....in POURING rain and gusting winds. Beaches deserted. I left my waterproof along with some other items for J. to bring by car, as I had a lot to carry by train, travelling with Mother. J. is delayed by work in London and won't be coming. The weather in London is hot.
Crowded Mass on Sunday, lots of children, which ought to have been encouraging, but somehow wasn't, as the ones nearest me spent the whole of the most sacred part of the Mass giggling and chatting making paper darts from the newsletters while their younger counterparts ran about or were entertained with little games by their mum. As Mass finished, a great hubbub of talking and shouting.
I am getting a good deal of revision done for my Maryvale exams, which are next Saturday.
6 comments:
Good luck with your exams - count on all of our prayers xx
In the old days the men used to sit in the porch, smoking, whilst their wives said the rosary and their sons, as altar boys, would give absolution to the priest.
Now the altar boys' role has been seriously demoted, the men aren't allowed to smoke in the porch any more (so they generally don't come at all), and the children make themselves a nuisance.
Times change.
Good luck with your exams. It is a shame children are not taught how to behave in Holy Mass by their parents. I feel hope in the fact they attended Holy mass.Maybe they were on Hoilday so a little bit excited.I do know what you mean but it,s a diffcult on to judge.
Your old days and mine were certainly different Malcolm.
The men would worship with the women, I never saw anyone say the rosary during Mass and altar boys never gave absolution to the priest.
I must say that I find that sort of behaviour by children with their parents extremely depressing.It's every where and I don't think it will improve.It may be age,I'm a baby boomer,but I don't think I would be happy as a child today with all the leniency
and lack of discipline.There was security in having those boundaries.I loved my childhood.
I hope you are all encouraged by parents bringing their children to Mass. I am experiencing what its like to have a young child in church after a 14 year gap. 2 of our boys have left home, our 17 yr old daughter is an altar server & now we have a 2 yr old. In my home parish we have children's liturgy at the 10am Mass & I have to say that on the whole parishioners are tolerant, encouraging & understanding . Obviously if my little one is screaming the church down I take her out but general fidgeting & quiet talking , we stay in the main body of the church , I always try to sit near the front so she can see what's happening & I only bring books(mainly bible stories etc & soft toys ).
Our priests are very supportive of families in the Mass, & at times have even spoken to the congregation about supporting & encouraging families with children
I am sadden when people comment that children make a nusiance of themselves in church, we are all part of the church community , they are not the church of tomorrow - they are the church of today just as you & I are . We do not know what each person has experienced that morning or night before , but now they are sharing with us the most precious gift of the Holy Eucharist. Celebrate the Eucharist , celebrate your community however diverse.
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