Once upon a time in America, community life and parish life were more closely united. Neighborhood parishes were actually in neighborhoods, sometimes sharing ethnic backgrounds and a common history and always sharing the same liturgies, practices, and devotions. The church, CYO, and even an affordable parish school became the centers not only of a Catholic family’s spiritual world but its social world, as well.

Times, and neighborhoods, have changed. Parishes can afford fewer schools, families have greater mobility, teens have more choices and greater independence, and the days of adherence to a geographical parish have all but vanished. Some inner city and urban churches have seen the changes and struggled, others have thrived.

When a church loses the valuable resource of neighborhood and neighbors, it becomes a “parish of choice.” If it is to escape the impersonality of becoming a commuter parish, it must create its own community; its own “neighborhood.” Many parishes do this, and there are many ways to do it.

Some would cite Dominican Rite Masses, an accessible Confession and Mass schedule, the Sunday Latin Mass, the quality of the liturgical music, and an emphasis on reverence as reasons to support the parish. For others, it might be the strong home school support system, the traditional CCD program, daily Adoration, the Dominican presence, or the quality and content of preaching. There are countless reasons, but none of them, on their own, account for the sense of family that is the backbone of a vital parish community.

Holy Rosary takes the challenge of community building seriously. While we know that many travel great distances to attend Mass and cannot take part in all the activities, parish dinners, service opportunities, classes and special events offered, it is our hope that many will take these opportunities to make Holy Rosary their ”neighborhood” away from home.