Parents miss Mass, kids get ax

NY Daily News ^ | 06.27.05 | NANCY DILLON

[Coleus]

Parents miss Mass, kids get ax

The pastor of a Staten Island Catholic church is playing holy hardball - kicking hundreds of kids out of religious ed classes because their families aren't showing up at Mass.

The Rev. Michael Cichon, pastor of St. Joseph/St. Thomas in Pleasant Plains, used each family's bar-coded donation envelope to track attendance.

He's tossed about 300 kids from classes and told them not to reapply until next April.

Without the classes, children cannot receive the sacraments, meaning some youngsters who thought they'd be making their First Communion next year will have to wait.

The suspensions, legal under church doctrine, were a shock to many parents with kids enrolled in the 1,400-child program, which caters to kids who don't attend Catholic schools.

"It's hurtful," said Joseph LoPizzo, 38, whose 6-year-old son was booted. "I've been a parishioner at that church for 23 years - longer than he's been the reverend."

LoPizzo said he paid the $150 for his son's Thursday afternoon classes last year, but his father-in-law's illness hampered the family's church attendance.

"I've just never heard of a church kicking you out," complained Lisa Nicol, 36, who got a letter saying her 7-year-old twin daughters had been barred from classes. "They should be more welcoming and sensitive."

The pastor said he suspended kids from the 2005-2006 after-school program because Mass is an "essential" component of the Catholic faith.

The affected families were attending church less than once a month, he said.

Cichon insisted that the move has nothing to do with the lack of a donation.

"There are many families who put absolutely nothing inside the envelopes they submit," he said.

Originally published on June 27, 2005

[Rutles4Ever]

Crucifix = A reminder of a constantly dying Christ

As mentioned above, in the eternal aspect, He is constantly dying. He is the eternal sacrifice. But for the sake of temporality, the crucifix is a reminder of the sacrifice, first and foremost.

There have been a lot of theories regarding the fact that some people are repelled by the site of the crucifix. Christ, like the serpent in the desert, was raised on a pole to heal the people. He, in mirroring the serpent of Exodus, became sin to bring us salvation. It's been said that those who do not want to look at the cross are really refusing to look at their sins crucified upon Calvary, thus the discomfort and preference for a cross without a corpus.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

I don't know what happened before, but a criminal condemned to death was not likely to having followed Jesus earlier.

After this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. (St. John 6.67)

[Palladin]

A fine post.

Linda Vester discussed this priest's actions on a segment of her show today, and then asked the audience if what the priest did (expelling kids from CCD and barring them from First Holy Communion) was right. There was a resounding "NO" from the audience.

[wagglebee]

If you are divorced and are currently dating or remarried then you are considered to be engaging in adultery (while dating) or committing adultery (when remarried) and are NOT in concert with the Holy See and can not receive Holy Communion since you are not in a state of grace and violated your covenant oath with God.

Perhaps the Archdiocese of Boston or Washington, DC could mention this to the likes of John sKerry and Tubby Kennedy.

[vrwcagent0498]

(taking a deep breath...)

Read my later posts. I corrected myself.

[Coleus]

"Sacramental Catholics" that's a new one and very appropriate. Seems that's what many are. It's a shame.

and these parents in Staten island can't spend ONE hour out of 168 in a week is pretty pathetic.

[wagglebee]

Perfect response!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

No one should ever be denied the opportunity to be exposed to Christian religious education (from the Catholic end). If a priest (or any other Catholic officials, teachers, etc.) becomes concerned that people are not showing up for Mass, there are other ways to address the matter and to try to increase Mass attendance. The circumstances under which anyone should be denied admission to Catholic educational programs should be handled with the utmost care and only for serious reasons. For the children, this is likely to be recorded in their memories as a negative experience with Catholic bureaucrats.

But, hey, Eucharistic Adoration and the Latin Mass ( or at least some Latin sacred music in the Adoremus. style) are THE BEST ways to boost Mass attendance. Hands down.

[mountainfolk]

It seems to me that in trying to teach the parents a lesson, no doubt a total waste of priestly time, their children are not being taught about Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. What the children are learning is about being rebuffed from a church because of something involving their parents. This memory will linger on into their adulthood. No matter the righteousness felt at the moment by those excluding them from contact with teachings about significant areas of Catholic belief. What can we expect these maturing children to think and feel about the Catholic church which in their minds is unwelcoming and punitive? Why the parents send the children to the classes is not relevant, and probably nobody's business. What is relevant is the opportunity for the teachers to reach the minds and souls of the children sent their way .

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

When the church is taken over by obsessive-compulsive punishment freaks, everyone loses - the kids, the parents, the parish, and the priests.

[CompSciGuy]

Obviously this wouldn't be a problem because if you were there you'd be shaking the Priests hand as you walk out of the door. My family's history was spotty when it came to the collection plate, but the parish priest always knew we attended because we always made it a point to say goodbye to him on the way out of Mass.

Also Catholics are supposed to attend the mass in the parish they live in. If they decided to attend mass elsewhere that is where their children should enroll for CCD.

The pastor of this parish decided to set an example of these parents. How can the authority of the church be taught if the parents don't respect it in practice? If the parents don't like the Catholic faith they should join another church. No one is forcing them to stay.

Cheers,
CSG

[TheGeezer]

Hermann the Cherusker said it very well, and his is the meaning I intended as well. I will not compel, the state will not compel, the Church will not compel joyful worship; only the one who needs to submit to God and His Church may accomplish that, for with true submission will come the Holy Spirit. He will compel. Lacking that, no religious instruction can succeed. If the parents bear no fruit, neither will the children who will do as the parents teach.

[mountainfolk]

Amen---

[Cultural Jihad]

You are confusing the [enforcement] of morality and the judging of moral acts with the judgement of our eternal fate by God.

Respectfully, I was countering your mistaken allegory that those parents who may have neglected to adhere to their religious duties were 'dogs' and 'swine.' Teachers have an extra duty to be cautious in their choice of words.

[Cultural Jihad]

If the parents bear no fruit, neither will the children who will do as the parents teach.

That sounds like a sin against hope.

[TheGeezer]

Are you omniscient?

[SoothingDave]

Respectfully, I was countering your mistaken allegory that those parents who may have neglected to adhere to their religious duties were 'dogs' and 'swine.'

It's an analogy. Saying "don't cast pearls before swine" doesn't mean you are literally calling a person swine.

It's about how those who don't value things, don't value them. So valuable things shouldn't be wasted on those who hold them in no esteem.

SD

[moog]

Years ago, most parents and their children attended mass every Sunday, no excuses

Too many excuses for a lot of thing nowadays.

[moog]

Him to another poster---"You're the lunatic who insisted that there is no proof Christianity existed before 300 AD"

Undoubtedly, it did exist before then. CHRIST was the one who started it. There were some big councils and decisions made though around 300 AD and probably where modern Christianity began to take shape.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Respectfully, I already explained the traditional Biblical interpretation of the Church calls them exactly that.

Or didn't you read it?