One standard complaint about most Catholic parishes is that it’s easy to come to Mass every Sunday and not really know the people sitting around you. Attending coffee hours and volunteering for different activities and ministries are the traditional ways to meet fellow parishioners. But why not also add the internet as a possible venue?
That’s exactly what the site Parish Networkis seeking to do. They have set up an online area for every parish in the US. When you first visit the site, you can click on your state, then your city, and then your parish. You are invited to sign in with your email and a password. From then on, you can be notified any time another parishioner also “joins” your parish group online. Members can post a comment or question to fellow parishioners. And they can respond and discuss topics back-and-forth.
When you join your parish online group, you automatically become a member of your diocesan group. This enables you to also tap into diocesan-wide discussions.
The site is neatly organized and simple to use. It hasn’t really taken off in my parish yet, since only two of us have signed up so far. There are parishes across the country, however, that are using the site frequently. It’s a free resource for the parish and staff. And it helps us to continue building community within our parish. Next time you wonder who are all the people sitting around you at Mass, go to your parish coffee hour and give this website a try.
Posted by APWeb 
