Parish Life

The parish was the place where Catholics went dutifully to line up for Confession on Saturday afternoon in preparation for reception of Holy Communion at Sunday Mass.  The parish was the place where Catholics went to celebrate the defining moments of their lives: baptisms, weddings, and funerals.  The parish was the place where a family could go to get help with the fuel bill so that an empty oil tank could be filled in time for winter.  The parish was also the place where Catholics went for Scout meetings, CYO dances, adult socials, and parish bazaars. Roman Catholics are part of a Universal Church, but they experience church directly at the level of the parish.  From generation to generation, Catholics have considered their parish to be a natural extension of their home and family.

"'There is always something fascinating about the history of a Catholic parish,' wrote the late Archbishop Joseph Rummell of New Orleans in 1948. "Usually modest and humble in its beginnings, it grows larger, more dignified, more efficient with the years. It is almost human in its development, and quite understandably so, for it is composed of vibrant human beings.' Parishes are composed of human beings and are subject to all the faults and foibles of those human beings. The history of two hundred years of parish life in Boston is certainly reflective of that premise. There have been times when the inconsistency and insecurity of human beings has impeded the growth of parishes as communities where the faith is received from earlier generations, lived on a daily basis, and then passed on to succeeding generations. The parishes of Boston have been peopled sometimes by saints, sometimes by sinners, and most times by ordinary men and women who tried their best to fulfill their daily commitments." - William T. Schmidt's essay, Changing Patterns of Parish Life. Read more in the book preview.

A sampling of titles from pamphlets, brochures, and publications that Catholics could find at the back of the church to seek guidance on personal, political, vocational, and spiritual issues. From thoughts on marriage and sexuality to questions about the priesthood and convents, these pamphlets represent a time when Bostonians and most Catholics went to the church to seek answers to their questions. This colorful collection displays the myriad social, political, and spiritual issues that were reflective of the times.
Boy Meets Girl - The Christian Way	The Christian Family Today	How to be a Good Father	How to be a Good Husband	Inter-racial Justice	The Interracial Apostolate
Men Wanted	Nuns - Four Women Talk About Them	Shall I Be a Jesuit?	Should Wives Work?	A Summons to Racial Justice	What Women Should Know About Men
Click on an image above to get a closer look.

RESOURCES ABOUT PARISH LIFE

• The Liturgy & Life Collection offers an intriguing look at the daily life of American Catholics prior to the reforms instituted by the Second Vatican Council. Dating primarily between 1925 and 1975, the almost 1200 objects include vestments, statuary, rosary beads, medals, chalices, crucifixes, sick call sets, prayer cards, relics and original paintings. Comprising several thousand items, they provide a rich documentation of both public and private devotional life.
• Office for the New Evangelization of Youth & Young Adults: focuses on journeying with our young people before, during, and after confirmation, through high school, into college, and through the discernment of their vocation.
• Find a Parish near your town
• Interested in becoming a Catholic? Read more
• Pastoral Life and Leadership in the Archdiocese of Boston addresses a variety of different aspects pertaining to parish life: Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, the Vocations Office, the Permanent Diaconate and Lay Ecclesial Ministries all operate under this office. 
• Office of the Permanent Diaconate: While all Christians are called to serve others, the deacon is an official sign of this service and he solemnly promises to be a living example of such service for others. Learn more about the role of deacons.
• Catholic Campus Ministry of the Archdiocese of Boston

RESOURCES FOR REBUILDING THE CHURCH

• The Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College: A Catalyst for the Resource and Renewal of the Church in the U.S.
• Boston College School of Theology and Ministry: Fr. Leahy, president of Boston College noted that the new School of Theology and Ministry will expand BC's commitment to serve the Church. Students can enjoy the close community of a small school with outstanding faculty and programs and the opportunities of a major Catholic university.
• ARISE: Together in Christ, A Parish-Centered Process of Spiritual Renewal for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.
• Voice of the Faithful: is a lay organization of faithful Catholics, who organized in 2002 as a response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. We started in the basement of a church in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and have since expanded worldwide with more than 30,000 members.
• Office of Religious Education supports the parishes of the Archdiocese by motivating, encouraging and preparing parish leaders and catechists for their mission of life-long formation of adults, youth and children toward the fullness of Catholic life. 
• Learn more about Parish reconfiguration: This tool created by the Archdiocese has been designed for pastors, parishioners and staff to foster communication during a challenging time for parishes.
• Saint Columbkille Partnership School: In 2006, an historic Catholic School partnership established a new governance model for Saint Columbkille School—the first of its kind for Catholic education in the U.S.   Saint Columbkille Parish, the Archdiocese of Boston, and Boston College have combined their resources to create a flagship Catholic school in Boston and a new national model of excellence in Catholic elementary education.