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Kliska
Guest
Can I come visit??!!
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victrolatim
Guest
Buffalo is a smaller metropolitan area and we pretty much have a little bit of everything. From Catholics and Protestants, to Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Scientologist, Jehovah’s Witnesses and LDS. Within a mile of my house there are three Catholic churches. The area historically is heavily Catholic. There are a very large number of current and former Catholic churches, many of which sprang up between 1880 and 1920 when we had a surge of European immigrants settle in different areas of the city. The different ethnic elements are discernible in the architecture. There are also a decent number of religious communities here. We also have a facet of the Polish National Catholic Church here, but I don’t think it is as large as it once was. We have a Maronite church in the suburbs and a community of Coptic Christians which I was not even aware of until last year when I went to a festival at their church. Very kind hearted people. There are two diocesan churches which celebrate the Extraordinary Form weekly and on holy days and a small SSPX chapel south of the city. The FSSP or ICKSP do not have a presence in our area yet. More recently, there have been a lot more evangelical or non-denominational churches popping up. The area of the city once dominated by the European immigrants has become primarily African-American and there are dozens of those storefront churches around. There is a non-denominational megachurch which has had a growing presence in the area for the past ten years. They have a main location and I think five satellite locations including a movie theater where people can go for service (I never could grasp this concept).Sadly, due to decreasing population, we had a major closure/consolidation of Catholic churches around ten years ago. Some churches have been purchased by other denominations, others just sit boarded up and abandoned. Some of those that still remain open are only open for one Sunday mass and (maybe) one weekday mass and are locked up the rest of the time with nobody in residence. Our diocese is not without problems, but I do think that we are blessed here compared to things I read about other areas of the country. For anybody interested in some of our churches: buffaloah.com/a/bamch.html
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Kielbasi
Guest
Pittsburgh is mostly Roman Catholic- but we also have more than our share of Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches brought here by other waves of immigrants as well as Presbyterian congregations brought here by the original inhabitants. Most of the African American population are baptist, methodists and pentecostals.
Of course Jehovah Witnessism was founded here as well, and we do have a sampling of less common sects as well.
Of course Jehovah Witnessism was founded here as well, and we do have a sampling of less common sects as well.
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lanman87
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For those of you who have several Catholic churches to choose from, how do you choose which one to attend?
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Kielbasi
Guest
Attending the church that serves the parish in which you live is the usual answer. Much like where you live determines who your state senator is, or what school your offspring attend, or where you send your tax payments.
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Herculees
Guest
Oh so many Catholic Churches; primarily Roman, but also one Maronite, and one Melkite. Also Episcopalian, Nazarene, Methodist, Christian Scientist, Jehovah Witness, Lutheran, and Jewish
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Lenten_ashes
Guest
Exactly, we are territorially bound to a certain parish depending on our address.
A lot of people don’t know that, but it still holds true.
But this is not something really enforced from what I see. I looked for a map with boundaries on my diocese website demonstrating who belongs where, etc… but found no such thing.
So, I’d say if you have a few close to you, pick one of them and make that place better.
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Avila123
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I didn’t get to choose - God did. And He has kept me firmly plonked there ever since - all past escape bids failed, for which I am truly grateful.
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Padres1969
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As a kid my parents chose the church that was attached to our Catholic school as the one we regularly attended. Didn’t find out until decades later it was technically not the parish our home was geographically attached to, but that’s not impacted where my parents remain registered (not that they attend church at all anymore).
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kimg901
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LDS x too many to count. A couple of Catholic churches and some non-denom churches. There are cities here that have LDS churches across the street from each other (no joke)
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brian_custer
Guest
demograhically; about 40% Roman Catholic here
the vast majority couldn’t find the church w/out gps
20% mainline protestant of mixed breed who knows what
5% jewish
1 or 2 % muslim
the rest non-denominational/atheist/agnostic
secularism is the main faith here
the vast majority couldn’t find the church w/out gps
20% mainline protestant of mixed breed who knows what
5% jewish
1 or 2 % muslim
the rest non-denominational/atheist/agnostic
secularism is the main faith here
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Sy_Noe
Guest
In the small midwestern town with a population of nearly 100% 6000 white residents where I thus far still spent the majority of my life to date… mostly a variety of Baptists, 1 UMC, 1 PCUSA, 1 Roman Catholic, 1 UCC. They are still there to my knowledge except for the UCC. The RCC however does not have a fulltime priest anymore. There was an Episcopal church and a Lutheran church and a Disciples church along with others in the larger town 10-15 mins away.
