I need a Catholic church

My mother has gently reminded me that our second child is not yet baptized. We don't belong to a church here and honestly the baptism is more for my mom than anything; however, having grown up going to church and taught at a catholic school, I wouldn't mind having a place to go occasionally to get that catholic guilt off my shoulders.

Is there a fairly liberal Catholic Church around here? I know about OLS and st. Joseph's, but not the culture of each place.

Thanks!

A roman catholic church that's a little liberal? Or a liberal catholic church (it's a separate thing, believe it or not).

If you're willing to travel to Manhattan I have one.

RobB said:

A roman catholic church that's a little liberal? Or a liberal catholic church (it's a separate thing, believe it or not).

The church,St. Thomas, is not Roman Catholic.

Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal, though I know that's almost an oxymoron.

We'd rather stay local....I used to teach at a pretty chill place in the west village, but it's just too far for this kind of thing.

IM80 said:

RobB said:

A roman catholic church that's a little liberal? Or a liberal catholic church (it's a separate thing, believe it or not).

The church,St. Thomas, is not Roman Catholic.

Which is exactly what RobB said in his post.

afa said:

Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal, though I know that's almost an oxymoron.

We'd rather stay local....I used to teach at a pretty chill place in the west village, but it's just too far for this kind of thing.

I was just at a wedding at St Rose of Lima in Short Hills. Not sure about its liberalness, but everyone I met there were lovely people, and the choir was outstanding.

http://www.stroseshorthills.org/

From what I hear from friends, I gather that St Joe's is a bit more liberal than St Rose and OLS, but all are welcoming and have many of your neighbors participating. Maybe visit each a couple of times and see if you see people you know that may be able to enlighten you further.

Good luck!

Can you try attending a service or two at each of the local Roman Catholic Churches and see which is the best fit or do catchment areas determine which church you should attend?

St. Helen's in Westfield is what many Catholics call "progressive". I guess that qualifies as somewhat liberal, though I doubt any Catholic parish bends too much from the main.

Personally, if you simply want to baptize your child and drop in occasionally, don't over-think this search: take care of your spiritual needs now and sample a different parish each time your "guilt" overcomes you. You may actually come across one that suits you long-term.

afa said:

Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal, though I know that's almost an oxymoron.

This page lists St. Joseph as "gay-friendly" which is a pretty good code for "kinda liberal."

Roman Catholic churches need to tread carefully. I remember a church in Boston (where I'm from) had masses cancelled by the archdiocese when the church bulletin announced "all are welcome" during gay pride month.

Most of our local friends attend St Joe's on Prospect. It's a warm, welcome place. An yes, more progressive than others.

Plus, once a month this super cute volunteer MPD officer makes sure all St Joe's church-goers get crossed safely on their way to services.

joan_crystal said:

Can you try attending a service or two at each of the local Roman Catholic Churches and see which is the best fit or do catchment areas determine which church you should attend?

This makes sense to me.

I know very liberal leaning people who belong to St Rose and St Joe's (not at the same time) and feel comfortable there, for what it's worth. I think I know others who belong to OLS.

ridski said:

IM80 said:

RobB said:

A roman catholic church that's a little liberal? Or a liberal catholic church (it's a separate thing, believe it or not).

The church,St. Thomas, is not Roman Catholic.

Which is exactly what RobB said in his post.

Not to split hairs over this, Ridski, the first part of RobB's post asked " Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal."


#-O

mammabear said:

Plus, once a month this super cute volunteer MPD officer makes sure all St Joe's church-goers get crossed safely on their way to services.

He's a nice dude, too. ;-)

Not helpful, never mind.

RobB said:

afa said:

Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal, though I know that's almost an oxymoron.

This page lists St. Joseph as "gay-friendly" which is a pretty good code for "kinda liberal."

.

This is exactly what I'm looking for, thanks! I'll try a service at St. Joseph's and see how it feels. The school where I taught in Manhattan was also St. Joseph's so maybe it's a sign.

Well, don't tell your mother, but pretty much anyone anywhere can perform a Catholic baptism. There's a handy little loophole. My mother, aware of this and distraught over my apostasy, baptized my newborn in my tanning booth-sized Upper West Side kitchen while I napped obliviously, dreaming my heathen dreams. I'm still mad about it. I win ultimately, though, because doesn't really count if it's against the parents' wishes! Take THAT, Mom! Also, take THAT, Sister Theophila! (She's another story, though.)

http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/why-can-anyone-administer-baptism

OLS - Prospect Street in South Orange. Great place.

