Travelled nationally as a speaker in them for about two decades, so - yeah, I’ve been to a couple.
During “praze-n-worshup” there will be din and movement.
During the sermon, there will be “Amens” or other responses from the congregation, however, if a kid is sitting there playing video games - well, the parents would simply not permit it. They may be vocal in response to the “movement of the spirit”, but, yucking it up with buddies will get you a tap on the shoulder from an usher. Same for a howling baby, the usher will come and tell you to take the child out and show you were the “baby coatcheck” is.
Baby Coatcheck–that’s cute!
The hand-held video games were used by quite a few of the children in Evangelical Protestant churches that I attended. I always thought it was appalling, but then, it’s up to their parents. I suppose the parents feel that since the sermon is not easily understood by children, they may as well play quietly rather than disturbing people.
It all goes back to the fact that Evangelical Protestant worship services are primarily centered around the “sermon” or “message.” They are “lectures,” meant for teaching and admonition and exhortation. This is definitely a “grown-up time.” There are no sacraments in the Evangelical Protestant churches, and the only Presence of Jesus is in each other (Christians). So the goal of a parent who has to have a child with them in church is to keep that child quiet so that everyone can hear the sermon. Many evangelical churches offer some kind of Children’s Church so that often, there are very few children in a worship service. There is really no reason whatsoever to ever bring a child into a worship service, other than to hear the music, which is often excellent.
Catholic Mass is quite a different thing altogether. The Mass is where heaven and earth come together, and we open the “curtain” and get a glimpse into heaven. Christ’s sacrifice is re-presented. We eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is Truly Present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
So of course children can be at Mass, to see Jesus. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” He did not say, “Let the children come and listen to a lecture by a man or woman who is offering their personal interpretation (led by the Holy Spirit, of course) of the Bible.”
I think that Weigert’s recent article was interesting, and if I were a young mother, I would probably opt to take the Catholic Church up on their teaching and leave my very young children and babies at home with Daddy while I enjoyed a child-free Mass, and then I would come home and watch the little ones so that Daddy could also experience a child-free Mass. That’s just my way. I would teach the children about God and their Church at home (which is what I did with my children while we were Protestant) and then ease them into Mass gradually, perhaps bringing them for just a few minutes and then leaving, and gradually increasing the time that they remain. Again, just my way, and I’m not saying that everyone should do it my way.
Love is Patient