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expectthebest
Guest
At what age is a child obligated to attend Mass and in turn the parents obligation to make sure they get there every time under the same rules as an adult?
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Defender1
Guest
I was taught by the nuns at my Catholic middle school that as soon as your able to safely ride a bike ,and the church is close enough for you to ride to then you are in obligation to go to mass . The excuse of “my parents did not take me or” nobody can take me " is over . I believe I was 12 years old when my teacher told me that I was obligated to make mass .I had a church down the street from me but my father took me every week along with my other siblings .
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LoyalViews
Guest
Yep! I agree with the above poster. As soon as you’re old enough or able to go to Mass by yourself, if your parents won’t take you, you have an obligation. This is different if the Church is too far away, though, in that case you really should get your parents to take you if they don’t already take you with them. You have an OBLIGATION to attend Mass every Sunday (or Saturday, you know what I mean) and Holy Day 
God Bless
:byzsoc:
God Bless
:byzsoc:
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mom2em
Guest
From what I know, the age at which children are obligated to attend mass, is the age of reason. In the Church, that is 7, around when they receive their First Holy Communion. And for sure after that sacrament. It is then the parents duty not only as good parents but as good Christians to make sure their child meets their obligation once they reach that age.
If you meant as to when a child should go by themselves, that I am unsure of. I’m so terribly over protective of my daughter (4) that it is hard to imagine her ever being able to walk up to the Church by herself (hehe obviously thats something I am going to have to deal with
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If I am incorrect, I am sure someone will correct me. Puzzleannie might happen to pop by with an answer. She is quite helpful!
If you meant as to when a child should go by themselves, that I am unsure of. I’m so terribly over protective of my daughter (4) that it is hard to imagine her ever being able to walk up to the Church by herself (hehe obviously thats something I am going to have to deal with
)If I am incorrect, I am sure someone will correct me. Puzzleannie might happen to pop by with an answer. She is quite helpful!
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puzzleannie
Guest
When he is of the age of reason, and should begin preparing for first communion usually about age 7, he has that obligation, and by the time he has made first communion definitely. That applies to a child who is baptized Catholic. The obligation is on the parents as very few school children can get to church on their own nowdays, and they incur no sin for the parents’ failure.
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honestquestions
Guest
Sounds like indoctrination. Shouldn’t the child be old enough to critically think to decide whether or not he/she wants to partake in such events?
Granted, yes, parents raise their children and teach them right/wrong and children must typically follow based on authority before reason at a young age, but I worry with labeling at a young age. What’s the rush? In a worst case scenario that a child dies young, is God going to send them to hell for living a natural life? If so, I don’t want to take any part in worshiping that idea even if it were true, so I’m through here.
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Mintaka
Guest
The “age of reason” is the age when you can in fact think critically and make moral decisions. This is usually counted as seven years old. Kids of seven years old know right from wrong. They aren’t expected to know if they want to get married to someone or run a business, but they can know whether or not they believe in God and the Church’s teachings, just like they’re expected to know basic facts at school.
Kids may attain the “age of reason” before they are seven, after they are seven, or never (if they have developmental problems or mental illness). No obligation falls on them if they have not yet attained the age of reason.
If you really think that kids who have not only attained the age of reason, but are old enough to travel short distances by themselves, are too stupid or gullible to choose to go their own church (about which their parents have presumably taught them, having gone to the trouble of getting them baptized first), I guess they’re also too stupid to watch the news or go to school. Make sure you handcuff your little darlings to the banisters, and blindfold them, and stuff earplugs in their ears, lest they walk out in the yard and be indoctrinated by the sky or the devious, evil birdies of doooooom.
Kids may attain the “age of reason” before they are seven, after they are seven, or never (if they have developmental problems or mental illness). No obligation falls on them if they have not yet attained the age of reason.
If you really think that kids who have not only attained the age of reason, but are old enough to travel short distances by themselves, are too stupid or gullible to choose to go their own church (about which their parents have presumably taught them, having gone to the trouble of getting them baptized first), I guess they’re also too stupid to watch the news or go to school. Make sure you handcuff your little darlings to the banisters, and blindfold them, and stuff earplugs in their ears, lest they walk out in the yard and be indoctrinated by the sky or the devious, evil birdies of doooooom.
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puzzleannie
Guest
certainly, why on earth does he need parents?
he should decide his own diet, his own choice of TV viewing, whether or not he wishes to go to school and what he wants to study there. He should decide when to go to bed, when to get up, whether or not to brush his teeth.
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