Why don't Catholics partipate in the Church outside of Mass?

[Neofight]

This tells me that your parish is united around the Eucharist.

A parish has to be united around the altar and around the Eucharist. If they are, they can do anything. If not, then they will always struggle.

My parish has bible studies in peoples homes, the top KofC council in the state, field trips to the Cathedral, Fun Nights for develpmentally disabled, groundskeeping days, Friday fish fry during lent, is strong in SvDP, Boy Scouts, etc. The Hispanics are always doing some kind of evangelization or having some kind of retreat or making a whole bunch of noise down the hall about something.

Our pastor keeps reminding us that we are a “Eucharistic Community” and that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. He reminds us frequently that we can do anything we set our minds to but that we have to be united around the Eucharist and around the altar and liturgy first. Everything flows from that.

-Tim-

Amen! Isn’t it wonderful! I wish everyone had a parish like yours, and like mine!

 

[boclucky14]

My Catholic Student Center at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga feels like that (a tight community that is centered around the Mass)- esp. compared to my old church, Our Lady of Fatima - to me, it’s practically unholy ground. I can’t explain it, but I feel like everyone always has a lack of respect to God in the parish.

 

[LegoGE1947]

My Catholic Student Center at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga feels like that (a tight community that is centered around the Mass)- esp. compared to my old church, Our Lady of Fatima - to me, it’s practically unholy ground. I can’t explain it, but I feel like everyone always has a lack of respect to God in the parish.

It is possible that some of the founding members of many Catholic parishes would be turning in their graves if they could see what has happened to their parishes.

 

[vsedriver]

I am catholic and my family(mom, dad and brothers) are protestant. I would say that the protestant churches are a little more pushing when it comes to volunteering. My brothers are asked by church officials constantly on which ministries they want to participate in. Ive noticed the catholic church lets in be known that they need help and leave it at that. Maybe just my parish, Im not sure.

this is the reason my evangelical friend and her family left their church and went to the Catholic Church. They hated the constant pressure to do this and that ministry. If they didn’t participate they heard about it and were made to feel very uncomfortable about the level of their participation.

At the Catholic Church they participate at a level they are comfortable and are enjoying it more.

 

[LisaA]

A neighbor approached the priest, president of the woman’s guild, and another in the church about starting a group to address a need in the parish. All said they’d get back to her and she never heard a word after six months.

Another asked about serving meals on a holiday and was told bluntly by the priest, “We don’t do that.”

Another asked to volunteer and was told by same, “We have enough volunteers.”

Last month, the parish sent out a survey asking for volunteers.

There are 35 who usually attend daily Mass. Very warm during the “Peace” and holding hands part. Once that is over, no one acknowledges you. After seven years,none of the priests has ever addressed me by name.

Is your parish very large? Sometimes I think it’s easier to make a difference in a small parish and people have come to our parish from the larger ones because they say it’s more friendly, open and welcoming.

At any rate, are there opportunities for YOU to get involved in some mission or activity? I’m a convert so I was fortunate to get a ‘ready made’ group of people whom I interacted with on a weekly basis during RCIA. During the RCIA process I volunteered for a ‘mission’ and got to know the other members of that group as well. If someone calls for help with a potluck or cookies after Mass or some other task I volunteer if time allows. Again this gives opportunities to get to know others. We have a food pantry where our parish provides volunteers. THe youth group is always looking for adults to help with activities or fund raisers. We have some people who volunteer to assist in the office and of course that helps them get to know the staff and the priest too. As several people have mentioned, even if you only have time to go to Mass, step up and volunteer to be a greeter or usher or EM or Lector or Sacristan. There’s always a job that needs to be done!

I have a friend who joined our parish several years ago and she recently said she just doesn’t feel like part of the parish. Here’s the problem. She goes to Mass (maybe twice a month) arrives right before and leaves immediately afterward. She doesn’t participate in any activities or missions, doesn’t volunteer for anything.

I suggested getting more involved (she is retired so it’s not a matter of a busy schedule) but she just said nothing sounded like ‘fun.’ It’s just the old story that you get out of something what you put into it.
Lisa

 

[Nicea325]

I’ve noticed that Catholics (adults) very rarely engage in any sort of activities to build up the Church (spiritually and in faith) outside of the Mass. I’ve seen in several of the local parishes that maybe 1% to 5% of of the overall parish population engages in activities outside of Mass – and usually they are the same core group that will do scripture study, prayer groups, eucharistic minister to the sick, etc

There is an array of reasons why most do not get involved. A lot of it has to do poor catechetical education/training and lack of educating the community. The problem with many adults today is the belief once one receives sacraments they in a sense of done their parts and are done. I always tell the parents receiving a sacrament is the beginning not a completion of one’s faith.

