Childrens Liturgy of the Word...thoughts?

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I have attended a few services where the children leave mass for their own liturgy. So, basically, during mass, before the consecration, there is an announcement, the adult teachers come forward, the kids come forward, then they proceed out of the church. They then return later, during the mass. I really do not like this at all, and here is why:

It is distracting and just feels improper. Is having this exodus during the mass even proper? Is there any guidance of info on this? It is terribly distracting to have the announcement, wait for the kids to come forward, watch them leave, and then have them all come back, going all around to find their seats.

I also think that kids this age should be learning AT MASS. I truly feel that the loss is astronomical. I can read bible stories with my child anytime I want, but I cannot place him in the presence of Jesus at will. Learning about Jesus in the Eucharist is something that can be gleaned quite well during the Mass. The reverence he deserves is also learned at Mass. The mass is also so very complicated. Witnessing its beauty and order is the only way to learn about it IMO. My oldest is 4. He can tell you what the liturgical colors represent, he can recite the apostles creed, he knows when to genuflect v. bow, and by listening to the readings, he has later asked me about stuff he has heard, which led to much bible study and instruction for him. ALL of this was encouraged by being present. My children are also very calm, quiet, and well behaved. I truly feel that making this a part of their lives from early on encourages that.

What are your thoughts? Any guidance from above(USCCB or Holy See) on this practice?
 
I see no problem with this. Often younger children get lost and zone out during adult readings/homilies of TLOTW. You can use adaptions for their age to have them get the meanings of the readings of the week.

Some churches get everyone there with a song and blessing and raising of your hands as the children walk out. Those can be pretty nice.:cool:
 
my thoughts on this procedure, which is NOT as OP describes when done properly, have been given on the many, many past threads on the topic, which are worth the effort to search for those interested.
 
Ours is done after the opening prayers. Father calls them forward, blesses them and we sing a little song to send them on their way. They read the Scripture and the Gospel for the day from the childrens Bible, led by the catechism teachers. Then they return after Father’s homily-while the choir is singing. They are there for the blessing of the Eucharist, the Our Father, the Creed and Communion. Our kids are gone for about 15 minutes. My girls find it enjoyable and there is always a discussion in the car, on the way home, aout what they learned. Of course, Father gets to ask them what they learned and what it means to them after Mass, during coffee hour. I find the CLOW at our parish to be quite enriching to their faith formation. Those are just my thoughts. :o
 
We have this practice at the parish where I work. I don’t consider it ideal, but the reasoning behind it is to get the parents to bring their children to Mass.

If they held the Sunday School at a different time, the parents would bring their kids to Sunday School, but not to Mass - this is just reality. By holding the Sunday School during Mass, it ensures that the family gets to Mass. (If there is no Sunday School, the families don’t come to the Church at all.)
 
puzzleannie said:
my thoughts on this procedure, which is NOT as OP describes when done properly, have been given on the many, many past threads on the topic, which are worth the effort to search for those interested.
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Mine, too. You wil lfind, if you use the search feature, there is a defined way to do Children’s Liturgy of the Word and a lotof parishes are doing it wrong, esp. when it comes ot children who have already made their first communions.
 
I wish they would take the kids for their own Liturgy at my Parish. This sounds like a great idea!!!🙂
 
Can someone help me? I can’t find any posts on this when I search. I am not sure what I am doing wrong.
 
The Canadian bishops have issued a document on the subject, based on the Directory on Masses with Children. The main points are:

The Church expects children to attend Mass.

Occasionally, having the children leave for their own Liturgy of the Word may be appropriate, particularly if the readings are ‘adult’ themes.

They are to be proper ‘Liturgies of the Word’ and the Lectionary for Children is to be used, not “Bible stories”.

They are appropriate for children aged 4-8.

The children should not be made to go.

They leave after the Opening Prayer and return around the time of the Offertory Procession. They should be back before the Prayers over the Gifts.

If pencils, crayons or anything crafty is involved you’ve got it wrong.
 
Phemie said:
The Canadian bishops have issued a document on the subject, based on the Directory on Masses with Children. The main points are:

The Church expects children to attend Mass.

Occasionally, having the children leave for their own Liturgy of the Word may be appropriate, particularly if the readings are ‘adult’ themes.

They are to be proper ‘Liturgies of the Word’ and the Lectionary for Children is to be used, not “Bible stories”.

They are appropriate for children aged 4-8.

The children should not be made to go.

They leave after the Opening Prayer and return around the time of the Offertory Procession. They should be back before the Prayers over the Gifts.

If pencils, crayons or anything crafty is involved you’ve got it wrong.
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👍 esp. the crafty part!
 
Our parish will start this on Feb 10th. As I said our children will remain in the pew with us. The “new” program is said to be for k-5th grade. It will be at the same Mass that the chior sings at.
 
