Catholics in Maine? (Portland, Augusta, Waterville: co-ops, homes, high school)

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by flycessna

What??

My sentiments as well. It seems that when considering a move you would want to know if your church is available and active, and if it is, a little about congregations~ their size in various areas, if it tends to be an older congregation or one filled with young families... I can say for instance that the Roman Catholic Church I attended growing up has changed significantly. The congregation is much, much smaller, and their are far fewer families there. However, Eastport as a whole has changed in population. In a city like Bangor there are many young families at Church, and Catholic schools as well.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I know a very devout Catholic. He has to travel to attend a Latin Mass. There are still a few churches that celebrate the traditional mass. Since nobody has addressed this I thought I would jump in. This could be the question kellym_40 was asking without saying so.

I'll step back from this thread since I am not Catholic.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by flycessna

What??

*This is not directed toward the OP*

The word "devout" just confuses me. I thought church denominations were aiming to be more inclusive overall. The Catholic church, it seems to me, has sort of an unwritten tiered system with those that rarely attend church, mainstream average atendees, and those that are ultra conservative. It just appears to me to be a fissure with such a huge variance. I also did not realize that being "devout" equivocates to having lots of kids, but that appears to be where some of fissures lie. That is just my understanding based on conversations I've had with others.

[maine4.us]

I would certainly tell you to stay in the larger cities. The smaller cities and towns as a rule are not as "active" as you might want for your children. Maine is an aging state. As others have told you, you would have to pick the area you are interested in moving to, and investigate the churches there. I would say that most Catholics who attend church on a regular basis are considered by me to be "devout". The American Catholic Church has given Rome lots of headaches in the last few decades. So you will just have to investigate. Activities do not make a church or congregation more devout.

[Cornerguy1]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

*This is not directed toward the OP*

The word "devout" just confuses me. I thought church denominations were aiming to be more inclusive overall. The Catholic church, it seems to me, has sort of an unwritten tiered system with those that rarely attend church, mainstream average atendees, and those that are ultra conservative. It just appears to me to be a fissure with such a huge variance. I also did not realize that being "devout" equivocates to having lots of kids, but that appears to be where some of fissures lie. That is just my understanding based on conversations I've had with others.

Mod Note:


This is well off the question posed by the OP who merely wished to know if he/she could expect to find an active Catholic parish life if one moved to Maine.

Please save the larger, more philosophical questions for the Religion forum.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by kellym_40

Please feel free to move this if this isn't the right place to post this, but I was wondering if there are any devout Catholics in this forum and what do you think of your parishes up there in Maine?

We are in NJ and coming from a very active Parish with lots of families and children (We have 6!). I worry that when we get there we won't find the same kind of parish life as we have here.

You won't. But that's OK. Each Parish I have been in either in the military or civilian circles, was at least quite a bit different than my past Parishes. Some smaller towns, like Molly said, have few families anymore with jobs going toward the larger cities. Eastport has become a retirement town and the churches here show it. Other places like Bangor/Brewer have several Catholic Churches. Most are family oriented and have lots going on. CHeck some of their Parish websites. Sometimes they have photo areas showing Parish activities. This is how we found Church in Atlanta:

U.S. Catholic Parishes Online Directory and Mass Times

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

John Bapst is an excellent Catholic High School in Bangor.

Just a point of clarification: John Bapst is now a private school and has been since I believe the early 1980s.

St. Mary's and St. Johns have combined to become All Saints Catholic School serving elementary-age children.

That said, there is still a large community of Catholics in the Bangor area.

[kellym_40]

Sorry, but I call hypocrisy on this statement. (Don't mean to come off rude).

I know Catholics and their appears to be quite a fissure in the unwritten system of the overall level of "devoutness" as you claim.

I'm sorry - I should have said "active". I am just using my NJ lingo I guess. Our parish is very, very active. Lots to do for the children - we celebrate all the Holy Days - still do processions etc.

I didn't mean to offend and I certainly don't want to discuss religion. Not here.

Thank you for everyone who posted your opinions. Yes - we are looking at Lewiston as they seem to have quite an active parish. Seems really nice there.

[Clarissa2010]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

We love our parish in Brunswick. There is a K-6 Catholic school in Brunswick, and Catholic high schools in Portland and Lewiston.

ditto this except that the school is k-8.


There's also a parish sponsored Boy Scout troop and LifeTeen Ministry. Life Teen sponsors a beautiful mass Sunday evenings.
There's also a group for Catholic pre teen girls, wish I could remember what it's called but it's a national group.

[Clarissa2010]

Here is some more helpful information about Brunswick.

There are two churches in Brunswick and four additional churches in other towns that used to be six parishes but are now all one. The new parish is All Saints Parish and here is the official website: All Saints Parish: A Roman Catholic Faith Community of Midcoast Maine
You'll see pictures of all of the churches and interesting links.


The website is new because the parish is new. (The "Canonical Merger" was only last June.) This older website about St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Brunswick is all still true and the information will eventually find its way to the All Saints website. But for now, I think you would find reading it helpful.
St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, All Saints Parish, Brunswick Maine, Portland Diocese


St. Charles has family groups. Here's the website of the family group movement Homepage plus there's a link on St. Charles's website about family groups.

Something I didn't mention in my previous post was Eucharistic Adoration. There is a separate chapel in Brunswick for Perpetual Adoration. St. Mary's in Bath has Adoration on Friday mornings. St. Mary's Church of All Saints Parish (http://www.saintmarys-bath.com/web/index.html - broken link)

There is one chaplain for Bowdoin College, University of Southern Maine and New England College in Portland and it's a young woman just out of Bowdoin herself. The college students and young adults of college age have a special praise and adoration hour on Friday nights.


Daily mass is 8 a.m. and quite a few people go. The same is true in Bath.

There's a lively group of Catholic home schooling parents.

Yes, there is a deep faith here.

Hope this helps.