Younger brother impatient at mass

[passivesquid]

recently ive taken to attend the early masses at my parish, and somtimes my younger brother elects to acompany me. he does it only to get t out of the way and be done ith it for te day. wich i understand, hes young et. but hes very fidgety in mass and it gets distracting. hes always checking his phone, looking around,figdeting, rolling his shoulders ect. but today was the worst iv seen him. at our parish for the eucarist two lines form (one to the preist and one to a deacon). now as a family we always stay on the same line (the priest line) but he swicthes lines and goes to the deacon. ok no problem but he goes all the way around the church and comes up the middle of the ilseand while im praying taps me and says “move in!” and then today at the end of mass as soon as the prest past our pew my brother was right behind him and not only that but he was knockcing into people ot get out. and after mass i like to look around the small book shop(shelf of pamphlets) our parish has and to pray at the st anthony statue(my patron). so i come out of the church after like five minutes and hes waiiting for me with a look on his face. i told him “you need to calm down in church” and he said “what? what did i do?” i know hes young but he was just plain old disprespectfull today. and he should know better than that at age 15. just venting the worst wwas when he came up isle after communion and then his mad dsah out of the church. i told him “i dont care what you do whatever with mom and dad but if your just with me be more respectful and not so impatient.”

 

[benedictgal]

First of all, does he attend any CCD classes? Has he received the Sacrament of Confirmation yet?

Many parishes still have CCD classes for high school students. He probably needs to be enrolled in one of these and pronto!

Solid Christian formation also begins in the home. I was at a diocesan conference and the closing speaker talked about the responsibility of Catholics in the 21st century. He lamented about the fact the Faith is not the topic at the family dinner table. We need to engender a love for God, a love for the Faith and a love for the Church at home by talking about it and doing something about it. As a family, you need to meet this situation head-on.

During the time of Christ, no Roman though that the gladiator battles were boring. Certainly, as unfortunate and as sad as they were, no one considered crucifixions boring. What your brother does not realize is that he is missing the most important encounter he is ever going to have with Jesus: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During Holy Communion, Christ becomes one with us. He yearns to reach out and touch your brother. But, if no one makes any effort to tell your brother that, and explain it to him, then things are going to remain stagnant.

 

[passivesquid]

yes hes been confirmed and complteted religous educatin at our parish. i mean i understand that hes just imature and he doesnt fully understand the faith and mass as i do but it was just rude and disrspectful i thought. idk im just kinda venting it realy got to me when he came up throught the isl after communion and tapped me on the shoulder. his reasoning for swiching lines was that it was shorter, but it took hi longer to get around anyways and still mnaged to be a disruption. and then when he bolted out of the pews was realy rude also. i told “i understand that you go to mass with me to get it out of the way but when your with me calm down in church and be more respectful”

 

[thomasf]

Some kids are that way. I hated going to mass when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to get it done. I used to do and say some pretty dumb, immature things as a teen. Just be patient with him. Try to give him literature and audio about the faith, help to educate him in the faith. Maybe try to make sure he doesn’t have a lot of sugar or coffee before mass in the morning.

Something to thing about. Maybe it’s something you should work on, too. It miht be a test of your patience and love for your brother. You can either respond to this constructively, or negatively. I suggest you try to make the best of it and help him change, and you change, for the better.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

This is an easy one, but you gotta be strong…

Perhaps he wants to go with you because he knows he can get away with things while with you, that he couldn’t with the folks.

I would suggest you tell him right before you leave next time, privately, that he can go with you provided he agrees to not do these things (and name them). And, that you will decide based on how he does, whether you will permit him to come with you next Sunday.

Then, if he acts up, just tell him he can’t come with you and tell him if he pitches a fit with your parents, you’ll tell them why he can’t come with you. AND…Folllow through with your threats.

He may have to go with them for a couple of Sundays before he straightens out.

He’s playing games so play back. Just don’t be mean or nasty about it. Rather, be gentle, but firm.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Oh, and by the way, before you try any of that…

Pray a Rosary for him every day of that week, leading up to Sunday.