What will make more younger people come to mass?

[PatienceAndLove]

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.

Actually- the fabulousness of Franciscan is that there is no difference between the Summer Conferences and the regular school year.
Nothing is dumbed down. Everything is presented in all it’s Majesty and Truth. Yes, there are skits, but they actually make sense and aren’t cheesy (well, some are- but pointedly so) And some of the Catholic Rock bands play, but not within the Mass.

Not saying I agree with the Summer Conference approach for everything, but it is wonderful to go to during the Summer. Like an even better version of summer camp

 

[agapewolf]

So are you saying that their very own promotional video distorts their very own conferences?

No, I’m saying that the teens featured in the video are telling the truth when they say they enjoy it. Why is that so hard to believe? Yes, teens love it, and it doesn’t talk down to them.

The conference speaks the truth about chastity, about vocations, about living a virtuous life…with correct catechesis.

Maybe, your perception of the video is incorrect, or came through a different filter. Maybe you are out of touch with teens (not an accusation, just a maybe). I don’t know… but I’m saying hundreds of thousands of teens that go, do enjoy it, and they say so on the video, and they are telling the truth.

 

[FrankLawrence]

Is it possible that some programs out there are just giving too much of the objective elements of the faith? Sure. Have I ever seen one of those programs in my middle school, high school, or university years? Never.
Let’s get with the program, but at least lay the blame at the feet of something that actually exists.

Where are you from? Wherever it is is the exception, not the norm. Of course, sometimes the problem may not be with the program, but the way the program is presented. Nevertheless, it seems to me that what our children are receiving in Catechesis these days generally tends to elevate the Bride of Christ(The Catholic Church) above Christ, by placing greater stress on the details of the Mass and Sacraments, than on the person of Jesus Christ. Protestantism, on the other hand, places the stress on the person of Jesus Christ. That is why the Protestants seem to be winning the war for our children’s souls. Their weapon is Jesus, while ours is ritual, regulations, and small t. traditions. Maybe I’m being egocentric, but for me, it wasn’t until after I learned to love Jesus that I loved the Church, too. I really feel we’re going about it backwards with our children.

 

[VociMike]

No, I’m saying that the teens featured in the video are telling the truth when they say they enjoy it. Why is that so hard to believe? Yes, teens love it, and it doesn’t talk down to them.

The conference speaks the truth about chastity, about vocations, about living a virtuous life…with correct catechesis.

Maybe, your perception of the video is incorrect, or came through a different filter. Maybe you are out of touch with teens (not an accusation, just a maybe). I don’t know… but I’m saying hundreds of thousands of teens that go, do enjoy it, and they say so on the video, and they are telling the truth.

I think you misunderstood my comment. There is no question in my mind that they are enjoying themselves.

 

[po18guy]

One of our priests that really disillusioned me was always drinking and smoking. He spent all his free time playing video games. He was impatient and he bragged about violating smoking rules in his military dorm room.

A Priest like him should do nothing but improve your prayer life…

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Where are you from? Wherever it is is the exception, not the norm. Of course, sometimes the problem may not be with the program, but the way the program is presented. Nevertheless, it seems to me that what our children are receiving in Catechesis these days generally tends to elevate the Bride of Christ(The Catholic Church) above Christ, by placing greater stress on the details of the Mass and Sacraments, than on the person of Jesus Christ. Protestantism, on the other hand, places the stress on the person of Jesus Christ. That is why the Protestants seem to be winning the war for our children’s souls. Their weapon is Jesus, while ours is ritual, regulations, and small t. traditions. Maybe I’m being egocentric, but for me, it wasn’t until after I learned to love Jesus that I loved the Church, too. I really feel we’re going about it backwards with our children.

Than how do you propose we do such a thing without descending into the heresy of Protestantism?

 

[FrankLawrence]

Than how do you propose we do such a thing without descending into the heresy of Protestantism?

