Children's Adoration? What do you think?

[mkw]

My parish does not even do this for ADULTS

How very sad.

 

[Annunciata]

mkw:

My parish does not even do this for ADULTS

How very sad.

We just started adult Adoration last month…they really weren’t interested in the children’s program …but it’s a start:thumbsup:

I keep trying,
Annunciata

 

[mkw]

I mentioned this to our Deacon (A WONDERFUL MAN) and he said there was not enough interest in it.

When I visit other parishes that have Adoration, I take full advantage of it and feel so spiritually uplifted.

I wish our pastor would encourage Adoration more from the pulpit. He is a well respected and loved priest and I know the parish would listen to him.

 

[StephiePea]

What is that? You mean when the Children leave mass and have a little sunday school before Eurchrist is given? Or do you mean children adoring Christ. I don’t think there is anything wrong with either. ???

 

[Dismas2004]

StephiePea:

What is that? You mean when the Children leave mass and have a little sunday school before Eurchrist is given? Or do you mean children adoring Christ. I don’t think there is anything wrong with either. ???

It’s Children’s Perpetual Adoration, just like adults, except it’s for a half an hour, there is a couple of songs, one decade of the rosary, intentions, and quiet time adoring Christ!

check out the website above in some of the previous posts!

 

[FrmrTrad]

In his video series “Contemplation”, Fr Dubay mentions a positive experience a nun or dedicated laywoman had in introducing children to contemplation. The children were able to engage in contemplation and appeared to gain by it.

 

[Jenlyn]

Here’s a link about how organize a Children’s Hour.

therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/children.htm

 

[Prometheum_x]

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

 

[serendipity]

jrabs:

At first I was a bit uncomfortable because my boys were not perfectly quiet praying little angels.

I do not understand how people expect children how to learn how to behave in churhc aside form being in church. One of the chapels where I attended daily mass over the summer had several miserly people who complained about toddlers being there. They were only normal kids. Their behavior improved so much over the course of a few masses (which they were attending with their care taker grand parents). They never prevented the priest form being heard. Personally, if I are distracted due to my own lack of concentration (the root of any distraction), it is far less an annoyance to be so at a daily mass than a Sunday or holy day celebration.

The more children are exposed, the quicker they learn about behavior. I think spending time outside of Sunday mass, expedites the child’s ability to learn what to do in a church and to learn that faith is much deeper than only a mass ocne a week.

I also think it’s stupid, I am trying to think of a better word but I cna’t address this diplomatically, for parents to wonder why the child falls out of the faith around the time of confirmation, or argues about being confirmed, when their only dose of religion growing up was an occasional appearance at church.

I do not have children. may not ever…that’s an entirely different thread, but if I ever do, your wisdom has provided me with such a great role model, Jrabs. Much thanks.

 

[Marie]

We have children’s Adoration…the children are wonderful. The teachers bring each class to visit Jesus, (one class at a time.) Amazingly, they are quiet as mice and never a problem. Today, I was there for two different class’s of children visiting (grades 1 and 2). Jesus must be well pleased at their love for him. I know I am.

It was a gift to be in Adoration with so many small children who were not just well behaved…but attentive to Christ.

Of course, I could be predjuiced. I started the program three years ago. We call it the “Infant of Prague” Adoration Society.

 

[maryprayforme]

+JMJ+

It is so timely that this is being posted now! About a month or so ago, I began each school day with my kids with prayer. I have a 13, 11, and 5 year old - all girls. Simce each day of the week is typically dedicated to honoring something in the Church (e.g. Saint Joseph on Wednesday, Mary on Saturday, Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, etc.) we do a prayer related to that day, Angel of God, and an Offering. For example, we prayed the Litany of Saint Joseph on Wednesday. Today, instead of driving through the pick-up line at their school. I parked and walked up to the school and got them, had them put their backpacks in the back of the car(those things weigh a ton!) , and then told them not to get in - We were going to visit the Blessed Sacrament. (The 13 year old who has an age-related affliction that causes her eyeballs to roll and persistant sighing, usually brought on by a parent asking them to do something.) I told them that all I asked is that they sit still - VERY still - for at least 10 minutes. We went in and I had them sit spaced out from each other and just sat. I knelt down and said to mary, I bring my children to you to give to your Son. It was so peaceful and quiet - perfect time to go - no one is in there at 3:00 p.m. - the hour of mercy of all times. I figured I would start out with 10 minutes and work up to more time. Actually I stretched it out to 15, but they don’t have to know that. When we got home, I told my husband about it. And he said, “Dear Mary - here is our teenager. PLEASE take her!” But all in all, I think I will do that at least once a week.

The school takes the kids to Confession once a month and we started going as a family once a month - so every 2 weeks for them and my hubby and I go as a couple once a month so - we all end up going a couple times a week. At first they complained and said, “We already go at school every month.” I was so sad. Now they go with more enthusiasm. I can honestly say that the more prayer and devotion we practice as a family, the more into it my kids seem to get.

