Am I over reacting to this incident?

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Angel_Bradford

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I volunteer with the HS and MS CYM at my parish. The youth director announced last night, that the group will be attending a Christmas concert at a local non-denominational church. Cost per person is $14.

My initial reaction that I voiced to her is that we should not be taking our children to a non-Catholic church because, in my past experiences, there is always some preaching incorporated into the event which may or may not be in line with our faith, I have experienced anti-Catholic comments made from the pulpit, One event turned into a “communion” service, and there is the inevitable altar call.

Her response was that there was no danger of any of those things happening because these were contemporary, mainstream Christian groups. She also feels that it would be beneficial for our group to go to other churches to see what they believe so they are better able to converse on what we believe (that one blew me away) and that we should not shelter them.

I don’t agree with her, but am I over reacting? Is this really not as big a deal as I am making it to be?
 
I think you are wise to inquire into the context of this concert.

But interdenominational concerts are common this time of the year so I would be careful not to OVER-react. Is the concert being put on by the Church where it is located? Or is this a cooperative effort between multiple Churches? Sometimes Church choirs (including Catholic ones) get together to give concerts. It has to be held somewhere.

I would be interested in knowing what the $14.00 per person was being used for. Is it going to benefit a homeless shelter to to provide presents for poor families? Is it going to offset the expenses of the concert? Or is it going to some more sectarian ministry?
 
Is this a mere Christmas concert or a concert as part of a worship service?

A mere concert - I’d be OK. I’d not be overly worried about theological error. If there were any, I’d be sure to follow up after the fact.

Part of the worship - well, if the kids are well catechized and the experience is reviewed and critiqued, sure. However, the level of catechesis at almost all High Schools is, in my experience, abysmal. The chance for meaningful critique is, my guess, very limited (Hope I’m wrong!). Aside from a form of I’m OK/You’re OK pablum plus answers to expected Confirmation questions, it’s near non-existent in the Middle Schools. Actually, the very answer of the teacher tells me it’s syncretism - and not much more.

IMHO
 
Angel_Bradford said:
Her response was that there was no danger of any of those things happening because these were contemporary, mainstream Christian groups. She also feels that it would be beneficial for our group to go to other churches to see what they believe so they are better able to converse on what we believe (that one blew me away) and that we should not shelter them.

I don’t agree with her, but am I over reacting? Is this really not as big a deal as I am making it to be?
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Yes you are. The director is partially right.

But given that, you are missing an opportunity to catechize and teach these young people apologetics and how to engage and evangelize non-Catholics. A concert is nothing compared to what they are experiencing from Protestant Evangelicals at school and in the community and what they will experience when they go off to college. (I have seen many a good Catholic kid return from college a bible thumping, praise-and-worship singing, prosperity-gospel quoting evangelical.)

Make this a teachable moment. Brief them and give them the tools to defend and propagate the faith at the concert. Afterwards, debrief them.

It’s easy to bury our heads in the sands and not properly prepare our kids to engage the world.
 
since you don’t give enough info on the event I cannot comment.

Is it a concert performance by several mainstream contemporary Christian groups? then I think it would be fine and even beneficial to attend, as it is one of the ways we can meet in an ecumenical setting.

Is it primarily a praise and worship event where non-Catholic pastors and preachers will be be giving testimonies, preaching, having altar calls etc. That is an entirely different matter.

Try to get more info about the event.

If it is a concert by mainstream groups $14 is extremely reasonable by today’s ticket price standards.
 
SMHW said:
I think you are wise to inquire into the context of this concert.

But interdenominational concerts are common this time of the year so I would be careful not to OVER-react. Is the concert being put on by the Church where it is located? Or is this a cooperative effort between multiple Churches? Sometimes Church choirs (including Catholic ones) get together to give concerts. It has to be held somewhere.

I would be interested in knowing what the $14.00 per person was being used for. Is it going to benefit a homeless shelter to to provide presents for poor families? Is it going to offset the expenses of the concert? Or is it going to some more sectarian ministry?
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The concert is being held at the church that is hosting the event. They are bringing in 4 contemporary Christian groups, not local choirs. I assume the $14, which is the group rate, is to cover expenses.
 
johnnykins said:
Is this a mere Christmas concert or a concert as part of a worship service?

A mere concert - I’d be OK. I’d not be overly worried about theological error. If there were any, I’d be sure to follow up after the fact.

Part of the worship - well, if the kids are well catechized and the experience is reviewed and critiqued, sure. However, the level of catechesis at almost all High Schools is, in my experience, abysmal. The chance for meaningful critique is, my guess, very limited (Hope I’m wrong!). Aside from a form of I’m OK/You’re OK pablum plus answers to expected Confirmation questions, it’s near non-existent in the Middle Schools. Actually, the very answer of the teacher tells me it’s syncretism - and not much more.

IMHO
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It is a Christmas concert and not a worship service.
 
PacoG said:
Yes you are. The director is partially right.

But given that, you are missing an opportunity to catechize and teach these young people apologetics and how to engage and evangelize non-Catholics. A concert is nothing compared to what they are experiencing from Protestant Evangelicals at school and in the community and what they will experience when they go off to college. (I have seen many a good Catholic kid return from college a bible thumping, praise-and-worship singing, prosperity-gospel quoting evangelical.)

Make this a teachable moment. Brief them and give them the tools to defend and propagate the faith at the concert. Afterwards, debrief them.

It’s easy to bury our heads in the sands and not properly prepare our kids to engage the world.
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I do agree with you on giving them the tools to defend our faith; I would just rather prepare them before taking them to another church and I’m not sure this will happen.
 
