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

[Cultural Jihad]

Unfortunate that the children just learned that Jesus doesn't want them unless they pay... Sad state of affairs here.

No one's child was removed from the private school because their parents failed to offer financial support to the Church. They were removed from school because the parents failed to attend Mass regularly.

As the article states:

---

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.

---

[Hermann the Cherusker]

I cited the verse I did because it is applicable to the situation.

I didn't cite the ones you did because they are not applicable. I.e. my brother isn't offending against me be not going to Mass, he is rather apostacizing. So I don't see the connection between my forgiving him and him failing to come to Church. I could only forgive him if he had done someting against me.

I'm not emphasizing anything over another. I'm simply citing the applicable verse and giving the reasons.

If something else applied, I'd cite that.

The analogy of dogs and swine was chosen by the Lord. I merely cited it and noted the traditional application to just this sort of situation, people making a mockery of the Sacraments.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Ok, what's the diference anyway?

They were just told Jesus doesn't want them...

They won't realize it's a church that rejected or ejected them.

[D-fendr]

They were just told Jesus doesn't want them...

Maybe you would tell them that. Otherwise I dunno where you'd get it. But I doubt you would. Likely it's flamebait. Consider yourself doused.

[D-fendr]

the children just learned that Jesus doesn't want them unless they pay

Consider yourself hosed.

[TAdams8591]

Father should have warned them first that he would kick them out of the program if they didn't attend mass. If mass attendance still didn't improve then he should have suspended them. Or had a point system: three missed masses within six months or some reasonable period of time and the children are out of the program.

What's the point of teaching children something and then having it all undone by parents who are doing the opposite .

[Coleus]

Father should have warned them first that he would kick them out of the program if they didn't attend mass. >>

I'm sure he did, I doubt this was a knee-jerk reaction. And I bet the pastor spelled out the parental responsibilities prior to the CCD year. Most pastors do when the parents register their children, it's usually on the form.

[TAdams8591]

Then the parents have no legitimate complaint.

[Coleus]

St. John Vianney, the holy Cure' D Ars, patron saint of parish priests said, "that if we could see with the vision of the angels who it is that is present to us here, who it is we are receiving in Holy Communion, we would die not of shock, not of fear, but of love!"

 

St. John Vianney said, "All good works taken together cannot have the value of one Holy Mass, because they are the works of men, whereas the holy mass is the work of God."

 

"Do not be afraid of people saying that going to Mass on a week day is only for those who have nothing to do ... Are you ashamed to serve God for fear of being despised?"

 

"When you hear Mass, do you come in the same frame of mind as the Blessed Virgin Mary at Calvary? Because it is the same God and the same Sacrifice."

 

"Those who go often to Mass during the week, do their work very much better than those who, for want of faith, think they have no time for it."

 

St. James the Apostle said this about his Mass, "When the moment of Consecration is arriving, every one should be silent, and trembling with reverential awe; he should forget everything earthly, remembering that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is coming down upon the altar as a victim to be offered to God the Father, and as food to be given to the Faithful; He is preceded by the Angelic choirs, in full splendor, with their faces veiled, singing hymns of praise with great joy."

 

Our Blessed Mother once told Blessed Alain, "My Son so loves those who assist at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass that if it were necessary He would die for them as many times as they have heard Masses."

 

Our Lord once said to St. Matilda:

 

"At the moment of Consecration I come down first in such deep HUMILITY, that there is no one at Mass, no matter how despicable and vile he may be, towards whom I do not humbly incline and approach, if he desires Me to do so and prays for it;

SECONDLY- I come down with such great PATIENCE that I suffer even my greatest enemies to be present and grant them the full pardon of all their sins, if they wish to be reconciled with Me;

THIRDLY - I come with such IMMENSE LOVE that no one of those present can be so hardened that I do not soften his heart and enkindle it with my love if he wishes Me to do so;

FOURTHLY - I come with such inconceivable LIBERALITY, that none of those present can be so poor that I would not enrich him abundantly;

FIFTHLY - I come with such sweet FOOD that no one ever so hungry should not be refreshed and fully satiated by ME.

SIXTHLY - I come with such GREAT LIGHT and SPLENDOR that no heart, how blinded soever it may be, will not be enlightened and purified by My presence.

SEVENTHLY - I come with such great sanctity and TREASURES of GRACE, that on one, however inert and indevout he may be, should not be roused from this State."

[Coleus]

If only parents and all Catholics realize how truly special Holy mass is.

[Salvation]

Part of the promises made by a couple during a Catholic marriage is to bring their children up in the Catholic Church. That means setting a good example too.

I pray for parents all the time. It's difficult these days to teach children values with all the crap on TV.

But in this case it sounds like the parents need some basic values and virtues!

Gifts of the Holy Spirit, fall down on these marriages and families.

[Mr. Silverback]

Parents miss Mass, kids get ax

Whoa, that's kinda harsh! Oh wait, they don't mean that literally. Never mind.