This is how it worked out for me:
1.When children were enrolled in the parish school, that was the local parish,where other Catholic children in the neighborhood also attended. During those years the parents are usually active in various programs,- PTA, festivals, Boy & girl scouts, etc. Other parents became friends; a community is established. When children are attending the parish school, the school obliges the parents to contribute regularly and to attend regularly, inasmuch as the parish at large contributes greatly to the maintenance of the school.
The family is likely to stay with the parish they have attended while the children attend high school and even college to encourage church attendance for the family as a group.
While my spouse was ill, I often attended Mass at other churches near the facility where he resided. Time was precious and I was just glad to find a nearby church to fulfill my obligation, while still maintaining ties with my long-time parish church.
Now alone, personal convenience of time has become more important to me than which church building I visit. While I in theory would like like to attend my home parish, I more frequently attend another church which accommodates my late hours of sleeping and rising. I call it my default church - when I'm running too late to attend the church in which I am a registered member, th one with the noon Mass serves me quite well. Meanwhile, I'm still supporting my "official" parish, as my offering is withdrawn automatically from my checking account.
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