KathleenElsie said:
Our parish will start this on Feb 10th. As I said our children will remain in the pew with us. The “new” program is said to be for k-5th grade. It will be at the same Mass that the chior sings at.
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once children have made first communion they should be present for the entire Mass including homily, so unless the CLOW part is done by at least a deacon who will be preaching geared to them, then no. that is my biggest issue with how it is done around here.
 
We have the CLOW at our parish. I dislike it for the following reasons:
  1. Families should celebrate the Mass together.
  2. Children who have celebrated their First Holy Communion have reached the age of reason, and therefore should not leave Mass for a watered-down version of the readings.
  3. The procession of children before the first reading is disruptive, but not as disruptive as their procession back in – usually during the Eucharistic Prayer. I recall one time when they came back into church **during the consecration **-- 40 kids running around searching for their parents, parents standing up to wave to their children. It was terrible.
'thann
 
thann said:
We have the CLOW at our parish. I dislike it for the following reasons:
  1. Families should celebrate the Mass together.
  2. Children who have celebrated their First Holy Communion have reached the age of reason, and therefore should not leave Mass for a watered-down version of the readings.
  3. The procession of children before the first reading is disruptive, but not as disruptive as their procession back in – usually during the Eucharistic Prayer. I recall one time when they came back into church **during the consecration **-- 40 kids running around searching for their parents, parents standing up to wave to their children. It was terrible.
'thann
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Another parish where it is not done correctly. If I were you, I would dislike it as well; in fact, I would not let my children participate.

To my mind (and apparently GIRM), it is one thing when the majority of the congrgation consists of children under the age of even 10. It is another thing when the majority are adults. And why is the regular lectionary so hard to understand? I never found it so. And any kid who does not understand should feel free to ask at home or in the car on the way to breakfast.
 
Thanks for the threads!!! I will go read. 🙂

This past weekend, I was at a parish that did it before the mass started, which was better. There was also no drum and flag for a procession. That was not as bad as the one I have seen prior, and I appreciated that.

I still am a bit baffled by it considering my 4 y/o ‘gets’ the readings. And, on ‘zoning out’-I am sorry if this comes off wrong, but isn’t this something a parent should troubleshoot rather than just accept? Zoning out is not imo a standard common occurence for ALL 6 y/o’s to justify taking them out of Mass. So long as we keep our kids involved, they are aware, awake, and interested.
 
AP4Him said:
Thanks for the threads!!! I will go read. 🙂

This past weekend, I was at a parish that did it before the mass started, which was better. There was also no drum and flag for a procession. That was not as bad as the one I have seen prior, and I appreciated that.

I still am a bit baffled by it considering my 4 y/o ‘gets’ the readings. And, on ‘zoning out’-I am sorry if this comes off wrong, but isn’t this something a parent should troubleshoot rather than just accept? Zoning out is not imo a standard common occurence for ALL 6 y/o’s to justify taking them out of Mass. So long as we keep our kids involved, they are aware, awake, and interested.
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The thing is that the Liturgy of the Word, if done properly, is not taking them out of Mass. It is making one part of Mass more accessible to them by making the language a little bit simpler thus keeping them “aware, awake and interested”. The child who doesn’t want to go shouldn’t have to and the parent who doesn’t want his/her child to go shouldn’t have to send them.

But a Children’s Liturgy of the Word, properly done, is perfectly acceptable as per the Directory for Masses with Children. Again, not every week and not for kids under the age of 4 and not for anyone in double digits.
 
Generally a Liturgy of the Word in a separate place is not permitted. But in the case of chidren it is.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

“32. Special celebrations of Mass should observe the guidelines established for them: … for Masses with children, cf. Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, Directory for Masses with Children, 1 November 1973: AAS 66 (1974), pp. 30-46;”

The 1973 Directory for Masses with Children includes:

“17. … Sometimes, moreover, if the place itself and the nature of the individuals permit, it possibly will be appropriate to celebrate the liturgy of the word, including a homily, with the children in a separate, but not too distant, location. Then, before the eucharistic liturgy begins, the children are led to the place where the adults have meanwhile celebrated their own liturgy of the word.”

The 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum has:
“[60.] In the celebration of Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are intimately connected to one another, and form one single act of worship. For this reason it is not licit to separate one of these parts from the other and celebrate them at different times or places. [footnote 135: Cf. S. Congregation for Divine Worship, Instruction, Liturgicae instaurationes, n. 2b: AAS 62 (1970) p. 696.]”

But it also has:
“[75.] On account of the theological significance inherent in a particular rite and the Eucharistic Celebration, the liturgical books sometimes prescribe or permit the celebration of Holy Mass to be joined with another rite, especially one of those pertaining to the Sacraments. [footnote 157: … Directory for Masses with Children, Pueros baptizatos, 1 November 1973:AAS 66 (1974) pp. 30-46; …].”
 
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