Switching parishes. Anyone ever done this?

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punisherthunder

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Long.story.short.

There is an older basilica here in town that is very traditional, (ancient form a few times a month).

My wife and I were married in what was my home parish. It’s a fantastic parish, dont’ get me wrong. Turns out the priest who married us 7 years ago now is in charge at the basilica. He is a fantastic priest who is very, very steeped in the ancient rite and a lot of pre-Vatican II stuff that we find appealing lately.

We are seriously thinking about changing parishes, but are nervous. Kinda like we are “abandoning” our current parish for this other one.

Has this happened to anyone else, how did you feel about it?
 
Your parish is always based on territory. You will always belong to the territorial parish in which you reside.

You can attend any parish you choose. Don’t confuse that with which parish is actually your parish and who is actually your pastor.

Talk to the priest you are personally acquainted with regarding any particular law in your diocese which might impact sacraments or require permission between parishes/pastors related to those within the diocesan boundaries but not within parish boundaries.
 
I don’t know how it works in other diocese. In Milwaukee, I belonged to an urban church - which catered to many single people throughout the whole archdiocese. Then when I got married and had children, my wife and I joined the parish which is only blocks from our home. I didn’t move - and I was a member of each of the parishes.

One fit my needs better at one point in my life, and the other does now.

I’ve never heard that one must reside in the area to join that parish. I don’t believe that is true here in Milwaukee. (Many many people in that urban parish lived all over). It almost defined the character of that church. For a long time ,they had three priests living on site - including a bishop, and one of the lawyers of the tribunal.

We still ocassionally visit that church although we are no longer members. It’s music is and has always been so beautiful. And because of who that church attracts, it has an enthusiasm that isn’t quite met in our suburban church.
 
1ke said:
Your parish is always based on territory. You will always belong to the territorial parish in which you reside.

You can attend any parish you choose. Don’t confuse that with which parish is actually your parish and who is actually your pastor.

Talk to the priest you are personally acquainted with regarding any particular law in your diocese which might impact sacraments or require permission between parishes/pastors related to those within the diocesan boundaries but not within parish boundaries.
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It is also worthwhile to investigate the policies of your current bishop. For instance, it is in the policies of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon that “for the purpose of celebrating marriage, couples who regularly attend Mass at a parish should be treated has having ‘domicile’ in that parish even if they live outside the physical boundaries of that parish.” It is that way with the other sacraments, too. If you register in a parish and are active in that parish, the bishop gives you same access to the sacraments and so on at that parish as in the parish in which you actually have domicile. (It’s kind of like dual citizenship or honorary citizenship in the second parish, though, since under canon law you always have all of the rights of a parishioner at the parish in which you physically live.)
 
From what I’ve found out there isn’t typically a geographic factor, unless it’s a parochial school, then that may come into play but we don’t have any children though.

My concern is feeling like I’m leaving my past at this Church to learn and celebrate at this Basilica. For the record both are equidistant from my home.
 
I know of numerous situations where people have crossed both diocesan lines and even state lines to join a parish of their choosing. The practical rule seems to be: if you’re registered there, it’s your parish, not an issue as to home address. We also have a number of official “extra-territorial” parishes that are rooted in certain ethnic heritages.
 
I have changed parishes. People around here do it all the time. The only way it could be a problem is if you want to use the parish school. Even then, I doubt it. My parish now is what is called a “personal parish”, which means the parishioners can belong to it if that is their personal choice. It may even be the same with the basilica.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
I know of numerous situations where people have crossed both diocesan lines and even state lines to join a parish of their choosing. The practical rule seems to be: if you’re registered there, it’s your parish, not an issue as to home address.
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The number of people who do this has no bearing on whether or not it is permissible under canon law. There is no “practical rule” only the actual law on parishes.
Tarpeian_Rock said:
We also have a number of official “extra-territorial” parishes that are rooted in certain ethnic heritages.
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The law provides for personal parishes. A completely separate thing.
 
I belong to the only Jesuit parish in an area of about 1.3 million. People come thirty or more miles in some cases to be part of our Parish. Not only do we have an elementary school, but a wonderful prep school too. I was extremely lucky, I only live three miles away, and not thirty!😃
 
Dacinom said:
I think it is common in life to experience transitions of all sorts. Transitions in jobs, relationships, friendships and in one’s spiritual life. It doesn’t seem that you deliberately set out to abandon your current parish out of ill will. Only that a different church is drawing you in at this time in your life. This happened to my family and indeed most families I know.

The decision to switch is probably giving you mixed feelings, just like any decision like this because you still have positive feelings about your current parish. Growth and change are usually hard because of this reason, things are both positive and negative, rarely 100% one or the other. Even after you switch (should you go forward with the decision) you may even feel some “buyers remorse” after when you join which is common too. Keep praying and hopefully the Holy Spirit will lead you to where He wants you to be! God bless.
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Thank you. I understand what you are saying here and I will do just that and turn to the Holy Spirit and see where he guides me on this
 
punisherthunder said:
From what I’ve found out there isn’t typically a geographic factor, unless it’s a parochial school, then that may come into play but we don’t have any children though.

My concern is feeling like I’m leaving my past at this Church to learn and celebrate at this Basilica. For the record both are equidistant from my home.
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I went through this. Any life transition can be tough and leaving a church like this can feel almost like a breakup. In a way you are breaking up a relationship. That’s always going to sting a little. But, if you think another church would better serve your spiritual needs, you should think about pursuing that.
 
