Parish vs. Faith Community: Do you think that it makes any difference? Which do you prefer?

[jmcrae]

Good point. Unfortunately, in many places, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been replaced with some sort of group therapy.

And don’t let me get started on those annoying “huggers”
…I am doing everything I can to restrain myself.

:hug3: :grouphug:





[Edited]

 

[Sarabande]

Good point. Unfortunately, in many places, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been replaced with some sort of group therapy.

Yes, for some places that is true. The thing is, there is nothing wrong with group therapy, but when you are going there for the mass and it ends up being something totally different, it can be off-putting. I like the parishes when they can still have the holy sacrifice of the mass as the focal point (as it should be) and still be able to have the parish after work “activities” during the week or after mass - activities where you can choose to partake in. To me, if I need assistance or have a question or want to socialize after mass, don’t worry I’ll come to you. I understand that they are usually just extroverts being themselves and are probably just friendly people, but it makes me feel really uncomfortable and like I’m being pounced on.

And don’t let me get started on those annoying “huggers”
…I am doing everything I can to restrain myself.

hahaha! I never experienced that, but I think if I had someone I didn’t know get that close to me, it would feel a little strange. Don’t get me wrong, I love hugging my family and friends or when someone I know really needs a hug, but I don’t do it to strangers. Hearty handshakes for a greeting as I enter the vestibule or during leave-taking, and then letting me alone to pray and focus on mass is as physically close as I feel comfortable to be around strangers.

 

[Lepanto]

My pastor does this whenever he celebrates Mass. He sees it as a way of “creating community.”

Of course, he should know that community can’t be created any more than friendships can be forced. Either they happen naturally or they don’t.

 

[Lepanto]

I heard a very well-known Bishop (I won’t give his name in case, by accident, I don’t communicate his entire intent well - I have tremendous respect for him) say once that we are losing our Catholic verbiage. He said “parishes” are now “communities”, “naves” are “worship spaces” and the “vestibules” are now “gathering spaces”.

Absolutely correct. By definition, any “space” means EMPTINESS.

 

[jc-servant]

I think this is a wonderful thing to do, welcoming people, especially visitors, having people introduce themselves, forming that sense of community…

…at the coffee hour in the hall after Mass!!!​

I’m glad that works for your parish. We don’t have “a hall.” We have a parish larger than some high school campuses with multiple buildings over many acres where people can get lost merely trying to find the location for masses.

We have more than 8300 registered households (with more than 23,000 people) as of the last mention during our stewardship talk from our pastor a couple of weeks ago. With the tight schedule to fit in all of the Sunday masses in English and Spanish we have found that trying to identify new people or visitors is almost impossible after mass. If mass should run a little long, we have people coming in for the next one before people can exit from the previous mass.

Our pastor had the welcome announcement started this year to see if it worked better than what we were doing and it has. New people are being quickly identified before the mad crush after mass so that after mass someone can catch them and offer to show them whatever they may need including the way to the restrooms, coffee, parish office or registration/info tables.

I’m sure that this is not needed in most parishes because they are no where near our size geographically or population-wise. I’ve had multiple new people tell me that they really appreciate this effort because our parish is so huge and overwhelming at first.

 

[benedictgal]

I’m glad that works for your parish. We don’t have “a hall.” We have a parish larger than some high school campuses with multiple buildings over many acres where people can get lost merely trying to find the location for masses.

We have more than 8300 registered households (with more than 23,000 people) as of the last mention during our stewardship talk from our pastor a couple of weeks ago. With the tight schedule to fit in all of the Sunday masses in English and Spanish we have found that trying to identify new people or visitors is almost impossible after mass. If mass should run a little long, we have people coming in for the next one before people can exit from the previous mass.

Our pastor had the welcome announcement started this year to see if it worked better than what we were doing and it has. New people are being quickly identified before the mad crush after mass so that after mass someone can catch them and offer to show them whatever they may need including the way to the restrooms, coffee, parish office or registration/info tables.

I’m sure that this is not needed in most parishes because they are no where near our size geographically or population-wise. I’ve had multiple new people tell me that they really appreciate this effort because our parish is so huge and overwhelming at first.

However big your parish may be, it is probably no where near the size of St. Peter’s Basilica. Granted, it is used mostly for huge papal celebrations, but, I seriously doubt that the Papal MC or the director of the Sistene Chapel choir comes up before Mass and welcomes the faithful. That simply does not happen.

