I was searching on the Internet, trying to find a couple of folk musicians I used to know back in the 80's and I discovered that one of them is now the music director at a Unitarian church on the north shore.
I Googled the church and in perusing their website I came across the following with regards to membership in their parish:
Becoming a member of the congregation involves basically four things:
(1) Fundamental agreement
____with our principles and purposes;
(2) Regular and ongoing participation in Sunday worship
____and other congregational activities;
(3) Participation in the work of the church
____in committees and the wider community;
(4) Financial support as each is able.
While there's nothing in the four guidelines above that's foreign to the Catholic faith's understanding of membership, we virtually never see these realities posted so boldly. Of course there are circumstances and situations (I think especially of the sick and home bound) which limit one's capacity for such participation and that's very understandable. Of course, there are ways for the home bound, too, to share actively in the life, prayer and mission of the parish.
Has anyone ever seen something even close to this in the handout literature of a Catholic parish?
What would be the impact if information like this was on the front of your parish bulletin? On the registration form for new parish members? On a hand-painted sign in your church's gathering room?
-ConcordPastor
These criteria would perhaps appeal to those who regularly go to Mass etc. But for those of us who have attained some distance from the church, statements like this would probably only to serve to assure us we may as well stay away.
ReplyDeleteI read this last night and quite deliberately did not comment.
ReplyDeleteHere I am after sleep and prayer, and I am still not sure what I want to say. I do know I want to say something.
As you know CP and as others may know, I am employed at one parish and worship at another; I am deeply involved in both. Both are large and healthy parishes, but of course new parishioners are a topic of conversation at both.
To be honest, I bristled when I first saw this post... and nearly (and hastily!) almost wrote a comment saying so. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, as I paused.
I would venture to say that we are all familiar with people who are "drive through" (words I am loathe to use but will) parishioners, we are all familiar with people who join parishes in order to procure sacraments without deep commitment.
These standards might be useful in those situations.
That said, something about them strikes me as uncharitable in some way.
All of which leaves me to say that perhaps it is not in the joining but in "how we make manifest our community" that things like this might be made clear.
Yet, I say all that and still feel something nagging, not sure what or why, that is in me. At this point I simply can't articulate it.
And as I close I think of people who have been profoundly evangelized in their drive-through status through catechesis given as sacramental prep, or at a baptism or at a wedding or even more profoundly at a funeral. Or folks who are at the fringes of real community, although members who are in crisis and who receive support - and they too have been touched.
So I just don't know.
Fran
PS - and it is no secret I will almost always err on the side of mercy, but this does make me stop and think about necessary objective standards in faith and practice. OK I will shut up now.
Reading through these requirements for membership they all sound good and reasonable. However, if we believe that Eucharist is the "Source and Summit" of our lives, our duties as members of a parish should become clear to us. Eucharist is the essential requirement of baptized Catholics. Most likely, that is the reason why Catholic parishes won't list requirements like this Unitarian Church does. It is understood, or should be.
ReplyDeleteIs that where you are going with this or am I off base? Sometimes I over think things.
I'd have no problem with it.
ReplyDeleteWould you like me to make you one?
I have heard the term "tribal religion"...you have to do the right thing to belong to the tribe. In my heart I doubt that is what Jesus came to do.
ReplyDeleteI think all should be welcome without posted requirements...that only produces guilt. (But then we Catholics are very good at guilt!)
I believe posting requirements would only add to that which makes people feel unwelcome. Who can judge why a soul struggles with not meeting a requirement?
Anne
I don't think Jesus was trying to establish a tribe but, in a way, he did post requirements and they were very demanding:
ReplyDeleteNow someone approached him and said, "Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." He asked him, "Which ones?" And Jesus replied, " 'You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother'; and 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"The young man said to him, "All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mt 19:16-21)
What if we posted this on the cover of the parish bulletin or on a sign at the church doors?
(I'm not arguing here for my parish or any other to do this. But I believe the question raised by the Unitarians' message is food for thought for all believers - as the comments here are demonstrating!
I do not think there's a need. Yes, HE posted them, into each of our hearts. Do you really think more good would come from posting them in a bulletin?
ReplyDeleteI would hate to see anyone feel alienated. Posting them would tell me that I have to BE perfect to belong. Sadly I'd fall short every time.
I think answering this question depends on our personal experiences and the conscious realization of requirements. So much depends on ones walk in life.
Some of us could handle it and some could not. Better to go after the one lost sheep.
Anne
I once belonged to a small (250 members) non-denominational church and we all understood that these kinds of requirements were absolutely essential to the ongoing success of our venture. We had to pay a pastor a salary, benefits and pension, pay on a lease, etc. The typical Catholic response to church membership would NOT have worked with us.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, about 33% of the members were former Catholics and rose to the occasion magnificently.
