Friends for Jesus

[Kunegunda]

Hello Father George: How difficult a process is it for a faithful Roman Catholic to transfer from one diocese to another? Is there alot of paperwork, red tape? Thank you. God bless you.
Kunegunda
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May God be praised. Mary, Queen of Poland and the United States, pray for us.

[fr. George]

There is no process of enrolling in a diocese; so there is no paper work to belong to a diocese! Your diocese is determined by the geographical area in which you live. You become a member of a parish and through the parish you belong to a diocese automatically! You just belong to the diocese to which the parish belongs. So to change a diocese you will simply have to move to the area of that diocese!

I am against the idea of people changing parishes because they have a different opinion or do not like the people or the services in a particular parish. The church expects a person to register in the parish in whose area that person lives and stick with it. That is your family... your parish family! You do not change your family when things do not go well! You may attend another parish for your religious duties for a time or until the situation changes in your own parish or you learn to be more tolerant and patient! Loyalty to ones parish through thick and thin is an admirable quality.
Fr. George

[Kunegunda]

Dear Father George: thank you for your response.

To clarify, I did not leave my parish or parish family. My parish was suppressed. The consolidated parish--to replace it-- has been without a pastor for well over two months.

My daughter is about to be married. She wants to be married in the Roman Catholic Church, but as you can see, without a pastor, she cannot get the paperwork needed for matrimony. The office staff is not authorized to sign the copy of her Baptismal record. My parish is under hierarchic appeal to Rome, but the process will continue into May. May is too late for my daughter and her intended to register for pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter weekend.

These are the reasons we are looking toward a neighboring diocese which is only three miles away. We are faithful Catholics, Father, not touchy, feely ones.

I loved my parish, Father George. I would never have abandoned my parish for any reason. I am proud of my daughter for wanting to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony. Most of her Catholic friends choose to be married on the beach, in the fields, on cruises, or "destination weddings" such as to the islands.

We are hurting deeply by the loss of our parish. My daughter is fourth generation. We did not expect to see our parish closed.

Thank you and God bless you.


Kunegunda
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May God be praised. Mary, Queen of Poland and the United States, pray for us.

[fr. George]

I do understand that you are going through a trying and sad period. I sympathize wtih that.

Even if a parish is suppressed and there is no pastor yet appointed, usually there is a care-taker priest for the area. It is truly strange that there is no one authorized to sign certificates or give permissions at a given time. I wonder why the Bishop has not delegated the Pastor's duties to someone else.

If that is the case, you could go to the near by parish or the Dean of the area and talk the matter over. If you live in a near by parish that belongs to another diocese, you could talk with the parish priest there and possibly register there and have your daughter’s marriage performed there. Your daughter has every right to be married in the church and the priests and the Bishops have the duty to facilitate that and not make it difficult.

I do not question your loyalty to your parish family. But sometimes this loyalty demands to let go of our own demands, legitimate though they may be, and accept the Bishop’s direction. It is God who will demand an explanation from him.
Fr. George

[Kunegunda]

Dear Father George: Thank you for your advice. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. My daughter was married in a nearby diocese. We are now members of the parish where her nuptials took place. God bless you,
K
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May God be praised. Mary, Queen of Poland and the United States, pray for us.