How to Find a Parish

Has a time of transition led you to seek a new parish community? Janelle Peregoy offers practical tips for finding your family's new spiritual home.

Maybe you are lucky. Maybe you have been in your tightknit parish for decades. Yet the reality is that we live in an increasingly mobile society. We transition for so many reasons: new jobs, spouses’ new jobs, to be near adult children/grandchildren/aging parents, downsizing in retirement, and so many more. 

The point is that you may well be parish shopping. 

Practical Tips to Find a Parish 

Especially if someone has littles and already struggles to get out of the house on Sunday mornings, you may not want to add a longer commute time into the equation. 

Start your parish search on your diocesan website. You can use the Diocese Locator tool from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to find the website for your local diocese. Most include a geographic search where you can find Catholic churches nearest to your address. After determining some convenient options, take the time to thoroughly review the parish’s website. 

• Are the Mass times convenient? For example, if you have children who play sports on Sundays, are evening Masses available? 

• Read the bulletin if it is available online. The weekly bulletin will give you a snapshot of upcoming events and programs. In essence, the bulletin will give you a broader sense of how the parish “markets” itself. 

• Browse the ministry options. Some people prefer smaller, more intimate parishes. Yet the more ministries and variety of ministries offered within a parish usually indicate the vibrancy of the community. 

Find Your People 

After narrowing down your options, you will want to visit and attend Sunday Mass. 

• Are you greeted warmly? Do people at Mass seem to know each other? How long does the sign of peace last? 

• What is your initial impression of the church environment? Is it more traditional, with stained glass and alcoves with saint statues? Is it more modern with lots of natural light? Most parish seekers will naturally gravitate to their personal preferences. 

• What is the congregation like? Is there a diversity of people — ages and ethnicities? Do there seem to be other families with children of similar ages as yours? 

• Does the priest’s homily resonate with you and other members of the family? Is there a children’s liturgy or announcements about upcoming Confirmation programs? Basically, you are assessing if there is something for each member of your family.  

• Did you find the music and tone of the liturgy to be prayerful? Uplifting? 

• Introduce yourself to the priest after Mass if possible. Stay to chat, to eat donuts/tamales/pancakes and to browse the ministry tables. You are trying to get the general “vibe” of the community. 

If the first parish does not strike you as a good fit, try another parish. Go where you feel nourished. Each of us is far more likely to serve and give back to parishes when we feel valued and connected. 

Trust the Holy Spirit 

Besides visiting the parish and learning about the community, remember to pray and leave room for the Holy Spirit to direct your search. 

My family found its current parish early in the pandemic. Our sons were very young at the time. During a Mass we were attending, my kids had been particularly fidgety. The elderly woman in front us of us turned around to say something to us. I braced for the worst. 

“Thank you for bringing your children to Mass; it’s really nice to see families together on a Sunday.” 

I registered the very next day. 

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Copyright 2025 Janelle Peregoy
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