SPLIT: Questions about children's liturgy

[angersjay]

Alternatively, if the Children’s liturgy of the Word is regarded as part of the Eucharist, then the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum seems to ban it taking place ina separate location as well as banning a homily by a lay person at it. This effectively bans a Children’s Liturgy of the Word. If this is the intention, it has not been spelt out.

[edited]
Sorry but does anyone have an answer for this?
I believe the children’s liturgy is valid incl using only one of two readings before the gospel.
I’m unsure about the legitimacy of taking the children out of the church for the children’s liturgy then returning for the Eucharistic prayers.
Also is there a guide to what age defines ‘children’ eg under 10?

 

[Jean_Anthony]

aaa

 

[Phemie]

[edited]
Sorry but does anyone have an answer for this?
I believe the children’s liturgy is valid incl using only one of two readings before the gospel.
I’m unsure about the legitimacy of taking the children out of the church for the children’s liturgy then returning for the Eucharistic prayers.
Also is there a guide to what age defines ‘children’ eg under 10?

The Canadian Bishops issued a document on this topic about 4 years ago.

To answer your question about age, they specified 4 -8, preferably children who haven’t received their First Communion.

They also said that based on the Directory which said ‘occasionally’, this should be happening only once in a while and certainly not every Sunday. They suggested that the content of the readings be one of the reasons for opting on a special Children’s LOW on a specific Sunday.

 

[MissRose73]

The parish I’ve been going to does Liturgy of the Word for Children one Sunday Mass per month only. Previous parishes never did it or if they did I had no idea about it. From what I’ve heard about it, its a good way to help with the education of the pre 1st Communicants (under 7/8).

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

From my experience, in the brief twenty minutes or so that most parishes have for “Children’s Liturgy of the Word,” much of the time allotted is taken by getting the kids from the church to the classroom and back. There is not enough time to teach a meaningful lesson on the day’s readings. I see little merit in separating children from their families during Mass, and I believe that they would learn more by staying and listening. It may be in language that they haven’t yet learned, but they won’t learn it if they never hear it.

 

[angersjay]

Thank you
I feel like im policing all these thigs that happen in different parishes.
It makes being catholic interesting because the boundary between liturigical abuse and fruitful charism of the parish is not easily distinguished

 

[joanofarc2008]

I guess it depends on how long your Mass is. We have a childrens’ liturgy of the word. The children are taken back only for the time readings and homily. This serves two purposes a) give them something they understand and b) allow their parents to be the ones that are the first to bring up such subjects that our priest is discussing in his homilies such as contraception, chastity, and abortion. Since our masses go an hour and a half to two hours we easily get 45 minutes with the kids. This a great thing about being in a Southern parish. I would also say as well that they do get very meaningful lessons. They may get the coloring pages to take home and go over but we speak about the readings and how it applies to the them. Also if there are baptisms or such there is not childrens liturgy that week, the kids stay at mass to be a part of the community.