 

[maryprayforme]

+JMJ+

A P.S. to my post above, on Mondays our Church has Expostition of the Blessed Sacrament and they have an hour set aside for children - parents and caregivers of small children come then. My daugther and I leave a few minutes after the Tantum Ergo. She is 5 and after the Rosary and Mass, I know she aint gonna hold out much longer.

 

[maryprayforme]

serendipity:

I also think it’s stupid, I am trying to think of a better word but I cna’t address this diplomatically, for parents to wonder why the child falls out of the faith around the time of confirmation, or argues about being confirmed, when their only dose of religion growing up was an occasional appearance at church.

And the fact that they argue about being confirmed? That is sad. For the past several years we have dumbed down so much for the kids (and even the adults) and amazingly, our kids get so much that we don’t realize. They get it!

My husband is a convert to the Catholic Church. His parents thought their kids would choose the religion of their choice when they got older. We let me tell you. He struggled. He went through a painful divorce and a fierce custody battle. He is a good man, but he struggled. His one thing he points out to people is that as an adult it is hard to choose when you have nothing to choose from. What a terrible disservice parents do to their children by not praying with them and teaching them the faith. No CCD program can do it fully, no Catholic school can do it fully. If it is fostered within the family it will be more meaningful for the children.

 

[serendipity]

maryprayforme:

And the fact that they argue about being confirmed? That is sad.

The problem with the local church is that the preist lacks interest in the youth. I was confirmed well before my parents moved here, but I have many siblings.

The first one confirmed here spent time in a Catholic school before here. The teacher here taught very little and was verbally abusive to the kids. All parents tried to get the teacher replaced by volunteers, and proposed several willing and qualified candidates, but this church is managed by people who are friends with the priest rather than those who have relgiious training, affinity for people, or capability.

The priest would not replace the teacher. He told them that if they didn’t like the teacher than he would stop having confirmation classes at the church and they could go elsewhere for religious education. The next Catholic church is an hour away.

The priest would not sit in on one class to supervise the education. The only time he meets the youth is when he baptises them, or before they are confirmed they meet him for an evalution; a required meeting. My sister met him at her appointed time. Later that night he telephoned to say she could not be confirmed because she missed her meeting and accused my parents of being irresponsible.

My mother took her to a discussion with the priest, who my mother has spoken to many time (but he never remembers any of the kids) and he just said, oh I must have been thinking of some one else. No apology. Only about 10 kids at the end of a class that started with 25. Many families left.

The protestants don’t only have many religious education programs, but they also have leaders who coach the kids in after school sports teams. Every one there is known by name, and there are many more names to know.

Next sister her started confirmation class the following year, when it became a two-year program. The same guy taught. She dropped out and my parents did not notice for a while, because they though it was still a one-year education. When they found out she dropped out it was too late for her to return to class. She argued that she was not learning anything (she went to a catholic school) and the guy was deragatory. There was not time for her to do another two-year class before college.

The class was switched back to one-year becuase they could not retain kids for two years. I have two other siblings who were confirmed there. They had a different teacher but the education was still appalling. Eventually my parents left the church too. I never thought I would see the day when my mother did not attend church. My father converted to catholicsm with great enthusiasm when I was young.

No adoration services for any one, let alone the kids. I am envious of those have priests who are concerned about including youth in the church; like the stations of the cross and adoration. The future of the church as represented by the youth is just not a priority for this parish, and it is a shame.

It hard to be a Catholic here. The church should be offering support to the young who face so much discrimination for thier beliefs, not more discrimination for them being young. The priest is from NY and he does not understand or sympathize the challenges they face.

I remember moving to this state my senior year of high school. Western Civics class started with a review of religion, and tuaght that Catholics are reponsible for the ills in modern society because they pulled people aways from the faith. This was a public school. I complained and was labeled a trouble maker. No change in the course content. A group at the school called fellowship of Christian athletes, said any Christian (need not be an athelete) could join, and they distributed literature with anti-Catholic rhetoric. Separation of church and state?

The kids do not receive the cathechism they need to rebut this type of attack from faith formation classes. Heck, the arguments are confusing for many adults. Kids are told they are evil for belonging to a cult from society for years. Then go to ccd classes where they are told they are the problem with society by teachers. Meanwhile, they are being invited to join basket ball, soccer of football teams Bible study groups; and field trips to amusement parks by fundamentalist churches, and continually evangelized, being told to change religions to a true church. They are not in good position to evaluate truth, but it does not take much to evaluate being appreciated.

When I moved back here I convinced my parents to try another church, but it is such a long drive. I feel happy that I have been able to convince them to return to mass, but going there takes most of the day. I can’t always convince them every week, though it is a wonderful atmosphere there.

 

[Sir_Knight]

A letter to the Bishop would have been appropriate for this inappropriate behavior on the part of the priest.

 

[serendipity]

Sir Knight:

A letter to the Bishop would have been appropriate for this inappropriate behavior on the part of the priest.

That was attempted too. It did not receive a response.

 

[Shari]

O chose option #1, we do have a childrens holy hour every first friday of the month and the kids pray the rosary in front of the blessed sacrament, it is nice because it really helps to teach them the reverance. However we do take our children to the regular adoration chapel and they absolutely love this. They beg to go visit Jesus.