The parish: to grieve or enter new life

Instead of giving up on the classic parish, let's reinvigorate it for radical discipleship

His article was not a maudlin piece of despondent personal opinion, but a reasoned expression of realism and sadness about what has occurred and how some see the outcome of isolation.

Undoubtedly, the global closure of our churches, lockout from the House of God, silence in our prayer spaces and exclusion from the source and summit of the Christian life have been a trial for the living communion of the faithful.

The People of God have a deeply ingrained need to worship God – in communion, in church – together. Not a casual occurrence or practice reliant on mere habit but a deep longing in the souls of women and men to worship their God.

The appearance of the streamed Mass as a daily or weekly alternative suited many and for some continues to do so.

But for most it is not the sacrifice of the Mass and has little connection with the people's celebration of the sacred mystery that they offer, together, in person – a living Mass and privileged reception of Holy Communion, in true communion.

Has the parish as we've long known it "run its course"?

But the deep question posed is whether the institutional parish "has run its course".

There is no doubt things are different. There seems unanimity on a global scale that some old ways have gone and will never be the same.

If the Christian spark is not extinguished what then is the new form?

Maybe numbers will be different. But what if commitment and love of our suppressed God is greater, understanding is deeper and our love for liturgy that is practiced with full conscious and active participation is enhanced?

But much more than those, what if we are able to re-encounter ourselves as the People of God, in the institutional parish? We have been grouped in parishes for a long time and for the many reasons that Hodgens enumerates.

People who need people

The underlying reason is that we are social beings, a tribal people. We are hardwired that way. We entered the world by the independent action of others and grow with the help of others. Mostly we thirst for the company of others and of engaging with others.

Fundamentally we are never on our own. We are made in the image and likeness of God. God remains with us and we have an inherent need to respond to the God who loves his People. God is with us to the end. Indeed, God also promised to be with his Church to the end of time.

COVID has nothing to do with these realities.

Just as the first Christians gathered in the catacombs, prayed in private houses, developed the model of the Eucharist over time (much the way we have it now) and ultimately built separate buildings for worship, we also have a desire to congregate.

The toughest requirement of COVID regulations has been home isolation with no travel, no music hall or theatre attendance and, supreme of all, no stadium attendance for football.

For as much as we want to be different, mostly we want the same, or at least the similar. We are averse to change, almost pathologically so.

Not a numbers game

Eastern Australia recently had a 3-day "long" weekend holiday. I have rarely seen so many families travelling to beach resorts all over. Freedom to travel liberated people and they resumed old ways.

Then why is Mass attendance currently at around 10% rather than 30% as it was not long ago?

There are many reasons, but they are not because of COVID. I have difficulty imagining that the coronavirus is the death knell for the parish.

Perhaps we will see a further drop off post-COVID. Maybe we will also see a return of some that had been lost. We really are not in a numbers game, any more than Jesus was.

He had only a handful of real disciples. He had crowds at times, whom he generously fed, but he also explained that not everyone in the vineyard would make the kingdom of Heaven.

Those who say YES to God and actually go to work in the vineyard do so with God's grace. They make a decision to contribute. They do so because we have moved from a culture in which a religious perspective was simply assumed and was part of the social structure.

Consciously choosing faith and community

We have adopted a culture in which faith is an "option". We have a choice to say "yes" or "no" as did the two sons of the father in the parable. Accordingly, relationships within the community of faith need to be fostered, as does each individual's commitment to faith.

This new age can lead to an even deeper commitment to parishes than in the previous age since people consciously choose the community and the faith.

Pope Francis expresses enormous support for the concept and strength of the parish in his 2013 apostolic exhortation, Evangelii gaudium.

"The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours," he says.

That was pre-COVID and things may change. But I think there is an essential and enduring quality about a parish grouping. It provides the social connection that people seek—and that is essential to our self-understanding as a People of God.

The immediate geographical parish may no longer be the preferred option. Indeed, the local parish may be combined with another or abolished.

A wonderful opportunity to be radically different

Undoubtedly, some have a preference for small prayer groups. We must be flexible enough to accommodate that and to take Mass outside the traditional church environment.

For example, home Masses have enormous social, pastoral and theological qualities.

That is more than doing the same a bit differently. It is about responding to the needs of people in different ways and abandoning strictures that is so resented.

But fundamentally are we not presented with a wonderful opportunity to be different, and radically so?

We can move beyond the pope's first category of missionary discipleship and embrace his next portrayal of the People of God in action – that of radical missionary disciples.

They are like the fishermen who were sent back at the end of a long night on the water. They were not told to come in to warmth, comfort and sleep, but to go back for more – to put out into the deep and to continue searching for fish through the last hours of the night.

"Put out into the deep" (Luke 5, 4)

They were to put out into the deep and return when their nets were full to overflowing. It wasn't easy then and we sure know it's not easy now. That's why Francis calls it radical discipleship.

I totally accept that means all of us – laity, priests, sisters, brothers, deacons and bishops.

It is also true that we have high expectations of bishops to move on synodality and much faster than they seem inclined. But they are not alone and we have to step up to play our part in the rejuvenation.

We are all the People of God: not them and us. Our radical role is now.

The Church is us – not over there or hidden in a church building. We, the People of God, are the Church, right here and now. The baptismal call of priest, prophet and king has rarely been stronger.

There is a strong argument that the pandemic provides the catalyst we have been waiting for to renew our Church. We know parts are broken and we have grievously sinned.

As we move out of that phase, in God's redemptive love, we have the opportunity to "rebuild my Church" as St Francis heard Jesus urge him from the cross at San Damiano.

We will have to be smart, because – as Eric Hodgens warns – people are looking for new forms. But the parish remains the established vehicle with existing infrastructure and potential to adapt, change and transform. Radically so.

The real question is whether we are all ready to make the change, to go out into the night waters, seek the fish and help haul in the catch.

The parish on its knees – in prayer, not in rejection or grief – will be the start. Then, with the benefit of the Lord's abundant grace, let's put out into the deep!

Justin Stanwix is a deacon in the Diocese of Wollongong, Australia. He is passionate about Parish and full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy.