If the pastor was not taking into effect sickness and illness then I would question his stance. I wonder if something else was going on there… Also, just using donation envelopes for attendance wouldn’t guarentee anything, either. I hope this is just incomplete reporting.
Yes some pastors and priests alienate rather than unite. This is sad especially in today’s climate in the church in the USA. I wonder how the Archdiocese of New York, under who’s juristiction this church is will address this issue and pastor?:nope:
David_Paul said:
There is no unity without truth. Our past 2 Holy Fathers have stated clearly that truth and charity are intertwined and cannot be seperated.
This isn’t about money. It is about saving souls for eternity.
This is a great suggestion. Letting families know in advance what the requirements are and then holding them responsible.
I fail to see how it is the children’s fault here though? Now, if the pastor had a clear written statement stating (with the archdiocese’s permission beforehand) the policy that no exceptions will be made for the requirements of parents attending church with the kids, and that if a previous illness (then a letter from the doctors is needed) prevents them that’s the only reason allowed. However, I would consult the diocese’s legal office before hand if I were the pastor. One thing which many here fail to see is: that most likely this pastor will not be backed up by the Archdiocese and it’s leaders. Now if he were at the Diocese of Denver with the great Archbishop Chaput or the one of Lincoln Nebraska then this is a different story and he would have the backing of the diocese and Bishop (most likely). But in the Archdiocese where that Pastor is in this case, oh wow!! They will probably order him to resign, or he will get called in to respond to this especially if it is in the news as it is. Now if Cardinal O’Connor was still the archbishop, then the pastors would not be afraid to enforce catholic teachings regardless of what it entails.
we’re talking about religious ed class - not mass, not sacraments…why would it need bishop approval/backing?
I agree, this is just another example of the soft bigotry of low expectations. Would you expect children to take CCD seriously if their parents just blow off going to mass or participating in parish life? I think they would be far more committed if they saw their parents’ commitment. It seems likely that the higher expectations will result in the parents taking this more seriously. That CCD is called 'Children Color and Draw" indicates that it has not been considered as an important element in religious education. Getting the parents involved might change that attitude
What you are saying about not needing the diocesan approval is true: but NOT in the Archdiocese where that church is located. Ever heard of micro management? Well I leave it at that.The pastor is responsible for making sure that the candidates are properly prepared and disposed for the receipt of the Sacraments. He doesn’t need diocisan approval or authority to exercise that responsibility.
If the kids are not attending Mass, they are almost assuredly not prepared. While there could be exceptions, I am not inclined to say that even missing Mass due to a family illness should be one of them. This is a reason that the parent might be excused or dispensed from his/her obligation to attend Mass but that excuse, if given, doesn’t make the child any more prepared.
My guess is that the parents were duly warned ahead of time. We issue the same statements to the parents and kids each year when CCE begins and again after the Christmas break. “Don’t sign your kids up for Sacrament prep if you are not bringing them to Mass.” Our pastor said that he wanted me to take attendance of the First Communion class at Mass one year but the DRE overruled.
It is cruel to build the kids up for the receipt of First Communion (and Confirmation) but leave them ignorant of the rest of the Mass not to mention keep them from future opportunities to receive.
OR, since this family were such great members of the parish, why hadn’t they called to let the pastor know about the troubles in their family? This is the stupidest Catholic-bashing story I ever read in my life. Oh. Correction. The Pope is responsible for AIDS in Africa because Catholics can’t use condoms. I guess that’s dumber.Good golly…
what gets me most is that they’re making it seem as if the priest is banning them from being Catholic or participating in Mass…
he’s only saying they can’t attend education classes IF the parents don’t support the education by attending Mass regularly (as true Catholics are obliged).
"Lisa LoPizzo: “He really thinks he did something wrong to God. That’s not fair to a 6-year-old, to be messed up like that.” "
Well, duh! Tell your son HE didn’t do anything wrong - YOU did something wrong and then you’re son won’t be messed up like that. Apologize to the kid - don’t blame the church.
Honestly!! Look - SOMEBODY in the extended family could have taken the kid to mass regularly while mom or dad was caring for the ill family member…besides - it is most important to pray constantly when a family member or friend is ill…talk about setting examples! It’s not just about attending Mass - what other Catholic messages was this family sending to this 6 year old child??
Uh… 5-10 hours per week would be a bare minimum for me. First of all, the class is 1.5 hours long. I spend at least 5 hours per week preparing the lesson for the 1.5 hours. That does not include my own formation (classes, extra reading, monthly evening retreats, etc). I am already working my lesson plans for next September.