Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Rant
I went to our LifeTeen mass Sunday evening with my son and his girlfriend. I did not leave feeling very happy. Samples of problems: text messaging during Mass, signing in front of the Altar during the Our Father, boy with a picture of a gun on his tee-shirt, girl with a tee-shirt on which read," Lei back and enjoy the ride." This was what I could see in front of me, maybe 20 teens in my line of sight. Who knows what else was going on! My son could not believe the disrespect. I will not even begin to address the music. Enough.
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3 comments:
I agree that things have gone from rigid to complete (supposed) disregard for what we hold holy and right. I have raised my teenage daughter to respect the Mass. I applaud you and your son for recognizing these things and choosing to not expose yourselves further. But I also wonder, as I am learning to speak up with anyone that will hear me at my parish, is there something we can do to help these young people recognize a need for respect themselves? Having taught 8th grade PREP (our parish’s religious education classes) for over six years, I find that many of these teens have no idea what a Mass is really about, much less have opportunity to attend as a family. Do we not reach out to them just because their parents deem it unnecessary to attend Mass regularly? I have always reached out to all of them, even the ones that only attended class because they thought it was a prerequisite to receiving the sacrament of Confirmation, in hopes that someday they will realize the beauty and respect involved and feel an internal need to do so themselves.
In your case, I think the leadership should be the key. I am sure they are just pleased to have the teen’s attend, no matter what their mental state or attire, but perhaps they could subtly teach and set examples to all without excluding any… It can happen, I pray that guidance will be provided them.
One of the problems I see in many of the parishes I have been in is that the parish leadership is absolutely dead afraid of "upsetting" the youth. They are so desperate to see teenagers in mass that they don't dare expect anything like proper attire or attitude.
Good comments.
I agree the youth have no respect and no one says a word.
I was kinda forced to go to a Life teen Mass a few weeks ago and while the teens were not disruptive (I didn't see too many of them anyway) the theatrics of the priest and youth minister were abominable: singing happy birthday, music good but too loud, singing and doing movements to the song Lean On Me because that's what one teen learned on a conference she went to. 90 minutes for Mass just doesn't cut it for me either
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