Discouraged Catholic

[mary_bobo]

Maybe we do not tithe, so we run into finincial problems…

“For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you.”
**Psalm 50:17 **

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof.”
**Proverbs 3:11 **

“For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and reproofs for discipline are the way of life.”
**Proverbs 6:23 **

“A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”
**Proverbs 13:1 **

“Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored.”
**Proverbs 13:18 **

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
**Ephesians 6:4 **

“For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”
**Colossians 2:5 **

“Have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
**1 Timothy 4:7 **

“God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
**2 Timothy 1:7 **

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
**Hebrews 12:11 **

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.”
**Revelation 3:19 **

“A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.”
**Proverbs 15:5 **

“Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die.”
**Proverbs 15:10 **

“He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.”
**Proverbs 15:32 **

“Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the discipline of fools is folly.”
**Proverbs 16:22 **

“Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death.”
**Proverbs 19:18 **

“Cease listening, my son, to discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”
**Proverbs 19:27 **

“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will remove it far from him.”
**Proverbs 22:15 **

“Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of knowledge.”
**Proverbs 23:12 **

“Do not hold back discipline from the child.”
Proverbs 23:13

This does not answer my questions. Don’t understand the references above. Can you not answer my questions simply. Don’t see where some of these bible quotes refer to what I asked. Sorry.Also, the above which is under my name was not written by me.

 

[Eden]

To the OP, does your church have a youth group? At my church, we have teen Masses and a group called Teen-Life. I would also recommend trying to find a Catholic church in your community that has participated in the World Youth Day events and plans to return in 2008, if your church has not been involved. I went to WYD in 1993 in Denver and it was a life-changing experience.

This is the WYD website:

wyd2008.org/index.php/en

My children are younger, like your friend’s. Maybe she would like to look into the Little Flowers and Blue Knights programs. These groups are like scouts for Catholic children.

Here are links to more information about the groups. Your friend could form a group with other families in the church or teach just her own children in her home:

Little Flowers for girls:

members.aol.com/eccehomopr/lfgchome.htm

Blue Knights for boys:

members.aol.com/eccehomopr/bkbchome.htm

I hope these ideas are helpful.

 

[puzzleannie]

I got this same criticism from 3 couples just last week, all of whom have joined the parish since September. I reminded them of the 10-12 hrs of programming offered by this parish each week for kids age 4-18 and told them of our dire need of adult volunteers to expand these programs. All three were quick to tell me why they don’t have time to help out. These conversations were preceded by each couple telling me how active they were in their former parishes.

oooops sorry I was responding to OP and did not realize we are now discussing something that has nothing whatever to do with that poster’s question.

 

[BlestOne]

I got this same criticism from 3 couples just last week, all of whom have joined the parish since September. I reminded them of the 10-12 hrs of programming offered by this parish each week for kids age 4-18 and told them of our dire need of adult volunteers to expand these programs. All three were quick to tell me why they don’t have time to help out. These conversations were preceded by each couple telling me how active they were in their former parishes.

oooops sorry I was responding to OP and did not realize we are now discussing something that has nothing whatever to do with that poster’s question.

Annie… This is exactly the point! It takes folks to care enough to put their time in not just to complain. In my parish we have youth groups, PSR, Squires, RCIA, Bible Study, Women’s groups, etc and we are in a small town. What we don’t have, we are invited to participate with larger parishes in the city 20 mins away. If we want something we go to our DRE or pastor and they either ask for interest or give a good reason why or why not start a new group. That is the way it works when you actually have folks that will follow through with the things they want. Originally my parish was not going to offer the Great Adventure series until they did a poll and had enough people interested for more than 1 class and plenty of volunteers to run it.

Not that everything is always as we would like. Case in point: I have a daughter that is Confirmation classes, she goes to Catholic HS in another town (only Catholic HS in our area). In the DRE’s mind, this would be a great way to encourage the Youth group attendance so she made it combine with confirmation class…and required a $25 fee for joining the youth group. Well the youth groups main thing is to sing at one of the masses and socialize …something which my daughter is way to shy to have an interest in. I told the DRE that I would bring her to the confirmation class but she would not be attending youth group nor would she pay $25 to join a group she doesn’t wish to attend. I already pay $5000+ a year for her education. She has community service clubs and groups that she belongs to there. I don’t see a need for her to be forced into something she would be horribly uncomfortable with. Our DRE decided that would be fine, but kept the groups together, just during confirmation prep they would actually have class for it 3 weeks out of the month and the other week would be youth group only.

Oh… and thanks for giving me an excuse to try to get this thread back on track… I was getting heated up about what they turned the thread into!

 

[Sabda]

I am a cradle catholic who left the church for awhile to attend a non-denom church. I learned alot from my friends at that church but I was drawn back by the Eucharist and my love of Mary, however, I am having a hard time with the lack of support I feel for my children at the church. At the non-denom church the programs were Amazing and the children learned so much. I have searched and have yet to find any programs that reach out to our children like that. I have another friend who I am trying to bring to the faith and this is her biggest and only real concern. I live in Livonia Michigan, any suggestions.
God Bless

I second what the last 2 posters said. Also some parish’s are going to have a lot of things going and others won’t. Typically, the bigger parish’s have more activities and the smaller ones don’t have as many.

