Problem in my parish

[Mrs_Sally]

It depends on the population density. In our area (outer subs of Chicago) there are 6 churches within 20 minutes drive from my house. My son lives 10 miles closer to the city, and there is also six church in 10 minutes drive from his house. Each of this churches have over 3000 registered families.

That is very true in high density areas. We live within 20 minutes of 6 churches also, all over which are also large. Our own parish has 5000 registered families, but is the largest in the diocese (or in the top 5 or so).

However, the OP was speaking in the 100s when he described his parish Mass attendance. And if these 6 parishes each had even a 1000 families, I very greatly doubt they would each only haver one Mass and be sharing priests.

 

[Marie5890]

LongJohnSilver,

I don’t have an answer for you but just wanted you to know I understand what your parish is facing.

My parish faced a similar problem a few years ago when we got our new pastor. We had 4 Masses on Sunday and he plus the retired priest just couldn’t handle it all. Eventually the retired priest passed away in fact so we were cutting it down to three. Many had a favorite time and there were always some good reasons why “such and such a time” should remain.

There was a great deal of “drama” when, even as an entire parish community (we even set out forms for people to pick a schedule).

My own personal opinion is I think an 11AM one is a fine compromise and with giving it a try for the summer months it will give people a chance to transition.

Again, I know it’s not easy, trying to please everyone and take into account everyone’s needs and concerns.

Prayers for your parish, and I hope with the merger your new larger parish community will flourish with love and charity.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

you might want to remind people at the next parish meeting that all this emotion and drama may be wasted. When the team of priests or whoever is in charge of that parish cluster gets together you may find that all of those parishes may have their schedules changed because so much will depend on what they can do, transportation time and logistics and other factors entirely out of control of the parish council.

I have tried that but it is very difficult. People just seem to have the ‘we’ll deal with it when it happens’ outlook.

One thing not clear from OP, how well did the two parish communities merge into one at the last merger? are parishioners from both still active pew-goers, and involved in ministry? or did the people not happy with some aspect just quit.

It happend 5 or 6 years ago and didn’t go to well. A lot of people left the parish and there are still painful memories. But the people voting for 10:00 are almost exclusively the people who could stay in their own building and were used to 09:30. The people from the other parish who had to go to the other church were used to 11:00 but they are not really involved in the discussion.

So 10:30 is not an option?

It is, we are thinking about that as well.

When the time for Mass at my parish was changed, a vote was taken. A few complained, but it was not a serious problem. Everyone knew it was fair. Majority rules.

Do you think these things should be decided by vote? Personally I don’t like that. It quickly comes to the dictatership of the majority, and it is a small minority that we are trying to protect here.

I dont think a straight forward vote is at all fair. I think you need to determin what are preferences and what are needs. Perhaps a simple survey of views and needs would be more appropriate coupled with a statement that a decision will be made on the basis of percieved needs and the availablity of the priests.

I agree that we should investigate a bit more and distinguish between needs and preferences. Than we will have a good backup for our reasoning in presenting clear cases.

One thing that struck me is how close these church locations are (15 minutes from one to the next). If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be at all suprised to hear that one or more of them are closed in the next year or so.

I think you are right. It is already a writing on the wall that we are moving in my country from a few hundred parishes to a few dozen and that the bishop has assigned to each cluster parish one ‘center’ church in which the Eucharist is to be celebrated every Sunday. These center churches might, in a couple of years, become the only churches of the whole area.

LongJohnSilver:

A precious gift recognized as such would hardly find complaints on how it is packaged
or the time of it’s delivery. The practiced flexibility,tolerance and charity of the Catholic should shine it’s brightest in the fraternal interactions of the community. If we are willing to wash each others feet, how more so to relinquish to our brethren, most importantly the elderly and ill, a convenient time for the celebration of the perfect gift.

Andy

Thanks Andy, that’s beautifully said.

My own personal opinion is I think an 11AM one is a fine compromise and with giving it a try for the summer months it will give people a chance to transition.

Again, I know it’s not easy, trying to please everyone and take into account everyone’s needs and concerns.

Prayers for your parish, and I hope with the merger your new larger parish community will flourish with love and charity.

Thank you Marie, we need your prayer!

 

[LongJohnSilver]

Thanks all for your kind reactions.

Do you have some more advice on how to communicate either decision to the parish? At least wait until after the summer to make the final decision and hope the unrest has settled a bit. Then what?