But these aren’t “children,” they’re wayyy older than Mary was when she gave birth to Our Lord. All throughout Catholic history sooo many saints have done great, mature things for God… I think you are confusing innocence/purity with childishness.
Some responses to this: First, I don’t think that high school students are way older than Mary was – she couldn’t have been much younger than 14, which is the equivalent of a high school freshman. For high school students, we’re talking about no more than 4 years older.
Second, while high school students may be older than Mary was chronologically speaking and in terms of physical maturity, the fact is that in our culture today, teenagers are treated as being younger than Mary. The average age of marriage today is in the mid-twenties, and we commonly don’t expect any great responsibilities from people until they have at least finished high school, if not college. So, in a significant way, for good or ill, teenagers are still children in our culture. I think we should work to change that, but it is an aspect of life today that cannot be wished away.
Third, my primary point was that they aren’t attempting to touch the monstrance, but to raise their arms to Jesus in a physical manifestation of a prayer, “Hold me, Jesus”.
But adoration/benediction IS a liturgical action. It’s not the Mass, but it is liturgical.
What do the rubrics for adoration say about the priests gestures?
That kinda borders on the current trend heresy in the Church - a kind of liturgical Puritanism.
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by Puritanism – not because I’m unaware of the Puritans, but because it’s a term that’s applied broadly and means different things to people. You’ll have to explain what you think is problematic with what I wrote there. I tried to look at it from a different perspective, but I’m not seeing the borderline heresy.
I really don’t want to sound demeaning, you do have very good points, I just do not agree with you at all
Drat. I was hoping that the force of my logic would instantly win you over to my perspective
I’ve seen the effect that ideological inventions like this have had on the faithful in my area.
Me too. Apparently we have different faithful or a different area, because I have seen positive results.
In events like this, there’s always a few whose hearts are in the right place and who are truly having a spiritual experience. But the VAST majority are there for music, there with friends, and just raise hands to not feel awkward, and to fit in (I did it too back in the day - we were all a bunch of hypocrites, trying to show off how holy we were.) We leave as spiritually empty as ever, and keep sinning…
This could be applied to almost any action of the Church. I think the key phrase is “We were all a bunch of hypocrites, trying to show off how holy we were.” That temptation seems to affect everyone, equally. “I raise my hands when I worship.” “Yeah, well I pray the Liturgy of the Hours in Latin.” “I did the total consecration to Jesus through Mary.” “I pray in tongues.” “I gave all that I possess to the poor.” Apparently these problems afflicted the early Church too, since St. Paul had to remind them that without love, all of this is just noise.
Frankly, I find it hard to believe that they are there for the music. As a church musician involved in youth ministry for a number of years, I can say that, compared to what goes on at secular concerts, the music isn’t that entertaining. I include my own work in that assessment, although I haven’t exactly been striving to make it entertaining, since I am well aware that it isn’t the point. Catholic pop music pales in comparison to generic Christian pop music, which in turn doesn’t compare well with secular pop music.
Having been a part of charismatic groups, both protestant and Catholic (I’m a convert), I am well aware of a tendency towards emotional hype. The answer isn’t to suppress emotions altogether. Instead, we ought to be teaching our children and youth how to discern what is occurring in their hearts, and train them in the virtues so that they can keep their emotions rightly ordered.
May I ask if you are a teen yourself, or were you an adult chaperone/observer?
Young adult chaperone.
)
I’m begining to think that may not be a bad thing though 
