Switching parishes...?

[fons_vitae]

When I started attending a nearby Catholic parish instead of my previous High Church Episcopalian one, I simply didn’t return. I don’t have any hard feelings of what have you against Canterbury, but I wonder if it would be better to just let it be or send an e-mail or something to the Episcopal priest (after all, I wasn’t terribly involved at my former parish). Any thoughts?

 

[Lycorth]

I suppose that’s up to you, really. Do you think anyone at your old parish would miss you?

 

[jilly4ski]

If there was any sort or registration at your old church, like they had you on the rolls, or sent things to you like envelopes or newsletters, then I would send them a letter saying you were no longer attending that church as just good etiquette. If not then I wouldn’t worry about.

May you be blessed on your journey to the Catholic Church.

 

[Lycorth]

Also, if you’re becoming Catholic, you might have to let your old church know that you wish to be removed from the list of members. My wife has to do that with her old Lutheran congregation.

 

[crazzeto]

When I started attending a nearby Catholic parish instead of my previous High Church Episcopalian one, I simply didn’t return. I don’t have any hard feelings of what have you against Canterbury, but I wonder if it would be better to just let it be or send an e-mail or something to the Episcopal priest (after all, I wasn’t terribly involved at my former parish). Any thoughts?

I guess I grew up in a completely different world here in the Catholic Church, we typically don’t see any great need to notify the pastor’s of our parishes that we’re switching to a different Church. In fact, I’m used to doing some “church hopping”, typically my family would go to St. Paul on the Lake in GP MI, some times we would go to St. Joan of Arch, other times we would try St. Ambrose… In many cases it would just be matter of what mass time worked best. Exceptionally we would also on occation go to mass in Lima Peru (every sunday while traveling) while visiting our family there.

But all that said, having become more aware of what life is like in protestantism. This kind of thing I guess is something you really just can’t do, at least not very easily. As such, sending a letter I guess seems more appropriate since when you start going to anyother church, you are effectivly “converting” to that Churches beliefs. I guess if it were me, I’d send the letter even if I expected the pastor to be completely unaware that I was even attending his church in the first place. Better to err on the side of greater charity.

 

[fons_vitae]

If there was any sort or registration at your old church, like they had you on the rolls, or sent things to you like envelopes or newsletters, then I would send them a letter saying you were no longer attending that church as just good etiquette. If not then I wouldn’t worry about.

May you be blessed on your journey to the Catholic Church.

Now that I think about it, I might just e-mail the pastor/rector/whatever you call it. He and I had a decent rapport at least…

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!