Ccd?

[PammyK]

My daughter attended Catholic school from K-8. Now she's in public school. In order to be confirmed she would have to attend classes for 3 years. Confirmation is making a committment to remain a Catholic. Many parents and kids treat it as just another ceremony. My daughter is not attending the CCD class. When she's older and decides if she wants to remain Catholic, she can do it through the RICA classes. To me, it's too big a deal to be treated lightly.

Exactly!

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

If we wanted to we could change to a local parish just not be members. In other words just go to mass there. Really I think it's a result of trying to keep our tiny church going. Our priest is a lovely man but I can't understand about 50% of what he says. And he's it. It's a one Priest Church. 3 masses on the weekends.

What a change from my NY parish- we had 4 masses on Saturday night alone. Then on Sunday- gosh there was the 7 the 9, 10, 10:15, 11, 11:45. Noon. 4 pm. 5 pm.(they had 2 locations so there could be 2 going on at the same time.)

I grew up in a rural area...I'm glad we weren't told which parish to be part of. I loved my church in the city (even though it was hard for my mom to have to take me 45 minutes to see my friends on the weekends and to all the church activities I did...she just dropped me off at school on her way to work in the morning since she worked in the city as well.) It was also connected to my elementary school. Neither of the high schools I went to told my family that we had to be members of the parish they were connected to either.

 

[PammyK]

If you read what I wrote I said we go to mass on SATURDAY night- the 5PM mass.
They are now telling me every third Sunday I have to attend the 9AM mass. That's what is bothering me. It isn't our Priest doing this it's the CCD head. It's this HAVE TO attitude and I will tell you what to do I think that turns so many people off. Me included.

And if you read what I wrote in my original response to you, I acknowledged that and offered my opinion that there are better ways for the CCD program to monitor Mass attendance which is less disruptive to your family's schedule. If you'll fully read the post you quoted in your response, you'll see that I was responding to another poster who was asking for a further explanation of something I had said in my original response.

Sorry if you missed that. Just to be clear, I agree with you that the DRE would be doing a better job of serving the parish community by finding a way to track Mass attendance for the CCD students that is less disruptive to each family's schedule.

 

[Aisling]

I've been a CCD catechist for 8 years, and we have a special Mass aimed at children once a month at the ten oclock Mass. The priest's homily is geared for their age, and he goes out among them while he speaks. The kids love it.

My feeling as a religion teacher is that these mandatory Masses are necessary because so many of them rarely ever come. How can we teach them their religion if they don't come to the celebration of the Eucharist, which is the foundation of our faith? There have been some kids with sports conflicts, and a chat with the DRE takes care of other options.

Many parents seem to be just going through the motions, just to get that First Holy Communion/Confirmation certificate. I teach the children that coming to Mass is a beautiful way of showing their love for Jesus, by all of us gathering together in His name, and it's our Catholic way of keeping the Sabbath holy like the commandment says to.

 

[lanicastro]

At least you have kids attending CCD. We just started today, and I was shocked at the low turnout. Last year, there were 7 or 8 kids in my son's second grade class. This year, in the combined 3rd and 4th grade class there were 2 students! Guess the rest of them made their First Communion and will be back when it is time for Confirmation! I think the numbers swell for second grade and eighth grade at our church.

As far as attendance, our priest tells us to turn in our envelopes, even if you leave it empty. That way they know we were at mass.

Lynn

 

[Aisling]

its all fundraising.

mikeeee

Many practicing Catholics see their parish as their second home, so we sincerely want to give money on a regular basis so that our parish wants for nothing. We have separate fundraisers for specific things, like a new floor for the gym. We give what we can, and if we can't, we don't, with no stigma attached. We're lucky to belong to a parish where the priests' first priority is guiding us in our faith, and not how much money comes in.

 

[mjkacmom]

Kids don't have to attend church every week to have a full understanding of their faith. You many think otherwise, but this is my belief.

.

But one of the the teachings of the faith in the Catholic church is that missing weekly Mass in a sin. I know that is not the case in other christian religions, but it is the case with this one. It's a major teaching in this faith.

 

[Nancyg56]

I would guess that your pastor is going to get quite a few complaints about this from members of your parish. If it's the same priest (and I know a lot of parishes don't have more than one priest...the ones I grew up in are lucky and have two still), then the homily is most likely the same at both masses. Arbitrary rules are the main reason I grew away from the Catholic Church.

Our Parish has a Children's Mass at 8 Am on Sunday and the classes follow that Mass. It used to be mandatory that the children attend that Mass but that was changed a few years ago, not all families can all attend that Mass together. We generally attend that Mass with our DGD because the music and sermon is geared towards the kids. I personally prefer it but agree that not all families can attend any specific Mass together.

 

[SpecialK]

And if you read what I wrote in my original response to you, I acknowledged that and offered my opinion that there are better ways for the CCD program to monitor Mass attendance which is less disruptive to your family's schedule. If you'll fully read the post you quoted in your response, you'll see that I was responding to another poster who was asking for a further explanation of something I had said in my original response.

Sorry if you missed that. Just to be clear, I agree with you that the DRE would be doing a better job of serving the parish community by finding a way to track Mass attendance for the CCD students that is less disruptive to each family's schedule.

At some point, the DRE and the pastor have to let go and trust the parents. Mass attendace should not be tracked - it's nobody's business but the family's. How sincere is anyone's participation if they are forced to be there?

