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sandthipe
Guest
My son showed me a dreamcatcher that he made in sunday school today. Is there some Catholic connection to dreamcatchers? I thought they were pagan in origin.
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1ke
Guest
They are Native American in origin. Chippewa to be specific.
You would have to ask your parish religious education director or the teacher the reason your children made these and how they connected to the Catholic Church and the lesson of the day. Ask what your child was taught about the dreamcatcher.
Are you sure it was a dreamcatcher? When I taught younger children, I had a lesson in which we made WIND catchers. We made Holy Spirit windcatchers with red, orange, and yellow crepe paper streamers with the symbols of the tongues of fire out of paper plates. This was during the lesson on the Holy Spirit and the symbols of the Holy Spirit-- mighty wind, tongues of fire, dove, and the color red in Pentecost, Confirmation, etc.
So, just double check and ask the teacher.
You would have to ask your parish religious education director or the teacher the reason your children made these and how they connected to the Catholic Church and the lesson of the day. Ask what your child was taught about the dreamcatcher.
Are you sure it was a dreamcatcher? When I taught younger children, I had a lesson in which we made WIND catchers. We made Holy Spirit windcatchers with red, orange, and yellow crepe paper streamers with the symbols of the tongues of fire out of paper plates. This was during the lesson on the Holy Spirit and the symbols of the Holy Spirit-- mighty wind, tongues of fire, dove, and the color red in Pentecost, Confirmation, etc.
So, just double check and ask the teacher.
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John_of_Woking
Guest
Let me guess there was a nun teaching the enneagram in the other room whilst yoga and reiki are on weekday evenings
If it was a dreamcatcher I would be very disappointed. 1ke’s advice was good
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Dysmas1
Guest
If your sure it’s a dreamcatcher be sure to bring this to the Pastor’s attention. They are pagan, Native American pagan, through and through and have absolutely NO place being made during religious instruction or even discussed in a child’s CCD class. I feel they should not even be owned, never mind displayed, even for ‘cultural’ reasons. They have not been ‘Christianized’ as other pagan-originated things have been i.e. wedding rings.
Peace
Peace
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John_of_Woking
Guest
My dad’s got one at home…it’s always bugged me. I May ask him (charitably over a glass of port) to remove it next time I visit him
I Agree whole-heartedly with your post
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Dysmas1
Guest
It’s been my experience with my children’s CCD class that they really don’t teach these kids what they ought to be teaching. Not well anyway. Granted SOME CCD classes are extraordinarily good it’s just that the vast majority of people I’ve spoken to feel that their children’s instruction is very poor. It is worth pointing out that the Church says that it is the parents duty to teach their children the faith first and foremost. Which is what we do, in fact we homeschool our children through Seton Catholic School, for many reasons not least of which is the poor standard of education, religious or otherwise, available in the public sphere.
Having children make things like dreamcatchers instead of teaching the truths of the faith makes these children largely incapable of passing on their potential knowledge to THIER children. The ‘spirit of Vatican II’ strikes again.
Peace
Having children make things like dreamcatchers instead of teaching the truths of the faith makes these children largely incapable of passing on their potential knowledge to THIER children. The ‘spirit of Vatican II’ strikes again.
Peace
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NHInsider
Guest
On the other hand, there is the point that dreamcatchers, like other symbols, rituals and traditions, can in fact be “christianized,” placed in the context and service of God’s revelation of grace. Unlike some of our fundamentalist brothers and sisters, we do not fear the objects because of their origins.
Not to mention the related theological issues surrounding the celebration of truths found in other religions because all Truth comes from God - sorry if that’s too V-II for anyone.
Having said that, there is a lot of rubbish being presented in religious education programs these days. Definitely worth asking the teacher what the lesson was that went with the craft project.
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Dysmas1
Guest
Im not sure how a dreamcatcher can be Christianized as it’s purpose is to far removed from Christian spirituality.
As for truths in other religions, sure in sparse parts of their theology but not in their pagan charms or brick-a-brack.
There is no truth that an object can do ANY thing never mind catch dreams and filter them down to the person.
Peace
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Fox
Guest
Guess we need to throw away Christmas trees and Santa and the tinsel too. Do away with Halloween and Easter eggs as well. Since these are all pagan things. People need to start choosing their words carefully.
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Dysmas1
Guest
Apparently so as Christmas trees inherently carry no spiritual significance.
Halloween is for ‘all hallows eve’ and HAS been christianized hence the Holy Day of Obligation on November first and as for the thirty-first itself maybe we should do away with it, there are many people who think so never mind that Halloween is not an OBJECT like a dreamcatcher.
Easter eggs also have been christianized, look it up. Nor were they intended as singular objects of spiritual power they were used as a symbol not a charm.
Yes people should choose their words carefully.
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NHInsider
Guest
Although when Christmas was first added to the liturgical calendar, Christians were not allowed to hang greenery because it was part of the Roman solstice celebration, and the Christmas tree was, according to legend, presented by a Christian missionary as an alternative to the “sacred oak” of the germanic tribes. And, of course, the legend of the Christmas tree is that it was indeed loaded with spiritual significance at the times of both Boniface and Luther.
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Dysmas1
Guest
Right. I should have been clearer. My intention was to point out that Christmas tress have not been used as a charm or talisman. I misspoke. Thank you again lol.
Peace
Peace
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