Registering in a parish

[ChristinaM]

I am a full-time graduate student at a Catholic university, and typically my DH and I attend Mass on campus. However, we live off-campus near a different parish which we occasionally attend when time (or football crowds!) don’t permit us to go on campus. Should we be registered in what is technically our home parish even though we attend Mass on campus? Is my school’s parish considered my home parish even though I don’t live in the area?

If it weren’t for the fact that we don’t typically attend Mass at that parish we’d be registered there already. I feel guilty because I know we are obliged to support our parish and I haven’t been doing that like I’m supposed to (although I put a donation in the basket when at Mass on campus.) I’m not sure what the protocol is for this…can anyone help?

 

[PhilotheaZ]

You should be registered somewhere. Some things to think about:

• If someone in your family fell ill and needed the Anointing of the Sick, who would come out in the middle of the night to provide it? Usually the pastor of the parish where you are registered.
• If there were a death in your family, where would you have the funeral? Normally in your parish church.
• If you have children, or if you plan to have children, where will they be baptized and receive the rest of the sacraments?
• We are obligated to support the church financially; that is one of the precepts of the Church. This should be done on a consistent basis, not just once in a while.
• You should be part of a parish community where you do more than just attend Sunday Mass; you should give of your time and talents as well. That is part of belonging to a parish.

I don’t know whether you can register and be an official parishioner on campus, but you should be a registered, fully participating member somewhere.

Some dioceses require that you belong to the parish where you are geographically located (there are actual geographic boundaries of parishes). Others are more flexible. You need to find out, perhaps by asking one of the priests.

 

[puzzleannie]

it depends on whether your campus ministry is a designated parish (not likely) because if not, they will not have a priest assigned in residence as pastor, conduct baptisms, weddings, funerals etc. You are already a member of the parish where you reside, but if you wish your contributions to be recorded for tax purposes you must register, as there is really no other way for the pastor to know if you are active and participating. This will become important when it is time to baptize children, enroll them in parish religious education or school etc. You may continue to attend Mass wherever it is convenient, bearing in mind that if you don’t at least support your residential parish, the pastor has no idea whether you are practicing Catholics. If it is a Catholic school it may be a registered parish, simply inquire of the priest in charge.

 

[Joannm]

it depends on whether your campus ministry is a designated parish (not likely) because if not, they will not have a priest assigned in residence as pastor, conduct baptisms, weddings, funerals etc. You are already a member of the parish where you reside, but if you wish your contributions to be recorded for tax purposes you must register, as there is really no other way for the pastor to know if you are active and participating. This will become important when it is time to baptize children, enroll them in parish religious education or school etc. You may continue to attend Mass wherever it is convenient, bearing in mind that if you don’t at least support your residential parish, the pastor has no idea whether you are practicing Catholics. If it is a Catholic school it may be a registered parish, simply inquire of the priest in charge.

If they are at the school I think they are at, there is a parish on campus. There are people off campus that are members of that parish.

 

[FrDavid96]

I am a full-time graduate student at a Catholic university, and typically my DH and I attend Mass on campus. However, we live off-campus near a different parish which we occasionally attend when time (or football crowds!) don’t permit us to go on campus. Should we be registered in what is technically our home parish even though we attend Mass on campus? Is my school’s parish considered my home parish even though I don’t live in the area?

If it weren’t for the fact that we don’t typically attend Mass at that parish we’d be registered there already. I feel guilty because I know we are obliged to support our parish and I haven’t been doing that like I’m supposed to (although I put a donation in the basket when at Mass on campus.) I’m not sure what the protocol is for this…can anyone help?

ChristinaM,

On-campus parishes are quite rare. Most campuses have a chaplain but this isn’t considered a parish–the college campus itself is still within the territory of some local parish (quite possibly the one you’re attending).

As far as membership in a parish goes, you are a member of the place where you have an actual domicile or quasi-domicile. This might sound a bit academic, but it becomes very important when one gets married or has a child baptised. (I see you’re married, but for the sake of other readers).

Wherever you live, you live in the territory of SOME parish. Yes, it’s important for you to be registered at your own proper parish, even if you choose to attend Mass on-campus. Remember that your home parish is not one that you choose, but one that applies to the specific territory where you actually live. This may or may not be the closest church to your home, so check first.

You are said to have a “domicile” (residence) if you live in a place, and have every intention of living there permanently, or once you live there 5 consecutive years, this is automatic.

You have a quasi-domicile if you live in a place for at least 3 months.

