How to explain this to a 10-year-old?

[DavidJoseph]

How would one explain to a 10-year-old child (baptized in the Catholic faith but not sufficiently catechized) why the Catholic Church is the place to be and why non-Catholic “churches” should be avoided?

 

[DavidFilmer]

How would one explain to a 10-year-old child (baptized in the Catholic faith but not sufficiently catechized) why the Catholic Church is the place to be and why non-Catholic “churches” should be avoided?

You say the child was “not sufficiently catechized” but this doesn’t tell us how much s/he knows (or does not know) about “mere Christianity” (to borrow the phrase from CS Lewis).

I always think the best approach is to let the person arrive at his/her own conclusions, with a bit of help (a’la Socrates). Assuming the child has a knowledge of the most basic fundamentals of Christian faith, I would ask questions such as:

• Did Jesus establish a Church on earth? (obviously)
• How many Churches did Jesus establish? (one, and only one)
• Who was the leader of the Church described in the Gospels and in Acts? (Peter)
• Has the Church that Jesus established ever failed? (no - Jesus promised She would not succumb to Satan).
• Can this church ever change in Her essential nature? (no - if the Church that Jesus established ever changed Her nature, She would no longer be the Church that Jesus established. That’s what “change” means - it was once one thing, but now it is another. The Church cannot change and also remain the same).
• Is there a church *somewhere *which asserts that She was established by Christ, and is led by the successor of Peter, and which maintains that She has never changed in Her essential nature? (yes)
• What is the name of this Church? (the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church under the leadership of the Successor of Peter, AKA the Pope)
• How many churches today can claim to possess this particular dignity? (one)
• What is the particular name of that church? (the Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Bishop of Rome)

This is no different than the approach I would take for an 80-year old. Age doesn’t matter, once the subject has attained the faculties of reason and the necessary background knowledge of the Gospels.

If the subject does not know the Gospels, then you must begin there.

 

[Eucharisted]

Because Jesus and the Church are one.

 

[NHInsider]

Are you talking about physically entering/worshipping in Catholic and non-Catholic churches (as is when you’re on vacation, finding the local Catholic parish rather than just going to the nearest church?)

If so I would focus on the Real Presence.

Of course this also goes to the heart of why we are Catholics and not Protestants . . .

 

[puzzleannie]

not enough info
who is doing the explaining?
the child’s Catholic parent (who is at least in part responsible for the poor catechesis)
the Catholic godparent, grandparent or other adult who shares in responsibility for raising the child Catholic?
the catechist or Catholic school teacher?
parent of a Catholic friend of the child?

I doubt very much if a 10 yr old gets on his bike and rides to the non-Catholic church on his own initiative. If his parents are taking him to another church, that is their issue and their responsibility, so the concerned non-parent would address them, not the child.

the approach we do take with baptized uncatechized older children, and by this time of course they are brought to the parish for sacramental preparation, is almost the same as for unbaptized children. They begin with an inquiry period, where they hear the initial proclamation of the gosple, and are introduced to the basics of Catholic belief and practice. If they, the parents, the catechists and pastor agree they are ready to move on, they prepare in more depth for the sacraments with age-appropriate catechesis on the sacraments, Christian moral life, and prayer. What we do not do is attempt a full-fledged apologetics debate with a child.

During this time the parents, in this parish at least, are required to attend the same initial inquiry classes with other adults, covering at the basic level: the revelation, the Creed, the sacraments, meaning of Christian initiation, moral life and discipleship. Since every family has been interviewed by the pastor or delegate, the whole family’s needs have hopefully been identified, and adults and other children can also begin sacramental preparation, or RCIA, and often reconciliation of marriage issues as well. I am of course describing the ideal world on Planet Perfect Parish, but that is the way it is supposed to happen. If there is a conflict between the parents we try not to let the child be caught in the middle, but make it clear that hear we teach Catholic doctrine and practice.

 

[DavidJoseph]

Are you talking about physically entering/worshipping in Catholic and non-Catholic churches (as is when you’re on vacation, finding the local Catholic parish rather than just going to the nearest church?)

