Our local church has introduced (Children reading the Sunday Scriptures) and it’s beautiful

[englands123]

I am fortunate to be able to attend 3 different churches regularly.

So humbling to hear the children reading out a loud. More churches should try it.

 

[Allie1]

I think it’s a nice experience for the children. But, in my experience whenever this has been done in my parish I think the children doing the readings are either

1. They are too quiet, I can’t hear a word that they said
   Or
2. They rush through the whole thing and I couldn’t understand a word that they said

 

[englands123]

Has anyone seen or done things differently during Sunday Mass they can share ?

 

[KyPerson]

Our church tried this a few years ago. Most of the children were not that good as readers and when faced with some of the long names in the Old Testament - well they made up the pronunciations. To be honest, some of our adult readers are pretty bad. We had one woman who kept confusing Barnabas and Barabbas when she read and we have one man who seems to read as if he’s trying out for an acting award.

 

[dconklin]

We offer a monthly Family Mass in our Day Chapel (old church) that runs concurrent with our regular 10am Sunday Mass. We have kid lectors and a children’s choir. It really brings me back to my youth. Way back in early 70’s my parish had a weekly Family Mass in the parish hall.

 

[paperwight]

I think it’s a nice experience for the children. But, in my experience whenever this has been done in my parish I think the children doing the readings are either

1. They are too quiet, I can’t hear a word that they said
   Or
2. They rush through the whole thing and I couldn’t understand a word that they said

One year the young teenagers at our parish did the Passion readings on Palm/Passion Sunday. I’m sorry to say it was awful, and never has been repeated.

Certainly, it’s good to get the young involved but not to the extent of, quite frankly, spoiling the occasion.

 

[tafan2]

Having attended a lot of school masses through the years and seeing how various teachers prepare kids for the readings, I can say with 100% certainty that having kids read at mass on a regular basis without a lot of direct adult supervision if preparing will fail. There are kids that fo a really good job. These kids have invariably had a teacher spend a lot if time with them preparing. And only after a year or two if that, can they prepare on their own. And even then, when they happen to get lazy one time and not prepare, the results are less than spectacular.

More than once I have asked one of my kids “what was the problem with your reading this morning?”, and I find out they barely spent any time preparing.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The students read for two School masses each week (when public masses are permitted).

 

[KMC]

Other than at a children’s mass, what is the purpose? Most of the time its distracting and not conducive to grasping the text of Scripture. I would go so far as to say there are some adults who should not read at mass…not everybody has the ability to read in public, with the appropriate pronunciation, cadence, inflection, etc.

 

[KMC]

Other than at a children’s mass, what is the purpose? Most of the time its distracting and not conducive to grasping the text of Scripture. I would go so far as to say there are some adults who should not read at mass…not everybody has the ability to read in public, with the appropriate pronunciation, cadence, inflection, etc.

I went back and re-read my post. It reads a lot harsher than I meant it. My point is this: mass is all about worship, and we should all use our gifts and talents to glorify God in a way that is beneficial for all. Some people are great speakers…others are not. Some people are great singers…I should never be in choir! When some people read, who might not have the talent for public reading, it is distracting. Sometimes a great reader is not available…we should always be appreciative of someone’s best effort.

 

[Buks]

From my experience, the cadence and inflection of too many children sounds robotic. I probably also sounded that way. Once in a while is ok, IMO, to give them experience. Unless there’s a very talented child involved, I wouldn’t want to hear child lectors more than a couple times a year.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’ve heard quite a bit of children reading at Catholic school Masses and “children’s Masses”. Sometimes they are quite good, other times they speak too softly, don’t speak into the microphone, get nervous up there and go silent or lose their place, or rush through the reading. In my experience (I was a school child once), the teachers don’t always select the best readers for this task, because if they did, the same five kids would probably be reading all the time. Instead they try to include all the kids and give everybody a turn, which means they are also often including kids who are shy or who are not the best public reader in the classroom. I agree that this is nice for the kids but is not always a great presentation of the readings for the rest of us attending the Mass. I also agree that there are a lot of adult readers who are also not the greatest.

Mostly I just read the readings on my own. I do appreciate it when there is a very good reader, whether it is a child or an adult. The Cathedral has a very good adult reader who is I believe from Jamaica and she has a real gift and is a joy to listen to (her visual appearance is also very striking).

 

[Gorgias]

I think it’s a nice experience for the children.

Moreso for their parents, I’d guess.

Our church tried this a few years ago. Most of the children were not that good as readers

Certainly, it’s good to get the young involved but not to the extent of, quite frankly, spoiling the occasion.

It’s not so much that it “spoils” the Mass. Rather, we’re supposed to be proclaiming the Word of God that enables the congregation to enter into it and experience it fully. When you’ve got a lector who does not enunciate, or speaks softly, or rushes through the reading… you’re missing out on what the Liturgy of the Word is supposed to be.

