Living the faith without being hypocritical about it. Younger people can see right through hypocricy probably more perceptively than older people can.
Okay…so you didn’t answer my question then? but replied with a question of your own which is *how many teens don’t bring enough to mass? *I understand PatienceandLove’s post as when they are properly catechized, they comprehend and know that God is also outside the Church’s “walls”, as you put it, as well as within them. So He becomes every aspect of their lives. They do have a “personal relationship” with God, with the extra-special benefit of receiving the Sacraments.
I agree with your generalities. With time and guidance, hopefully teens will acquire maturity and wisdom. In the meantime, the beauty and richness of the Latin Mass can help develop their reverence.
Well, you see, this can be answered with my earlier post…it all depends upon that teen’s level of maturity, wisdom and reverence. If there are fewer teens with these strengths; then less that can be brought (contributed) to mass…no?
And very good sense at that! There is a “chicken or the egg” sense to the concerns voiced in this thread. Maybe what we’re all trying to get at is that the answer really lies in the fire of Christ burning in the lives of *living *examples of His power. This power is utterly amazing and utterly contagious, regardless of how it enters the life of the believer. If we look at the lives of those who converted to the Catholic faith, we see a wide variety of graces drawing them in, as unique as each individual convert. Some are drawn intellectuallly, gradually seeing the beauty and truth of church teaching. (The fire of Christ here is not demonstrative and might not be obvious at first glance). Others have life-changing experiences with great emotional content, (which naturally tend to attract more attention). We can argue endlessly about what is the appropriate “bait,” but I’ll bet we can all agree on a common denominator,–a consuming love and witness to Jesus Christ. Lukewarmness is never contagious. I think Jesus purposeful inelegance “…I will vomit you out of my mouth…” is clear enough indication about what should be our main concern. A religion teacher getting a class to memorize the great commandments is a very good thing, but a witness who also lives it in every breath is a fisherman who will fill the nets of the Kingdom.When they are improperly catechized and attend mass, receive the Sacraments, etc., but do not have the proper support system from parents, spiritual mentors, and so forth, then what occurs is what I think you are trying to get at. I think that is very true, as I saw that with many of my peers growing up. So that is why I believe it is crucial for the adults in these young people’s lives to demonstrate how special and important God is by not only the way the mass is done, but also how they live their lives outside of Sunday or daily mass and making sure they are doing the best for the children in terms of their religious AND spiritual education.
It’s late, so I hope I’m making sense here.
My intent was to counter some of the posts that want to “punch it up a little bit”. Since we at this late date, know how the sacrifice turned out, we can indulge ourselves in a little celebration. We are not Protestants, and the very DNA of mass is completely different from other church “services”. That is what we must maintain.
I heard a wonderful story a few weeks ago. A priest was complaining to an actor friend about how disengaged the congregation seemed to be at Mass, and yet this actor friend seemed ever increasingly popular. What is the secret to his success.
It makes it hard when children do not have a mother & father growing up. I’m talking real Catholic up bringing. How much harder it must be for a person to grasp the concept of a Loving God, Our Father, if their own earthly father deserted them or is on his 4th wife, living like an old alley cat. Or parents that are self absorbed entirerly with earthly treasures and only give lip service once a year at church. Mass is not an entertainment venue. The Church will be better served with Good Role models & examples for the children & better quality Catholic education, CYO pizza sleep overs does not help.
I don’t think I’ve heard it more simply put but so absolutely sincere and right on target.
I don’t know, their own video makes it look like one big teen pander-fest:Have it be mandatory that all teens in your parish attend a Steubenville conferenceHave the stronger teens be trained, so they can have some leadership qualities.
Yes, Our teens need to be talked to directly…and pulled in, etc.
Without making a detailed discussion of exactly what music belongs in the Mass, I’d just like to point out that bringing pop culture into the Mass is exactly what many people mean by watering down. The liturgy is meant to draw from the best of cultures but also transcend them both in time and space. Since pop culture is rarely the best of a particular culture and is almost always fleeting, using these elements in the Mass works directly contrary to the ideal.
I’ll certainly concede that the best information can’t accomplish its goal without showing its integral relation with the Truth, the living person of Jesus Christ.
Llet us not forget…catechisis begins and ends at home…any instruction **outside the home **is designed to help the parent …
What can I add to that? Excellent.
So are you saying that their very own promotional video distorts their very own conferences?
As one who has said we need to not dumb-down for teens- Steubenville does a great job of not watering anything down or pandering. They know, and acknowledge, that P&W attracts young folks. They have what are called “Festivals of Praise” (FOPs!!!) and that’s when the P&W comes out. Mass, not so much- all though others will tell you different. I actually went to Franciscan, so trust me on this one. It also depends on the Mass you go to. One mass is much more Charismatic, there is a Latin Mass,and a “typical” Sunday Mass.
It sounds like you’re speaking about actually attending FUS, but the other poster and I were talking about their summer youth conferences. I still say, based on their own video, that they look like a giant teen pander-fest. If they’re not then I have to wonder why they’re selling the conferences (via their promo video) as something different than what they actually are.