 

[Reuben_J]

She did. She called, dropped off the information, talked to the office secretary, talked to the priest on the phone, and to the head of the woman’s guild. She was told they’d get back to her and none did.

Yes, the church does not do meals during the holidays. She could accept that. What disturbed her was the way in which she was handled…abruptly. Might have been better if he had said the parish doesn’t do that but the secretary might know of a group providing meals and she could volunteer through them.

What goes in the bulletin must be approved by the pastor so she was not free to pubish her idea in it.

The atmosphere is such that many (I’ve been told 200) have gone elsewhere.

I believe you. I mean I am not surprise such situation happens in some parishes. More often than not in smaller ones that depends very much on the disposition of the parish priest. Yet there is always a way to get involved in something. One of them is to join the activities that are already in place. I am one of the leaders of a church group. We have many ministries that serve within the group and also in the parish and outside of it. Probably you don’t have this in a small parish. But our experience is that the ‘labors are always few’, so to speak. Extra hands are always welcome and needed because many a times we are often short of them.

 

[reconman]

I’ve noticed that Catholics (adults) very rarely engage in any sort of activities to build up the Church (spiritually and in faith) outside of the Mass.

I would say laziness in most cases.

As for me, it’s due to an almost total lack of faith. It’s all I can to just to attend mass.

 

[hn160]

Our Lutheran parish doesn’t really participate out side the church. We have a yearly Vacation Bible School in August where anyone can come, and we have a group ( Lutheran Braille Workers ) that assembles large print hymnals that are sent all over the world to groups that request them free of charge to nursing homes.
The pastors feel that the Word and Sacraments will bring people to the church, which it does. We practice closed communion, that does turn off some people.

 

[Kouyate42]

I’ve attended several churches and there’s a lot of different reasons that a church might not seem to do many ‘extra-curricular’ activities, some of which are to do with attendees and some to do with the church.

On the part of the church, money and resources are always an issue. Some churches don’t have a huge amount of space for all the things they’d like to run, or don’t have suitable facilities. I know this is a problem with my first church, which really was little other than a shed-like building with two rooms (a small main section and a back office).

Money is also a big one. Even with free or cheap resources, it still costs money for heating/lighting/food/any other equipment used. I used to help manage a group for inquiring people and even with a load of free literature/books, plus donated food and drink each week, it still cost $500 a month to run. Smaller churches simply don’t have that kind of money and even ones that do have to be careful.

On the part of the people who attend church, it’s often that their lives outside of the church don’t permit attending weekday Mass all the time or Adoration or helping out with RCIA etc. Children, work, other things they’re involved with, these can leave a person with little time.
It also may be that some people simply feel uncomfortable, or feel it unnecessary, to do anything outside of Mass, and prefer personal study or volunteering posts.

Plus, not everyone may feel called to do certain ministries but not others. It’s hard to know what others are doing when they leave the church after Sunday Mass and it would be wrong to assume that they do nothing.

And yes, church politics comes into it. I used to be part of a prayer ministry, but left it simply because the group I was with were very insular and often didn’t make me feel I should be there. Seems that too many people there wanted to hog all the attention/responsibility.

 

[jlhargus]

I’ve noticed that Catholics (adults) very rarely engage in any sort of activities to build up the Church (spiritually and in faith) outside of the Mass. I’ve seen in several of the local parishes that maybe 1% to 5% of of the overall parish population engages in activities outside of Mass – and usually they are the same core group that will do scripture study, prayer groups, eucharistic minister to the sick, etc

As a former non-denom Protestant I would say there isn’t much difference in percentage.

 

[LegoGE1947]

As a former non-denom Protestant I would say there isn’t much difference in percentage.

When I was a non-denom Protestant all kinds of people would come to “healing services” or if there was a special speaker, but prayer, Bible-study, cleaning up around the building or grounds, etc, not so much. There was even a decrease in attendence if the regular pastor was away on vacation or some such thing.

 

[robwar]

I’ve attended several churches and there’s a lot of different reasons that a church might not seem to do many ‘extra-curricular’ activities, some of which are to do with attendees and some to do with the church.

And yes, church politics comes into it. I used to be part of a prayer ministry, but left it simply because the group I was with were very insular and often didn’t make me feel I should be there. Seems that too many people there wanted to hog all the attention/responsibility.

you bring up good points. Were these Catholic Churches you went too? Also that is sad you were made to feel unwelcome as part of a prayer ministry. Do you think that considering your back ground in Islam that maybe they were unsure how to include you being non-Catholic.
That’s not trying to justify making someone feel not wanted but they unclear as to how to relate to you which in turn lead them to make you feel unwelcome. that is admirable that you step forward to be involved in a church. Some ministries of the Church wouldn’t be open to you unless you were a Catholic but I don’t think you should give up and be involved at Church.