On a related note that may or may not apply:

If you consider yourself a “permanent resident” of your parents’ home, then you’re still a member of that home parish, but you’re entitled to the rights of membership in the parish of your quasi-domicile (college town). It realy comes down to what you yourself feel to be your “permanent” residence. If you intend to return home after graduation, and you see college as a temporary situation, then your home parish would apply. On the other hand, if you see yourself moving away from college and establishing a permanent residence somewhere else (without returning home), then your college residence is indeed your “domicile” because that is permanent in your case.

 

[puzzleannie]

If they are at the school I think they are at, there is a parish on campus. There are people off campus that are members of that parish.

a campus ministry, as I said, is not always a parish, just because Sunday Mass is offered there. On some Catholic college campuses it may be, but not always. Best to ask the priest. If the college is run by a men’s religious order there may very well be a monastery or residence for the monks, and a church that is a parish, but not necessarily. For instance, John Carroll U, a Jesuit school in Cleveland has a residence for priests, and a chapel on campus for students that has a regular Mass schedule, but the actual parish is Gesu, across the street and off campus, a parish of the diocese of Cleveland staffed by Jesuits.

 

[FrDavid96]

Indiana (just noticed that from Joannm)

46556?

It does make a difference.

 

[rkrispies]

As a side question (feel free to move elsewhere), what if my geographically closest parish is one that I can’t in good conscience support or would ever attend.

My previous parish was merged and received a new pastor, who has introduced a number of abuses to the liturgy there. I simply do not want to support that parish. Am I still bound to register there? Or am I permitted to register at another parish of my choosing?

Chris

 

[FrDavid96]

As a side question (feel free to move elsewhere), what if my geographically closest parish is one that I can’t in good conscience support or would ever attend.

My previous parish was merged and received a new pastor, who has introduced a number of abuses to the liturgy there. I simply do not want to support that parish. Am I still bound to register there? Or am I permitted to register at another parish of my choosing?

Chris

Chris,
You can “register” anywhere. Having your name on a parish roster realy means nothing (see closing comments). A parish is a territory established by the local bishop. A person is a member of whatever parish territory he has a domicile. A good example is to look at an American who lives near a state line. Such a person might consider himself in every way a “member” of the other state because that’s where he works, recreates, shops, etc. etc. But the fact is that none of that matters. He’s only a citizen of the actual state where he has residence. On election day, he can’t vote in the other state, regardless of what emotional attachment he might have to it. The exact same thing hold true for parishes. We are free to attend Mass, other prayers, and social activities anywhere, and free to make donations to any parish of our choosing. We can have our names put on the mailing list of any parish. But all of this means nothing. The only thing that actually counts is the parish of the place where we live.

Registering does not make you a parishioner, and lack of registration does not make you a non-parishioner. Only your place of residence counts, nothing else. People very often misunderstand this point. (there are certain non-territorial parishes, but that’s a different topic for a different thread altogether. Suffice to say that they’re rare and realy not relevant to this particular topic, so let’s avoid that discussion or start a new thread, please.)

Registering with a parish is important only in the sense that when it comes time to seek the other sacraments, or time to be buried, we are “known” to the pastor as a Catholic. That’s why it is important for the OP. When it comes time for her children to be baptised (just for example) it’s better that she not be an unknown stranger in her own proper parish–even if she attends Mass elsewhere, at least the pastor knows that this is someone who is a practicing Catholic and not someone who only showed up looking for baptism when the time came. Registering of course, has other benefits, and I don’t mean to belittle the idea of parish registrations, not by any means. I’m only explaining that registration has no canonical implications, only practical ones.

 

[ChristinaM]

Indiana (just noticed that from Joannm)

46556?

It does make a difference.

Well, yes, I guess since I’ve said I go to Notre Dame in previous posts that there’s no sense in beating around the bush. I guess it’s silly of me to be asking this on the forum but I really have no clue who to ask in “real life” so to speak. I live off campus, so haven’t really had any contact with a chaplain, and I don’t know anyone else in my department who’s a practicing Catholic.

And yes, there is an actual parish on campus but I don’t know if students are supposed to register there or not and can’t really find any information on that.

I would definitely consider myself to have set up permanent residence here since I am married and no longer an undergraduate. It sounds like what I ought to do is register with my local parish so they at least are aware of me. Would it be right for me to do that even though I usually attend Mass on campus?

Ah, it was all so much simpler before I decided to go to grad school at a Catholic university! Thanks for putting up with a dumb question.