The idea that Jesus loves us and wants us to have a personal relationship with Him is by no means a protestant heresy. The Catholic Church believes that entirely. It is just that Protestants do a better job of teaching it to their children. Protestants encourage Scripture reading outside of church, and fill their children with zeal for Jesus that makes them want to know all they can about Him, by reading the Bible. Catholics defend ourselves by saying, “Look how much Scripture we have in the Mass.” Catholics who talk that way just DON’T GET IT. Those Catholics want to bring everything back to the Mass. The problem(with that line of thinking being applied to catechesis) is that Jesus Christ is BIGGER than the Mass, and more appealing to the human race than the Mass. Yes, the Catholic Church has numerous riches that don’t exist among Protestants(infallibly correct doctrines across the board among those riches), but the Protestants have tapped in to what ignites the Spiritual fervor and zeal of Baptismal grace, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus(NOT the type the Church claims we have in the Eucharist) but the type that exists outside the four walls of the Church. I don’t know how else to explain it. Just talk to people who converted AWAY from the Catholic Church, to a Protestant Church, ask them why, and you’ll hear that the #1 reason is that the Catholic Church never made Jesus Christ seem REAL or PERSONAL to them. Go to an evangelical protestant church. You’ll see, the majority of its members are fallen away Catholics who never had what they perceived to be a personal experience with Jesus Christ until Protestants showed them how to have one. Then the Catholic will try to use the catch phrase, “Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, what can be more real of personal than that?” and by doing such, only show how clueless they are as to the fact that our children are seeking something that goes BEYOND the four walls of the Church, and we try to defend our faith by constantly bringing people back into the four walls of the church. Trust me. I’m right about this. If you think I’m wrong, then you haven’t spent enough time with fallen away Catholics who have become Protestant, so you can understand what they felt that the Catholic Church never gave them. The answer to what they felt the Catholic Church never gave them is Jesus Christ! The Mass and the Sacraments, as wonderful as they are, are NOT ENOUGH. We need to show our children a vibrant faith that exists outside the four walls of the Church. This is NOT protestant heresy. It is just something that quite honestly, the Protestants are better at showing their children than we are. Honestly, if you were a child, what would you rather learn about. A loving Savior who died so our sins can be forgiven, and wants to have a personal relationship with us, or would you rather learn the (sometimes) petty details about that hour on sunday mornings that your parents have dragged you to, against your will, since very early childhood. Hmm, Jesus, or the Mass? And we wonder why our children don’t stay in the Church. And don’t claim, “but the Mass is all about Jesus,” because such a statement will mean little or nothing to a child who never first learned to love Jesus.

 

[anniemart]

Honestly, if you were a child, what would you rather learn about. A loving Savior who died so our sins can be forgiven, and wants to have a personal relationship with us, or would you rather learn the (sometimes) petty details about that hour on sunday mornings that your parents have dragged you to, against your will, since very early childhood. Hmm, Jesus, or the Mass? And we wonder why our children don’t stay in the Church. And don’t claim, “but the Mass is all about Jesus,” because such a statement will mean little or nothing to a child who never first learned to love Jesus.

I sincerely hope you will reconsider these statements…did you fully intend to reduce the mass to a mere hour with petty details? I may not have spent as much time with fallen away catholics as you profess to have done so…but I would NEVER use these words to make an argument. I had to look at your profile because you sure do not sound catholic to me…what is the definition of heresy? I think I’ve just seen in it in black and white.

 

[turtleoompa]

Having parents take them to Mass every Sunday. Having parents talk about the Bible at home as a FAMILY. A big part is the participation of the family as a whole. It is up to us to get our children interested in what it is like to be a participating Catholic. Thanks, I needed to vent.

 

[agapewolf]

I sincerely hope you will reconsider these statements…did you fully intend to reduce the mass to a mere hour with petty details? I may not have spent as much time with fallen away catholics as you profess to have done so…but I would NEVER use these words to make an argument. I had to look at your profile because you sure do not sound catholic to me…what is the definition of heresy? I think I’ve just seen in it in black and white.

Geez…he’s not saying he thinks of it that way…he’s relating it how a child looks at it.

A teen guy who is sleeping with his girlfriend on the weekends, drinking, and doesn’t have a decent dad around is most likely not going to be brought in by a TLM Mass. TO THEM…and I mean that, to what THEY think, it is mindless ritual. We all know it transcends time/space and brings us to God, but young people…most of them, don’t. There may be a few intrigued my some mysterious element here or there, but thats not the majority.

I was there…Mass (just a normal N,O.) had no meaning to me whatsoever. (I wasn’t a teen guy in that instance, but things were similar for me) and I could even understand the words that were said.

First, Christ was shown to me by community and passionate prayer. (an awakening retreat much like TEC or Cursillo), and then experiences contemporary Mass made me love the Mass for itself, and then I was interested and hooked, and started studying myself. Now, I like Mass, no matter what style (Even quiet daily Mass) and I work for the Church.

