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.
It shouldn't be a tough call. You don't punish the children for the mistakes of their parents.
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.
I agree. Without instruction for these kids, another generation could be 'lost'. It is important to keep instructing the kids, and it has to be done with some care, too, because the little ones I instruct are generally surprised to find their parents are sinning by not attending Mass. We try to encourage the parents by offering a Mass they can attend with their child during class time a couple times during the year. It does bring a few around.
It's a tough call.
Not a tough call at all. The local church official's are using the parents poor attendance record against their children on the supposed rational of their being a 'bad example' to thier kids. And does one person's 'example' save another? not at all ... this is showing a very shallow teaching by their local church, that the sacraments they are being trained are important for their salvation are not really as important as the example of their parents ... confusing and poorly carried out message to these kids. Presents a very hollow and empty example of Christ.
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.
"Do not give to dogs what is holy, nor cast your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet and turn and tear you." (St. Matthew 7.6)
The Sacraments are not to be given to those who have no respect for them, and who do not actively practice the faith. There is absolutely no reason to instruct those who are not actually Christians.
The Church does not Baptise will-nilly, and once Baptised, does not Commune and Confirm willy-nilly either. A Pastor and I personally flunked several children from the confirmation class when I taught CCD. I would have kicked them out of the class completely to, given their utterly disruptive behavior. They needed an exorcism, not the Sacraments. They refused even to be taught the Apostles Creed and basic prayers, let alone the names and purposes of the 7 Sacraments, or the 10 commandments. These were 7th graders about to be confirmed, mind you. Of course they did not attend Mass at all during the year I taught them.
First, this may be the Church's only chance to minister to these children before they go off into the world.
Second, the pastor can always influence the children to get their parents back into the pew, e.g., "Daddy, Father Martin says that if you love Jesus, then you will come see him on Sundays. Why don't you like to visit Jesus, Daddy?"
Third, the pastor may be burning the only bridge than might lead a lapsed Catholic back to the Church.
While I certainly understand the Pastor's frustrations, and do not in any way excuse the conduct of the Parents, I truly believe that the Pastor is being shortlisted in his actions.
It is, but you know, in the end, I support it. I call these types "Sacrament Catholics." We have some cousins who recently had a baby and are rushing to get the Baptism done. They had to change the date to the following month with the Church because it didn't coincide with the date with the restaurant for the party afterward. It became quite the dilemma and the mother was rushing and scrambling to make sure all dates were going to work. Why all of this work and stress? The couple haven't set foot in a Church since the day they were married three years ago.
The problem is that the kids aren't attending mass if the parents don't go.