Children's Offertory/Collection

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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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thomasf said:
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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Keep in mind the description is from someone that doesn’t like how it is done. I bet if you talked to a parent of one of the children, they would describe it in a totally different way.
 
maryjk said:
Keep in mind the description is from someone that doesn’t like how it is done. I bet if you talked to a parent of one of the children, they would describe it in a totally different way.
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If you ask a parent’s opinion, don’t expect an objective answer based on what is good liturgy. Most think that anything that’s done at Mass to involve kids in a special way is great.
 
Phemie said:
If you ask a parent’s opinion, don’t expect an objective answer based on what is good liturgy. Most think that anything that’s done at Mass to involve kids in a special way is great.
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That is very true. But when someone uses the word “stagger” to describe a child; a word normally used to describe someone that has been drinking, it gives you insight. Or it does for me.
 
maryjk said:
That is very true. But when someone uses the word “stagger” to describe a child; a word normally used to describe someone that has been drinking, it gives you insight. Or it does for me.
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Watching the kids during the dismissal for the children’s Liturgy of the Word and their return during the collection or offertory procession, I don’t tend to think the OP is exaggerating. Most of the kids behave as though they were never taught how to act in church – and I think that’s precisely the problem, they were never taught how to behave in church. And the leaders of that liturgy are not willing to do anything about it because for the most part they are those kids’ mothers.
 
maryjk said:
That is very true. But when someone uses the word “stagger” to describe a child; a word normally used to describe someone that has been drinking, it gives you insight. Or it does for me.
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Well stagger or perhaps lurch would be an appropriate word for what used to happen in our previous parish. 😃 I distinctly remember a pair of 7 or 8 year old boys that would do their best zombie or mummy impression when returning from the children’s offertory collection.

I think beyond the chaos it also makes me wonder if this type of thing (i.e. going forward before the congregation) inspires humility in children. Matthew 6:1-4 says that almsdeeds should be done anonymously and only hypocrites draw attention to themselves with fanfares. I’m all for children learning to give to the Church and to the poor, but I think having them go forward to make them feel special is more likely to inspire the pride of the hypocrite rather than humility. We try to teach our children that the Mass is about awe, humility and contrition rather than trying to get them excited.
 
My hometown Parish does this right before the main offertory, no big deal to me.
 
We only have 2 small children in our parish. And every week, they make a big deal out of putting their parent’s envelope into the collection basket. I wish their parents would just tell them to drop it in or do it themselves, these kids put it in and grab it out and then act like they don’t want to put it in, one of them even opened it and wanted to take the money and put the envelope in (he’s about 3) one Sunday, and so forth. Good thing I’m not doing the collections, this kind of behavior makes me nuts. If we had a whole church full of kids, I’d probably just close my eyes and say a few Hail Mary’s while collection was being done!
 
Phemie said:
If you ask a parent’s opinion, don’t expect an objective answer based on what is good liturgy. Most think that anything that’s done at Mass to involve kids in a special way is great.
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This is so true in some of the parishes we’ve visited but blessed that our home parish decided to do away with the Children’s liturgy recently.
 
Our parish does it during the collection. It takes a while for the plates to be passed so the kids have plenty of time. Their money goes to (help) support Mission Mexico, a parish we are twinned with in Mexico.

The priest is sitting during this time and so there is no distraction from anything that is “going on.”

I think it’s a good thing. 👍

I don’t know why adults get so excited when kids act like kids.
 
I am amazed at how many people have forgotten what they were like when they were kids
(I’m sure everyone sat perfectly still, and didn’t goof off a bit…:p), or what it was like as a parent trying to teach your kids how to behave at church.

Kids have alot of energy, and they use it any way they can. I think the children’s offering can be good in letting them release some of that energy so they can then focus on what is happening at the altar.

I don’t think children’s liturgies are a good thing, because they can be, and usually are significantly different than an “adult liturgy”, and the ground rules for behavior can be different. It really doesn’t have anything to do with the "mothers’ running it.

I am happy to see kids of all ages at Mass. Quiet, noisy, I don’t care. Their parents are taking their responsibility seriously, and bringing them to Mass, as opposed to giving up, and letting them have their way by staying home.