 

[cyberwolf001]

I’m just going to add my two cents here as a 25 year old and former pagan.

Think of this. Paganism is (sadly) growing at a rapid pace among young people.

We have teenagers and young people learning Latin, Old English, Old Greek, Gaelic, Old High German ect. So they can read occultic text in there original language and worship in the language of there chosen culture.

Part of what attracted people like me and others to the Catholic church is the image of Latin Mass, Gregorian Chant and it’s mystical side.

I’m lucky I found a doubleplus Awsome Parish.

What do most people my age tend to find? A church trying, and failing, to be “with it”. The very thing that ran them from Christianity to begin with most cases, the seemingly empty and shallow spirituality of “With it, Christianity.”

 

[Cat]

Geez…he’s not saying he thinks of it that way…he’s relating it how a child looks at it.

A teen guy who is sleeping with his girlfriend on the weekends, drinking, and doesn’t have a decent dad around is most likely not going to be brought in by a TLM Mass. TO THEM…and I mean that, to what THEY think, it is mindless ritual. We all know it transcends time/space and brings us to God, but young people…most of them, don’t. There may be a few intrigued my some mysterious element here or there, but thats not the majority.

I was there…Mass (just a normal N,O.) had no meaning to me whatsoever. (I wasn’t a teen guy in that instance, but things were similar for me) and I could even understand the words that were said.

First, Christ was shown to me by community and passionate prayer. (an awakening retreat much like TEC or Cursillo), and then experiences contemporary Mass made me love the Mass for itself, and then I was interested and hooked, and started studying myself. Now, I like Mass, no matter what style (Even quiet daily Mass) and I work for the Church.

I would say this describes the majority of people. Again, I think that those of you who believe teens will be led back by the TLM are dreaming.

Certainly some will. Everyone is different, and there are many kids and adults who truly appreciate tradition. For this reason, we need to continue to ask for TLMs in our cities, and continue to ask our parishes to have “reverent” NO Masses. There is no need to fix “the Mass.”

But I think that some kids may be attracted to the “experience” of a Latin Mass with ancient music…in the same way that they are attracted to the experience of a Marilyn Manson concert. But I don’t think these kids will stick around unless there is more than just a cool experience for them.

I believe FrankLawrence has nailed it. Knowing Jesus.

HOWEVER—FrankLawrence, the sad fact is that many, many people do know all about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and still choose to turn away from Him.

So I think that one of the most powerful and important things we can do for our young people and indeed, for all those who are estranged from the Church and from Jesus is to PRAY FOR THEM! They are trapped in sin and need the fervent work of the Holy Spirit in their lives to bring them back to God.

We need to pray constantly, with fasting, for teenagers in today’s society. One poster above said something about “it was good enough for me 50 years ago.” Well, to that poster I would say, “Things are a lot different now. Evil is widespread, not just hidden in pockets, and our Church has been attacked horribly by Satan (e.g., the priest scandal). Our kids’ souls are in mortal danger, and we need to stop pretending that kids and their environment are the same that they were 50 years ago .”

Just an example–thirty five years ago, I was a teenager of 15, and I didn’t know about sex. Most of my friends were the same way. We giggled about “kissing,” but we didn’t know about the “act of marriage.” It just wasn’t something that teenagers knew about in the early 1970s.

Now even little children are supposed to know the “basics” by the time they are eight, because among girls, the menstrual cycle and even sexual activity will start by the the time they are TEN.

The Bible says that if we raise a child in the way he should go, when he is old, he won’t depart from it. We need to take God’s promise to Him and beg Him to fulfil it.

And sadly, we need to realize that the answer to our prayer might not happen in our lifetime. We may never see our children return to Jesus, but we can at least die knowing that God will be faithful to His promises.

So I say, start praying. And in the process, I think that God will change not just the young people that we are praying for, but US as well, to make us more like Jesus so that the young people WILL see Him in us, and long to return to Mass to receive Him.

Also, our fervent prayers for our Church will help the Church to make wise decisions about innovations like Life Teen Mass and other youth outreaches. If we have trusted God in prayer to keep our Church pure of abuse, then we don’t have to worry when the Church makes decisions that are not OUR personal preference. After all, we can trust God to guide our Church.

 

[Walking_Home]

thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/

Excerpts from Pope’s Remarks to Heiligenkreuz; Meditation upon the Liturgy
posted by Shawn Tribe

The Full Text of Pope’s Remarks to Heiligenkreuz is available off Radio Vaticana.

