Liturgy for children aspiring to the Priesthood

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Hello,
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        I have an 8 year old son who tells me he wants to be a priest when he grows up. He also says he wants to be an astronaut, a race car driver etc. I know that IF he is truly called to the priesthood it will be clear to him as he gets older. My wife and I still want to encourage him, in his faith formation, to pursue God’s vocation for his life. In doing that, among other things, we have him read his Catholic bible every morning as well as a prayer book for children. However I had a thought this morning about his devotional time and I wanted to get some (name removed by moderator)ut from others on it. The home of the scriptures is in the Liturgy which is in the mass and I would like to offer my son a similar experience in his devotional time. What I mean is I would like to develop a mini-liturgy for him to “play” out every morning. What I mean is I want him to get into his experience mind, body and soul. As Dr. Hahn likes to say the reason why God gave us a body was to worship him at the Mass. I would like to have certain prayers, candles, incense, an alter (obviously there will be no portion for the Liturgy of Eucharist), crucifix, robes etc… You know smells and bells. Is this ok? Can I do this? Should I speak with my priest? Can I create my own or should I seek a more official source? I appreciate your feedback and thank you in advance for your help and may God Bless you.
Joe M
NH
 
I don’t know or not how appropriate it would be to make your son a sort of junior priest, but there ARE miniaturized “toy” vestments and altar linens out there for boys. There was a thread on CAF about them, can’t find it now, but you oculd google it.
 
the Liturgy of the Word is the ideal place to start. get Magnifikids from Magnificat so he has his own Missal with the daily readings and Mass prayers. It also has morning and evening prayer for kids. You can begin teaching him to proclaim the readings, or take turns with other family members.

Incense at home is fine as part of LOTH or other prayertime at home, and the monastery gift catalog will have home incense burners and good incense, no reason you can’t teach him to use them, same safety rules as candles. No matches etc. without an adult present etc. I think it is monasterygifts.com, I will look for the catalog, also any other Catholic gift catalog such as leafletmissalette should have such “props”.

No reason he can’t use a handbell to signal the start of prayers, and make family devotional hour formal. If it gets “old” doing it every night, make it something special once or twice a week. He can also practice leading the rosary.

the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd resources include “Mass Kits” and these are also for sale in catalogs with gifts for Catholic children, with everything needed to “play Mass” which is a traditional Catholic passtime for children. Don’t interfere too much in the “play” part of this except to gently correct errors, instill reverence etc. This is granddaughter’s favorite game and I don’t know how we will break it to her that she can’t be a priest. Maybe she will end up as a liturgist.

we actually made an entire “Priest Outfit” for a Ken doll and found things in the hobby and craft store to stock a real altar, this was a project for our Catholic school girl scout troop who did it as a service, using it to teach second graders about the Mass, and they get a “Catholic” award for it. I found things for a 1st communion prep meeting like small “gold” plastic chalices & plates at the dollar store with the wedding supplies.
 
I don’t think itis a bad idea at all. I know a few priests that would “play mass” when they were kids.
 
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mosher:
I don’t think itis a bad idea at all. I know a few priests that would “play mass” when they were kids.
Click to expand...
Henri Nouwen is one priest who told about playing “priest” when he was a child, and I think his grandmother made him a set of vestments. There is actually a sound precedent for “play” of this type. As part of the Spiritual Exercises for one discerning a vocation Ignatius recommends the prospective candidate imagine himself in the role of priest as a prayer experience.
 
Dear JMCCLANE

I at 18 am considering a vocation to the priest hood, yet this calling has not and was never nurtured by my own parents. (My father is only Baptised) My zeal and vocation as well as my othodoxy is a great gift from God and my deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist nourishes this. Maybe take your son to adoration and gift him small books on saints. St Dominic Savio and St. John Bosco are great ones. St. Dominic came to Don Bosco and said I am your cloth you are my tailor, in his one wish he asked to be a saint, dying before his teen years he was made a saint.

God Bless
Matthew Baldwin
 
There is nothing wrong with having like an organized worship session like there is for the Liturgy. The Liturgy of the Hours is very organized like that. I think it is a good thing you are trying to do for your son.

It is also permissible that you have a small table for him, obviously he is not going to be using it for the sacrifice of the mass though. The Byzantine Catholics homes often have a table with a couple icons and devotional reading. These tables are kinda like the altar of the home and are the main place of prayer in the home. It is a good idea if you want to do this. Here is a thread that is about this.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=95439

You could also introduce him to the Liturgy of The Hours if you want and you guys could pray it as a family.
 
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jmcclane:
Hello,
Code: 
        I have an 8 year old son who tells me he wants to be a priest when he grows up. He also says he wants to be an astronaut, a race car driver etc. I know that IF he is truly called to the priesthood it will be clear to him as he gets older. My wife and I still want to encourage him, in his faith formation, to pursue God’s vocation for his life. In doing that, among other things, we have him read his Catholic bible every morning as well as a prayer book for children. However I had a thought this morning about his devotional time and I wanted to get some (name removed by moderator)ut from others on it. The home of the scriptures is in the Liturgy which is in the mass and I would like to offer my son a similar experience in his devotional time. What I mean is I would like to develop a mini-liturgy for him to “play” out every morning. What I mean is I want him to get into his experience mind, body and soul. As Dr. Hahn likes to say the reason why God gave us a body was to worship him at the Mass. I would like to have certain prayers, candles, incense, an alter (obviously there will be no portion for the Liturgy of Eucharist), crucifix, robes etc… You know smells and bells. Is this ok? Can I do this? Should I speak with my priest? Can I create my own or should I seek a more official source? I appreciate your feedback and thank you in advance for your help and may God Bless you.
Joe M
NH
Click to expand...
A shortened liturgy of the hours? You could probably compose yourself a short one week psalter.
 
wow, a parent that actually supports one of their children becoming a priest. Most familes don’t rally encourage that anymore.
 
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