I've always believed that Catholics will rise to higher expectations if they are approached correctly and boldly asked.
From whom much is given, much is asked .... as it darned well should be!
Jim McCrea
As someone who is a bit familiar with the UU world, I would venture this...many UU congregations are very small. In many cases, they truly do depend on as many of their members as possible to be involved in the life of the church just to keep things afloat.
ReplyDeleteConversely, there always are those members with "a bone to pick," who distance themselves from active involvement.
Some UU churches have endowments, so even though they are small, they can get by financially. And, as is true in so many Catholic parishes, there are those members who take on an extraordinary amount of responsibility in the running of the church.
Might be worth a try to see what reaction parishioners would have to being asked to become more involved in the well being of their parish. Sometimes it helps to be asked...just that nudge to become more active might work wonders!
Rosemary
"What if we posted this on the cover of the parish bulletin or on a sign at the church doors?"
ReplyDeleteSo long as beneath it was posted Confession times and something to make it clear that potential penitents aren't gonna get chewed out or something... I think it could be a good idea.
"Fundamental agreement with our principles and purposes" How would this be expressed for a Catholic parish's bulletin or billboard?
ReplyDeleteThe Unitarian Universalist Church is not a credal church, but they do express their beliefs in the following way:
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person
Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.
//////////////////////////////////
It has been my experience that UU congregations are very welcoming to all. They understand that each person is on his/her own spiritual journey, that not everyone is in the same place on that journey at any given time, but that each person should be valued and respected. Quite an admirable approach, I think.
Rosemary
Could you imagine a church displaying the Ten Commandments in the narthex? Or the Beatitudes? Or, perhaps, one of St. Paul's "laundry lists" of sins that exclude a person from inheriting the Kingdom of God?
ReplyDeleteI think a list of expected requirements of a parishioner is a good thing to have in a bulletin, so long as everyone knows that, as sinners, we will fall short of these expectations from time to time, but God's grace provides an opportunity for redemption. The parish is not a perfect society, so there should be ample time scheduled for the sacrament of Confession!
Consistent (at least every Sunday, obviously) participation in the Holy Mass is the first requirement. Even a person in mortal sin can participate in the Mass to some degree, although receiving Holy Communion is out of the question. But from the Mass we derive all the graces we need to fulfill the Church's mission, both inside the parish and outside in the larger world.
1. Worship and love God with everything you have (starting by praying Mass every Sunday)
2. Love everyone else as Jesus loves you
We just finished a survey of the 800+ families registered at our parish. Every family that had not had a student in RE, or made any financial contribution in the past 2 years, or had not been involved in any area of ministry or attended any class in this past two year period was sent a letter asking if they still wanted to stay on the parish roster and at least get mail from the parish about ongoing events and activities. (the parish is in serious financial trouble and bulk mailing cost us to send and to get refused mail back)
ReplyDelete6 out of 225 responded that they wanted to stay on the roster. No response after personal phone calls, two letters and a post card from the rest...but the parish council was very concerned that the parish was dropping the membership of these families so we put all the information on a CD in the event they wanted to become 'active' again.
If we put a statement like the Unitarian Church on our bulletin, our parish might be more empty than it already is.
"If we put a statement like the Unitarian Church on our bulletin, our parish might be more empty than it already is."
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, it seems that the problem is people don't know Who God is, what the Church is, and how important a relationship with Jesus Christ is. Roster or no roster, people need to be re-evangelized. The United States is mission territory.
"it seems that the problem is people don't know Who God is, what the Church is, and how important a relationship with Jesus Christ is."
ReplyDeletePerhaps...but we should never assume that. Good people could have legitimate complaints,misconceptions or misunderstandings. Posting rules in a bulletin,website etc is not the way to reconcile with lapsed Catholics. But that is for another discussion.
"It seems that the problem is people don't know Who God is, what the Church is, and how important a relationship with Jesus Christ is."
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Jeff.
If people really knew Jesus in their heart -- if, as Padre Pio said, if people only knew the beauty of a soul in the state of grace -- nothing would keep them from busting down the door to go to the foot of the altar, to go into the confessional.
The Catholic church's rules are few and for our own good. There is a membership requirement: Baptism. There are requirements for maintaining membership: Go to confession at least once a year. There are requirements for receiving Communion: Be in the state of grace. Fast for one hour before.
This is not a high bar, considering the stakes!
I wish these rules would be posted on the front door of every church. They are reflections of God's mercy, not his justice.