 

[Gaber]

I’ve noticed that Catholics (adults) very rarely engage in any sort of activities to build up the Church (spiritually and in faith) outside of the Mass. I’ve seen in several of the local parishes that maybe 1% to 5% of of the overall parish population engages in activities outside of Mass – and usually they are the same core group that will do scripture study, prayer groups, eucharistic minister to the sick, etc

Could it be because Catholicism is a religion with a society, while say Mormonism is a social order with a religion?

 

[Pilgrim101]

I’ve looked at some recent studies that do suggest that there is difference between Catholic and Protestants involvement outside of the worship service.
Recent trends also indicate that for the first time less Catholics are going to church on a weekly basis than Protestants.

I also wonder why studies show that Catholics don’t give as much in the collection plate?

 

[Kouyate42]

you bring up good points. Were these Catholic Churches you went too? Also that is sad you were made to feel unwelcome as part of a prayer ministry. Do you think that considering your back ground in Islam that maybe they were unsure how to include you being non-Catholic.
That’s not trying to justify making someone feel not wanted but they unclear as to how to relate to you which in turn lead them to make you feel unwelcome. that is admirable that you step forward to be involved in a church. Some ministries of the Church wouldn’t be open to you unless you were a Catholic but I don’t think you should give up and be involved at Church.

I should probably have added that I was in a Baptist prayer ministry BEFORE my involvement in Islam.

But I’ve been round a mix of different churches in all the time I did go to Church, and yes, one was Catholic. I’m considering re-joining a church again though- I’m not giving in!

 

[PJM]

=Pilgrim101;9368999]I’ve noticed that Catholics (adults) very rarely engage in any sort of activities to build up the Church (spiritually and in faith) outside of the Mass. I’ve seen in several of the local parishes that maybe 1% to 5% of of the overall parish population engages in activities outside of Mass – and usually they are the same core group that will do scripture study, prayer groups, eucharistic minister to the sick, etc

first A SINCERE wecome to CAF

We are delighted to have you join us.

Your point is valid but I’m unsure of the statisics?

The PASTOR has a HUGE role in this, so it will vary parish to parish. There is NEVER “too many” to get involved, and as you say often too few.

The problem is the same I SUSPECT in other Christian churches as well? [LDS / Mormans are not christians].

If one were balne any single “thing” I would suspect its NOT asking or being asked to particiapte personally by someone:crying:

WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST AS A POSSIBLE CURE?

God Bless,
pat /PJM here on the Forum

 

[LisaA]

I’ve looked at some recent studies that do suggest that there is difference between Catholic and Protestants involvement outside of the worship service.
Recent trends also indicate that for the first time less Catholics are going to church on a weekly basis than Protestants.

I also wonder why studies show that Catholics don’t give as much in the collection plate?

Have you heard the saying, Protestants tithe, Catholics tip? In all seriousness, I remember when I was a Protestant there was a goal and some expectation of 10% tithing. As a Catholic when I sat through the first “Time, Talent, and Treasure” spiel I was surprised by the lower expectations–10% was not expected. One of the old timers said that it used to be due to Catholics having larger families and less cash to spare. Not sure if this is true anymore.

I would also agree though that there isn’t much difference between the involvement among my Protestant and my Evangelical brothers and sisters and my current Catholic parish. I was very involved when a Protestant and still very involved as a Catholic. But in our parish there is clearly a group of “worker bees” and a lot more people who attend Mass, or just bring their kids for R.E. or sacramental prep. I don’t think it’s the denomination so much as the individual situation.

Lisa

 

[bcra]

Im not sure what you mean partpate outside the church? like how. not everyone is available as they work or baby sit there children. also they have no qualifations at all for paticipating. they are not teachers some cannot speak to crowd s. I cannot speak to groups of people without coughing. or mis pronouncing a word. also too long standing and i feel sick our church is very warm also i cannot sing or play music at all. several cannot stand for long time periods. i am not a speaker , there is no time available to voluntar also we cannot walk long or get up early. if anyone those that work come in late they get fired so they are stuck. so particapate how? we cannot prech the gospital as we are not speakers

 

[Nicea325]

Im not sure what you mean partpate outside the church? like how. not everyone is available as they work or baby sit there children. also they have no qualifations at all for paticipating. they are not teachers some cannot speak to crowd s. I cannot speak to groups of people without coughing. or mis pronouncing a word. also too long standing and i feel sick our church is very warm also i cannot sing or play music at all. several cannot stand for long time periods. i am not a speaker , there is no time available to voluntar also we cannot walk long or get up early. if anyone those that work come in late they get fired so they are stuck. so particapate how? we cannot prech the gospital as we are not speakers

:ehh: