Children around the altar during Consecration?

[apricot_yogurt]

A writer in our Dioscian rag described a “child friendly” Mass where the children gathered around the altar during the consecration. This is not allowed surely?

 

[dixieagle]

A writer in our Dioscian rag described a “child friendly” Mass where the children gathered around the altar during the consecration. This is not allowed surely?

It is not allowed, as I understand it; I believe that the reason is #101 in the GIRM. Here is a link that explains it well:

catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0276.html

Our pastor allows this, as well, and it drives me nuts. It is very hard to concentrate when small children - who have no idea whatsoever about the sacred action taking place under their noses - wave, jump up and down, and show their undies to the assembly.

We have a new archbishop who has been, slowly but surely, getting a grip on liturgical novelties; I sure hope he gets around to this pretty quickly.

 

[benedictgal]

The CDWDS told LifeTeen that they had to cease and desist from this practice. It is not licit and should not be done.

Life Teen’s Liturgical Reform
Life Teen, the Phoenix-based Catholic youth organization, announced in July that it will cease its idiosyncratic liturgical practices. Monsignor Dale Fushek, Life Teen’s founder and former Vicar General under Bishop Thomas O’Brien, sent a letter July 2, saying that he confirms “our adherence to the new GIRM, and as always, our obedience to our own local Bishops”.

The letter asked that “all parishes that implement the LIFE TEEN model” make these changes. The teens will no longer surround the altar during the Eucharistic prayer; they will cease saying, “The Mass never ends, it must be lived”, at the end of Mass; the rock-party atmosphere before Mass will be toned down to “make sure there is a period of silence to begin the liturgical celebration”; and they will “make sure the music does not in any way detract from the action at the altar, ambo or chair”.

“I am sure these issues will be hard on some parishes and teens”, Monsignor Fushek wrote. His letter said that Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted met in Rome with Cardinal Francis Arinze, of the Congregation for Divine Worship, about Life Teen.

This is from the September 2004 edition of the Adoremus Bulletin.

 

[JerrySeibert]

I have a serious issue with Life Teen. Do we need a ‘program’ to get youth involved. YES but, here is my issue. What did Jesus tell the mercants and tax collectors when he drove them out of the synogouge? “I will not have my Fathers house turned into a marketplace.”
Is this not what we are attempting to do with the Life Teen model?
To explain. Stores (Merchants) offer something (Goods services etc) are we not attempting to ‘offer’ some people an incorrect perception of what our Mass is. Music (not reverent music either) … am I at a Mass or a rock concert? Gathering ( Talking while others are attempting to pray). What next a tatoo parlor? Our faith is built on discipline. That is what makes us unpopular and also revered simultaneously. Not everyone agrees with our faith. Fine, they have a right to choose.
Marketplace, giving what people want. Catering to them. Instead of giving them what they need.