Children's Liturgies - Good or Bad?

[muledog]

What does everone think about the so-called “children’s liturgies” that are celebrated in many parishes? Do you think they are a good idea or not?

I, myself, am somewhat torn on the idea. Although in theory it seems to be a good idea, in practice it appears to “dumb-down” the kids, and it is a way for adults to illicitly altar the rubrics in regular Masses to fit their particular theologies.

 

[contemplative]

When my children were really young I thought it was the nicest sweetest gesture.

Looking back now I believe we all could have lived without the circus.

I lived without a special childrens Mass…my children could have lived without it too.

Who needs it?

 

[pm1853]

Part of me doesn’t like the idea of the mass specified for a specific age group. I suppose there are pro’s and con’s. I guess a possible pro is that the liturgy is specifically geared to children to help them underdstand what the church teaches. I guess I just don’t like that type of restricting. To me, the mass is for everyone, not a particular age group (the same goes for any LIFEteen mass).

Contemplative, you say that it was the sweetest gesture, and you’re right. It is sweet in an “awww” sort of way. Part of me wonders if the sweetness is the focus of these liturgies sometimes rather than the prayers. You are right when you ask who needs it. Is this something that is really necessary? Is this something that in the long run is really beneficial? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to approach children, but I think we need to give them more credit. If they are taught properly, than they can understand “big people’s mass.” I think if we start respecting the mind of the child rather than filling it with saccharin, the child is better off in the long run.

 

[Joysong]

Dear PM,

Have you personally been to one and listened to the mass prayers? Or is this just an opinion you formed after reading Contemplative’s description.

I guess a possible pro is that the liturgy is specifically geared to children to help them underdstand what the church teaches. I guess I just don’t like that type of restricting.

Guessing suggests to me that you are adopting a position based on others’ words, rather than on what you actually observed. That can be dangerous if one repeats it. It spreads like a cancer, unfortunately.

 

[thistle]

The Church must attach importance to the Children’s Liturgies as there are 3 Eucharistic prayers especially for these Liturgies.

 

[netmilsmom]

Joysong:

Have you personally been to one and listened to the mass prayers? Or is this just an opinion you formed after reading Contemplative’s description.

I have been there. I thought they were silly.

Perhaps some of this has to do with the dumbing down of our society. We no longer expect our children to perform their best, only what will do. In our public school systems, we don’t make the children at the lower end of the academic scale strive to meet the highest, we let the children of higher academic ability slide while educating the other.

In homeschooling, we have a curriculm called a “Classical Education”. We do not bring down the classics nor make math fluffy in order that the child will be interested. We stick to a hardcore education. While this may not work for every child, it is fast becoming a wave of success in homeschool children. Both Seton Education and Mother of Divine Grace homeschools use it. Our college placement test scores show what this type of education can do.

If we expect more, we get more. My Sister-in-law has a separate service for the children in her Fundamentalist church. It is hard for the children to transition. I can see no reason to water down the liturgy for our young Catholics.

 

[pm1853]

Joysong:

Dear PM,

Have you personally been to one and listened to the mass prayers? Or is this just an opinion you formed after reading Contemplative’s description.

Guessing suggests to me that you are adopting a position based on others’ words, rather than on what you actually observed. That can be dangerous if one repeats it. It spreads like a cancer, unfortunately.

Guessing means that I am making a guess on the value based on my experience at children’s liturgies. I don’t know for certain what is going on in peoples’ or liturgist’s or children’s minds when these types of masses occur. I can’t read their minds, so I am forced to guess based on my observations. I could be very wrong. Honestly I hope I am, but from my experience there was a bigger feeling of “isn’t that cute” than reverence (I am also remembering my own experiences from when I was a child).

 

[asquared]

muledog:

What does everone think about the so-called “children’s liturgies” that are celebrated in many parishes? Do you think they are a good idea or not?

I.

what are you talking about specifically? Many parishes offer a children’s liturgy of the Word during one of the Sunday Masses, using the approved children’s lectionary readings proclaimed by a catechist in a setting outside but nearby the main part of the church, with a teaching on the readings. The children leave after the entrance and penitential rite, and come back in time for the Eucharistic prayer.

Some parishes offer a full children’s Mass (or youth Mass) either as one of the Sunday celebrations, with either the children sitting in one section, or with their families. If the large majority of those present are children the children’s lectionary may be used and the homily suited to their level of understanding. Or it may be the “school” Mass on a weekday morning. For this Mass the children may participate, with suitable preparation, as readers, cantors or ushers (not as ministers of communion).

What is absolutely forbidden is any liturgy where children or youth gather around the altar, where the Mass is interrupted for commentary, explanations or editorial comments, or where children say any of the prayers reserved for the priest.

 

[tom.wineman]

I vote for the family Mass. One that the entire family attends together. Not ones that are broken up into age groups.

 

[DiZent]

We have a Children’s L:iturgy of the Word at the 9:00 am Mass at my parish. The children are called forward, given a blessing and they go downstairs. The readings and lesson is done by a layperson - a catechist or one of the teens in confirmation preparation. They return after the homily. It is all done very reverently and respectfully.

