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Mar 25th, 2025
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4 |
What is the proper protocol for leaving one parish community and finding another? Sending a letter to the pastor seems like a good courtesy, but how would we deal with transferring our children to a new religious education program?
Thanks in advance!
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3
Member
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Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 7,309 Likes: 3 |
If you are formally transferring, you should tell your former pastor both as a courtesy and so the parish rolls can be corrected (a lot of people neglect to do this and end up being carried as "phantom" parishoners). Then you should formally enroll in your new parish. You are not obligated to give your reasons for changing parishes.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 978
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Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 978 |
I just recently switched Parishes from A Ukrainian to a Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church here in San Diego. On the advice of my new Pastor, I asked the Priest of the UCGC for a blessing to start attending the Ruthenian parish. My former pastor (who I am very good friends with and we are also in the same Knights of Columbus council) gave me his blessing, even though he was sad to "lose" me. He understood why I wished to switch. So I think it is good to get a blessing when switching parishes but certainly not mandatory.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4 |
Not sure we'll be getting a blessing, honestly, because we were told about 2 years ago that if we left, we were no longer welcome back. Needless to say, that's a reason why we are (considering) leaving.
Thanks for the advice!
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 646 Likes: 1
Cantor Member
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Cantor Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 646 Likes: 1 |
Not welcome back? Yeah, that could be a red flag to seek change. I feel sorry for the parish that is unwelcoming of your return. They are losing out in the long run with such a negative attitude. Steve http://vechernaja.blogspot.com/
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 978
Member
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 978 |
I have to agree with Steve. That is a major red flag. I wish you the best but that parish is losing in the long run.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,208
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,208 |
I wonder how the priest and/or parishioners in that parish square their attitude with the parable of the prodigal son.
For people who start the Divine Liturgy with the words "In peace, let us pray to the Lord" we can sure be a mean-spirited hard-hearted bunch. I guess that should motivate us to go to a lot of trouble to be truly "in peace".
I understand Metropolitan Jonah (OCA) once pronounced this aphorism: "Do not react. Do not resent. Keep inner stillness".
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