Your primary service to this world must therefore be your prayer and the celebration of the divine Office. The interior disposition of each priest, and of each consecrated person, must be that of “putting nothing before the divine Office”. The beauty of this inner attitude will find expression in the beauty of the liturgy, so that wherever we join in singing, praising, exalting and worshipping God, a little bit of heaven will become present on earth. Truly it would not be presumptuous to say that, in a liturgy completely centred on God, we can see, in its rituals and chant, an image of eternity. Otherwise, how could our forefathers, hundreds of years ago, have built a sacred edifice as solemn as this? Here the architecture itself draws all our senses upwards, towards “what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined: what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9).** In all our efforts on behalf of the liturgy, the determining factor must always be our looking to God. We stand before God – he speaks to us and we speak to him. Whenever in our thinking we are only concerned about making the liturgy attractive, interesting and beautiful, the battle is already lost.** Either it is Opus Dei, with God as its specific subject, or it is not. In the light of this, I ask you to celebrate the sacred liturgy with your gaze fixed on God within the communion of saints, the living Church of every time and place, so that it will truly be an expression of the sublime beauty of the God who has called men and women to be his friends.
…]

… just as a liturgy which no longer looks to God is already in its death throes, so too a theology which no longer draws its life-breath from faith ceases to be theology; it ends up as a array of more or less loosely connected disciplines. But where theology is practised “on bent knee”, as Hans Urs von Balthasar (3) urged, it will prove fruitful for the Church in Austria and beyond.

 

[4unborn]

"I ask you to celebrate the sacred liturgy with your gaze fixed on God within the communion of saints, the living Church of every time and place, so that it will truly be an expression of the sublime beauty of the God who has called men and women to be his friends.
…]

… just as a liturgy which no longer looks to God is already in its death throes, "

The Traditional Latin Mass is truly an expression of beauty and looks to God.

 

[BostonMyrtleBea]

We have teenagers and young people learning Latin, Old English, Old Greek, Gaelic, Old High German ect. So they can read occultic text in there original language and worship in the language of there chosen culture.

Part of what attracted people like me and others to the Catholic church is the image of Latin Mass, Gregorian Chant and it’s mystical side.

I can’t agree with you more. I don’t like it when they change the Mass and make it funky. It drives me AWAY from the Catholic church. I would love to go to Mass in Latin and hear chanting and the organ, etc… (not that Mass in Latin has been a normal thing - I was born in the 1970’s) - ANYTHING traditional.

The church in Myrtle Beach is so depressing because it’s becoming more Protestant in my opinion (no offense to the Prostestants. My brother’s Episcopal Church is more Catholic than my Catholic Church). I can never wait to go back to Boston and go to Mass.

For example, my sister-in-law and I went to the Palm Sunday Mass together. She is from Ireland, so I’m sure you can imagine she was not expecting anything funky. It was so scary we wanted to leave (as did many that night). We were told to get out of the aisles and put our hands on the shoulders of others and stuff like that. Then a guy came down the aisle and started preaching about JEsus. Then there was a dancer going up and down the aisles. Then there were sound effects, then, then, then, then we left. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was FREAKED OUT. She was FREAKED OUT. There were droves of people leaving - all FREAKED OUT. I told a friend about it and he said his friends were in town from New England and they left too because it was so weird. Here’s the funny thing - I went to THAT Mass (instead of Easter Sunday) because they always hold Easter Sunday Mass at the local theater. It’s like a TV show.

 

[cyberwolf001]

I can’t agree with you more. I don’t like it when they change the Mass and make it funky. It drives me AWAY from the Catholic church. I would love to go to Mass in Latin and hear chanting and the organ, etc… (not that Mass in Latin has been a normal thing - I was born in the 1970’s) - ANYTHING traditional.

The church in Myrtle Beach is so depressing because it’s becoming more Protestant in my opinion (no offense to the Prostestants. My brother’s Episcopal Church is more Catholic than my Catholic Church). I can never wait to go back to Boston and go to Mass.

For example, my sister-in-law and I went to the Palm Sunday Mass together. She is from Ireland, so I’m sure you can imagine she was not expecting anything funky. It was so scary we wanted to leave (as did many that night). We were told to get out of the aisles and put our hands on the shoulders of others and stuff like that. Then a guy came down the aisle and started preaching about JEsus. Then there was a dancer going up and down the aisles. Then there were sound effects, then, then, then, then we left. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was FREAKED OUT. She was FREAKED OUT. There were droves of people leaving - all FREAKED OUT. I told a friend about it and he said his friends were in town from New England and they left too because it was so weird. Here’s the funny thing - I went to THAT Mass (instead of Easter Sunday) because they always hold Easter Sunday Mass at the local theater. It’s like a TV show.