In short: “cute”, but completely missing the point of what is supposed to be happening at that point. (We’re supposed to be noticing the Word of God, not who proclaims it.)

I went back and re-read my post. It reads a lot harsher than I meant it.

Nah… you’re right on point!

In fact, you raise another good point:

Most of the time its distracting

Ever seen the smartphones go up in the pews when Mom and Dad wish to record their child proclaiming Scripture or singing a hymn? They’re clearly distracted from the Mass, and their “school pageant” attitude from the pews is certainly distracting to (some? many?) around them…

 

[blackforest]

My ten-year-old is rehearsing to read at Mass. I’d hate to show him some of the petty comments I’m reading in this thread - yikes, people!

Follow along in your handy-dandy 'lil Missal, soak in the cuteness, and thank the Lord above that the future inheritors of our Church of dwindling attendees are getting some ownership over the Mass!

Or is the revisionist Gospel, “Let the little children come unto me . . . except at Mass. They stink as readers.”

• They are too quiet, I can’t hear a word that they said
  Or
• They rush through the whole thing and I couldn’t understand a word that they said

Our parish actually has auditions and rehearsals for children reading. But I think that only works in a parish as large as ours.

Certainly, it’s good to get the young involved but not to the extent of, quite frankly, spoiling the occasion.

The core purpose of Mass is the Eucharist. If something this petty “spoils” it for you, I don’t know what more I can say. I could complain about all of that OCP music that I can’t stand “ruining” things, but in reality it doesn’t.

 

[sudy]

I like children singing… I find it quite difficult to follow when they’re reading, though. They often let them say some of the bidding prayers which is nice.

 

[KMC]

Or is the revisionist Gospel, “Let the little children come unto me . . . except at Mass. They stink as readers.”

Who wants to stop kids from coming to mass? St. Paul talks about the different gifts and talents people have…not all have the same gifts. Not all presently have the gift to read in a way that maximizes the moment.

The core purpose of Mass is the Eucharist. If something this petty “spoils” it for you, I don’t know what more I can say. I could complain about all of that OCP music that I can’t stand “ruining” things, but in reality it doesn’t.

The reading of Scripture is far from petty. If a competent reader is not available, then I would agree, however, if one is, then they should do the reading. I would also say the same thing from a cantor / choir perspective…not everyone has that gift. However, like the previous poster said, a children’s choir can add quite a bit to the moment.
All I am saying is to utilize the gifts and talents people have been given to maximize the moment.

 

[blackforest]

The reading of Scripture is far from petty.

Getting one’s undergarments in a wad over how someone reads at Mass is, indeed, petty and missing the larger picture of why we’re there.

St. Paul talks about the different gifts and talents people have…not all have the same gifts. Not all presently have the gift to read in a way that maximizes the moment.

Nobody’s going to develop a talent for reading if they don’t get practice. Reading at Mass isn’t one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, so it’s fair to give children experience to build on. And they’re certainly not going to get good knowing that adults who should be their role models are making disparaging comments about them online.

But since you mentioned it, I don’t think a lot of grown-up parish musicians are all that talented, either. I’m just not going to let them “spoil” the Mass for me.

The bottom line is that if your parish allows children to read and you don’t like it, your choices are 1. get upset and stew about it online, 2. get upset and stew about it offline 3. complain to the parish office with likely unsuccessful results, or 4. come to a place of acceptance about it and savor the Mass regardless.

To me, this wouldn’t even be a multiple choice question. I’ve managed to come to the fourth conclusion despite some pretty interesting cantors at my parish.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I like children singing… I find it quite difficult to follow when they’re reading, though. They often let them say some of the bidding prayers which is nice.

I think singing, helping to take up the gifts, and occasionally saying an intercession prayer are very nice ways for children to participate in the Mass. At times they do other things like present flowers to Mary, etc. Also nice.

Reading is best reserved for children who are good at it, or at least competent at it, and someone needs to be standing by to adjust the microphone or the child’s position at the lectern if somehow the child cannot be heard.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

And they’re certainly not going to get good knowing that adults who should be their role models are making disparaging comments about them online.

This forum is for ages 13 and over. Presumably by “children” we’re talking about younger than 13. So there is no way they’d know if a bunch of strangers were making comments about them online, unless you were to run and tell them. If younger children are on here reading this forum, then they should not be.

We are not listening to readings to “soak in the cuteness” but to hear the Word of God. It’s reasonable for people to expect the Word of God to be read in a way that people can hear it, especially at a Sunday Mass when one might be forced by the crowd in attendance to sit at some distance from the lectern or the speakers.

 

[sudy]

At times they do other things like present flowers to Mary, etc. Also nice.

Same here Also, we have a sort of Children’s Liturgy of the Word in my parish on Sundays, and when they return for the Liturgy of the Eucharist they present their drawings in the offertory procession …that’s nice, too.