join a parish, I’m obligated to stick with it.

I want to join another parish where confessions are held when they’re scheduled to be held and where protestant ministers don’t give homilies. Sometimes confession is cancelled, or for half the time scheduled in the bulletin. I know priests are busy, but isn’t it important to have confession at a consistent time for more than 15 minutes a week for an entire parish?

And if it is okay to join another parish, do I write a letter of resignation or something like that to my old parish, including the information that I’ll keep up with any pledges (monetary) I made previously?
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You are allowed to join any parish you wish.
 
In the past, some dioceses made it “mandatory” to go to the parish within a certain geographical boundry. Methinks this was little more than wishful thinking on their part, but it made it easier to keep track of how many were in the flock and distribute diocesean resources equitably. How they “enforced” this is questionable, or even if they tried to enforce it at all.

Nowadays, it’s not even a consideration. We’ve pretty much been free to worship wherever we choose.

That being said, it’d be nice to let the office know that you’re transferring to another parish, since it saves them time and money in sending out mailings, etc. if they do that sort of thing. In addition, if you’ve pledged to a building drive or other long-term fundraising project, you should fulfill your financial commitment to your old parish.
 
crenfro said:
Is it wrong to change parishes? I read somewhere that once I join a parish, I’m obligated to stick with it.

I want to join another parish where confessions are held when they’re scheduled to be held and where protestant ministers don’t give homilies. Sometimes confession is cancelled, or for half the time scheduled in the bulletin. I know priests are busy, but isn’t it important to have confession at a consistent time for more than 15 minutes a week for an entire parish?

And if it is okay to join another parish, do I write a letter of resignation or something like that to my old parish, including the information that I’ll keep up with any pledges (monetary) I made previously?
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The way it works is that you are the responsibility of your geographic parish, i.e. that pastor is responsible for providing you with the sacraments.

However, you are free to attend any Catholic parish you choose, and register at any parish you choose.

If there are serious abuses in your current parish, I would switch immediately. I would also write a letter to the pastor, with a cc to the Bishop, on why you are switching.

God Bless
 
In our diocese you have to get the permission of the the church that your are in boundaries in and then the church you want to switch to.
 
Agreed. You can join the parish of your choice.
In my town there is only one parish. I sometimes think I should change or consider changing religions because we are in the “Bible Belt” .
I am not changing religion nor parish as I have decided to voice my concerns with the pastor and church comittee leaders.(it may help, if not I know where I stand)
Your point is noted that we are preached to participate in the sacraments but, not in the 15 minute “weekly window”. Shortage of priest is not an excuse!

“Oh my God, tell me what you want me to do and then help me do it.”
 
I have changed churches several times. Once I switched from a church that was a few miles away to one on the other side of town because It was where my parrents attended, was a small tradiotional church and where I wanted to eventually move to.

I have also switched churches several times due to moves. and just simply registered with the new parish. During my last two moves I shopped around to find a church that was more my style.

If you are unhappy with your church, please contact your current pastor and explain you concerns. There may be a misunderstanding. For instance do they start confessions at a specific time but end when there are no more people? Give your priest the courtesy to try to address your concerns before “tattling” to the Bishop.
 
royal_archer said:
I have changed churches several times. Once I switched from a church that was a few miles away to one on the other side of town because It was where my parrents attended, was a small tradiotional church and where I wanted to eventually move to.

I have also switched churches several times due to moves. and just simply registered with the new parish. During my last two moves I shopped around to find a church that was more my style.

If you are unhappy with your church, please contact your current pastor and explain you concerns. There may be a misunderstanding. For instance do they start confessions at a specific time but end when there are no more people? Give your priest the courtesy to try to address your concerns before “tattling” to the Bishop.
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I only suggested informing the Bishop for serious abuses.

The OP mentioned Protestant Minsters giving homilies. The Bishop needs to know this.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
I only suggested informing the Bishop for serious abuses.

The OP mentioned Protestant Minsters giving homilies. The Bishop needs to know this.

God Bless
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Maybe I am just giving a lot of bennefit of the doubt here. We have had guest speakers talking about charities, events, etc. in lieu of the homily or in addition to the homily. While asking a non Catholic to give a homily which includes teaching on religious / moral issues is clearly wrong, I can understand allowing a guest speaker such as ficticious example “Mr. Smith smith of the freelance protestant church giving a summary of the efforts of the interdenominational food kitchen and asking parishoners to come to their annual pancake breakfast fund raiser…”

I can also see cases where a church may have a non Catholic motivational speaker come in and give a talk in the church school’s cafeteria.