 

[monorailsilver]

The situation of parents sending their children to CCD and having them receive the sacraments without having a real intention or understanding of supporting the sacramental responsibilities they are placing on their child.

I can tell you I went to church every week as a child until I was 19-20 ish (I forget when I stopped going).

I didn't get anything out of church other then repitition. I have gone to church a handful of times over the past 10 years & I still know all those prayers.

My kids go to CCD weekly but I don't go to church. Is that bad of me, I guess it is. Even if I did go to church I would not be one to explain things to them. I don't read the bible so I can't explain verses. I can remember reading the bible during CCD classes back in the early 80's & I never got what they said.

So why do I send them? I made a commitment when I got married in a Catholic Church to do so. Plus the fact my parents would not be very happy with me if I chose not to send them. Yes they are my kids but I am still my parents child. And my mother brings that "your grandmother would not be too happy if you didn't" into play every so often. You know those Italian grandmothers....

My 8 yo has gone a few times & tells me it is boring. My almost 6 yo forget it, he has no interest in sitting in a pew for that long. My 3yo, um..no...

I would take my kids on Saturday if they wanted to. I work every Sunday so that is out & Saturday is the only day that we do family things/yard work. My dh is not religious at all BTW.

 

[jaminmd]

not worth possibly getting points

 

[SpecialK]

not worth possibly getting points

Then why bother posting at all?

 

[edandcolleen1995]

We send our kids to CCD once a week.

We don't attend mass. We are doing it because my wife wants them to get confirmation and be able to get married in a church if they want to down the road..

Our Church does not require the weekly Mass thing like the OP has. If they did, we would find another parish.

 

[PatsMom]

I went to a parochial school so CCD didn't enter my life until the middle of the 8th grade when I changed schools. My mother wanted me to take the classes for confirmation and then decide if I wanted to be confirmed or not (I was). We were required as the youth group to attend mass together once per month. If you couldn't make the monthly mass, you had to let the teacher know why (family issues, etc were accepted as excuses). The point was for us to do things as a group. The mass was geared toward us - the folk group performed, and we usually had an informal social get together in the church all after mass.

My DD opted not to be confirmed. She did take the CCD classes but this group did not have any issues with mass attendance. She was in high school when she started (also did parochial elementary/middle school). They emphasized service to the community, the church, etc. They were required to do a service project either individually or as a group. Many supported the Polar Express which benefits a children's literacy foundation. My DD is an awfully cute elf! Getting the kids to the mandatory activities could be difficult- we are a widespread parish as a result of a consolidation of three parishes a number of years ago. But to me it was part of the commitment we made when we enrolled her.

If it were every Sunday, I would object to being told to attend a specific mass. But once a month really isn't that bad.

 

[jaminmd]

Then why bother posting at all?

Because I deleted what I posted, thats why.

The OP is getting her hand slapped because she wants to go to mass when it is convenient for her family but according to many here she should just do as the church tells her to. No wonder why so many people left the church - myself included.

 

[Erin1700]

Call us one of those families that pull their kid after getting First Communion!! We just decided not to send her this year.

No way could we follow their demands of going to a certain mass. I have an 8 yr old and a 2 yr old. We sometimes got to church, other times there is no way we can go with the baby.
My main reason for pulling her though (and my parents who are very active in the church are furious about it) is this...last year she got First Penance and Communion. They had a workbook in class and sent HOME the sacrament books for us to do at home! Now, I would have been more than happy to work together on teaching her what she needed to know, but they hardly talked about the sacraments at all in class. I still have not gotten an answer as to why they didnt also teach her this material.
Personally I was raised in a very strict Catholic home and once I was able, I stopped going to church. I do not consider myself fully catholic. Part of my decision was based upon the termination of our pastor who stood up there for years preaching but it came out that he did something inappropriate before even coming to our church. He is no longer a priest but he isnt in jail where I think he should be.

 

[Nancyg56]

The OP is getting her hand slapped because she wants to go to mass when it is convenient for her family but according to many here she should just do as the church tells her to. No wonder why so many people left the church - myself included.

I imagine that the DRE and the Pastor are requiring that the children go to that Mass because it will be a Mass that is specifically geared towards the children, not to track attendance. Our parish used to require that the children attend the Mass before the class. I think that they really wanted the children to experience the children's Mass adn tehn reinforce with the class after. It si no longer required but w find it more convenient to attend this Mass.

If I was the OP I would simply discuss the matter with the Pastor and the DRE. Their attendance is not the issue so it would be interesting to find out why this policy is on place. And also to let the Pastor know that it wil not work for their family.

 

[beattyfamily]

I do not get why this religious thread is not locked.

I wish the moderators would be clear about what is considered political or religious talk and also be consistant.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

But one of the the teachings of the faith in the Catholic church is that missing weekly Mass in a sin. I know that is not the case in other christian religions, but it is the case with this one. It's a major teaching in this faith.

Yea well there are practicing Christians that committ worse sins than not going to church and still preach the word of God.

If not attending church every week with my family is the worse sin I ever committ, I feel I'm doing pretty good.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

I do not get why this religious thread is not locked.

I wish the moderators would be clear about what is considered political or religious talk and also be consistant.

You know you can just report the thread and put your reasons why to the mod.