Recently I had a conversation with a new family sending their children to school here. I want to share a part of that conversation with you as it is important to the Stewardship Way of Life.
During this conversation, it was asked if they could send their children here for school but go to Sunday Mass at another parish for cultural reasons. I responded by saying that I do understand the importance of one’s culture in family, faith, and formation which may be found more at another parish. However, I also explained that, as a member of our St. Francis parish family one should go to Sunday Mass more frequently here than anywhere else.
Let me explain this further. St. Francis is not first a school and then only secondarily a parish. It is first, and primarily, a parish family, then, only secondarily, do we sponsor members of our parish family to go to our Catholic school. So, while I understand the need, at times, to worship at other parishes due to culture, heritage, or schedule; That cannot mean that another parish becomes the primary place of worship. If ever this does happen, then that new parish must also be responsible for their Catholic education sponsorship. If you find that you are attending Mass primarily at another parish, please schedule a time with Stu (our Stewardship and Parish Life director) so that he or I can talk to the pastor of that parish about transferring sponsorship.
Here is another way to understand this: St. Francis is not a ‘franchise’ of the Catholic Church, as is McDonald’s or the YMCA. Meaning, we don’t go “here” for one service and then “there” for another service. While I understand that other parishes have culture or activities we don’t have at St. Francis, we nevertheless do not simply belong to a conglomerate-Catholic Church with various ‘locations,’ like a franchise. No, the Catholic Church is structured around the parish as a parish family. Households first belong to (and are registered in) a parish family which then supports and provides a Catholic education as a ministry. As such, that parish must be the primary place for Sunday Mass.
During this conversation, I also likened Sunday Mass to a family dinner. Consider if a child started going to dinner more to other people’s houses than his or her own house, and then said to his or her parents, “Mom and Dad, I don’t have to eat dinner at home. As long as I am eating dinner, it doesn’t matter where I eat.” A parent would not be OK with that. Nor is a pastor OK with a parishioner who rarely goes to Sunday Mass at the parish they are registered in, and receiving Catholic education sponsorship from.
This topic is intrinsically tied to one’s “life-long commitment” to stewardship. This parish cannot simply be your parish family only until your kids graduate from High School. To be registered here means to be a member of this parish, sharing in its worship, mission, and ministry. Then, after your children are out of school, your stewardship way of life at this parish provides for other parishioners with children just as is happening for you now.
While it is true that your participation, fellowship, and contribution in stewardship for this parish ebbs and flows through the many seasons of your life, yet your commitment must remain constant. As I have said before, “We are less without you.” Your presence makes a difference. We always have a pew waiting for you.
Father Jarrod Lies, Pastor