The Challenge: No Person Feels Like a Visitor in Our Parish

In many Catholic parishes today, changes to Mass times are a direct response to a shortage of priests vs the number of Mass locations. This often results in parishioners traveling to a new worshipping community within the same parish. When this shift occurs, it can create feelings of displacement and loss of community identity. As we prepare to implement the new Mass roster in January 2025, we must do everything we can to ensure that no person feels like a visitor in their own parish, regardless of these changes. It is essential for us to ensure that all parishioners feel welcome and included at every Mass they celebrate. Here are several reasons why we need to be proactive in this important area.

First, we must recognize that a parish is not defined solely by a building or a specific Mass time. A parish is a spiritual community— a family of faith united in the mission to grow in relationship with Christ and support one another on the faith journey. Celebration of the Eucharist, as the central act of Catholic worship, is the primary bond that unites us all. This sacrament transcends the location or time of Mass. When someone attends Mass at a different time or location within the same parish, they are still participating in the same unifying sacrament. It is essential for us to affirm that this act of communal worship is what connects individuals to the parish family.

Second, attending a different Mass within the same parish offers an opportunity for a richer experience of the Church. While there is comfort in familiarity, the Church itself is much larger than any one group. By attending Mass at a different time or location, parishioners can encounter new perspectives, broaden their understanding of the faith, and interact with a more diverse group of fellow believers. The Church is a community made up of people with varying life experiences and spiritual journeys, all united under one faith. If someone does feel like a visitor at a new Mass location or time, this only underscores the need to develop a stronger and more effective welcoming and hospitality ministry in each community.

Third, we must recognize that the idea of feeling like a visitor undermines the fundamental teaching of the Church on belonging. The Catholic Church teaches that all baptized individuals, regardless of where they worship, belong to the Body of Christ. The connection we have as parishioners is not tied to a specific group of people or a particular building; it is tied to the universal Church and our identity as members of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Parish. Our parish is home, not because of the exact location, but because it is where we find the Sacraments, the proclaimed Word, and the community of fellow believers. Every person, regardless of which Mass time or community they attend, is part of the larger Body of Christ.

In summary, we must recognize that the notion of a visitor implies a sense of exclusion which contradicts the inclusive nature of the Church. In Catholic theology, there is no inside or outside of the Body of Christ – except when we choose to exclude ourselves by our sins. Every Catholic is welcome to participate in parish life, regardless of where they attend Mass. While it is true that the Church teaches the importance of a welcoming, inclusive environment, it is up to each one of us to ensure that those who may travel to a different community feel just as valued and embraced as those who attend regularly at a single location.

Ultimately, no one should ever feel like a visitor in their own parish because the essence of the parish community transcends physical space and time. As long as we continue to worship by participating in the Sacraments, and living out our faith, we are an integral part of the parish family. In fact, our changes brought about by the shortage of priests can be an opportunity for deeper engagement and solidarity. As our parish adapts to these changes – let’s acknowledge that this will not take place overnight – we have a chance to unite more closely, fostering a greater sense of shared mission and community. Let us consciously choose, therefore, to continue being the people of God who come together to praise, pray, and grow in relationship with Jesus and each other.