My kids were generally well behaved at Mass, and my parish did have babysitting for toddlers then - which I volunteered for once a month - they don’t have any babysitting now. And they had pre-school, K, grade 1 & 2 CCD on Sundays - (they had all CCD on Sundays for a while - but that was not workable - parents were going to Mass while the kids were in CCD, and kids were not attending Mass). My grandsons are another matter. Oldest one (10) is MR/autistic. He has a very short attention span, and cannot sit still for long periods - I spent more time in the outer vestibule than in the pew whenever I took him to Mass. Next grandson (3) is active and loud. He will eventually learn, but right now, he is very disruptive. Both of them do much better attending a Children’s Liturgy of the Word,

 

[mosher]

As I said in another thread the new Missale Romanum does not provide for the Childrens Liturgy (thanks be to God).

My opinion on this is that to seperate the Children from the rest of the body in the nave of the Church is to some way deny the sacramentality of the communion that we hold together as a parish.

 

[Orionthehunter]

If you were to look at all the glaring issues that divide the Church and/or expose weaknesses, you can see at its root is related to bad catechesis. Bad catechesis is the fault of failings of the Church, laity, and parents. The Church as an obligation to do its share of correcting the issue.

If the children’s liturgy is poorly executed and doesn’t improve catechesis or lay the foundation for better catechesis, it is probably a net negative. But if it is well thought out regarding catechesis (remember the Liturgy of hte Word is primarily catechesis), it can help us correct division and weaknesses withing the Church.

IMHO and based on experience of occassionally going to the daily Mass at my daughter’s elementary school, children’s liturgies can be extremely positive. Additionally, my Pastor often (if not always) has different homilies for different Masses. The 8 a.m. Mass is primarily attended by older parishioners and the message is appropriate for them while the 11 a.m. Mass is primarily attended by families with children and the message (and music) is conducive to this group.

 

[tcraig]

I think they’re silly and disruptive. I also think they’re unnecessary. They are, in my opinion, a reflection of the “child worshiping” society we live in.

Much better to teach young children to behave properly at mass, making allowances for their age.

I wanted to clarify that I am specifically speaking of the children’s Liturgy of the Word.

 

[DiZent]

May you always be blessed with sitting next to unruly toddlers Do you do offer your help to the young mothers? Or do you glare at them, and mutter about how they can’t control thier kids? I was very grateful for the babysitting, and for the Children’s LIturgy of the Word

 

[adrift]

tcraig:

I think they’re silly and disruptive. I also think they’re unnecessary. They are, in my opinion, a reflection of the “child worshiping” society we live in.

Much better to teach young children to behave properly at mass, making allowances for their age.

I wanted to clarify that I am specifically speaking of the children’s Liturgy of the Word.

I agree with almost all of what you say but the “child worshiping” society jumped out at me. I wondered what you meant because all I could think about was that society doesn’t value children at all. :nope:

 

[adrift]

DiZent:

May you always be blessed with sitting next to unruly toddlers Do you do offer your help to the young mothers? Or do you glare at them, and mutter about how they can’t control thier kids? I was very grateful for the babysitting, and for the Children’s LIturgy of the Word

I would love to be so blessed. It is rare to have anyone under thirty at our mass

 

[SMHW]

adrift:

I agree with almost all of what you say but the “child worshiping” society jumped out at me. I wondered what you meant because all I could think about was that society doesn’t value children at all. :nope:

I think what the poster means is not that we worship or value children. I think we ‘worship’ a kind of decadent lifestyle that we wish we had as children. Since we can’t go back and have such a childhood ourselves we insist on living it vicariously through our own children.

 

[DiZent]

adrift:

I would love to be so blessed. It is rare to have anyone under thirty at our mass

Wow, that is really sad. We have many families, young and old. We have a Parish School - many children and teens attending Mass regularly

 

[maryj]

tcraig:

I think they’re silly and disruptive. I also think they’re unnecessary. They are, in my opinion, a reflection of the “child worshiping” society we live in.

Much better to teach young children to behave properly at mass, making allowances for their age.

I wanted to clarify that I am specifically speaking of the children’s Liturgy of the Word.

wow!!! Did you go to catholic school? cause I can tell you from experience this… I went to catholic school when nuns were actually teachers in the school. We went to mass every morning, on wednesdays when the kids from the public schools came to our school and church for religious release time we went to mass for the childrens liturgy. Holy cow if Sister Mary Henry caught you doing something out of line in that church when mass was going on, oh boy were you in trouble. The lectors were children, I being one of them from the time I could read, we brought up the gifts, the BOYS were altar servers, we had a childrens choir, it was the best day of the week!! We were not dumbed down, au contaire, we were being taught.We were not worshipped I can tell you that. Yet we did have Eucharistic Adoration every friday after confessions. We came in off the playground early most fridays so we could be the first in line. Three cheers for catholic educations!!!

 

[mosher]

DiZent:

May you always be blessed with sitting next to unruly toddlers Do you do offer your help to the young mothers? Or do you glare at them, and mutter about how they can’t control thier kids? I was very grateful for the babysitting, and for the Children’s LIturgy of the Word

A little of both. The parish has no right to remove members of the body of Christ from the proper liturgy because of bad parenting or the fact that some people are overly irritated by the sound of children. Parents need to be responsible for their children and the carmugeons in the parish need to lighten up a bit.

This is where the Eastern Churches have us beat. A child is baptized, chrizmated (confirmed) and eucharized (First Communion) all at the same time while the person is an infant. They consider them fully members of the parish with all rights etc. It is anathema to even consider removing them from the Divine Liturgy because they do the things that kids do (make noise). The reson for this is because they understand the theology of Hearing the Word being proclaimed and its effects and they understand the sacramental nature of life a lot better than we do in the west.