>Of course, we weren't Catholic, either.
Sorry, I had no choice. I *had* to post that.
Posted on 06/27/2005 1:42:52 PM PDT by Coleus
| Parents miss Mass, kids get ax |
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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. |
This is an important part of the Faith that they are learning in these classes. So, if the parents are rarely showing up for Mass, it doesn't really help reinforce what the kids are learning.
That said, I'm not in a position to say whether or not this pastor made the right call.
Okay, my bad.
Then, I agree with the priest.
When my mom was growing up, there had to be a very good reason why ANY Catholic child was not in a Catholic school. If you couldn't afford it, the Church found a way.
you aren't getting it. this is NOT about attendance at a Catholic elementary school. it is CCD, which is religion class for kids who attend public school, and which is required for them to be able to receive the sacraments. My kids attend catholic school with noncatholics, but there is no point to having any nonCatholics in a catholic education class.
I knew the anti-Catholic bigots would not be far behind on this one...
I'm conflicted on this one.
The parents need to be called out on their disregard of the Third Commandment, but at the same time the kids need to be instructed no matter how slack their folks are.
It's a tough call. >>>>
You're right, the kids have souls and brains too, both of which need to be enriched.
There are many Churches (including mine) which would be happy to teach Sunday School to any and all, not only those who donate. It's biased reporting like this that gives us Christians a bad name. >>
what's biased? the pastor said money was not an issue, attendance at mass was.
Every man is bound to fulfil those duties which he has undertaken to perform. Now it has been stated above that godparents take upon themselves the duties of a tutor. Consequently they are bound to watch over their godchildren when there is need for them to do so: for instance when and where children are brought up among unbelievers. But if they are brought up among Catholic Christians, the godparents may well be excused from this responsibility, since it may be presumed that the children will be carefully instructed by their parents. If, however, they perceive in any way that the contrary is the case, they would be bound, as far as they are able, to see to the spiritual welfare of their godchildren.
It would seem that the parents have the primary responsibility.
And, legally speaking, godparents can only intervene so much into their godchildren's raising.
Who knows how many of these parents have already had godparents take them to task and ignored them?
That works for Protestants but not Catholics. Mass happens all the time. >>
Right, on saturdays and about 3-4 times on Sundays. I wonder what that dude did for his Father in Law anyway?
I misread the article (I thought this was an expulsion from Catholic school)
Guess I can't do 3 things at one time. (read, listen to my child, and organize my desk!)
my youngest child has to attend CCD because she has a learning disability which required us to pull her from Catholic school and send her to a private Christian school specializing in LD. There are a number of reasons why Catholic children may not be able to attend Catholic school as well as many reasons for NonCatholic kids to want to attend Catholic school. we live in NoVA and there is a long line at my kids Catholic school for registration each year, with parents lining up the night before. this in the vaunted Falls Church public school system that is well thought of as far as academics, but as someone else pointed out the liberal BS is beyond the pale.
So you are all for the priest to violate Christ's dictum of "Suffer the little children to come unto me"?
With the priest doing what he is doing, he is denying the children the right to come into Christ's presence!
Years ago, I was a graduate student and rode a Honda motorcycle. I bought it because I could not afford a car, but I grew to love it! I went to Mass at a local Catholic church. One Sunday, the priest stopped me at the door and said that I could not go in dressed the way I was (coveralls, helmet under my arm...) I tried to explain the good father that it was January, very cold, thus the coveralls, and that I could not wear a dress and ride my motorcycle. Adding that I felt sure God would rather see me dressed like that in church, than at home, I pushed him and walked in. It didn't take me long before I quit going to that church!
what kind of ping list is this?
You're the lunatic who insisted that there is no proof Christianity existed before 300 AD.
I was pointing out how much more strict things were back in my mother's (Catholic) school days.
This priest was not asking too much. How can the child be ready to receive Christ in First Holy Communion, if he/she doesn't know what It is?
You do realize not everybody understands (as evidenced by the question) what these classes were.
How is 'eat the cracker prep' not discriptive and accurate?
I'm a TRAD and I have NEVER heard of this behavior from any Catholic Church. Usually the Priest was at the Family's residence, trying to help. Visiting the sick and physically impaired. Just another way to destroy what's left of the Catholic Church and their belief in God.
I'm very happy that I attend a Traditional Catholic Church. Our church "Our Lady of Fatima" in Carnegie, PA has grown. We don't have enough pews! We have to put chairs in the isle's and sometimes there is standing room only!!!
Never been to or want to go back to the Traditional Catholic Church, click on SSPX Chapels in the menue on the left, and follow the instructions:
http://www.sspx.org/
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