If so I would focus on the Real Presence.

Of course this also goes to the heart of why we are Catholics and not Protestants . . .

I’m referring to worshipping in non-Catholic churches on Sunday instead of Catholic ones.

 

[DavidJoseph]

not enough info
who is doing the explaining?
the child’s Catholic parent (who is at least in part responsible for the poor catechesis)
the Catholic godparent, grandparent or other adult who shares in responsibility for raising the child Catholic?
the catechist or Catholic school teacher?
parent of a Catholic friend of the child?

I doubt very much if a 10 yr old gets on his bike and rides to the non-Catholic church on his own initiative. If his parents are taking him to another church, that is their issue and their responsibility, so the concerned non-parent would address them, not the child.

the approach we do take with baptized uncatechized older children, and by this time of course they are brought to the parish for sacramental preparation, is almost the same as for unbaptized children. They begin with an inquiry period, where they hear the initial proclamation of the gosple, and are introduced to the basics of Catholic belief and practice. If they, the parents, the catechists and pastor agree they are ready to move on, they prepare in more depth for the sacraments with age-appropriate catechesis on the sacraments, Christian moral life, and prayer. What we do not do is attempt a full-fledged apologetics debate with a child.

During this time the parents, in this parish at least, are required to attend the same initial inquiry classes with other adults, covering at the basic level: the revelation, the Creed, the sacraments, meaning of Christian initiation, moral life and discipleship. Since every family has been interviewed by the pastor or delegate, the whole family’s needs have hopefully been identified, and adults and other children can also begin sacramental preparation, or RCIA, and often reconciliation of marriage issues as well. I am of course describing the ideal world on Planet Perfect Parish, but that is the way it is supposed to happen. If there is a conflict between the parents we try not to let the child be caught in the middle, but make it clear that hear we teach Catholic doctrine and practice.

It’s the godparent doing the explaining, as his Catholic mother has taken to attending a Methodist church. The godparent thinks that it might be good to take the child to Mass with him on Sundays instead (provided, of course, the mother allows it). But since the child, according to his mother, likes this Methodist church better than the Catholic church they used to attend, the child might give the godparent a hard time.

 

[RosaryFan]

How would one explain to a 10-year-old child (baptized in the Catholic faith but not sufficiently catechized) why the Catholic Church is the place to be and why non-Catholic “churches” should be avoided?

You could tell the child that the Catholic Church is the FULLNESS of Jesus’ teachings and all the other Christian “churches” are missing one thing or another, such as the honoring of the Blessed Mother and the saints, and most importantly, the Eucharist, which is the true physical presence of Jesus. Stress that WE have the Eucharist. But mostly, keep it simple for this 10 year old.

 

[DavidJoseph]

You could tell the child that the Catholic Church is the FULLNESS of Jesus’ teachings and all the other Christian “churches” are missing one thing or another, such as the honoring of the Blessed Mother and the saints, and most importantly, the Eucharist, which is the true physical presence of Jesus. Stress that WE have the Eucharist. But mostly, keep it simple for this 10 year old.

Yeah, that’s my main concern – how to keep it simple. But yes, that’s great advice.

 

[puzzleannie]

It’s the godparent doing the explaining, as his Catholic mother has taken to attending a Methodist church. The godparent thinks that it might be good to take the child to Mass with him on Sundays instead (provided, of course, the mother allows it). But since the child, according to his mother, likes this Methodist church better than the Catholic church they used to attend, the child might give the godparent a hard time.

as I said in this case the person to convince is the mother, don’t put the child in the middle of this. as the godparent you have a special right, given to you by the parent when she chose you, to explain Catholic beliefs to the child, and I would do it ine one sentence. We are Catholics, Jesus commanded us to worship God in a specific way, which is the Mass. He established the Catholic Church, not any other church, We are breaking his command if we do not worship him in that way, in His Church. We go to church not for our own enjoyment or entertainment, but to obey His commands and receive him in the Eucharist. You time window is very short in having any influence over the child. By all means offer to take him to Mass yourself, and oversee his religious education and sacramental preparation. But talk to the mother first.