Which parish to attend..
Is it mandated or was it ever mandated that a Catholic MUST be a member and worship at the nearest parish to where he lives? Can a person who likes the way the liturgy is celebrated at a particular parish that is quite some distance away become a member of that parish or does he have to belong to the nearest parish? What if one wishes to attend mass at a certain chapel and/or mass at a certain Order, say a Carmelite Chapel, that celebrates mass with the bishops approval, is a Catholic within his rights to attend mass regularly there rather than at the nearest parish? Does this vary from diocese to diocese or is it the same nationwide?
Apologies for so many questions in one paragraph.
QUESTION from Charles on April 28, 2004
ANSWER by Mr. Jacob L. Slavek on May 1, 2004
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Dear Charles, No it isn't mandated now, and honestly I don't really know if it ever was. It was probably not at least in the United States. In my opinion as a general rule you should support your nearest parish but if there are liturgical, theological or other problems go somewhere else. Many people choose to attend a church in which they have grown up or in which their family had attended but have since moved away. There is nothing wrong with this. Mr. Slavek |