 

[Sabda]

jjjjlove,

I want to apologize for your thread being hijacked. For those who would like to discuss OSAS maybe we can start another thread on it?

 

[namguy69]

oops it was supposed to be julebenn’s quote. But i think you had a quote in his post and it got screwed up.

Thank you very much for (name removed by moderator)ut…

 

[jjjjlove]

Wow, I don’t look at the Thread one day and all this excitment. I don’t mind other stuff being discussed. I really appreciate the post From Eden, thank you for your comments and the links. I do agree that we need to have more volunteers. (by the way, I do volunteer ALOT, perhaps even too much) There is only so much one person or a few people can do. I was looking for advice on how maybe other churches pulled it together or if anyone knew of a church in our area that has a great program. (how about paid positons, I know alot of other churches pay someone to run their childrens ministry and it is supported by volunteers). I appreciate the advice on how others have dealt with feeling this way and worked through it.

I also agree that Satan wants to divide us christians. We do need to focus on unity not division. If you know Jesus and truly love him you will want to do things to please him, serve him and show the love of Christ in all you do. However, I absolutely love the** gift** of confession,
God Bless

 

[LittleDeb]

After all the twists and turns this thread made, I am not sure if what I was going to say is still important, but here goes.

As a cradle Catholic child and teen I felt jealous of all my protestant friends with their youth lock-ins and wonderful programs. My parents thought the programs I was getting were equally good. They were mistaken there. The Catholic programs I attended were less than stellar. The irony is, after all of these years and many mistakes in my teens and 20s, I am a devout Catholic. All of those friends from “get involved-feel the spirit-on fire for Jesus” churches are all inactive now in their 30s. They said they got burned out.

The best education I got was right at home. My parents just celebrated 42 years of marriage. Everything I really learned, I learned at home.

 

[runandsew]

I am a cradle catholic who left the church for awhile to attend a non-denom church. I learned alot from my friends at that church but I was drawn back by the Eucharist and my love of Mary, however, I am having a hard time with the lack of support I feel for my children at the church. At the non-denom church the programs were Amazing and the children learned so much. I have searched and have yet to find any programs that reach out to our children like that. I have another friend who I am trying to bring to the faith and this is her biggest and only real concern. I live in Livonia Michigan, any suggestions.
God Bless

When our children were younger, our Parish had a “FIRE” program. (Family Involved Religious Education)
There were about 10 families in the group, and each week 2 families would work together to present the Sunday readings.
Sometimes using a play, or a game or whatever. Another 2 families would work to do the opening and closing icebreaker games, activities. And 2 other families would bring and serve a snack. We would get together with the other family to plan how we would present our readings.
It was a great time, very fun and educational. Especially in having the children help in planning how to present the readings to everyone.
We had several books on games, and presenting the readings to children to help us plan.
You might see if your parish would be interested in starting something like that…

 

[lak611]

I would say that it all depends on the parish. I live in the city of Cleveland proper, not in the suburbs. My parish has a youth group for the children, Sunday school for children, and a Vacation Bible School in the summer. Then again, we also have adult Sunday school (Bible study) which a lot of parishes do not have. There are people I know who belong to my parish who “geographically” should belong to another one, but they chose to join one that had the dynamic programs they were in need of. Check with your Diocese. There may be a great parish in your diocese that has just what you are looking for to help your family grow in faith. If not, then maybe you are being called to be the next youth minister or Sunday School teacher. Keep yourself open to God’s call; you never know where He might be leading you!

 

[namguy69]

Why not take the lead and suggst such a program to the parish Priest or parish council ??
God bless,
Jaypeeto3 (aka Jaypeeto4)

I don’t belong to any church, very bad of me.

 

[Dorothy]

Wow, I don’t look at the Thread one day and all this excitment. I don’t mind other stuff being discussed. I really appreciate the post From Eden, thank you for your comments and the links. I do agree that we need to have more volunteers. (by the way, I do volunteer ALOT, perhaps even too much) There is only so much one person or a few people can do. I was looking for advice on how maybe other churches pulled it together or if anyone knew of a church in our area that has a great program. (how about paid positons, I know alot of other churches pay someone to run their childrens ministry and it is supported by volunteers). I appreciate the advice on how others have dealt with feeling this way and worked through it.

I also agree that Satan wants to divide us christians. We do need to focus on unity not division. If you know Jesus and truly love him you will want to do things to please him, serve him and show the love of Christ in all you do. However, I absolutely love the** gift** of confession,
God Bless

I know several families who have teens, and they take them to neighboring Catholic parishes that have paid youth ministers.
This enables the youth minister to put a lot of time in the programs that are offered. Not all parishes can afford a paid youth minister, so it is good that the ones that do accept participation of teens that are not in their parish.

 

[namguy69]

I would say that it all depends on the parish. I live in the city of Cleveland proper, not in the suburbs. My parish has a youth group for the children, Sunday school for children, and a Vacation Bible School in the summer. Then again, we also have adult Sunday school (Bible study) which a lot of parishes do not have. There are people I know who belong to my parish who “geographically” should belong to another one, but they chose to join one that had the dynamic programs they were in need of. Check with your Diocese. There may be a great parish in your diocese that has just what you are looking for to help your family grow in faith. If not, then maybe you are being called to be the next youth minister or Sunday School teacher. Keep yourself open to God’s call; you never know where He might be leading you!

I’m not too good around people…long story.