In such cases getting the Bishop involved prior to further explanation may cause avoidable tension.
 
royal_archer said:
Maybe I am just giving a lot of bennefit of the doubt here. We have had guest speakers talking about charities, events, etc. in lieu of the homily or in addition to the homily. While asking a non Catholic to give a homily which includes teaching on religious / moral issues is clearly wrong, I can understand allowing a guest speaker such as ficticious example “Mr. Smith smith of the freelance protestant church giving a summary of the efforts of the interdenominational food kitchen and asking parishoners to come to their annual pancake breakfast fund raiser…”

I can also see cases where a church may have a non Catholic motivational speaker come in and give a talk in the church school’s cafeteria.

In such cases getting the Bishop involved prior to further explanation may cause avoidable tension.
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Correct. But no one except a priest or deacon may give a homily.

Announcements are totally separate.

God Bless
 
where protestant ministers don’t give homilies
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That’s one I’ve never heard of before. if you don’t mind me asking, what is a homilie (sp?)?
 
crenfro said:
Is it wrong to change parishes? I read somewhere that once I join a parish, I’m obligated to stick with it.
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I think that changing parishes is an act of schism. But then, I’m an Episcopalian. I listen to the early Church, and they certainly would not have approved of running around to find a local congregation you like. The modern RCC may approve of this behavior. That’s just a point against their claims to be identical to the historic Catholic Church.

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
I think that changing parishes is an act of schism. But then, I’m an Episcopalian. I listen to the early Church, and they certainly would not have approved of running around to find a local congregation you like. The modern RCC may approve of this behavior. That’s just a point against their claims to be identical to the historic Catholic Church.

Edwin
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In some places, there might be only one parish nearby and that’s it.

In other places (like my city), there are multiple parishes. Sometimes it’s necessary to change parishes: 1) if you’re moving 😉 2) if a particular parish is…well, let’s just say promotes things that are contrary to the Church’s teachings (like St. Joan of Arc in Minneapolis (or St. Cloud), Minnesota).
 
crenfro said:
Is it wrong to change parishes? I read somewhere that once I join a parish, I’m obligated to stick with it.

I want to join another parish where confessions are held when they’re scheduled to be held and where protestant ministers don’t give homilies. Sometimes confession is cancelled, or for half the time scheduled in the bulletin. I know priests are busy, but isn’t it important to have confession at a consistent time for more than 15 minutes a week for an entire parish?

And if it is okay to join another parish, do I write a letter of resignation or something like that to my old parish, including the information that I’ll keep up with any pledges (monetary) I made previously?
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:rolleyes: Is this a joke?
 
bilop said:
The way it works is that you are the responsibility of your geographic parish, i.e. that pastor is responsible for providing you with the sacraments.
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Sort of.

A pastor is given the responsibility of spiritual care to all persons in his geographic area.

In other words, he cannot refuse to pastor someone who lives in his area.

But the obligation is one way, it binds the pastor to the faithful, not the faithful to the pastor.

A member of the faithful is free to enter into a pastoral relationship within another parish. The pastor of that parish is under no canonical obligation to accept someone from outside his defined boundries, but once he does so, he is the canonical pastor and has the canonical authority and spiritual responsibility of pastor over that person.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I’m so lucky to have access to this forum.

Today I changed parishes, and both parish secretaries told me no, it wasn’t a sin to change parishes, and no one was rude or anything to me.

I informed my old parish that I’d continue to pay on my pledge because I’m more frightened of being in debt to God than a credit card company and that I’d return the parish library books I’d borrowed.

As for informing the Bishop of any abuses, the diocese here is in terrible straights due to abuse cases, the Pope has just visited the U.S., and I’m not going to add any more to the Bishop’s burden.

I’m not going to talk with my pastor at the old parish. I called him twice and the calls haven’t been returned, so, well, I’m going where I can get “fed.”

And no, my post isn’t a joke. I was crying today on the phone while giving out my info to the new parish. I wish this was a light-hearted matter…

Thank you all for your lovely comments.
 
crenfro said:
Thank you all for your replies. I’m so lucky to have access to this forum.

Today I changed parishes, and both parish secretaries told me no, it wasn’t a sin to change parishes, and no one was rude or anything to me.

I informed my old parish that I’d continue to pay on my pledge because I’m more frightened of being in debt to God than a credit card company and that I’d return the parish library books I’d borrowed.

As for informing the Bishop of any abuses, the diocese here is in terrible straights due to abuse cases, the Pope has just visited the U.S., and I’m not going to add any more to the Bishop’s burden.

I’m not going to talk with my pastor at the old parish. I called him twice and the calls haven’t been returned, so, well, I’m going where I can get “fed.”

And no, my post isn’t a joke. I was crying today on the phone while giving out my info to the new parish. I wish this was a light-hearted matter…

Thank you all for your lovely comments.
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Good for you! You made an honnest effort to work with the old pastor and it sounds like you have found a parish that is more to your needs.
 
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