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So....what you're saying is no one gives a d##n if people don't go to your church with the exception of their donations? They don't notice if someone's missing because they might be ill? Missing for other reasons? That's not a church community. That's big business!

At my church, we live life together and we are all encouraged to serve our church community. Yes, it is small. And no, it isn't a parish because I'm no longer attending the Catholic church. I attend a church that ACTUALLY CARES, whether I'm there or not. I'm not just another "butt in the pew" number to be counted or "weekly envelope in the basket".

"So....what you're saying is no one gives a d##n if people don't go to your church with the exception of their donations? They don't notice if someone's missing because they might be ill? Missing for other reasons? That's not a church community. That's big business!"

Actually, it's not that "nobody gives a d##n". It's that in many Catholic parishes, the real community or fellowship comes from the various movements, ministries, and organizations within the parish, and not the parish itself per see.

For instance, I mentioned the daily Mass group: about 15 of us that are together every day for the 7:00 Mass, maybe 25 for the 8:30 Mass. With those kinds of numbers you can know each other and ... like I said ... if Arlene missed Mon and Tues, by Wed everybody knows if she had a cold or if her husband's in the hospital or if she's downstate visiting her grandkids.

But there's 36 other ministries/organizations listed in the bulletin with which parishioners are encouraged to get involved: RCIA (adult converts' class); 4 different Bible Studies; 5 different choirs; Engaged Encounter; Marriage Encounter; Home & School Organization; Parish Council; Parish Finance Board; Bereavement Ministry; Council of Catholic Women; Knights of Columbus; Newcomers Welcoming; Respect Life Committee; Community Gardens; Widows' and Widowers' Ministry; Food Pantry; St. Vincent de Paul Society (aid to the needy);Adoration Chapel; Cursillo; Rosary Makers; Liturgy of the Hours; etc. etc.

At least at our parish, there's no pressure, hassle or exclusion over donations. If somebody says "We're unemployed but I volunteer with training the Altar Servers and my wife is a Visitor/Eucharistic Minister for the the shut-ins and the nursing home people"-- nobody's going to say Boo to you about there being no money for the basket.

But if people just come to Sunday Mass and that's it, they can go a long time before anybody takes notice of them. If people feel bummed out about that, I always urge them to puh-lease get involved in a movement of ministry. People need small groups. Even Our Lord thought 12 was a pretty good number.