The problem is that this sort of “greeting” slowly begins to erode the fact that we are not there to see each other and to become best friends forever. We have a higher goal in mind and that is to offer a pleasing and acceptable Sacrifice to God the Father, not engage in frivolity that should happen after Mass.

 

[jc-servant]

Having somone come in right before Mass begins and say “Good morning and welcome to St. X” and then have people introduce themselves is not conducive at all to preparing for the sacred mysteries unfolding before us. At that point, we have made the Mass a gathering about ourselves than the Sacred Liturgy, which it truly is.

You are entitled to your opinion and that may be true for you, but please don’t tell me that I’m making the liturgy about myself by taking a few seconds to say good morning to someone. I spend more time than the last minute before Father comes to the altar in preparation.

I don’t have some type of mental disorder that prevents me from focusing on God during the liturgy because I cannot move my thoughts from a greeting that occurred before the processional. If anyone in the parish has such a difficulty, then psychotherapy may be required. They would be losing their focus on God by standing for the processional or smoothing their skirt as they stand or picking up the hymnal or any one of dozens of other small activities that require a few seconds of our time to execute.

 

[benedictgal]

You are entitled to your opinion and that may be true for you, but please don’t tell me that I’m making the liturgy about myself by taking a few seconds to say good morning to someone. I spend more time than the last minute before Father comes to the altar in preparation.

I don’t have some type of mental disorder that prevents me from focusing on God during the liturgy because I cannot move my thoughts from a greeting that occurred before the processional. If anyone in the parish has such a difficulty, then psychotherapy may be required. They would be losing their focus on God by standing for the processional or smoothing their skirt as they stand or picking up the hymnal or any one of dozens of other small activities that require a few seconds of our time to execute.

I think that you are misinterpreting the point. The time before Mass should be used so that the faithful can recollect themselves and prepare themselves for the Sacred Mysteries which are about to unfold before them. It is not a time to meet and greet. Even though we don’t worship in a vaccuum, when we start things off with a good morning and a “let’s turn around and shake hands and get to know each other”, then we have completely missed the boat as to why we are there. Furthermore, if one is so compelled to meet and greet, why not extend a greeting to the unseen cloud of witnesses who are also present at Mass, the angels, saints and the suffering souls? They are just as present inside the church as the people in the pews. They are part of the parish, too. Everywhere that the Mass is celebrated, they are there, too.

The focus needs to be on the Lord and not on us. This is a sad by-product of the horizontalism that has crept into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[ibkc]

When I first decided I wanted to investigate Catholicism, we (my husband and I) attended Mass at the nearest parish. I had only attended one other Mass and my husband had never been. We just wanted to be unobtrusive and learn. Before the start of the Mass, someone stood up with a microphone and asked that all newcomers stand up. We didn’t want to, but to our dismay nearly everyone in our general area swiveled their heads around to look at us, which then caused the rest of the congregation to look at us too. Reluctantly we stood up, and then were treated to a round of vigorous applause that lasted far too long. It was appalling and we never went back, choosing instead a less “friendly” and more conservative parish a little bit farther away.

 

[KathleenElsie]

When I first decided I wanted to investigate Catholicism, we (my husband and I) attended Mass at the nearest parish. I had only attended one other Mass and my husband had never been. We just wanted to be unobtrusive and learn. Before the start of the Mass, someone stood up with a microphone and asked that all newcomers stand up. We didn’t want to, but to our dismay nearly everyone in our general area swiveled their heads around to look at us, which then caused the rest of the congregation to look at us too. Reluctantly we stood up, and then were treated to a round of vigorous applause that lasted far too long. It was appalling and we never went back, choosing instead a less “friendly” and more conservative parish a little bit farther away.

Being an introvert in many ways I think the greeting you had would have had me crawling under the pew to leave. The only thing that would have hindered me at all would be kneelers if they had them.

I just want to worship in peace and if I want to meet people it would be after Mass or Liturgy and not at quiet prayer time.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I just want to worship in peace and if I want to meet people it would be after Mass or Liturgy and not at quiet prayer time.

Exactly!

 

[brigid12]

Being an introvert in many ways I think the greeting you had would have had me crawling under the pew to leave. The only thing that would have hindered me at all would be kneelers if they had them.

I just want to worship in peace and if I want to meet people it would be after Mass or Liturgy and not at quiet prayer time.

Me, too.

 

[MarieVeronica]

I vote for “parish”, because it’s what I grew up with. Sometimes, the old ways are the best ways.

I also agree with the above comments… about keeping the worship for Mass and the social activities for afterwards.

God bless.