In San Francisco, many Catholics travel miles past their local church to find a parish where they feel most at home, part of a national movement that observers attribute to a mobile society and a church structure that no longer requires Catholics to attend church within their parish boundaries.
“Today’s Catholic experience is not governed by where you live. That’s just a reality,” said Dominican Father Michael Hurley, pastor of St. Dominic in San Francisco, which attracts people from throughout the Bay Area.
“The trend is for more parish-shopping,” said Charles Zech, co-author of “Catholic Parishes of the 21st Century,” (Oxford University Press, 2017) with Mary Gautier of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
The researchers found that more than 30 percent of parishioners and 40 percent of millennials attend Mass at a parish they choose, rather than the church closest to them. That compares to Catholics in the 1980s where about 15 percent of Catholics crossed parish boundaries to attend Mass, according to the extensive 1989 University of Notre Dame McGrath Institute of Church Life “Study of Catholic Parish Life.”
In San Francisco, three parishes epitomize that trend: the Jesuit parish of St. Ignatius, the Dominican parish of St. Dominic, and neighborhood parish Star of the Sea. While St. Ignatius and St. Dominic’s parish cultures are defined by the spirit of the orders that run them, Star of the Sea’s culture revolves around traditional liturgical practices and music, including a number of Masses celebrated according to the pre-Vatican II 1962 Missal of Pope St. John the XXIII.
Despite at times great differences in the liturgical and even political outlooks of priests and parishioners, all three parishes in their own ways attempt to create a parish as described by the U.S. bishops in their 1993 document “Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of Parish,” which begins: “The parish is where the church lives.”
“No matter how much we like to organize it, the church is not a group of buildings in an administrative structure. The church is a movement of people toward Christ,” said Claire Henning, executive director of Parish Catalyst an organization founded by businessman and philanthropist William E. Simon Jr. to help parishes thrive. “If you have to cross town to find that for yourself, to be disciples and to be led – then more power to you.”
Full story at Catholic San Francisco.
Insofar as the country is becoming more urbanized, it makes sense that parish boundaries should not become obstacles for those seeking out the liturgical form that speaks to them. This is why some parishes might cater towards the TLM, others to charismatic liturgy, some to great organ music, others to a very simple spoken liturgy. There are some problems with parish shopping, but in an urbanized world, it has its benefits.
It is important to shop so that a good Catholic can get away from Homosexual parishes and Oastirs.
SSADLY I have been told by a hyper Militant Homosex Activist ‘Pastor’ that I was Not Welcome in the Parish where I made my Confirmation – because I actually supported the Wise Moral Teachings of Saint John Paul 2 & then Cardinal Ratzinger
He didn’t want anyone around who didn’t Pander to His Political Agenda – Particularly on issues where He Disagreed with the Pope
In another Parish it was essentially verboten to Praise Pope Benedict the Wise at all – and major hissy fits followed the occasions I did, with banishment from all Parish activities except Silently Attending Mass
At, yes: Ranting in Capital Letters.
Me thinks thou dost protest too much. Maybe you talked to your pastor and fellow communicants they way you write on this site. If so, I don’t know a Pastor who wouldn’t ask you to leave. An example: Militant Homosex Activist ‘Pastor’. Another: Pander to His Political Agenda.
These things should be told to the bishop. We have some people at my Church whose behavior at meetings is so bad that they cause others to leave. Sometimes it isn’t what they say as much as the way they say it. Nobody tells them not to come though. It sounds as if your pastor is not very welcoming.
the 1972 album ‘st dominic’s preview’ by van morrison was so titled after van morrison saw an ad for a peace vigil at the parish, during the time of the vietnam war.
How SAD Michael McDermott what the Pastor said to you! And where you made your Confirmation, how VERY SAD!!!!!!
Pray for him and all the Priests that are not in union with the traditional Church of Jesus!!!
Heck, I gave up on finding a parish that would present authentic Catholic liturgy. Now, I seek the most convenient place and time. And, avoid any known Jesuit educated priests. It’s easy to figure that out, folks. After the Greeting, Father will introduce himself and his Jesuit fides. Where he was educated, what his particular Jesuit “charism” is… me me me me and more me.
Sorry for the bitterness . I’m just hanging on here folks….
Keith Petersen, make the effort to find a parish you like. Many post their bulletins on line and you can learn a lot about what they prioritize. You may end up making a long drive every Sunday as I do, but I never come home complaining or wondering what I just attended.
“Just hanging on” sounds like you are headed for the door, you are presumably a confirmed soldier of Christ – do not leave the battlefield! Man up and forget about “convenient time and place”. If you were speaking about food, you would be limiting yourself to the deathly grip of McDonalds. Give yourself the gift of spiritual health and peace.
Keith, there still are some good Jesuits — Fr. Joseph Fessio and Fr. Mitch Pacwa are two I can think of, besides some of the older ones. I have not come into contact with most of the newer ones. Fr. John Hardon and Fr. John Powell were Jesuits but are deceased. Fr. Powell wrote the book “Abortion the Silent Holocaust” .
Don’t forget Fr. George Schultz.
Oh My Gosh – the Trolls Don’t Like Capitals…
We shall obviously have to submit to their mau making in small cases – Or Just Scroll Past the Troll
That would be “mau – mauing” – Durn Them Auto-Spoolchuckers Anywayz
Sometimes you (we) have to be the sole light in the darkness as you may be there for a Reason. You are most responsible for the way you pray during Mass — you can’t control the clergy other than by good example, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and honest constructive input. If you truly feel your soul is in danger where you are I hope you find a holy alternative.
re: “a church structure that no longer requires Catholics to attend church within their parish boundaries.” — Is this rule off the books ? I thought one was “required” to attend the parish within whose boundaries one resided. To tell the truth, the church I currently to go Mass at on Sunday is actually a few miles closer than my (home) assigned parish. I also have…
not just a different parish but a different diocese. we travel 45 min one way out of the Saginaw Mi diocese to go to the Lansing Mi. diocese. anyone who knows about Saginaw understands.
++++ to Tony R.
Saginaw diocese was the episcopal seat of the late Bishop Untener, d.2004.
Untener was a close friend of the late Archbishop Francis Quinn of San Francisco, and in fact Quinn gave the homily at Untener’s funeral. La cage a folles.
Saginaw is an example of Dearden-Roach-nominated left-wing social-secular activist bishops decimating a diocese: in 1966, the diocese had been growing, having then 136,000 Catholics, 190 priests, and 136 parishes.
As of 2014, Saginaw has shrunk to 100,000 Catholics, 100 priests (many over age 65), and 82 parishes.
After Frankenchurch, the last one should turn off the lights and lock the doors on the way out.
Since the focus here is St. Dominic’s Church, where the Dominicans have had about a century of presence, it should be noted that the future is unclear.
At their last chapter in 2016, the entire Western Province of Dominicans is down to about 40 priests, many of whom are at or greater than retirement age. At one time the number of priests alone was growing and approached 200 in the province—but again, this is back around 1965.
Many outstanding Dominicans have tried to reverse the trend of recent years, but the Dominicans’ last class (Sept. 2016) of novices only had 6 members to commence the roughly 8 year passage. The typical attrition rate is still usually high, also, being often over 50%.