Parish roundup: Second collections down; Chicago consolidations; children at Mass

A man holds a child during Mass celebrated in February 2018 at Transfiguration Church in New York City. (CNS/Gregory A. Shemitz)

A man holds a child during Mass celebrated in February 2018 at Transfiguration Church in New York City. (CNS/Gregory A. Shemitz)

by Peter Feuerherd

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Another impact from the sex abuse scandal: Parishioners continue to give to their parishes, but second collections for national and diocesan causes are down.

A play about Fr. Augustus Tolton, the first recognized African-American Catholic priest, inspires young Catholics.

Renewing or ruining the church? Chicago Catholics respond to parish consolidations. The impact is now being felt in affluent North Shore parishes. In more Chicago parish news, Alpha, a renewal program begun in English Anglican churches, comes to the Windy City.

Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, wants parishes to chant at least one Mass each week. He also says that not everything in Catholic songbooks is appropriate to sing at Mass.

Single moms struggle to find a home in parish life.

Should young children go to Mass? Or should parishes separate them in worship services?

Scammers are posing as priests in the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska.

The era of the parochial school is over. What comes next?

Lay pastoral administrators offer a new model of parish leadership in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.

[Peter Feuerherd is a correspondent for NCR's Field Hospital series on parish life and is a professor of journalism at St. John's University, New York.]

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This story appears in the The Field Hospital feature series. View the full series.

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