Catholic Moms/Common Misconceptions?

[cathmom]

I have nothing to add here except this misconception from my own childhood:

 

I was raised in a New England community where everyone I knew, and I mean EVERYONE, was either Catholic or Jewish. I was incredibly jealous that everyone else got to go someplace after school (i.e. Catechism classes or Hebrew school) and I had to go straight home. I was positive they were doing all kinds of awesome things there without me, and there was probably lots of candy. :)

 

I was raised in a similar town, majority Jewish, the rest Catholic, smattering of Protestants. I went to about five Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. I was soooooo jealous of my Jewish friends because they actually learned REAL things at Hebrew school, whereas my CCD was really bad and I never learned anything.

[Aquinas Academy]

What if you don't really like the people in your parish? (I think y'all have parishes based on geography right?) Or like if there aren't many young people in your parish so you want to go to a neighboring parish - is that allowed? I'm used to church hopping - which is probably not good - but then the idea of being tied to one particular small parish kind of scares me.

 

ETA: sorry I promise I'll stop thread hijacking now!

I attend a few parishes. :) I go to the local one on Sundays, a semi-local parish midweek (same priest as the local parish), and when I go to the city on Saturday I attend Latin Mass at another parish. Ideally I would just attend one parish, but my rural location doesn't make that possible.

[dirty ethel rackham]

 

What if you don't really like the people in your parish? (I think y'all have parishes based on geography right?) Or like if there aren't many young people in your parish so you want to go to a neighboring parish - is that allowed? I'm used to church hopping - which is probably not good - but then the idea of being tied to one particular small parish kind of scares me.

 

In many cities with large immigrant populations there would be a Catholic Church for that ethnicity. An Irish Catholic church for the Irish immigrants, an Italian parish, a Slovenian parish, a Polish parish, etc. In Joliet, many of these ethnic churches are just blocks from each other;). The parish was also a neighborhood, a family, a cultural center, etc, especially for the immigrant populations. Church shopping just wasn't as common.

 

When I was growing up, you could attend any church, but you were expected to join the parish where you lived. My mom wanted to change parishes (we had a slew of really bad priests), but the priest at the church she chose would not accept her as a parishioner.

[Murphy101]

the priest at the church she chose would not accept her as a parishioner.

 

:svengo:

 

Just so no one gets worried, I really doubt that would happen now.

[justamouse]

:svengo:

 

Just so no one gets worried, I really doubt that would happen now.

Yeah, I was gonna ask.

[mommaduck]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

[Avila]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

 

We offer it. I even taught 2 grades of it last year. But we can't make people come. :(. We do require it for certain years, but that is only if you want your child to receive a sacrament. I wish more families would take it seriously in my parish.

[cathmom]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

 

Many of the texts used are content-lite, shall we say? When my dc are in RE, I just consider it social time. We do the real stuff at home. The teachers are all volunteers, who may or may not know the actual teachings of the Church, and if they follow the book they won't cover much. I've subbed in my parish, and even 6th graders didn't know much.

 

When my church did VBS, they used the "Catholic" version of a Protestant program. I always volunteered to do the Bible story part and I would beef up the Catholic content. I mean, really, the whole parish is going to do all that work just so the dc can learn that Jesus loves them? When there's 2000 years of stuff they could be learning?? Another parish near me did one on the Mysteries of the Rosay - I think the Luminous ones - one per day, and I thought that was a great idea. Of course, it was like $150 per child. :tongue_smilie:

Edited May 27, 2011 by cathmom
left out a word

[Violet Crown]

Question: is there anything any of y'all can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

Increase the attendance, or increase the orthodoxy?

 

Our parish has been doing both, because the latter leads to the former. And the best way you can do that is to show up. Volunteer to teach CCD if you possibly can. Volunteer to assist in the classroom if you can't teach; most catechists are delighted to have a parent volunteer to take children aside, one at a time, and tutor/help/examine them individually (i.e. homeschool them :D ). Sit in on classes that your own child is attending; an ignorant (alas) or less-than-orthodox catechist will be much more reticent about teaching open error if there's a parent present. Encourage other parishioners (not necessarily parents) who would prefer a more robust and orthodox religious ed to volunteer.

 

If you're a catechist, volunteer a lot: offer to do things to take the load off your DRE's shoulders. You will be in a better position to influence the direction of religious ed in your parish. Don't be critical; be helpful. Don't complain, don't refuse to use the materials they say you have to use*, don't rock the boat: don't give anyone an excuse to say "we won't be needing you next year." Invite parents of students to stay in the classroom: this will keep you on your toes, encourage parents to think about volunteering to assist, encourage them to keep their children in CCD past the "sacrament grades," and give parents who themselves received mediocre catechesis a chance to fill in some gaps and correct misunderstandings.

 

Rinse and repeat until your parish's catechesis is healthy. As it improves, let parents know that it's improving. This will get you more volunteers and more attendance.

 

If you fix it, they will come.

 

 

*ETA: Though you are often permitted to supplement with other materials so long as they're on the USCCB Textbook Conformity listing. Then you get yourself the teacher's manual for Faith & Life (which is on the list), and supplement away. Generally we spend more time on the supplementary materials than on the principal ones....

