Comments on: Does That One Come in My Size http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size an online magazine for spiritual seekers Sat, 26 May 2012 01:27:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Therese http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-6279 Therese Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:18:28 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-6279 This is an interesting article and I feel I must point something out: Going to different parishes is a good way to find where God is calling you to worship, but let's not forget the centrality of the Mass and especially the Eucharist, source and summit of our faith. At any Catholic parish you can recieve the Eucharist, literally the body and blood of Christ (look it up in the Chatechism). It is nice when the music is good, but not important when compared to the Eucharist. It is nice when the congregation is young and there are activities, but recieving Christ should be central. The homily is important. After all, it is an explanation of the Word of God that was just proclaimed. Yet, even this cannot match the Eucharist, the living Word come down from heaven who died for our sins, the one who created the world and us in it. So in our searches for the "perfect" church, let's not forget the most important thing about the Mass, the source and summit of our faith, the Eucharist. This is an interesting article and I feel I must point something out:

Going to different parishes is a good way to find where God is calling you to worship, but let’s not forget the centrality of the Mass and especially the Eucharist, source and summit of our faith. At any Catholic parish you can recieve the Eucharist, literally the body and blood of Christ (look it up in the Chatechism). It is nice when the music is good, but not important when compared to the Eucharist. It is nice when the congregation is young and there are activities, but recieving Christ should be central. The homily is important. After all, it is an explanation of the Word of God that was just proclaimed. Yet, even this cannot match the Eucharist, the living Word come down from heaven who died for our sins, the one who created the world and us in it.

So in our searches for the “perfect” church, let’s not forget the most important thing about the Mass, the source and summit of our faith, the Eucharist.

]]> By: eily http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5719 eily Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:13:25 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5719 This article is so true! I graduated from college in May 2008 and returned home. My family has attended the same parish for 8+ years and I fell back into the routine of going to the same Mass and sitting in the same pew that I had for so long. I soon realized that the parish didn't fit me like it used to. I loved my church community at school and desperately missed it. The parish, while it has great things, felt like something was missing. Mass always felt rushed and it was the same go into church, Mass, and leave routine when I went to church with my dad and brother. About a month ago, my aunt and I went to the parish where I was baptised and my entire family belonged at one point or another. I couldn't believe it. This church is home. I've been going there for about a month and still love it! This article is so true! I graduated from college in May 2008 and returned home. My family has attended the same parish for 8+ years and I fell back into the routine of going to the same Mass and sitting in the same pew that I had for so long. I soon realized that the parish didn’t fit me like it used to. I loved my church community at school and desperately missed it. The parish, while it has great things, felt like something was missing. Mass always felt rushed and it was the same go into church, Mass, and leave routine when I went to church with my dad and brother.

About a month ago, my aunt and I went to the parish where I was baptised and my entire family belonged at one point or another. I couldn’t believe it. This church is home. I’ve been going there for about a month and still love it!

]]> By: Sara http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5306 Sara Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:42:30 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5306 So true!! While it can be frustrating to church shop, I had fun trying out every church in the city where I moved to two years ago. And when I did find the one I loved, I joined and slowly tried to become part of the community. Now I know a lot of people there and I can honestly say mass is the best part of my week. You have to be patient - I actually used to cry because nobody would speak to me at church!! But they probably assume you are a visitor or something, and especially at a church in a relatively small town/city, like I am in, most of the key players of the parish have been there for like 15 generations. But like I said, it gets better, and ultimately parishioners are happy to have young people there and want us to stay. I even got a new job at the parish, something I had never dreamed of doing! The place has become a pillar of my life - so, yes, I do drive past 4 other Catholic churches to get there, but it's worth it to find a place that you can love and that loves you!! So true!! While it can be frustrating to church shop, I had fun trying out every church in the city where I moved to two years ago. And when I did find the one I loved, I joined and slowly tried to become part of the community. Now I know a lot of people there and I can honestly say mass is the best part of my week. You have to be patient – I actually used to cry because nobody would speak to me at church!! But they probably assume you are a visitor or something, and especially at a church in a relatively small town/city, like I am in, most of the key players of the parish have been there for like 15 generations. But like I said, it gets better, and ultimately parishioners are happy to have young people there and want us to stay. I even got a new job at the parish, something I had never dreamed of doing! The place has become a pillar of my life – so, yes, I do drive past 4 other Catholic churches to get there, but it’s worth it to find a place that you can love and that loves you!!

]]> By: Tom Evrard http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5230 Tom Evrard Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:08:36 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5230 Terrific awareness! Thank you Jennifer. Terrific awareness! Thank you Jennifer.

