Parish boundaries and what it takes to be a ‘proper’ parishioner

A question that seems to generate a great deal of discussion and debate in one way or another, and one that most certainly generates a wide range of views, is the simple – though it can prove controversial – question of Where is your parish? Indeed, we can and should ask ourselves: Where is my parish?

When pondering these questions a few thoughts come to mind:

• Is one’s parish the parish within the geographical parish boundary where one lives?

• Is one’s parish the parish in which one was baptised or grew up in or perhaps where one received some of the sacraments such as First Holy Communion or Confirmation?

• Is one’s parish the closest church to a person, which may of course be outside the geographical parish boundary in which one lives?

• Is one’s parish only one’s parish if an individual is actively involved in parish activities or is faithfully attending Sunday Mass each week?

• Is one’s parish simply the parish where one feels at home, is engaged in the life of the local community, supports the parish financially according to ones means, attends Sunday Mass regularly and is registered on the parish database?

On a personal level, I feel that an individual’s parish should be one’s spiritual home, where God is encountered, faith is nurtured and fellowship fostered. For me the last of the above points is the one that defines what should make a parish for someone.

Being part of a community of faith is something of great importance. Where someone lives, in my opinion, is not the important factor, rather engagement and belonging are what matter, and the essential factors when considering the concept of a parish.

A parish is a community, and in years past traveling to be part of a parish that might not be the parish within the boundaries of which one lived may not have been very practical for a variety of reasons. Today, however, as society has advanced and transportation and traveling in general are far easier now than in times past, for many who are part of a parish where they do not live within the official boundary, traveling to be part of that parish is not an issue.

It must be remembered that for a variety of reasons, many people may not attend the church within what they consider to be their parish regularly for Sunday Mass. Many people may have work, business, social or indeed wider ecclesiastical commitments that mean they regularly attend Sunday Mass in another parish different from their own.

That said, what should be considered important, in my opinion, is that someone does have a particular parish community they can call home even if they are only there sporadically for whatever reason.

The phrase a proper parishioner is a phrase I have previously encountered and I am sure many others have as well. What does this phrase actually mean? What makes someone a proper parishioner of a particular parish? Does living within the boundary make one proper and who’s place is it to define this anyway? Why is this clearly such an issue for some?

If someone lives a significant distance from the parish they are active in, is this really an issue? Surely what matters is that people are engaged in the life of a parish in one way or another?

Some parishioners of particular parishes may well live in the geographical boundary of the parish they worship in and some may not, but the common factor here is that they can be parishioners in the same parish and united as part of a community of faith.

Quite understandably the issue of a parish priest being needed in an emergency may present issues to parishioners living outside the boundary of the parish they count themselves part of, and indeed to the priest also. However, emergency situations such as the last rites may well require some out-of-the-box thinking and don’t necessarily need to be administered by the parish priest in an emergency situation. It’s also important to remember the fact that the last rites do not need to be left to the last minute but that is another debate entirely.

When considering the capital city of London in relation to this topic, it’s firstly important to remember that the central part of London north of the Thames in the Archdiocese of Westminster is full of a wide range of beautiful, historic and socially actives churches.

It is clear that many parishioners of Central London churches do not in fact live within the boundaries of the parish they worship in. And it is clear that this is a blessing and is one of the main factors that makes many of the Central London parishes the vibrant and diverse communities that they are.

While this is the case in other parishes throughout the country, it is often not as obvious outside London. Either way, no one in any parish community should see themselves as superior to anyone else simply because they live within the boundary of the parish they worship in, while someone else might not.

Likewise, no one should consider themselves superior to anyone else because their ancestors worshiped in the parish concerned while someone else has only been around for a year or two. We are all pilgrims journeying through life and collaboration and unity are more important than division and competition.

All are welcome in the house of God and it takes many different types of parishioners to make up a parish; both those that live within the parish boundary and those who live outside of it, not to mention occasional visitors who, if we take inspiration from St Benedict, should always be welcomed as Christ.

People are welcome to make any parish they wish their home and anyone who suggests that someone else is not a proper parishioner because they don’t live in the parish boundary should be appropriately challenged. All parishes should be places of welcome, wherever parishioners are coming from.

There are a wide variety of reasons as to why people may choose to worship or belong to a parish that is different to the parish boundary they reside in. For some this may be because of liturgical or musical preferences, for some it may be a simple case of distance and travel arrangements.

It also cant be ignored that for some it may be a result of some past hurt or fall out, and for others it may be simply be because the parish they are part of is where they feel most at home.

It cannot be ignored that throughout England and Wales the concept of a parish is changing in many areas. In the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, Bishop Richard Moth has published a Pastoral Plan entitled “The Word Who is Life: The Call to Mission”.

The Pastoral Plan is currently being rolled out across the diocese and it is clear that the aim of this plan is to create new pathways for apostolic mission and to prepare the faithful of the diocese for the future and for those challenges that cannot be ignored. Opportunities often arise from challenges and moderated parishes are being created in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton as a result of this Pastoral Plan.

When considering the question of Where is your parish? through the lens of the Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, it is clear that for the faithful of that diocese – which includes myself – the concept of a parish will become a wider geographical community, while such communities are generally taking the footprints of former diocesan deaneries.

In many respects, this puts a different slant on the question Where is your parish? It can present many opportunities for greater fellowship, formation and mission.

While Holy Mass should be at the centre of our lives, life as part of a wider parish community, one with different activities, formation and fellowship opportunities and support networks, is of great importance.

However, it takes real effort on the part of many to make this possible; hence we all need to be part of the crew and not just passengers on the journey.

In a world where there is so much hatred and anger, and in a Church where there is often division over one issue or another, is the issue of whether a parishioner lives within the parish boundary or not really such an important one?

Faithfully attending Holy Mass and, in some way, being an active part of a parish is really what matters.

While many people may have other networks and faith groups they are part of, being involved in a parish community in one way or another is extremely important as we journey on the path of life.

While there are many different views on this matter, in my opinion what really matters is that all of us as the faithful meet our obligations faithfully and that in one way or another we have a parish that we can call home and where we receive Jesus Christ in word and in sacrament on a weekly basis, notwithstanding exceptional circumstances arising.

Pope Francis invites us all to “be an active presence in the community, as living cells, as living stones”. With this in mind, someone’s presence, commitment and engagement with a parish community is surely what matters more than matters of boundaries.

Photo: An aerial view shows Saint Botolph’s Church, often known as the ‘Boston Stump’, in Boston, England, 19 June 2024 . (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.)

Donato Tallo is a registered nurse who has worked in a variety of clinical and professional healthcare environments. He is a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a Benedictine Oblate.

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