For the first time in all the years that Fr. McNamara has posted his comments to Zenit News Agency, I have found a topic worthy of pursuing the question of my particular situation - a Roman Catholic practicing my faith in a Maronite Catholic Church. Should Father respond, I promise to post his response to this thread.
Cardinal Arinze while speaking in Detroit said to go to the parish that makes you comfortable. Should your territorial parish be Abuse central, move on.
I'm listening to the Cardinal.
I have a question about this topic. I grew up as about one of the only Protestants in a heavily Catholic area outside of Detroit. At that time (late 50s, early 60s), I remember that the parish my friends attended was determined by the neighborhood in which they lived. Except for special occasions, they weren't supposed to go to Mass in other parishes. When did this change and why? Curious...
One question I would have about this is: how do you find out the boundaries of a parish? I live in a very rural area, and I don't know that I'm even in a parish. I drive 16 miles to go to the most practical place for my family to assist at Mass, but it is in a different state, so it's clearly not my territorial parish.
My local parish is ok. The priest is good, but I'm not crazy about the bizarre need for every old lady to be up on the altar during Mass, nor can I figure out why there are no children at the largest parish in my hometown.
So I drive to another state to attend Mass. Have been doing so for more than 20 years. Well, actually my parents were driving me across the border for most of those years. Now that I have children, I strongly believe that I would be failing them spiritually if I didn't taken them to the parish that shows the upmost respect for the Eucharist, the necessity of confession and has children coming out its ears.
I could understand attending my local parish before my children were born. But now, there's too much at stake.