What parish should I belong to?

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I’m now attending Mass at a parish in a neighboring city, it’s humongous! This parish has eveything it’s very blessed. The kids love it, the wife loves it, thay love the music and the childerns liturgy. Me I don’t fell comfortable there, people are aways comming in late, talking during the Mass and most of all their is no tabernacle in the church it’s in the back of the church in the chapel. The other parish is three minuts from my house it has most of what I mentioned but a lot more low keyed, which I like.
 
Well, you’ll have to talk to your wife to decide! 😉

It should definitely be a decision that the two of you come to together and with which you both feel comfortable.

That said, perhaps a compromise is in order? Rather than inflict one’s views on the other, perhaps you can compromise? MAYBE–join the parish that your wife and kids love, with the qualification that once a month, you’ll all go to the church that’s closer and you like better…? Maybe you can get to daily masses at the closer church that feels more right to you, and you can go to daily masses at the bigger parish with your family?

I’m sure there is a way to satisfy you both–Jesus lives in both!!
 
It is my understanding that as Catholics we must go to the closest Catholic church to us. Now if something is wrong at that parish and you relocate to a new parish. That is alowed; but you as a good Catholic have an oblagation tell tell the parish priest why you are doing so. So one hopes father can get his house in order. 🙂
 
Shellac

What about the situation when someone belongs to a parish and physically moves their residence and prefers to remain a member of the old parish? Is that kosher?
 
If one of them has perpetual adoration of the blessed sacrament and the other does not choose the one with. It has such an effect in a parish.
 
My take on this is a little different. Consider staying at the church your wife and children love. Reflect on what a great blessing it is if your wife is happy and your children are happily growing up in the faith! Maybe think twice before rocking the boat? Perhaps your schedule might permit attending a few weekday masses by yourself in quiet setting more to your liking?
 
What I’'v been doing is taking them to Mass at the Parish close to my house once a month to get them used-to it and it seem to be working with the exception of my youngest. As far as my wife she says she will go anywhere where I go, one of the many resons I love her so.
 
I say go to the parish where your family is happiest UNLESS there is something about the parish that you fear is threatening to the tender faith of your children (unorthodox teaching, irreverent behavior during Mass, etc). Even if your parish is the happiest place on earth next to Disneyland, if the faith of your children (or you or your wife, for that matter) is being undermined or poisoned, run, don’t walk, to another parish.
 
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Shellac:
It is my understanding that as Catholics we must go to the closest Catholic church to us. Now if something is wrong at that parish and you relocate to a new parish. That is alowed; but you as a good Catholic have an oblagation tell tell the parish priest why you are doing so. So one hopes father can get his house in order. 🙂 …What about the situation when someone belongs to a parish and physically moves their residence and prefers to remain a member of the old parish? Is that kosher?
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You are under no obligation to attend your nearest parish. I don’t. My nearest parish is within walking distance, but I go elsewhere because the Mass down the street is packed with abuses.

If you move across town and want to continue attending your old parish, that’s fine too.
 
I was taught by my parish priest that you are under no obligation to attend the nearest parish, but he also said that the church still suggests that? I have the same problem. My husband and two babies always attend mass at a diff. time each Sunday…its so frustrating. I’d like to have some consistency…catch up on sleep or go to mass same time.
What do you suggest please I welcome all comments!
😦
 
Karl Keating:
You are under no obligation to attend your nearest parish. I don’t. My nearest parish is within walking distance, but I go elsewhere because the Mass down the street is packed with abuses.

If you move across town and want to continue attending your old parish, that’s fine too.
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Then, theoretically speaking, if, when I finish my swim across the Tiber, I find the parish downtown (10 miles away) to be abuse-ridden, going to the Shrine of the Most Holy Sacrament (20 miles away) for Mass would be kosher?

This is not to say that the downtown parish has abuses. So far the only thing I’ve seen that I would question is the over-use of EMHCs.

DaveBj
 
The question is not about attending a Catholic church in another parish. It is a question about attending a church which one has doubts about in another parish verus attending a church that one knows is Catholic in ones own parish.

One should attend a church which one believes is Catholic.

There are many glitzy churches. Not all churches that say they have Mass on Sundays are Catholic Churches, even if they call themselves Catholic. There are some Episcopalian and Lutheran churches that claim they have Mass on Sundays.

Why would one go out of his way to attend a church which he has doubts about, when there is a good Catholic Church close to home?

Unfortunately, it happens that family members will join churches that are not Catholic. However, we should still be faithful to our religion and attend a Catholic church. If our family does not want to attend church with us, we should attend church alone.
 
This sounds like my situation. I am going to go with the smaller church near my house.

I feel a sense of obligation to my community. The church near my house needs a boiler, and is not meeting their budget in their weekly collections. I feel like I should go where I am needed. I don’t go to mass to be entertained anyway.

I don’t feel like I am leaving my parish for negative reasons, but I am going to the new parish in my community for positive reasons. I pray that my family will grow from the experience.

I like daily mass at the church in my community anyway.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your decision. :blessyou:
 
Does the requirement (or lack of) to attend the nearest parish depend on the diocese? I believe a neighboring diocese (Lincoln, NE) has a requirement on abiding by parish boundaries (Not necessarily the closest geographically).
 
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