My family switched parishes two years ago. My son just received two sacraments at new parish this past year. Our bishop has no problem with this.
 
1ke said:
The number of people who do this has no bearing on whether or not it is permissible under canon law. There is no “practical rule” only the actual law on parishes.
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Yes, that and the policies that your bishop gives to his priests. The last time we moved, I called our chancery office in advance to see what parish the property we were considering was in, and I was told that the bishop allows the faithful to join whichever parish they want. You register, you’re active, you’re in, and your bishop has given your pastor to know that you ought to be treated as if you have physical domicile. I asked to have her look up the geographical parish for the property, though, which she was happy to do. (I do think that looking up the parish prior to a home purchase was a first for her, though! :D)

The time that territorial parishes really come into play in a practical way in our archdiocese is for those who have not registered and aren’t active–the ones who just moved in or who jump around and attend Mass wherever they happen to be on a particular weekend. If they want to get married, have a funeral, or have their children prepared to receive the sacraments, they’ll be steered to their territorial parish, and that’s what they get. It also comes into play if you have been registered in one parish and yet happen to want to approach your territorial parish to avail yourself of the sacraments and/or sacramental preparation. As you note, canon law protects the right to approach your territorial parish for all these things, without registering or any of the rest.
 
EasterJoy said:
I asked to have her look up the geographical parish for the property, though, which she was happy to do. (I do think that looking up the parish prior to a home purchase was a first for her, though! :D).
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I think that most of those conversation do happen at the local level. Most Catholics will simply go to the closest parish. There might be some confusion in ‘border’ areas, but if it is a concern, that is usually address at the local parish office when the family attempts to register.

In our case, when we were looking at purchasing a larger house, we specifically moved into the boundries of the parish that we were attracted to. In other words, we picked our house based on proximitiy to a particular parish.

I do know a family (military) that did the same. When the dad is transferred, they pick out their house by looking at parish websites. They then get the house in the boundries of the parish that they feel fits their spiritual needs.
 
Here’s the thing: Once this familiar priest gets moved or passes, what are you going to do? Move again?

People around here do shop around. But when they register, the new parish can’t be listed as the parish of record until the old parish removes you from their rolls, and that’s when the two pastors get involved. Generally the Pastor of the original parish will ask why you’re leaving. Fair question. Some people don’t care to discuss it. So they leave their membership and just start attending elsewhere.
I can tell you, that the Pastors really don’t appreciate that. It’s set up the way it is for a reason. There are boundaries which have to be served within, there are assessments form the Diocese that are made based on membership, and yes, zip code) many things that people generally don’t realize.

You can move. You can even register there. But both parishes will know, and you’ll be removed from one place and added to the rolls of another. Make sure that’s what you REALLY want.
 
Go where your heart and soul are being fed and nourished. You can always visit the church close to your home where you are currently a member.

If it were a rule that one must be a member of the local (territory based) parish, I would have left the Catholic church. I would be Lutheran or Methodist or Baptist – anything but Catholic.

Seriously.
 
punisherthunder said:
…Turns out the priest who married us 7 years ago now is in charge at the basilica. He is a fantastic priest who is very, very steeped in the ancient rite and a lot of pre-Vatican II stuff that we find appealing lately…
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BTW, why don’t you simply ask the priest about how the bishop sees this? If the bishop is OK with it–and I expect that he has nothing against it–and this priest sees no reason not to do it, then don’t have a qualm about it. There are probably other people who feel that daily Mass at a church as large as the basilica makes them feel like marbles in a bathtub, and they go the other direction…
 
Just to address this registering with a parish business, I have been at mine for 30 years and from time to time I fill out the parish directory info and send it in, and I’m never once found on any register or roll.

I honestly think the parish lists and documented parish memberships are a farce. As a priest told me about choosing/going to a Church, he said “go where you are fed” 🙂
 
pianistclare said:
Here’s the thing: Once this familiar priest gets moved or passes, what are you going to do? Move again?

People around here do shop around. But when they register, the new parish can’t be listed as the parish of record until the old parish removes you from their rolls, and that’s when the two pastors get involved. Generally the Pastor of the original parish will ask why you’re leaving. Fair question. Some people don’t care to discuss it. So they leave their membership and just start attending elsewhere.
I can tell you, that the Pastors really don’t appreciate that. It’s set up the way it is for a reason. There are boundaries which have to be served within, there are assessments form the Diocese that are made based on membership, and yes, zip code) many things that people generally don’t realize.

You can move. You can even register there. But both parishes will know, and you’ll be removed from one place and added to the rolls of another. Make sure that’s what you REALLY want.
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A good point. Even if you move to another state, the courtesy of informing the parish office staff of the parish you leave behind that you need to be removed from the rolls is much appreciated. It would save them so much in unnecessary postage if everyone always did this!!

Our parish staff doesn’t mind if a family comes and goes, within reason. They very much like to know not to send out mailings that are headed straight for the round file and when they have parishioners who aren’t getting messages from the parish that they need to be getting!
 
During the troubled 70’s, I went to many parishes in our large town. When some one asked me what parish I belonged to, I used to say I belong to the diocese. I lived in one parish, Had my kids in school in another, taught CCD in another and went to Mass wherever I wanted. We got the best of all. I knew many of the priests very well. God Bless, Memaw
 
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