Parents miss Mass, kids get ax

NY Daily News ^ | 06.27.05 | NANCY DILLON

[Ignatius J Reilly]

You can go to confession, mass and take communion provided you have not remarried. My father left my mother over 20 years ago and there was a civil divorce, my mother has probably missed commuinion less than a dozen times on those years. In the eyes of the church she is still a married woman (with a scoundral husband who took off) Talk to your priest

[Zavien Doombringer]

In the true church, you can divorce your mate if there was infidelity... and it is accepted by God. Therefore isn't a sin. You wouldn't be commiting adultery if you got remarried. However, if you were (hypothetically of cource)the one cheating, that's a different story. You are to try to reconcile before God and ask for forgiveness. One you ask, you recieve that forgiveness from God and are welcome into the Church... This is from Paul to the Corintians.

If you aren't allowed to commune/partake of communion then it isn't because God doesn't allow it, it's because the church wants to continually shame you. Find God elsewhere, that isn't the right church. We are human and destined for mistakes that God does forgive. Man has a hard time forgiving, God doesn't.

[socialismisinsidious]

I live in the Pittsburgh area...Catholic High Schools cost about 10K here but elementary school are still reasonable.
I had a half day K and 3 elementary kids in my Church school and it cost me $4500 for all four!
a bargain for sure!

of course my property taxes are insane and the government schools keep wanting more

[Former Fetus]

I'm a practicing Catholic and I've never heard of tithing as either a doctrine or a practice.

Neither had I... until that day. Having been born in Spain, I was not surprised whenever I found out that certain things were done different over here, for example I was used to wine for communion and the first time I saw grape juice I was amazed! So, I thought this was another difference, especially since the other graduate students, protestants, talked openly about tithing. What got me was the idea of posting the names of the members who did not tithe. First, I couldn't imagine anything more embarrassing than having your name in a big poster on the wall, as you entered the church, as someone who "owed money to God". Secondly, I couldn't help but thinking that the priest was having to guess peoples' salaries to decide whether or not they were tithing. Then, there was the little detail of people like me, who don't believe in keeping a record of money given to the church, and put cash in the collection plate.

I wish I knew if tithing is common in local Catholic churches, but shortly after I stopped attending that church, I was invited by a friend to worship at a Southern Baptist church. I asked for baptism about a year later and now I don't worry about how other people think they ought to worship. I'm perfectly happy with my relationship with Jesus Christ and He's held me in the palm of His hand through good times and hard times. But several months ago, an old lady at our church was scolding a visitor for not wearing a suit... I stopped her on her tracks and told the visitor that Jesus loved him no matter his clothes. He's now a student in my Sunday school class and, while not yet a member, he worships with us.

[B Knotts]

Just to clarify, there is nothing that keeps you from the Holy Eucharist just because you are divorced.

I am assuming that you are divorced and remarried, which is the issue, correct?

Have you considered exploring the possibility of an annulment? Depending on the circumstances, it may be something that could help you.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Then that is a church that doesn't believe in the book of Malachi...

If you have to force people to tithe, then it isn't a God loving Church.

It is also a Church that doesn't believe in God to provide.

I do not attend a church that is a number counter.

[AppyPappy]

We only have services on Sunday. The Catholic churches where I grew up had masses during the week. Saturday was especially crowded.

[Zavien Doombringer]

When I was in the Philippines, there was mass everyday, sometimes three times a day.

[hershey]

It is a tough call. Presumably, the priest lectured on this subject ( a warning), for a week or two from the pulpit on Sunday, but if parents weren't at Mass, they didn't get the message in time.

[Former Fetus]

I am divorced and I don't go to confession, and therefore, I'm not supposed to partake in ritual.

Please, don't take offense at my comments, but have you considered going just one Sunday to a Southern Baptist church? We don't celebrate the Lord's Supper every Sunday, but when we do all baptized believers are invited to put their feet under the table and share in it! Who knows, you may be surprised by finding yourself at home there. I know I did! And, once you live under grace rather than under the law, there's no way you'll ever want to return!

[Zavien Doombringer]

AMEN to that!!!!

I go to Assemblies of God...

[Natural Law]

This isn't Catholic school, it is Cathecism.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Who the Lord sets free is free indeed!

[ga medic]

I agree that this is a difficult subject. At Mass on Sunday, the homily discussed a similar subject. Fr. made a very good comment IMO. He said "the church of God is not a temple for the righteous but a hospital for the sinner."
As a parishioner our duty is to encourage the less faithful to come to Mass, set an example of being a good Christian, and to keep the door open so that everyone can hear the word of God. God will do the rest.

God gave us free will so that we could come to him williingly. This is only shutting the doors on "sinners" by refusing their children religious instruction and possibly sacraments. I fear for the future of the church, if it becomes ok to withhold religious education to children because their parents are not good Catholics.

[tiki]

I don't think this is the answer though I bet he's making a point. I would venture to say that MOST of the kids in our Catechism class don't attend Mass with their families. It is very sad and we talk to the kids and encourage them to ask their parents to come to Mass. But if their parents aren't coming to Mass, how are these kids supposed to learn about God? "Let the children come unto me"

[Former Fetus]

Hallelujah!

[mountainfolk]

Well, we seem to have a very frustrated priest trying to get through to parents the moral obligation to take church teachings seriously. Perhaps he has exhaused all other forms of getting their attention, i.e. letters, individual discussions etc. His approach to this quandary is to cut off their children from the one source they may ever have to learn about the Catholic church and possibly an inclination to become involved with any Christian church. I believe that this priest is dead wrong in cutting these children adrift from being influenced, however minimally, by the knowledge of Christ which will help to shape their moral standards. The non-Catholic buses are making their rounds every Sunday to pick up the unchurched, uncommitted, children regardless of the denominational affiliation of their parents. The old Jesuits would have been appalled at the missed opportunity of reaching young minds to instill in them the teaching of the Catholic church. Forget about the envelopes and tracking mass attendance. Be grateful that the parents have at least a vestige of allegiance to the church that makes them want to send their children to religion classes. Also, from the remarks of one parent, these classes are not free so I doubt they are used for free child care. And I certainly hope that there is no charge for those unable, or unwilling, to pay for the materials used in class. I am sure some of the parishioners would be happy to provide assistance to parents who are trying to provide their children with a knowledge of the Catholic Church even if they themselves are distanced from their Catholic faith.

[show me state]

ping

[Conservative til I die]

"It's hurtful," said Joseph LoPizzo, 38,

Heavens no, the ultimate crime in today's sissified culture.

Grow some balls, Joseph.

[Conservative til I die]

Whoops, I mean I'm not catholic, but I am Godfather to my buddy's youngest son. The way I've understood it, I'm to make sure that the parents are doing their job raising their kids in the ways of the church. If anything ever happens to the parents, then I'm to personally take charge of my Godsons religious up bringing.

As a non-Catholic, you can't really be any Catholic's godfather.