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Michaela
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| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 12:55pm | IP Logged
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Sorry I couldn't fit my question into the subject line in case anyone wanted to skip over this.
I'm looking for suggestions on how to get to know our priest better. To not just be another face in the crowd.
I'm not ready to invite him over for dinner.  I think that would come more naturally when he gets to know my family.
He is very nice, but I don't know how to be more than a hand he shakes after mass. Being the only priest in our parish I'm sure he is a very busy man.
We are more than just a face to the DRE and my children's faith formation teachers, but they see us outside of mass & we have time to have conversations.
Any suggestions?
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Mary G
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| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 1:03pm | IP Logged
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Invite him to dinner and/or invite him to come bless you house ... we like to do this to not only have our priest get to know us (especially during sacrament prep time, etc) but also so that our kids are exposed to religious in a non-threatening way.
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Maddie
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| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 2:45pm | IP Logged
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We befriended a few priests in our former diocese that we sorely miss.  They were all newly ordained. We started the friendship by asking them to breakfast after daily Mass, which they seemed to appreciate. I was very casual about it, and just poked my head in the sacristy and said, "Hey Father, I have sausage pie in the oven at home if you'd like to stop in for breakfast after Mass. You probably have to eat and run, but that's fine with me.  " They took me right up on it and it became a pretty regular thing. (it did help that we were living in town at the time)I gradually added dinner to my invitations and on Fridays or Saturdays they would stay late into the night (ok, actually 2am sometimes) playing cards, games, watching videos, or just talking. After the relationship was established, they would drop in just to hang out, play with the children, read, pray, study whatever.
I think it was successful because I didn't make it formal, they weren't required to be "on" so to speak. I treated them like a friend of the family and provided them with a home to relax in. It also depends on how big of a parish he has. One of the priests who used to hang out is now a pastor of a huge parish and it's hard for him to break away.
We have so many good memories because of opening our home to priests. I get teary eyed when I hear Frank Sinatra sing, "I Get A Kick Out of You", I can still see Father whirling my 3 yo dd around the living room and her squealing with delight.
It's worth trying! This was my approach, anyway.
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~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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rm4mrfrus
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| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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We're in a pretty small parish -probably around 250 registered families. We got to know our priest by hanging out after daily Mass. Attendance at daily Mass here is very low. Usually no more than 20 people (including 8 from our family). Then we started volunteering for things that he needed....dh took over the altar server program, our kids began serving at weddings and funerals. I am shy about having people over to our house but we have also done that with Fr. several times. I have gotten better about not being nervous about it. We have a retired priest friend who we met in this parish. He has cleared the way quite a bit too. He comes over to our house often and lots of times brings Fr. with him. (but our retired priest friend was SO outgoing that HE kind of adopted US instead of the other way round) We have also invited the summer seminarians over for meals and Fr usually comes with them too.
We also discovered that my dh and Fr. have the same sense of humor so they send email funnies back and forth. My dh is not half as shy as I am so he started doing this. I would have never done that, but they do share some funny jokes!
Another thing is that the daily Mass crowd goes out to lunch often and we have gone with them a couple of times...that was an easy way to visit with Fr. too.
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Hollee married to dh in 94,
ds(96), dd(97), ds(00), ds(02), ds(03) and dd(05)
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Michaela
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| Posted: Oct 26 2006 at 11:25pm | IP Logged
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 Well, now everyone knows that I can't see the obvious.  It never occured to me that daily mass would be a wonderful way to get to spend a little more time with our priest.
We have two masses on Sunday. After the first mass, everyone heads to a buffet breakfast the church provides. Our priest is usually either eating or walking around to each table chatting....there are soooo many people he tries to see. After that he's off to the second mass.
It just makes so much sense that after daily mass, when everyone goes for coffee & donuts, he would have more time and there are much less people.
....and a homeschooling family is sure to stick out. I think I'm think only one in the parish.
Also, thanks for sharing your stories of how you have become friends with your priest. Priceless! It's wonderful to hear about families not running out the door (I am so shy it kills me when my oldest DS insists on shaking hands and talking to Father after mass.)
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Molly Smith
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| Posted: Oct 28 2006 at 6:10am | IP Logged
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Michaela wrote:
| (I am so shy it kills me when my oldest DS insists on shaking hands and talking to Father after mass.) |
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My 2 year old walks right up to the priests, smiles and puts out his hand like it was nothing. The priests just love it and our very favorite priest will scoop him up and toss him around. It has been a wonderful way to get to know the priests better--through the children.
Also, daily mass has been wonderful. Our chapel is small and I insist we sit in the first row of chairs without kneelers (to save the older folks' knees ) so the priests have gotten a bird's eye view of us almost every Wednesday morning for the last 1 1/2 years.
And I will encourage you to invite your priests over for dinner. We were terribly shy about doing this, but it was so nice and we've had several over since. We often have our dear friends come, too, or even alternate houses with them. Priests are people too, and we love to hear about their families, interests, hobbies, childhood, etc. It will not be as bad as you imagine it (trust me!) and you will not regret it.
Good luck!
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Looking for suggestions -- re: our priest
