It once happened to me that, visiting a parish, someone said in passing: "our parish is dead". As I did not have time to talk about it, I never knew what the person meant by that. I remained thinking about it and I thought it would be good to share what signs we should notice pointing out to a dying parish.
Following the story I shared a few days ago, I talk about the parish as the people and not the buildings. In that story, as people looked inside the coffin, what they saw was their own faces reflected in the mirror. In the same way, we might see some of the following signs in our own lives:
The temptation to think of the parish as a supermarket. In the same way we go to a supermarket when there is something we need (bread, milk, fruit...) we might only go to our parish when there is something we need: a sacrament, a special prayer, a blessing from the visiting bishop, school fees, food, a prayer for the sick, a funeral...
In fact, "Father is good" when he provides what we need. You would not like to go to a supermarket and find out that what you need cannot be found. You would remember with praise previous priests, when they were "good providers".
"Father will see". This is sometimes openly said but at other times it is seen by the attitude of the people.
The temple might be dirty, there might be a need to fix it or do maintenance in any of the parish structures. No one seems to worry about it as everyone seems to think: "Father will see", "Father will talk to the bishop".
It might also be seen in the ordinary expenses of the parish. No one wonders if the priest has fuel to visit the families, the sick, the outstations or if the electricity and water have been paid. People seem to believe that the parish belongs to the priest (and the bishop).
There are no catechists or it is difficult to find them. This is probably one of the most serious signs for a parish because it points to the fact that people do not have the joy of sharing their faith and to help others grow in our faith.
It is an interesting attitude because those who are in church have been helped by catechists without whom, they would have never received the sacraments.
It is as if they got what they wanted and they do not see or feel the need to make it possible for others.
Rushing for sacraments. I have heard of serious tensions when parents hear that their child is not ready for a sacrament (mainly because the child had hardly been in church) or that the diocese had decided that the preparation should take a longer period. Receiving the sacrament is all that matters to them, the journey of faith that takes the child there is not important.
I always remember a great catechist I work with in a parish 30 years' ago. Asking her why she admitted a child who was not ready to receive a sacrament, she said in all honesty:
"Father, I preferred to be in trouble with you that we meet once a week and not with the mother of that child who is my neighbour and I have to see her every day!!!".
Sending the children and young people to church but... This is the opposite of the previous one. Parents tell the children: "Go to church" but they do not go with them. In one parish I heard that some parents might even drop the children for catechism and collect them after Mass! The children then might see this journey of faith as an obligation, being unable to enjoy the example and personal joyful witness of their elders.
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These signs point to a lack of joy of sharing our faith with others and little sense of belonging. While it might be even normal to find them in some people, the moment they become more common...
