What if I made a mistake becoming Catholic?

[Brenda4God]

There are so many good things written here that I won’t try to top them. But I will pray for you. I hope everyone does.

 

[theAuthor]

CradleC, Wow! Thanks for your kind words. We don’t have a crying room, or we’d just happily spend Mass in there!
We are encouraged to take our kids to Mass to train them up so they are used to it, and further, coming from a prot church that has creches as well as childrens’ church, I don’t want to split the family up. I was always told the RCC was about family. I notice you admitted being distracted and annoyed by todllers, and I know I used to be, too. That is why I can’t just ignore it. The Mass is reverent (in contrast to our old shouts of HALLELUJELAH! ), as it should be. I honestly feel the most loving thing I can do for other parishoners is not turn up and distract them. That’s what my heart says anyway. It is so different from Mass as a single man! I feel like this towards my toddler during Mass rather than concentrating on God.
I haven’t tried returning to Mass with the toddler yet after the last few times, to be honest. I even tried walking with him during the Homily, up the back of the church and people still turned around to look

As for the Memorare, I have seen some really strong answers to that particular prayer. When a friend of mine recently asked me to pray for her family, the Lord really put it on my heart to pray that prayer for her, so I am making progress.

 

[mayra_hart]

hi david : iam a mother of a 6 year old child. i go to a small parish in central texas. i usually sit in the back. an yes i sometimes have good sundays or saturdays an sometimes not so good. but i think consistency helps. i also bring paper and pen just in case. one thing don’t worry about the rest of the people.sometimes they do understand. about mary i do pray to her as well as st jude. but i understand that they both intercede in my behalf. i don’t know if you want to try it but attend a rosary. i go every friday an you don’t know but i feel so good.an i do take my son too. an he can say the hail mary in spanish, an sing some of the songs. i will keep in my prayers one more thing if you have question ask,ask ,ask. “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Adored, Glorified, Loved & Preserved throughout the world, now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, please pray for me. Saint Jude, Worker of Miracles, please pray for me. Saint Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, please pray for me. Amen.”

 

[Techno2000]

A Priest once said in a homily to us, that he like the sound of a
crying Baby, and it meant that the Baby was Strong and Healthy,
so I guess it all depends on how you look at it.

 

[Cathedron]

A Priest once said in a homily to us, that he like the sound of a
crying Baby, and it meant that the Baby was Strong and Healthy,
so I guess it all depends on how you look at it.

I can also say that sometimes, I’d prefer there weren’t any song during the mass, because I can’t concentrate and pray. Sometimes also, someone speaks to his wife, one coughs, another makes his chair grind, etc… we all are living beings made of bones and flesh, not statues, nor spiritual and ethereal beings. Babies are a part of the community’s life. Parents need also to go to the church as everybody does. So, I think the problem comes from people that can’t bear the presence of other’s offspring that should hear their own chair grinding, hear themselves speaking to their spouse or hear themselves coughing, before criticizing (maybe without a word, but only with their reproachful glance). I don’t judge anybody; I should be also thus sometimes… I’m human too.
I live in a big city and we have a subway. At some times of the day, people are really compressed in the coaches. Sometimes I hear people protesting because there are too many people around them. If they can’t bear traveling with other people, why don’t they take a taxi?
Likewise, if people can’t bear other’s presence and babies during the mass, why don’t they stay home or take a pill to calm themselves.
Sorry I’m a few provoking, but I think that charity begins by admitting the neighbor with all that comes with: noises, ugliness or beauty, children and behavior. And thus they also apply another virtue called patience…
Pierre

 

[PatienceAndLove]

My daughter is 2.5, and we were having some difficulties keeping her quiet in Mass, even with sitting up front.
We now have our Church Kit and a Holy Folks Mary Doll.
In addition to the holy cards (on a ring no less!) that came with the kit, I added quite a few more, and she loves to look at the pictures of Mary, Jesus and the Saints. It also comes with a Children’s Rosary, which she “uses” before Mass as my husband and I are saying the Rosary with the congregation.
We also added some more books:
Various St. Joseph Press picture books
Little Acts of Grace
The Mass Book for Children
Just Like Mary
The Bible for Little Children
The Gospel for Little Children
Little Books of Saints 1&2
St. Joseph’s First Children’s Bible

I hope that gives you some ideas!

 

[Pixie_Dust]

My daughter is 2.5, and we were having some difficulties keeping her quiet in Mass, even with sitting up front.
We now have our Church Kit

Y’know…I am seriously thinking about getting this for my 9 year old son. He’s so used to doing the Kid’s Church bouncy-trouncy fun fun fun entertainment masquerading as worship. That might just come in handy once he and dh are done at the Bridge.

 

[Michael_Francis]

Moving this to Family Life since it seems to be more relevant to that at this point.

 

[Michael_Francis]

Since this seems to have drifted off to more family issues than apologetics, I am closing this thread.

Please feel free to quote a post to open a thread on anything that you feel needs further discussion, but bear in mind that children in church probably is best in Family Life or Liturgy and Sacraments.
MF