Engaging a child, and letting them participate is the best way to keep them interested, and coming back.

Do we really think that Jesus wasn’t around noisy kids?
 
twopekinguys said:
I am amazed at how many people have forgotten what they were like when they were kids
(I’m sure everyone sat perfectly still, and didn’t goof off a bit…:p), or what it was like as a parent trying to teach your kids how to behave at church.

I am happy to see kids of all ages at Mass. Quiet, noisy, I don’t care. Their parents are taking their responsibility seriously, and bringing them to Mass, as opposed to giving up, and letting them have their way by staying home.

Engaging a child, and letting them participate is the best way to keep them interested, and coming back.

Do we really think that Jesus wasn’t around noisy kids?
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Thank you so much for this! I am the mother of 5 children, 10 and under. I’m pretty sure my own mother believes that we were always perfectly behaved, but I have a better memory than she does and I know better. 😃 I’m not a fan of children’s liturgies at all, but one thing that I like about the Byzantine liturgy is that there is a great deal of movement in an about the church. There are processions around the church that the kids can watch, the priest or deacon incenses the whole church. In my parish, one parishioner (my dad) leaves the church at a certain time during the liturgy to ring the bells, and he usually takes several children with him. We actually had to get him to start having the children take turns, because he became like the pied piper, leading 15 children out of church. The problem with a children’s collection is that having a rush of a group of kids to the front can get very chaotic and irreverent. It is better than what I’ve seen at some parishes, though. In one place, the priest invited all the children up around the altar for the Consecration. Although I understood his good intention, obviously this shouldn’t be done.
 
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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In our case, nothing going on at the altar. On the other hand, this was absolutely designed to focus on the cute kids at Mass. Again, I LOVE children, but the Mass is the place to focus on Christ, not on “US”. I’m afraid the children are learning a terrible message here: its all about me/us! :confused:
 
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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You must live in a much less self-centered place than my parish! 😉
 
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 the PERFECT thing to do! This is how it was done in the parish where I used to live. I think the kids do need to learn to sacrifice, but they can put it in the same basket as mom and dad. I wish we did that here. 👍
 
maryjk said:
Keep in mind the description is from someone that doesn’t like how it is done. I bet if you talked to a parent of one of the children, they would describe it in a totally different way.
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My friend, how I described the situation is EXACTLY what it is. I have no need to distort or exaggerate. If it were a little orderly line up to drop the money in and back, I wouldn’t even take the time to comment. BUT, I would still be of the opinion that the children should be part of the community and put their money where everyone else does.
 
Phemie said:
If you ask a parent’s opinion, don’t expect an objective answer based on what is good liturgy. Most think that anything that’s done at Mass to involve kids in a special way is great.
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'Tis true! 👍
 
maryjk said:
That is very true. But when someone uses the word “stagger” to describe a child; a word normally used to describe someone that has been drinking, it gives you insight. Or it does for me.
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My friend, be thankful you are in a place where the adults and children are apparently much better behaved than in my neck of the woods.

It DOES look like someone who has been drinking, and I thought “stagger” was more polite than saying they look like a bunch of drunks and monsters! 😉

I just asked one of the other nuns (a true living Saint who is not at all bothered by the way the children’s collection is done)…she said, “Yes! They definitely stagger”.

Your “insight” is incorrect. It looks like a playground here, and, to me, that is just plain wrong. We must teach our children to behave appropriately in holy places. I have no problem with them running, jumping, and yes, staggering OUTSIDE of Church, perhaps on the playground where they won’t get hurt. I frequently babysit my two year old nephew and we have great fun being rowdy and silly, but you better believe I won’t let him behave like that in Church or other places where it would not be appropriate…and he doesn’t.
 
Phemie said:
Watching the kids during the dismissal for the children’s Liturgy of the Word and their return during the collection or offertory procession, I don’t tend to think the OP is exaggerating. Most of the kids behave as though they were never taught how to act in church – and I think that’s precisely the problem, they were never taught how to behave in church. And the leaders of that liturgy are not willing to do anything about it because for the most part they are those kids’ mothers.
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THANKS, Phemie! Spot on! 👍
 
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