]]> By: MJCIV http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5213 MJCIV Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:43:28 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5213 I am a horrific church shopper, but I cross denominational lines! I've been to every church in the town where I live, trying to find the one that best fits for me and my young family. Thank God we live in a nation where we have the liberty to worship as we choose. The greatest irony of my church-shopping is that I ended right back at my original parish! God has a sense of humor. I am a horrific church shopper, but I cross denominational lines! I’ve been to every church in the town where I live, trying to find the one that best fits for me and my young family. Thank God we live in a nation where we have the liberty to worship as we choose. The greatest irony of my church-shopping is that I ended right back at my original parish! God has a sense of humor.

]]> By: andrea http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5180 andrea Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:31:45 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5180 I've had the same experiences as the writers and I am an 'old' Catholic. some parishes seem to have lost their focus or my focus has become more defined as I grow older. I searched for almost 5 years for a 'good fit' parish and have re-joined my original parish a distance away. It's worth the time and travel to be 'at home'. I’ve had the same experiences as the writers and I am an ‘old’ Catholic. some parishes seem to have lost their focus or my focus has become more defined as I grow older. I searched for almost 5 years for a ‘good fit’ parish and have re-joined my original parish a distance away. It’s worth the time and travel to be ‘at home’.

]]> By: John http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5077 John Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:22:48 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5077 What a great article! I experienced a church culture shock when I moved from the Midwest to Texas. I grew up in a small town where the majority of the parishioners were of German/Slavic ancestry (we even had a Polish National Church in town). In my new town, the only Catholic church was very steeped in Hispanic culture and reflective of the needs of the community (eg schools, parenting classes, youth programs). The church was also in the process of raising $2 million dollars for an expansion to their school – specifically a new gymnasium. Over the three years I attended there, numerous management and administrative setbacks kept raising the price. The fundraisers became more elaborate and the appeals for money became more frequent. I was very torn – while it was different than what I grew up with, it was meeting the larger community and doing a lot of good. I felt bad that I didn’t care as passionately about the issues the clergy and lay ministries did. I worried that if I gave up on the parish in my new town, it would look like I didn’t support the community or even worse, that I had a “problem” with Hispanics. The final straw came when it was announced, during the homily, that we needed to raise $15,000 to buy a new car that would be raffled off at a fundraiser (which also required separate funds and volunteer work). I was so distracted through the rest of the service that I couldn’t focus on the mass. I went out and did some searching and found a parish twenty minutes away that felt more comfortable. Over the course of a few weeks, I realized that I felt free to focus on the mass and the Eucharist. I didn’t even realize how much anxiety going to my old church was causing me until I started making the drive to my new one and was looking forward to it. The article makes a valid point about not focusing on the small things. But I would highly encourage anyone who isn’t happy where they are to “shop around” until they find a place where they feel comfortable fulfilling their spiritual needs. What a great article! I experienced a church culture shock when I moved from the Midwest to Texas. I grew up in a small town where the majority of the parishioners were of German/Slavic ancestry (we even had a Polish National Church in town). In my new town, the only Catholic church was very steeped in Hispanic culture and reflective of the needs of the community (eg schools, parenting classes, youth programs). The church was also in the process of raising $2 million dollars for an expansion to their school – specifically a new gymnasium. Over the three years I attended there, numerous management and administrative setbacks kept raising the price. The fundraisers became more elaborate and the appeals for money became more frequent. I was very torn – while it was different than what I grew up with, it was meeting the larger community and doing a lot of good. I felt bad that I didn’t care as passionately about the issues the clergy and lay ministries did. I worried that if I gave up on the parish in my new town, it would look like I didn’t support the community or even worse, that I had a “problem” with Hispanics.

The final straw came when it was announced, during the homily, that we needed to raise $15,000 to buy a new car that would be raffled off at a fundraiser (which also required separate funds and volunteer work). I was so distracted through the rest of the service that I couldn’t focus on the mass.

I went out and did some searching and found a parish twenty minutes away that felt more comfortable. Over the course of a few weeks, I realized that I felt free to focus on the mass and the Eucharist. I didn’t even realize how much anxiety going to my old church was causing me until I started making the drive to my new one and was looking forward to it.

The article makes a valid point about not focusing on the small things. But I would highly encourage anyone who isn’t happy where they are to “shop around” until they find a place where they feel comfortable fulfilling their spiritual needs.

]]> By: Seraph http://bustedhalo.com/features/does-that-one-come-in-my-size/comment-page-1#comment-5046 Seraph Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:20:45 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=9577#comment-5046 Excellent article. I'm relocating myself to the Southwest and I've been worried I wouldn't find a parish that I could really connect with. Those websites you mentioned will definitely help me out. Thank you. Excellent article. I’m relocating myself to the Southwest and I’ve been worried I wouldn’t find a parish that I could really connect with. Those websites you mentioned will definitely help me out. Thank you.

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