An Overview on the Parish and the Civil Law

In the United States, Catholics have a special affinity for their par ishes. Parishes are more than physical structures. They take on a life of their own and, like all living things, grow and change over time. Despite the many changes in civil and church society, parishes are still objects of affection. The parish is where Catholics are baptized, receive the sacra ments of initiation, and get married. More than a center of weekly wor ship, the parish is also the center of general, religious, and adult educa tion; sports activities; and socializing. It is the last place that Catholics will “attend” while the community prays for the repose of their souls. In some historic Catholic centers, the parish is more important than the school district. Even today, the name of the parish often denotes the name of the neighborhood. It is no wonder, then, that Catholics are more than a little concerned about recent civil litigation in the United States that seems to threaten the very existence of the spiritual communities and their physical structures known as parishes.