@adele, would we have to create some kind of life or death situation though? I do like a good DIY, but since I'm doing this to appease my mother I want it to be on the up and up.

@Adele, that is too funny...my mom threatened to do the same thing to my kids! In the end, her priest talked her out if it.

@adele, my mother (former Catholic convert, now back to Presbyterian) did that, too, I have a hunch. Twice.

afa said:

@adele, would we have to create some kind of life or death situation though? I do like a good DIY, but since I'm doing this to appease my mother I want it to be on the up and up.

I feel like it's pretty discretionary and there's wiggle room. I think my mom decided "growing up in NYC" was perilous enough to constitute a baptismal emergency. You could probably just take the baby outside sans sunscreen for a minute, or let her hold a Barbie (be sure it's clearly marked ages 3+ to bolster your case).

Adele said:

Well, don't tell your mother, but pretty much anyone anywhere can perform a Catholic baptism. There's a handy little loophole. My mother, aware of this and distraught over my apostasy, baptized my newborn in my tanning booth-sized Upper West Side kitchen while I napped obliviously, dreaming my heathen dreams. I'm still mad about it. I win ultimately, though, because doesn't really count if it's against the parents' wishes! Take THAT, Mom! Also, take THAT, Sister Theophila! (She's another story, though.)

http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/why-can-anyone-administer-baptism

@Adele, I have news for you. You are still Catholic if you believe that keeping score has meaning. You use the word "count" as if it matters. A baptism against your wishes doesn't change who or what your child is, whether it "counts" or not. Maybe this is not news to you at all.

Tom_Reingold said:

joan_crystal said:

Can you try attending a service or two at each of the local Roman Catholic Churches and see which is the best fit or do catchment areas determine which church you should attend?

This makes sense to me.

I know very liberal leaning people who belong to St Rose and St Joe's (not at the same time) and feel comfortable there, for what it's worth. I think I know others who belong to OLS.

I can attest that there are plenty of liberal-leaning people attending OLS as well. @afa, I will PM you some thoughts.

Quit nosing around inside my Immortal Soul, @TomReingold!

@j r and @tinkrock, it's comforting to know my kid isn't the only one with a Vigilante Baptizin' Granny.

I posted this question a few years ago, and people who responded were very nice, but couldn't really wrap their heads around what I meant by progressive and Catholic. I may try St. Joseph's as well.

The right-to-life group at my parents' church attends all the baptisms and gives the family a rose to symbolize the importance of life. My parents asked if we were going to baptize our next child at their church (rather than my in-laws' church, which is so old-school, I think they'd still do it in Latin if they could). I told them we'd only do it if the right-to-lifers don't show up. The whole idea of thanking a family for not aborting their child is so offensive and clueless to me that it makes my blood boil just thinking about it.

IM80 said:

ridski said:

IM80 said:

RobB said:

A roman catholic church that's a little liberal? Or a liberal catholic church (it's a separate thing, believe it or not).

The church,St. Thomas, is not Roman Catholic.

Which is exactly what RobB said in his post.

Not to split hairs over this, Ridski, the first part of RobB's post asked " Roman Catholic Church that's a little liberal."


#-O

I have no hair to split. Read what he wrote.

mammabear said:

Most of our local friends attend St Joe's on Prospect. It's a warm, welcome place. An yes, more progressive than others.

Plus, once a month this super cute volunteer MPD officer makes sure all St Joe's church-goers get crossed safely on their way to services.

Thanks Mammabear.....lol

Adele said:

Well, don't tell your mother, but pretty much anyone anywhere can perform a Catholic baptism. There's a handy little loophole. My mother, aware of this and distraught over my apostasy, baptized my newborn in my tanning booth-sized Upper West Side kitchen while I napped obliviously, dreaming my heathen dreams. I'm still mad about it. I win ultimately, though, because doesn't really count if it's against the parents' wishes! Take THAT, Mom! Also, take THAT, Sister Theophila! (She's another story, though.)

http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/why-can-anyone-administer-baptism

My mother did it to my nephew as well. He was eventually baptized in the church when he was two, but my mother worried about his eternal soul...