 

[Joannm]

There is a parish house and office on the campus of Notre Dame. I am sure you know where it is…near the seminary. Just go in there and ask about registration or look on the bulletin.

 

[FrDavid96]

Well, yes, I guess since I’ve said I go to Notre Dame in previous posts that there’s no sense in beating around the bush. I guess it’s silly of me to be asking this on the forum but I really have no clue who to ask in “real life” so to speak. I live off campus, so haven’t really had any contact with a chaplain, and I don’t know anyone else in my department who’s a practicing Catholic.

And yes, there is an actual parish on campus but I don’t know if students are supposed to register there or not and can’t really find any information on that.

I would definitely consider myself to have set up permanent residence here since I am married and no longer an undergraduate. It sounds like what I ought to do is register with my local parish so they at least are aware of me. Would it be right for me to do that even though I usually attend Mass on campus?

Ah, it was all so much simpler before I decided to go to grad school at a Catholic university! Thanks for putting up with a dumb question.

ChristinaM,
This gets realy interresting, and is probably a unique situation.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is not a parish church. It is part of the campus ministry, and administered by the Holy Cross fathers. The parish church is technically “the Crypt,” and it’s called “Sacred Heart Parish” Even though the two churches are under the same roof and share the same name, canonically they are two seperate buildings, and even two seperate communities.

Sacred Heart is one of those non-territorial parishes. It was established as a parish (proper parish in the canonical sense) for the Notre Dame community, so it’s jurisdiction is personal and not territorial. You are eligible to join Sacred Heart parish but if you speak to anyone “upstairs” they won’t be able to help you as it’s not their parish. You need to speak to someone “downstairs” because that is the actual parish church. This might not seem to make sense at first, but keep in mind that they are 2 distinct places, so imagine them being blocks apart rather than on top of each other. If the pastor of Sacred Heart parish does a wedding in the Basilica, he needs to get permission from the rector of the Basilica, because once he goes “upstairs” he has left his proper jurisdiction (likewise in reverse).

You are also eligible to join the territorial parish in town which covers the place where you happen to live.

Bottom line is that if you wish to join Sacred Heart parish, speak to the pastor of the Crypt parish. It’s not possible to join Sacred Heart Basilica parish because no such parish exists. Don’t try talking to a campus chaplain, because they can’t help you–they don’t have anything to do with the actual parish.

The parish office (parish, not basilica) is in the Presbytery.

Hope this helps clear things up.

 

[sallystanley]

Chris,

Registering with a parish is important only in the sense that when it comes time to seek the other sacraments, or time to be buried, we are “known” to the pastor as a Catholic. That’s why it is important for the OP. When it comes time for her children to be baptised (just for example) it’s better that she not be an unknown stranger in her own proper parish–even if she attends Mass elsewhere, at least the pastor knows that this is someone who is a practicing Catholic and not someone who only showed up looking for baptism when the time came. Registering of course, has other benefits, and I don’t mean to belittle the idea of parish registrations, not by any means. I’m only explaining that registration has no canonical implications, only practical ones.

Thanks for this helpful information. One question: if a family “registers” in a parish that is not their geographical parish and that family then needs the sacramental support of a priest, i.e. a family member is sick and in the hospital, etc., would the family contact the parish where they are registered and participating and know the priest, or the parish whose geographical boundaries include their home?

 

[FrDavid96]

Thanks for this helpful information. One question: if a family “registers” in a parish that is not their geographical parish and that family then needs the sacramental support of a priest, i.e. a family member is sick and in the hospital, etc., would the family contact the parish where they are registered and participating and know the priest, or the parish whose geographical boundaries include their home?

You may contact either priest.

You do need to know however, that a pastor has the obligation to administer the Sacraments to his own parishioners (or those physically present in his own territory). A priest would be perfectly within his rights to expect that you contact the person’s proper pastor before asking him to administer Sacraments outside of his parish territory or proper parishioners. Indeed, a priest has an obligation to contact the proper pastor before administering Sacraments to non-parishioners (outside of an emergency [and he can hear confessions anywhere]).

That’s precisely the point I’ve been trying to make in this and similar threads. Some people might find themselves in a situation where the current pastor of the place where they are registered has no problems administering the Sacraments (with the proper permission when necessary), however some future pastor might not be of the same mind, and should he say something like “contact your proper pastor, I can’t spare the time away from my own obligations to my parishioners to be there right now”…well, you can imagine the rest.