Eating in church

[kalt]

That is over the top. Poor lady.

You know, that wouldn’t have been considered over the top just a generation ago. Parents who took their kids into public places were expected to know how to handle their kids. People expected that the parent would put the comfort of others ahead of their own desires to stay wherever they were (Church pew, restaurant, store), regardless of the kids’ horrible behavior. Now it’s the parents who are encouraging and allowing the bad behavior (eating in church and chewing in someone’s ear, for example).

When my mother was young, a teenage boy who tried to come to church (late) in an undershirt (think Fruit of the Loom) was told, mid-Mass to turn around and leave.

Good and appropriate behavior was expected of anyone old enough to know better. A teenage boy knew that an undershirt wasn’t appropriate. A mother knew that feeding her kid in church and letting her chew, open-mouthed no less, into someone’s ear was wrong.

It’s too bad that things have changed so much.

I feel bad for kids today.

 

[emeraldcoast]

You know, that wouldn’t have been considered over the top just a generation ago. Parents who took their kids into public places were expected to know how to handle their kids. People expected that the parent would put the comfort of others ahead of their own desires to stay wherever they were (Church pew, restaurant, store), regardless of the kids’ horrible behavior. Now it’s the parents who are encouraging and allowing the bad behavior (eating in church and chewing in someone’s ear, for example).

When my mother was young, a teenage boy who tried to come to church (late) in an undershirt (think Fruit of the Loom) was told, mid-Mass to turn around and leave.

Good and appropriate behavior was expected of anyone old enough to know better. A teenage boy knew that an undershirt wasn’t appropriate. A mother knew that feeding her kid in church and letting her chew, open-mouthed no less, into someone’s ear was wrong.

It’s too bad that things have changed so much.

I feel bad for kids today.

I honestly feel bad for you that you are so caught up in what everyone around you is doing and not doing or what they are wearing instead of looking at what you yourself are doing. Last Sunday, I helped feed the poor and I honestly did not even notice what they were wearing or if they put their napkin on their lap when they ate their meal. I was just happy that they were there and that I could serve them as I served the Lord.

I heard a priest once say “Keep your eyes on your own page”…Fantastic advice!

God Bless!

 

[redrosetea]

Emeraldcost you sound like a good mother. God bless you for struggling alone at times to raise your children ,and making sure they know God

Keep doing what you are doing. It’s no ones business but yours…I don’t try to practice other peoples faith for them…I let the Holy Spirit do it’s job

 

[kalt]

Thank-you for your concern. But if you had your eyes on your own page, would you have noticed what I was doing?

Following one’s own advice is oh so difficult, isn’t it?

PS: The story about the t-shirt was to illustrate what everyone took for granted years ago–good behavior from people old enough to know better. I didn’t see the kid in the t-shirt. That happened before I was born.

I honestly feel bad for you that you are so caught up in what everyone around you is doing and not doing or what they are wearing instead of looking at what you yourself are doing. Last Sunday, I helped feed the poor and I honestly did not even notice what they were wearing or if they put their napkin on their lap when they ate their meal. I was just happy that they were there and that I could serve them as I served the Lord.

I heard a priest once say “Keep your eyes on your own page”…Fantastic advice!

God Bless!

 

[hasikelee]

Ten of my siblings grew up in Mass and food was never allowed.

Under the age of one, the babe was breastfed on demand and could have “silent” baby toys.

Under the age of two, the babe got one sippy cup of juice or water.

After that, you were expected to kneel, stand, sit and be quiet just like everyone else.

Sometimes we will end up sitting behind a family who eats in Mass. It is very hard for my little siblings to pray and pay attention to the Mass while the kids in front of them are jumping around, talking in regular voices, coloring, playing with dolls and eating fruit roll ups, cereal, cheetos, goldfish, etc. My poor little brothers and sisters! They strain very hard, lol.

 

[NDfan]

What is with parents of preschoolers? Do they think their kids can’t make it 45 minutes without food? Is this their way of keeping the kids quiet?

Today at Mass, a preschooler stood on the kneeler behind me and chewed (with her mouth open) in my ear. Lord only knows how much food was in the crinkly little bag, but I thought she would never stop chewing. I don’t normally “shoot the look”, but the two women responsible for this kid were clueless. They finally told the kid to sit down.

The kid was loud,too, and managed amazing minutes-long monologues, when she wasn’t chewing, of course. Noisy is annoying, but that’s life. Chewing in my ear at Mass, well that’s just over the line.

So what’s with Catholics and bringing food to Mass?

Do other Christian denominations condone this? Do parents of preschoolers bring snacks for their kids at your church?

Is this how parents are raising their kids today? Feed them to keep them quiet? Is this just a Catholic thing?

I’ve been in other churches,and no one brought food. That was in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Have things changed that much?

The people who clean our church must be sick and tired sweeping Cheerios from under the pews.

PS: There is a coffee an’ after Mass. These kids wouldn’t even have to wait to get home to eat.

I absolutely cannot stand this either. I appreciate your patience with the 2 that didn’t have a “clue”. Happens in all denominations I think. I see people coming in with coffee cups like they are going to starbucks or something.

PEACE

 

[cfrancis]

Children are at Mass to do two things:

1. begin worshipping God in their limited and age-appropriate way (my 4-yr-old can make the sign of the cross, kneel and genuflect, and…well, that’s about it; my 6-yr-old can sing and say most of the responses; you get the idea)
2. learn the Mass, including how to behave

In no way is food during Mass part of those efforts. What is that teaching the child?