I know a family in my parish fairly well. Our daughters are friends and went through
First Holy Communion and Confirmation together.
The mother was a CCD teacher and her daughter was/is very involved in
school activities and sports. When the
children were in CCD and Mass attendance was required (kids had to sign in to
prove that they were at Mass) this family would show up late at the Saturday
Vigil Mass still wearing their soccer uniforms, grass stained knee-pads and all.
I had at first thought “Well, at least they showed up.”
But after being invited to their house a few times, learned
that they “took the summers off” from Mass because it wasn’t “required” and it
really didn’t fit in with their very active life style.
They weren’t showing up for Jesus in the Eucharist. They were showing up to be seen and signed in
because the parish required it of children in CCD.
Years earlier, when my youngest daughter was preparing for
First Holy Communion there was nearly a riot at the parents meeting over
scheduling First Holy Communion. The
problem? Sports. There were assorted sports practices and games
filling up the Saturday spring schedules and parents wouldn’t think of allowing
their child to miss a sports event. Some
parents stomped out of the “required” parents meeting because they were going
to be late for one of those sports events.
There were even raised voices and heated exchanges between the parents and the religious director.
As a new convert to the faith back then I was shocked. I
also learned why the parish had to make everything a “requirement”- that’s the
only way parents showed up for anything!
I wondered why these parents even bothered to enroll their
children in CCD when sports were the priority for them. Things got so bad that the First Holy
Communion had to be divided up into different weekends to accommodate the
different sports events going on.
I was incredibly saddened by the entire affair.
Today I read a story about parents in the UK who are whining
about Mass times not being “family friendly” - so they stopped attending Mass completely.
Quote: A survey of baptised parents with children at Catholic primary schools, conducted for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, found that a majority only attended Mass occasionally because they said the time of Sunday services were not family friendly and clashed with their busy lives, and that in some cases other members of the congregation did not appreciate having noisy children in attendance.
What time would be “family friendly” for Mass
attendance? Most parishes offer Saturday
evening Vigil Masses along with several Sunday morning and noon Masses. None of these times are “family friendly”? How about daily Mass? Those too “unfriendly” too?
When in the history of the Church have Catholics (before
now) ever complained that Mass times were simply not “family friendly” for them
so they decided to stop attending Mass?
I imagine when Jesus was arrested, tortured and nailed to a
cross the timing wasn’t “family friendly” for him or the Virgin Mary either. Does anyone think of that?
Do people even know what the First Commandment is anymore? How selfish to put your “busy life” before
God.
The issue here is people are ignorant of the Faith. They simply do not know or don’t believe that
the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
They’ve heard so many homilies on “social justice” for the
past forty years no one knows anything else.
When priests stop preaching the Faith to the people they stopped
TEACHING. How can people pass on the
Faith to their children if they don’t know it themselves because the homilies
they hear constantly talk about social justice issues?
What about the Eucharist?
The Sacraments? How many Catholic
parents raising children can ADEQUATELY tell their children what the Sacraments
are and why they are so important?
Not the parents in the article.
Quote: Findings from the survey showed for many Mass times appeared to be set to suit an older generation and respondents felt prevented from participating more fully because parish life “was run by, and for, an older generation who were regular Mass goers”. It also found that parents had a “limited faith vocabulary”, and in some cases mistakenly believed that before preparation for a sacrament it was necessary to have enough money for the celebration.And…
Identifying parents’ hunger for on-going formation, the report said that the majority of Catholic parents gained knowledge about their faith from their children but wanted the Church to provide better catechesis – including around what do to during Mass.
People are STARVING to be fed the Faith and instead of being
served the banquet our Lord wants us to have, the priests and Bishops are
giving the laity crumbs, barely able to sustain them.
Things have got to change.
Priests MUST teach the Faith to their flocks because the Faith is being
completely lost.
In Christ,
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Sad but so true. I have witnessed this in my own live where I returned to the Church after a 30 year absence and when I returned I was so happy to join my friends (very close friends)back at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Roll forward a few years and some that were surprised I returned have now fallen away. When we go away on our "girls weekend" I have invited them to join me at mass but alas even when they have nothing to do but sit and drink coffee they do not join me. Do not get me started on the families and their sports! If our Catholic schools would set the example and encourage going to Mass so that they will be fortified enough to do battle (play their games)we may be able to change things. As it is the schools are putting "basketball etc" highest on the priority list instead of Catholicism. Too many adults actually do not believe in the True Presence or if they did we would not have enough seats in the Church. So sad.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Home Janice!!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it is terribly sad. I just can't imagine raising kids to think sports is the priority. One day, the parents and the children will be sorry for those decisions.
In Christ,
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
Julie,
ReplyDeleteEven as a boy I noticed that the church was never very full. Then I went away to college and I noticed that "nobody" went to Mass so neither did I. I got married in the Church and I noticed that the Church was never very full. Now I am middle aged and I notice that the Church is never very full.
I think the problem in the Church is simple. We try too hard not to be the Church and succeed in only being a church. All those years when I was steeped in my sin no one from the Catholic Church ever told me that I was sinning. I even thought that what church you attended did not matter. I thought no one had the whole truth.
I pray every day for God to send us someone to will be able to tell the world that we have the Truth in the Catholic Church. We don't have some of the truth, or part of the truth, or even most of the truth. We have it all praise be to God! When people realize the Truth and realize that He is here in the Catholic Church, the pews will be full again.
What a great post, Julie!
ReplyDeleteTo put this issue of "priorities" in a purely secular context: how many people would tell their boss they couldn't come to work, or attend a "mandatory meeting" called by their boss, because their children had some sports activity they must support?!?!?!
It's really very simple: we ALWAYS have time for what we judge important. If your child's soccer game takes precedence over your religious obligations, it says all you need to know about the state of your faith. As you say "Sorry, Jesus! We are just too busy for you!"
Good work "disturbing the comfortable"!
When the Lord returns will he find any faith on the earth? I pray for a Catholic revival and am grateful for people like Michael Voris and blogs like this that don't sugar-coat the faith. Hell is not a candy shop and people better hear that now when they still have time to repent!
ReplyDelete