I can personally attest to this. When I left two different parishes, not one of them ever contacted me. In fact, I ran into the pastor from one of those parishes who struck up a conversation about the parish but never asked why I had left, nor did he invite me to return.
The pastor at my current parish, has called and personally visited all the previous parishioners. Many of them have returned. It does make a difference.
The most frequent answer you will get from a Knight of Columbus about why he joined is “I was asked”.
The pastor at my current parish, has called and personally visited all the previous parishioners. Many of them have returned. It does make a difference.
Easy enough in a small parish, but we have over 4,000 family registered at ours. Not easy for our pastor to contact each one of them, let alone realize when somebody leaves. For some reason, I am still receiving parish news, raffle tickets, donation envelopes from my previous parish ... we moved parishes over 7 years ago.
Locally, the parishes just can't keep up with who's coming and who's going.
>>In fact, I ran into the pastor from one of those parishes who struck up a conversation about the parish but never asked why I had left, nor did he invite me to return. <<
At my old parish, they were happy as a clam to have me gone. No one contacted me because they were thrilled that I was out of their hair. Just too orthodox for the Happy Catholic staff.
Sometimes, they know why you left and are glad you’re gone.
On the other hand, my husband said that he started to consider converting when my current Pastor, learning that the hubby was Presbyterian, invited him to mass anyway. Down to giving him a CCC and telling him that if he felt uncomfortable sitting in the pew for Communion, he was more than welcome to come up for a blessing. Just cross his arms before kneeling down and the Priest would know what to do.
We are very blessed.
Ha Ha, he probably thinks you are still sitting in one of the back pews.
Our last priest was an unmitigated disaster, he would forget to mention the Mass intentions and people would come into the office crying because it was a special day for them. He would say something like “Well, it was in the bulletin.” and we would be left trying to salve hurt feelings. I could go on but I’d rather not relive the nightmare.
Our new priest is totally different, he is at the parish hall all day unless he is called away. He even helped us clean beans this morning! He will go to the hospital or take a confession or just meet and talk with anyone who presents themselves and asks for a meeting.
We have a man in town who is dying of cancer that we all know and our priest didn’t even know that he was a fallen away Catholic but he asked if he could go visit him. As it turns out the man called the other priest in town and asked for Last Rites but our priest was ready and willing just to go visit a person that he really knew nothing about including his religion, he just wanted us to ask for permission.
“Many of the respondents commented that, after they left the church, no one from the parish contacted them or reached out to them in any way. “
That is understandable. Makes a person feel unwanted. Was one of 100 reasons I left the Baptist church. Not saying this to bash Baptist FReepers, just merely pointing out it can happen in any church.
“Do unto others......”