But in the larger much more diverse area where I’ve been now for awhile, we run much more of the gamut. At least 5 Roman Catholic churches within 7 miles. A UMC 3 miles away. TEC and ELCA 5-7 miles. PCUSA < than 5 miles. UCC 5 miles. LCMS < than 5 mi. A mosque 5-10 mins away. Synagogues nearby. A MCC, various Baptist and non denominational churches and others including SDA and I believe a Russian Orthodox within a 15 min drive. Within a 20-30 min drive, Unitarian Universalist and Society of Friends and Unity and a Disciples and no doubt faith communities that I am missing including others of some of the aforementioned. I much prefer the diversity.
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Faithdancer
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Im in a rural area. I can walk to a Foursquare church. An AG church is a couple of miles away. In town there are Methodist, ELCA, a Reformed church, an RC parish, TEC, LDS no doubt, Southern Baptist and other non-denoms, a garage Orthodox church, maybe a fundy Baptist?
I drive 20 miles to my trad Anglican church, in a bigger town.
I drive 20 miles to my trad Anglican church, in a bigger town.
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Sy_Noe
Guest
When I attended Catholic churches, I quit doing so at my territorial parish after the priest said something about the poor and said something about offerings neither of which I agreed with. I attended another with mostly chairs instead of pews until the priest at the time during one of his homilies preached to vote for the Republican Presidential candidate without naming names but was clear on who he meant. I then attended one with a casual atmosphere, all chairs, no pews or kneelers, where shorts were common attire. If I were still attending a Catholic parish, it would be the one I’d attend even though the music left something to desire for me. In regards to being bound to one, I was told that I could register at this parish or another even though neither are my territorial.
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ConfusedLucy
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Secular though we do have several different churches. My husband’s non-denominational church seems to be thriving, the more “traditional” Christian churches seem to be struggling with more people leaving than joining, my own diocese is facing a lot of mergers.
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ConfusedLucy
Guest
Apart from when I was living off campus at University and travelled to campus for mass I have always gone to the nearest church as I sometimes struggle with motivation and in my limited experience don’t find parish churches that different from each other.
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thephilosopher6
Guest
There are around four Catholic churches in my town, two of which are very close to me. I also live close to a Methodist church which is basically right across the street from the Catholic parish I usually attend. There are two Episcopalian/Anglican churches in my town that I know of, but I don’t live very close to them. My downtown area I like to call “Evangelical central” because there are at least five different Baptist churches and five different Pentecostal churches right next to and across from each other. One of the Pentecostal churches belong to the Assemblies of God, I’m not sure what Pentecostal denominations the other ones belong to. Though, two of them hold their services entirely in Spanish. As for the Baptist churches, well one is Southern Baptist and the other is Independent Baptist. As for the others, I do not know what Baptist sects they belong to. There is also a Methodist church and a Congregationalist church and what I believe to be a non-denominational church also around “Evangelical central” as well. There is one Seventh-day Adventist church in my town that is rather small but it’s there. As for the Lutherans in my town, yeah we have around two Lutheran churches in my town as far as I know. But, as with the Episcopalian/Anglican churches, I don’t live very close to them. There are no Eastern Orthodox churches in my town, but I know there are a few EO families in my town that attend the EO church in the town over.
There is one Mormon church in my town which I don’t live too far from. I pass it whenever I go to my local Walmart. I think there is a Jehovah Witness kingdom hall in my town but I am not sure. I have met a few Jehovah Witness’s in my town and every few months find small paper pamphlets from the JW’s at my door step so I am assuming there is at least one.
No synagogues in my town but there is one mosque that I know of. It’s Sunni. One of my neighbors is Muslim and she seems to attends often.
That’s pretty much the religious makeup of the area I live in. I think the Catholic community in my town is the biggest, despite there being more Evangelical churches.
There is one Mormon church in my town which I don’t live too far from. I pass it whenever I go to my local Walmart. I think there is a Jehovah Witness kingdom hall in my town but I am not sure. I have met a few Jehovah Witness’s in my town and every few months find small paper pamphlets from the JW’s at my door step so I am assuming there is at least one.
No synagogues in my town but there is one mosque that I know of. It’s Sunni. One of my neighbors is Muslim and she seems to attends often.
That’s pretty much the religious makeup of the area I live in. I think the Catholic community in my town is the biggest, despite there being more Evangelical churches.
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Rosebud77
Guest
Of course… I do have a special “tour guide” hat …Can I come visit??!!
( I do mean that)
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Rosebud77
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I never was one fot that but my calling is a Solitary one so I do nto seek “fellowship” .When I was in Kerry and still attending Mass, I would go to the Cathedral in Killarney, I miss that town! A lot/
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