Ahhh another Carolina Girl! I’m up in Florence myself, St. Anthony’s if you can make it, a great and wonderful Church. Also we got St. Ann’s ^.^

As to the “Mass” I’d have probably reported them on the spot. An I suggest you do so, we got an awesome Bishop here in SC ^.^

 

[anniemart]

Geez…he’s not saying he thinks of it that way…he’s relating it how a child looks at it.

ridiculous!! a child is incapable of conceiving even the slightest notion that the mass has reverence? who’s to blame here? the mass as it’s designed or the parents?

 

[BostonMyrtleBea]

Ahhh another Carolina Girl! I’m up in Florence myself, St. Anthony’s if you can make it, a great and wonderful Church. Also we got St. Ann’s ^.^

As to the “Mass” I’d have probably reported them on the spot. An I suggest you do so, we got an awesome Bishop here in SC ^.^

It’s great when you live in a good parish I miss my old parish at home. I even went back and told my old priest that I didn’t enjoy Mass down here

I try to tell myself that it doesn’t matter - as long as I go to Mass - but it really does. If I wanted to participate in something like that, I’d go the the freaky “community church” down the street.

I don’t get to Florence much, but I should stop in to one of your parishes on my next trip to I-95.

I’ve now moved to the parish in question. I’ve not been over there since I’ve moved. I don’t even want to register I suppose that without participation, you don’t have a voice, though.

 

[FrankLawrence]

I sincerely hope you will reconsider these statements…did you fully intend to reduce the mass to a mere hour with petty details? I may not have spent as much time with fallen away catholics as you profess to have done so…but I would NEVER use these words to make an argument. I had to look at your profile because you sure do not sound catholic to me…what is the definition of heresy? I think I’ve just seen in it in black and white.

The definition of “heresy” is the denial of divinely revealed truth. For example, if someone were to claim, “The Glorious Assumption never happened,” that person would be guilty of heresy. If, however someone said, “I don’t feel we should spend so much time focussing on the Glorious Assumption when we are doing so at the expense of using our time to talk about Jesus Christ dying for our sins,” then that person would NOT be guilty of heresy, but merely providing intelligent and sound advice. There seems to be a movement in Catholic catechesis to place disproportionately heavy stress on all elements of our faith that Protestants disagree with us about, and doing so at the expense of showing children that Jesus loves them. I never refered to the Mass as being an hour of “petty details.” Please read what I wrote, rather than what you’d like to think I wrote(again, the fallacy of Sola-Scriptura.) Do you think a child cares about the technical attire of a deacon? Do you think a child whose parish never even uses a monstrance cares what a monstrance is? Do you think a child cares what the term, “Benediction” means? Does knowing any of that bring us closer to God, or help us love our neighbor as ourselves? Well, guess what? Children get tested on those things, as if they are super-important aspects of the Catholic faith. What about Jesus’ words to His Apostles(other than those used during the Liturgy of the Eucharist?) What about what He did for us on the cross? Apparently not as significant as when to genuflect at Mass, in the eyes of those who are responsible for designing the curriculum used to catechize our children in CCD. This is the point I’m making. Our children are being bombarded with a bunch of information that they are not likely to find intriguing, nor lifechanging or inspiring, while the more important aspects of the Catholic Faith are being either omitted or minimalized. Presently, rather than a “guide you on your spiritual journey” approach to catechesis, the children seem to be given a curriculum that takes an academic, “learn and spit back a bunch of information that may mean nothing to you,” approach to catechesis. Essentially, it is presenting their faith to them as an academic subject, as opposed to a real living spiritual journey with their personal and loving Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, the protestants are cutting straight to the heart of Christianity, the person of Jesus Christ. The Protestant children get to see their Christianity as an active and vibrant living Spiritual journey, not an hour on Sunday mornings that they must attend under penalty of eternal damnation. Thus, we see Protestants on fire for the Lord, while Catholic children end up leaving the Church. That is what I am perceiving. It’s not about changing the Mass to make it more children-friendly. It’s about our need to let The Holy Spirit work in changing our children, to make them more Mass-friendly. How should this be done? Show them Jesus Christ. Bring them through the New Testament. Show them how much Jesus means to us. Don’t neglect 167 hours of their week for the sake of the other 1. A love for the Mass will happen AFTER they gain a love for Jesus.
For example, say some man you never heard of named Bob Smith was president of some third world country you never heard of, and suddenly died in a car accident. Would you really care about the details of a memorial celebration in his honor, even if during his lifetime, he told people how he wanted that future celebration to be? Would you care what candles were in the room, what music was played, or what meal was served afterwards? Would you even care what he had to say during his lifetime? What if, however, Bob Smith was someone who had suffered and died as a result of taking a bullet that was aimed at you? Then, would you be excited to attend a celebration that he told you to do, “In memory of me,” knowing that he would be present there, too? I hope that analogy got my point across. If not, I apologize for a bad analogy. In other words, we need Jesus to lead us to the Mass, not the other way around. (I probably sound like a broken record, but until everyone gets what I am saying, I may just have to repeat myself over and over.)

