'The Joy Of The Gospel' Includes A Call To Become More Welcoming
Pope Francis turns his attention to the Church, stating that the Church may create situations that do not lend themselves to people wanting to hear the Gospel or be part of a parish community. He writes, “We must recognize that if part of our baptized people lack a sense of belonging to the Church, this is also due to certain structures and the occasionally unwelcoming atmosphere of some of our parishes and communities, or to a bureaucratic way of dealing with problems, be they simple or complex, in the lives of people. In many places an administrative approach prevails over a pastoral approach…” (Evangelii Gaudium 63).
Our parishes simply must become more welcoming communities, fostering a spirit of belonging among our members. Why? Because the Church, as the Body of Christ, is meant to be the visible sign of what is now unseen: the risen Lord Jesus in our midst. The Church gives flesh to the risen Lord, unseen but ever present in our midst, who welcomes all who come to him.
Many Catholics claim that they left the Catholic Church for non-denominational churches because after attending Mass for years, they never felt connected to their fellow parishioners. When I worked on the diocesan level in implementing the RCIA in our parishes and the Continuing Education of Priests, I had the opportunity of celebrating weekend Masses for priests on vacation. I would stand in the Church narthex greeting people until it dawned on me one Sunday, “Hey, this is their parish, they should be welcoming me.” As a little experiment, I stood in the narthex dressed in my vestments (people could hardly fail to miss me at 6’4” tall and a bit on the bulky side!). About 30 parishioners walked right by me without even acknowledging me or saying, “Welcome to our parish.” If this happens to a priest, it probably happens with other parishioners.
Sadly, at parish gatherings, long-time parishioners typically sit with their friends – while new parishioners are usually left alone. We need to become more sensitive to the feelings we would have when moving into a new parish, unacquainted with anyone.
Obviously the most prominent time parishioners and guests will experience a time to welcome others is at the Sunday Eucharist. We need to welcome our guests who may be present. We could also greet one another before Mass begins. This is not the same as the Greeting of Peace, which is an act of reconciliation. Who of us, if invited to a party at an upscale restaurant and pre-seated with strangers, would not introduce ourselves before dining together?
Other customs we could start include bestowing the nuptial blessing for newlyweds upon returning from their honeymoons during the Sunday Eucharist. In this way, parishioners get to know our newly married couples, publicly pray for them, and congratulate them. Parishes could host annual dinners for our newcomers. (It may help if a sponsor family drove them to the dinner to introduce them to others.) When new members register, a tour of the facilities could be a valuable help. We could plan “Date Nights” for married couples. We could invite active and inactive parishioners to small, monthly social gatherings just to get reacquainted. An Indianapolis Parish has its parishioners wear nametags during weekend Masses. The possibilities for creating a spirit of hospitality and welcome are as endless as our creativity.
One of the greatest gifts of Vatican II has been the restoration of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which emphasizes the importance of parish hospitality. The RCIA even spells out that we are to invite new members into our conversations. Imagine that!
