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. |
Scripture would also include the apocrypha, then. So why is it not in your Bible?
Wrong. Try studying logic. This is a common misconception.
"If X, then Y" does not mean "If not X, then not Y" is true.
It means "If not Y then not X" is true.
If it snows, I will wear my boots.
This doesn't mean "If it doesn't snow, I won't wear my boots."
For example, it could be muddy, or I could like the way they make my legs look.
But it does mean if I am not wearing my boots, that it must not have snowed.
SD
Maybe a "for instance" could help this poor little Christian boy to understand. Guide me.
In your belief, were they baptized with the Holy Spirit.
1 John 5:16-17What is Mortal Sin?"If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin [mortal sin], about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly [venial sin]."
Should be a question mark at the end of that:
In your belief, were they baptized with the Holy Spirit?
I don't have "a" bible. We can use whatever one you want. The RC version is fine with me.
You are going on and on about it. You'd think there was nothing other than exceptions. Adult priests and parents are able to resolve issues like this.
One of the best Catholics (and Christians) I know goes to Mass in downtown Chicago almost everyday. Sometimes misses Mass at his church on Sunday.
Perhaps you didn't read the article. There is a differene between "sometimes misses Mass at his church on Sunday" and "hasn't shown up for Mass in months."
It's really foolish to continue talking about exceptions that are not the issue.
SD
And that word is where?
"Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you." (St. John 6.54)
Thanks. I'll study up on that.
31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
You don't have "a" bible, but you confess to live by it? That's kind of like calling oneself a Catholic and not going to chu-- nevermind.
Are the mute condemned to hellfire frombeing unable to speak?
Are infants unable to be saved since they cannot confess or believe? Or are all infants saved by virtue of being born? (And then when do they become "unsaved" again so that they need to confess the Lord Jesus to become saved again?) Your post is quite confusing.
I take that back. You didn't confess to live by it, but if something is not "biblical" APPARENTLY, you don't agree with it?
The real issue for me is the keeping of the children from the teaching of the gospel in order to try to force the parents to be better Catholics. I'm sorry, I can't advocate or even excuse that approach, and I know lots of Catholics who don't either.
I'll pray for the Priest, and the parents, and the children. It sounds like they all could use it.
You somehow disassociate attending Mass from "teaching of the Gospel."
Don't you believe parents have a responsibility to raise up their children with good habits and faith?
Has your Church ever confirmed anyone who never attends services?
SD
What you are witnessing is the extinguishing of the fire of the divine life in their souls from starvation of its natural food supply - the Most Holy Eucharist.
How very sad!
The very young you speak of are enthused because they still have the habits of faith and charity.
Did that... for 2 years. But that's irrelevant. If Scripture says that I need to believe and confess in order to be saved, all I can do is thank the Lord for offering me such an option. I don't discuss with Him why He does what He does.
How do you know that the Thief was not baptized? Many people were baptized by Christ's disciples. See St. John 3.23-4.2.
I don't think any one of the several bibles I have used is better or worse than the others. Someone else may have that info, but as far as I'm concerned, they are not "one or the other". We have lots of bibles in my house. Some are even RC!
And,,I never said I live by the bible, you made that up. You do that a lot.
I try to live by it, but alas, I am a sinner. Like you.
That's kind of like calling oneself a Catholic and not going to chu-- nevermind.
It's nothing at all like that, so I'll be glad to "never mind" it.
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