A Majority of Catholic kids in RE don't attend mass regularly on Sunday
Did you know that at most Catholic parishes, those kids in the classroom religious education program don't always attend Mass on Sunday? Well in our current parish (and the one we used to attend) that appears to be the case.
It seems that many parents drop off their kids at RE every week, probably for preparation to receive First Communion or Confirmation, but for some reason they don't think that attendance at the Sunday mass is as important.
My own kids have experienced this first hand, when asked one of my daughter's class was asked if they attended Mass the previous Sunday, only a handful of the student raised their hands (this has happened in more than one RE class with more than one of my kids). My kids were rightly shocked. They shared this with us and couldn't believe that some families don't attend mass every Sunday. I turned to my wife and said, "we must be doing something right, our kids think missing mass is serious business."
So why do some Catholics not view the mass as the beautiful gift that it is? There are many answers, but none are very good. It probably boils down to a lack of passion for their faith and the passion that their parents had for the faith. They are just going through the motions and thinking, if I do the following things, I have done what was required to be considered a Catholic. Maybe no one has ever told them what it means to be a Catholic.
My pastor has a mission, and has been concerned about this topic for the past year or so. He has asked the RE department to work up some handouts that will hopefully motivate some of these cultural Catholics to come home to the blessed Eucharist and to fully participate in parish life.
The Mass - Source and Summit of the Christian Life.pdf
Take a look at the flyer above, tell me if you think this would motivate you or someone you know. Feel free to pass it out to those who might need to see something like this. I plan to do at least 8 more of these flyers, all taking a different angle on why you should go to Mass. I don't have all the topics picked, so if you think you have the best persuasive idea on why everyone should attend Mass, let me know.
God Bless,
It seems that many parents drop off their kids at RE every week, probably for preparation to receive First Communion or Confirmation, but for some reason they don't think that attendance at the Sunday mass is as important.
My own kids have experienced this first hand, when asked one of my daughter's class was asked if they attended Mass the previous Sunday, only a handful of the student raised their hands (this has happened in more than one RE class with more than one of my kids). My kids were rightly shocked. They shared this with us and couldn't believe that some families don't attend mass every Sunday. I turned to my wife and said, "we must be doing something right, our kids think missing mass is serious business."
So why do some Catholics not view the mass as the beautiful gift that it is? There are many answers, but none are very good. It probably boils down to a lack of passion for their faith and the passion that their parents had for the faith. They are just going through the motions and thinking, if I do the following things, I have done what was required to be considered a Catholic. Maybe no one has ever told them what it means to be a Catholic.
My pastor has a mission, and has been concerned about this topic for the past year or so. He has asked the RE department to work up some handouts that will hopefully motivate some of these cultural Catholics to come home to the blessed Eucharist and to fully participate in parish life.
The Mass - Source and Summit of the Christian Life.pdf
Take a look at the flyer above, tell me if you think this would motivate you or someone you know. Feel free to pass it out to those who might need to see something like this. I plan to do at least 8 more of these flyers, all taking a different angle on why you should go to Mass. I don't have all the topics picked, so if you think you have the best persuasive idea on why everyone should attend Mass, let me know.
God Bless,
Tags: eucharist, mass, religious education
Comment
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Comment by Allen Hebert on October 13, 2008 at 8:18pm -
Unfortunately, this is a misinterpretation of the Truth of Church teaching. It is true that the parents are the primary Catechists of their children and thus it is ultimately the parents responsibility to pass on the faith that would result in regular mass attendance, but if those parents send them to Catholic schools, it is a reasonable expectation that the school would assist them in teaching this love for the Church too. To say what he said implies that Catholic education does not participate in this task as part of its mission.
God Bless,
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Comment by David Obeid on October 13, 2008 at 6:41pm -
Hi Allen,
Here in Australia, where most Catholic School religious education teachers attended the Australian Catholic University (ACU) to obtain the qualifications, Professor Graham Rossiter has gone on record to say that the job of Catholic schools is not to lead children to become regular Mass going Catholics when they are older.
Prof. Rossiter said as much at a staff spirituality day at my school in 2006.
What most galled me was the smiles and nods he got from my colleagues as he said that and other things that made me see even more clearly why my wife and I home school our children.
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