Children's Offertory/Collection

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SisterSnowflake

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OK…this is about to drive me nuts…perhaps I need a vacation?! 🙂

How common is it in Catholic parishes to have the children leap, jump, run, stagger, and otherwise make spectacles of themselves (actually, the adults making spectacles of the children is more accurate) in order to go to the front of the Church to put their money into the special basket just for the kids’ money?

I LOVE children (I’m a school teacher). but this practice, to me, takes all of the focus off of Christ and the Mass and puts it on “OH! Look how cute my kid is!”

Any comments from CAF members? Is this practice: common, appropriate, obnoxious, an abuse?

Sorry for the rant, but I can’t find any information on the practice (though local parishes, including the parish where I live, do it). AND, yes, I have written to the pastor about it…got no response (and I was much kinder in the letter than I was in this message! :)).
 
They do this at my home parish too, and I find it very annoying and disturbing. They don’t use a basket, but a large tin coffee can. Nothing quite like listening to a bunch of change being dropped into a tin can repeatedly to distract your attention to what’s going on at the Altar.

While I think it is a great concept to teach kids to give up some of their money to those less fortunate, I think the delivery needs some re-vamping.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
They do this at my home parish too, and I find it very annoying and disturbing. They don’t use a basket, but a large tin coffee can. Nothing quite like listening to a bunch of change being dropped into a tin can repeatedly to distract your attention to what’s going on at the Altar.
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While I’m the first to say that I intensely dislike any action designed to focus on cute kids during Mass, is something actually going on at the altar while the collection is being taken?
 
At our parish, the children bring non parishable food items for the local food bank. The children walk to the front where Father is standing holding a basket for the food and they have always been respectful. This is being done while the regular offering is being taken. It is a wonderful way for them to learn about “giving”
👍
 
SisterSnowflake said:
OK…this is about to drive me nuts…perhaps I need a vacation?! 🙂

How common is it in Catholic parishes to have the children leap, jump, run, stagger, and otherwise make spectacles of themselves (actually, the adults making spectacles of the children is more accurate) in order to go to the front of the Church to put their money into the special basket just for the kids’ money?

I LOVE children (I’m a school teacher). but this practice, to me, takes all of the focus off of Christ and the Mass and puts it on “OH! Look how cute my kid is!”

Any comments from CAF members? Is this practice: common, appropriate, obnoxious, an abuse?

Sorry for the rant, but I can’t find any information on the practice (though local parishes, including the parish where I live, do it). AND, yes, I have written to the pastor about it…got no response (and I was much kinder in the letter than I was in this message! :)).
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To be frank, sounds like a stupid idea to me. Totally unnecessary.
 
Phemie said:
While I’m the first to say that I intensely dislike any action designed to focus on cute kids during Mass, is something actually going on at the altar while the collection is being taken?
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Yes, it’s being prepared!
 
Our Church does it and i love it. It’s an opportunity for my 5 yr old who cant read yet, thus can’t sing hymns or read the passages. She cant wait to take her envelope to the basket during collection time, while we are singing anyway. I don’t see anyone gawking at the kids. Seems harmless and teaches a good lesson…but just my opinion.
 
Faith_Friend said:
Our Church does it and i love it. It’s an opportunity for my 5 yr old who cant read yet, thus can’t sing hymns or read the passages. She cant wait to take her envelope to the basket during collection time, while we are singing anyway. I don’t see anyone gawking at the kids. Seems harmless and teaches a good lesson…but just my opinion.
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For me it’s the sound of constant dropping of loose change into a tin can that annoys me. Though, I remember when I was a kid, I was perfectly satisfied dropping the family envelop into the collection basket.
 
We have envelopes designed for children. They put them in the regular basket along with their parents. The great thing is they don’t have to put money in if they don’t have it (most do put in money), but there is a place for them to write in their good works for the week, how they used their time and talents for the Lord.
 
Joannm said:
We have envelopes designed for children. They put them in the regular basket along with their parents. The great thing is they don’t have to put money in if they don’t have it (most do put in money), but there is a place for them to write in their good works for the week, how they used their time and talents for the Lord.
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This is what our parish employs as well.
 
I haven’t seen a Children’s Offertory since I was a kid (maybe third grade, over 30 years ago). At one point we would all take our little envelopes or loose change up to a basket, but then it changed to us putting our envelopes in like everyone else. I’d like to see our parish have envelopes for the kids so they could at least do the good works thing. It gives the little ones something to get excited about and it helps the older ones think about how they’ve served God throughout the week, as well as gets them in the habit of giving regularly.
 
How do kids get money? I never had any money as a kid that I didn’t pick up off the floor, until I got to the age where I had a part-time job.

(Yes, we had to do chores. No, we didn’t get an allowance for it.) 🙂
 
I have never seen a children’s offertory. The way the OP describes it, that is a situation to invite chaos in the middle of Mass.
 
mfrances said:
I have never seen a children’s offertory. The way the OP describes it, that is a situation to invite chaos in the middle of Mass.
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I’ve become aware upon reading these boards that the way the OP describes is the only way some parishes take up their collection.

Those parishes are not at all familiar with a plate passed from person to person (which for years I thought of as the ‘Protestant way’, since I’d never seen that in a Catholic parish) or the so-familiar-to-me basket with a long handle shoved in front of everyone in each pew.
 
Phemie said:
I’ve become aware upon reading these boards that the way the OP describes is the only way some parishes take up their collection.

Those parishes are not at all familiar with a plate passed from person to person (which for years I thought of as the ‘Protestant way’, since I’d never seen that in a Catholic parish) or the so-familiar-to-me basket with a long handle shoved in front of everyone in each pew.
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I’m a cradle Catholic and passing the basket was the only way I ever knew until reading comments on CAF.
 
Our parish has the children’s collection as described with the priest holding the basket to drop their money in. Not a big deal since we are singing the Offertory hymn anyway, and soon over. Doesn’t bother me a bit, and I hardly think it offends Jesus.
 
I’ve never seen this practice. I sent to Catholic school and have visited and been a parishioner at many parishes. Maybe it is a regional thing?
 
Joannm said:
We have envelopes designed for children. They put them in the regular basket along with their parents. The great thing is they don’t have to put money in if they don’t have it (most do put in money), but there is a place for them to write in their good works for the week, how they used their time and talents for the Lord.
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That is a great idea, I like that a lot.

The whole separate collection thing seems a bit chaotic from the description.
 
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