Why don't we have sunday school?

[thistle]

The Mas is the source and summit of our faith. To steer children away from it disturbs me. I wonder what sort of message the children are getting if parents tell them that Mass is important while sending them out?
children sometimes do misbehave. this is an opportunity to help them learn to behave, even when they would rather do otherwise. I remember beig taken out of church by my parents, settled, and then returned to mass. The message I took from this was that Mass was too important for any of us to be away from, or to be disruptive while attending.
Sunday School teachers may be well intentioned, but** they are not required in my parish to have degrees in theology or to have signed agreement to be faithful to the Magisterium in all of their teaching. **
I do not recall my parents keeping my youngest siblings at home while going to different masses, but my mom recently affirmed that they did do so on occasion, so that each might have an opportunity to focus completely on the mass, while the other took care of parenting/escorting to Mass responsibilities. Might this be a good middle ground for you?
May God bless you and your children. Amen.

Neither are the people who conduct catechism classes or those who conduct RCIA classes so do you recommend we stop them too?

 

[gracepoole]

Our old parish holds its faith formation classes (what used to be known as CCD) during Mass (or rather, during the same portions of the Mass when Children’s Liturgy of the Word is typically offered). This, by the way, was one of the biggest reasons for moving to a different parish – I’m not criticizing the choices of others, but I want my kids with us during Mass.

 

[Deana83]

Again, parents with these children know what I’m talking about. There is no sin if parents choose to “ease” their young children into Mass attendance by bringing them for only a few minutes at first, and gradually increasing the time. I agree that at all stages of their development, they should be TAUGHT what is happening in the Mass so that they understand what is going on and that Jesus is Truly Present.

There’s a nursery at the parish we attend and we take our 3 year old daughter there, she loves it. During special services; such as Easter and Christmas the nursery is closed so she joins us and she gets restless. I don’t think she’s being bad either, she’s just being 3, but I definitely get more from Mass if she’s not with us. I noticed the priest has some of the older children come to the front about midway through Mass, he talks to them briefly then sends them on their way with a teacher. The Lutheran church I attended in the past did something similar. It doesn’t really bother me to hear other people’s children acting out or fussy, but if it’s my own I get embarrassed and have to take her out. Doesn’t seem to bother my husband at all.

 

[jeannetherese]

Neither are the people who conduct catechism classes or those who conduct RCIA classes so do you recommend we stop them too?

I apologize for any misunderstanding I have caused; there was no recommendation of stopping classes. Rather, I meant to remind readers that there is no guarantee that those teaching classes will necessarily be well catechized themselves or in agreement with and teaching in agrement with the Magisterium of the Church.
I do like the idea of having religious educators committ to faithfulness to the Magisterium in their teaching. As parents we have a responsibility to our children and their faith formation and one way of supporting them is to consider whether the people and programs being utilized in our parishes are able to provide sound catechesis.