 

[Cat]

The definition of “heresy” is the denial of divinely revealed truth. For example, if someone were to claim, “The Glorious Assumption never happened,” that person would be guilty of heresy. If, however someone said, “I don’t feel we should spend so much time focussing on the Glorious Assumption when we are doing so at the expense of using our time to talk about Jesus Christ dying for our sins,” then that person would NOT be guilty of heresy, but merely providing intelligent and sound advice. There seems to be a movement in Catholic catechesis to place disproportionately heavy stress on all elements of our faith that Protestants disagree with us about, and doing so at the expense of showing children that Jesus loves them. I never refered to the Mass as being an hour of “petty details.” Please read what I wrote, rather than what you’d like to think I wrote(again, the fallacy of Sola-Scriptura.) Do you think a child cares about the technical attire of a deacon? Do you think a child whose parish never even uses a monstrance cares what a monstrance is? Do you think a child cares what the term, “Benediction” means? Does knowing any of that bring us closer to God, or help us love our neighbor as ourselves? Well, guess what? Children get tested on those things, as if they are super-important aspects of the Catholic faith. What about Jesus’ words to His Apostles(other than those used during the Liturgy of the Eucharist?) What about what He did for us on the cross? Apparently not as significant as when to genuflect at Mass, in the eyes of those who are responsible for designing the curriculum used to catechize our children in CCD. This is the point I’m making. Our children are being bombarded with a bunch of information that they are not likely to find intriguing, nor lifechanging or inspiring, while the more important aspects of the Catholic Faith are being either omitted or minimalized. Presently, rather than a “guide you on your spiritual journey” approach to catechesis, the children seem to be given a curriculum that takes an academic, “learn and spit back a bunch of information that may mean nothing to you,” approach to catechesis. Essentially, it is presenting their faith to them as an academic subject, as opposed to a real living spiritual journey with their personal and loving Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, the protestants are cutting straight to the heart of Christianity, the person of Jesus Christ. The Protestant children get to see their Christianity as an active and vibrant living Spiritual journey, not an hour on Sunday mornings that they must attend under penalty of eternal damnation. Thus, we see Protestants on fire for the Lord, while Catholic children end up leaving the Church. That is what I am perceiving. It’s not about changing the Mass to make it more children-friendly. It’s about our need to let The Holy Spirit work in changing our children, to make them more Mass-friendly. How should this be done? Show them Jesus Christ. Bring them through the New Testament. Show them how much Jesus means to us. Don’t neglect 167 hours of their week for the sake of the other 1. A love for the Mass will happen AFTER they gain a love for Jesus.
For example, say some man you never heard of named Bob Smith was president of some third world country you never heard of, and suddenly died in a car accident. Would you really care about the details of a memorial celebration in his honor, even if during his lifetime, he told people how he wanted that future celebration to be? Would you care what candles were in the room, what music was played, or what meal was served afterwards? Would you even care what he had to say during his lifetime? What if, however, Bob Smith was someone who had suffered and died as a result of taking a bullet that was aimed at you? Then, would you be excited to attend a celebration that he told you to do, “In memory of me,” knowing that he would be present there, too? I hope that analogy got my point across. If not, I apologize for a bad analogy. In other words, we need Jesus to lead us to the Mass, not the other way around. (I probably sound like a broken record, but until everyone gets what I am saying, I may just have to repeat myself over and over.)

Perhaps this is why so many MANY Catholic children attended our Pioneer Club in the Protestant church.