Angel_Bradford said:
The concert is being held at the church that is hosting the event. They are bringing in 4 contemporary Christian groups, not local choirs. I assume the $14, whcih is t he group rate, is to cover expenses.
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Then I say go and have everyone wear their youth group t-shirts/sweat-shirts if your parish has them.
 
puzzleannie said:
since you don’t give enough info on the event I cannot comment.

Is it a concert performance by several mainstream contemporary Christian groups? then I think it would be fine and even beneficial to attend, as it is one of the ways we can meet in an ecumenical setting.

Is it primarily a praise and worship event where non-Catholic pastors and preachers will be be giving testimonies, preaching, having altar calls etc. That is an entirely different matter.

Try to get more info about the event.

If it is a concert by mainstream groups $14 is extremely reasonable by today’s ticket price standards.
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You have almost all the info I have.

It is advertised as a “Very Merry Christmas” concert and it is being held at the church who is hosting the event. The acts are: Kutless, Jamie Grace, Chris August and New Song. Honestly, I have never heard of any of these people/groups so I can’t tell you anything about them.

I just know from personal experience that it is not uncommon here for these events to incorporate some preaching and even an altar call. I was at one that they decided to have communion.
 
Angel_Bradford said:
You have almost all the info I have.

It is advertised as a “Very Merry Christmas” concert and it is being held at the church who is hosting the event. The acts are: Kutless, Jamie Grace, Chris August and New Song. Honestly, I have never heard of any of these people/groups so I can’t tell you anything about them.

I just know from personal experience that it is not uncommon here for these events to incorporate some preaching and even an altar call. I was at one that they decided to have communion.
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I am familiar with a couple of these groups and I can almost assure you that there will be some type of invitation or altar call…an invitation to “accept Jesus as Lord and Savior” most likely. I have been to concerts like this before when I was in High School and there was always an invitation time like this.
 
There is nothing wrong with going to a non-denominational church. I would just be sure that if they do teach anything against the church to be sure to get the kids together at the end of the night and explain to them what the church teaches and why… If anything it will be a learning experience… Hope this helps

God Bless
 
I’d be inclined to ask the youth director this question: If there’s no “danger” of any of the things about which you expressed concern (e.g. preaching, anti-Catholic comments, communion service, altar call) taking place, how will this event help anyone “see what others believe”?
 
I think this is utterly ridiculous, and if I had a child, he would not be going on this trip. What better way to give the false impression that all churches are the same to the impressionable than to take them to some church that is not the true Church?

I don’t understand stuff like this. Even when people are “well-meaning” or whatever, don’t they give a second’s thought to the potential side-effects of their decisions?

:confused:
 
You are wise to be cautious. I’m not sure there is anything *wrong *with going to a non-Catholic church for a concert. I would be somewhat hesitant to pay for one though.
 
m134e5 said:
You are wise to be cautious. I’m not sure there is anything *wrong *with going to a non-Catholic church for a concert. I would be somewhat hesitant to pay for one though.
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these are professionals who make their living this way, and they have to be paid. They are not rock stars, if they were the cost would be 10 times as much.

OP is right to bring up her concern to the YM and suggest some preparation for the kids before the concert on how to respond if there is an altar call (not usual in what is simply a concert) and communion will almost certainly not be part of it if it is not billed as a praise and worship event. Youth groups should always have some preparation before any event outside the parish, even a Catholic retreat. For instance, if the Catholic retreat is going to have some kind of healing service, a charismatic element etc. the kids need to know what to expect.

No there is nothing wrong with Catholic youth, alone or with parish youth groups, attending concerts by contempary Christian bands. The ones mentioned are pretty good.
 
YoungTradCath said:
I think this is utterly ridiculous, and if I had a child, he would not be going on this trip. What better way to give the false impression that all churches are the same to the impressionable than to take them to some church that is not the true Church?

I don’t understand stuff like this. Even when people are “well-meaning” or whatever, don’t they give a second’s thought to the potential side-effects of their decisions?

:confused:
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You bring up the point about allowing your child to attend such an event. I was wondering myself if the parents of the youth group members have been informed about what could happen at this event, let alone the actual youth members. I think I’d be more than a little upset that me and my child were not fully informed BEFORE going to the concert. I wouldn’t necessarily not allow my child to attend the event, sounds like it could be fun and I went to a few contemporary Christian band concerts myself in my 20s, but I was also much further along in my faith journey and was more prepared for “altar calls” and such. The OP is right to question the youth director, its a legitimate concern that needs to be addressed and to fully inform the parents and the youth group members.
 
YoungTradCath said:
I think this is utterly ridiculous, and if I had a child, he would not be going on this trip. What better way to give the false impression that all churches are the same to the impressionable than to take them to some church that is not the true Church?

I don’t understand stuff like this. Even when people are “well-meaning” or whatever, don’t they give a second’s thought to the potential side-effects of their decisions?

:confused:
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I agree. The last thing we need for some of the confused religious ed kids who’s parent’s don’t go to Mass is to give them the impression that it doesn’t matter what church you go to.

The Catholic Church is the one true church. They aren’t. There’s no need to be apologetic about it.
 
TheMc said:
I agree. The last thing we need for some of the confused religious ed kids who’s parent’s don’t go to Mass is to give them the impression that it doesn’t matter what church you go to.

The Catholic Church is the one true church. They aren’t. There’s no need to be apologetic about it.
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This reminds me of the thread about the Catholic students learning to pray at a mosque…

Why don’t they spend the time learning more about the Catholic faith, the one true faith, rather than the ‘ecumenical’ efforts?

Just my opinion.
 
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