The Parish Directory

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

I think the idea of a parish directory is creepy, and I always have, even as a kid. I was an early adopter of Facebook (before it was open to the public) and I used LinkedIn. But I dislike the idea of a repository of pictures, names, phones and addresses.

One of the things that I dislike is that it really isn’t all that helpful. You have pictures of people you know well next to people who are C&E and CAPE Catholics. You have people who go to other Masses. I think it quickly becomes a misrepresentation of what a parish should be…

…almost like a ‘to go’ menu. I remember scouring the pages for kids my age to see if I could find friends. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was constantly disappointed because they didn’t show up to parish things. Like people claim facebook does today it became a depressing sign of what I didn’t have.

I do like small school yearbooks, but I think it gets quite ridiculous and depressing when there are 300 or 400 kids in a class.

 

[JimG]

I can understand the aversion to social media. I don’t use it myself. But a parish directory is just a parish directory. It’s got the names of committee members, and we have a lot of committees.

Also, I still miss the White Pages. How does anybody find anybody’s contact info anymore?

 

[jeannetherese]

I like our parish directories. I like looking at the old ones from my childhood parish and reminiscing about folks from my past (and saying a prayer or two as i reminisce). i also enjoy pondering all of the members of my local Catholic family, many never met because we assist at different masses. It’s hard copy, not online and information listed is determined by each family. In my case, I opted for a home phone but no email. Some choose to omit an address. I miss the white pages too.
Xanthippe: could you bring me up-to-date on CAPE Catholics? I have images of renaissance garb in my head and I bet I’m off point! Thanks!

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Cape are just a “more fervent” version of CE …they include Christmas, Ashes, Palm Sunday , Easter.

 

[Augustinian]

Cape are just a “more fervent” version of CE …they include Christmas, Ashes, Palm Sunday , Easter.

Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday are 2 of the most popular days for attendance on the liturgical calendar- mainly I figure because they are giveaway days. The church offers free ashes and free palms on those days and it draws a nice crowd.

Maybe that’s the key to liturgical reform, include more giveaway days.

 

[Gertabelle]

Xanthippe_Voorhees:

Cape are just a “more fervent” version of CE …they include Christmas, Ashes, Palm Sunday , Easter.

Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday are 2 of the most popular days for attendance on the liturgical calendar- mainly I figure because they are giveaway days. The church offers free ashes and free palms on those days and it draws a nice crowd.

Maybe that’s the key to liturgical reform, include more giveaway days.

I think people also want to demonstrate their repentance in some way other than going to confession. I’ve met people who have actually said that they won’t go to confession because it’s between them and God, and besides, they got their ashes and palms and that’s good enough.

 

[Joe_5859]

One has no control as to where such a hardcopy of such a compilation may end up. Such as the local thrift shop or rummage sale.

True. I found some copies of old parish directories at a garage sale. I pulled them off the shelf right away.

Overall, it does seem that the concept of parish directories is more and more a product of an age that has passed.

 

[MaineCoonKitty]

As a fairly new member of an old parish, filled with many generational members who all seem to know each, I would love a way to put names with the faces I see at mass at church activities. The people here are farm families in a rural area who are somewhat standoffish to newcomers. It quite awkward going up to people I’ve been sitting beside for a while now and asking them their names.