Edited May 27, 2011 by Sharon in Austin

[mommaduck]

Okay, another question (and I'm seriously curious, not trying to poke or prod):

 

What happened to all of your nuns (and monks)? Was this due to the 60's? (what a loss as it would solve a lot of your issues with volunteers)

 

 

Monastics are people that I think Protestantism is missing out on. They are highly regarded in Orthodoxy (and I know they used to be throughout history in Roman Catholicism). They were the teachers, the healers, and the ministers of the needy. There is a nunnery (RC monastery) right outside our city, though it's small and I'm not sure what they do...I only know they don't teach at the local Catholic schools :( And we have at least two Orthodox monasteries here in PA (one with nuns and one with monks...my son has gone every chance he gets to one of them and has helped with their groundwork with the youth while other youth help with boxing bread the monks make for special days...the female monastery is one that I want to visit). I know our priests do most of the teaching outside of Sunday School (including the youth events).

[cathmom]

Okay, another question (and I'm seriously curious, not trying to poke or prod):

 

What happened to all of your nuns (and monks)? Was this due to the 60's? (what a loss as it would solve a lot of your issues with volunteers)

 

 

Monastics are people that I think Protestantism is missing out on. They are highly regarded in Orthodoxy (and I know they used to be throughout history in Roman Catholicism). They were the teachers, the healers, and the ministers of the needy. There is a nunnery (RC monastery) right outside our city, though it's small and I'm not sure what they do...I only know they don't teach at the local Catholic schools :( And we have at least two Orthodox monasteries here in PA (one with nuns and one with monks...my son has gone every chance he gets to one of them and has helped with their groundwork with the youth while other youth help with boxing bread the monks make for special days...the female monastery is one that I want to visit). I know our priests do most of the teaching outside of Sunday School (including the youth events).

 

I have to go home to NJ to see actual nuns.

[justamouse]

I got some books today that *that nun* gave the kids to go over and they were pretty hefty. There were many levels for all ages and she told me that if 'these don't work for you I have others'. She was very tuned into how all kids learn differently.

 

I don't know. We have ongoing faith classes every week, RCIA classes every year, CCD and a parochial school.

Edited May 27, 2011 by justamouse

[mommaduck]

I have to go home to NJ to see actual nuns.

 

:( I'm sorry.

 

Thanks to everyone that answered my first question. :)

[Avila]

I have to go home to NJ to see actual nuns.

 

We have a Carmelite convent not too far from here. I love the Carmelites.

 

Religious vocations decreased after V2. We also stopped a lot of the direct catechism like the Baltimore Catechism, in favor of the "getting in touch with your feelings" programs. People ran with changes they wanted to see instead of waiting for V2 to get implemented as the council intended. There was a lot of impulse instead of reason. So when education decreased, so did vocations. And when the pre-V2 nuns retired, there were fewer to replace them, and the nuns left the hospitals and schools.

 

Without the nuns, schools had to pay lay people, and the schools got more expensive. So fewer kids went to the schools. So between fewer kids in the schools and fluffy bunny religious ed programs, you get our current state of uncatechized grownups who, in turn, are not catechizing their kids.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Asenik

[milovany]

Yes. We are. For all intents and purposes, we're number 1. There is a chicken/egg disagreement as to who was first, the Orthodox or the Romans, and who broke off from whom, but the Catholics are still numero uno.

 

 

<quietly> And the Orthodox would disagree with this, believing the Orthodox church to be the original church. But I know you know I think that. :)

 

Milovany and I always put up this picture to show how things splintered:

 

Love the timeline. It was a turning point in our conversion to the ancient faith ("if this church still exists, why would we not want to be a part of it?"). Thank you, Asta, for posting it. It's important to see it visually, I think.

[justamouse]

Increase the attendance, or increase the orthodoxy?

 

Our parish has been doing both, because the latter leads to the former. And the best way you can do that is to show up. Volunteer to teach CCD if you possibly can. Volunteer to assist in the classroom if you can't teach; most catechists are delighted to have a parent volunteer to take children aside, one at a time, and tutor/help/examine them individually (i.e. homeschool them :D ). Sit in on classes that your own child is attending; an ignorant (alas) or less-than-orthodox catechist will be much more reticent about teaching open error if there's a parent present. Encourage other parishioners (not necessarily parents) who would prefer a more robust and orthodox religious ed to volunteer.

 

If you're a catechist, volunteer a lot: offer to do things to take the load off your DRE's shoulders. You will be in a better position to influence the direction of religious ed in your parish. Don't be critical; be helpful. Don't complain, don't refuse to use the materials they say you have to use, don't rock the boat: don't give anyone an excuse to say "we won't be needing you next year." Invite parents of students to stay in the classroom: this will keep you on your toes, encourage parents to think about volunteering to assist, encourage them to keep their children in CCD past the "sacrament grades," and give parents who themselves received mediocre catechesis a chance to fill in some gaps and correct misunderstandings.

 

Rinse and repeat until your parish's catechesis is healthy. As it improves, let parents know that it's improving. This will get you more volunteers and more attendance.

 

If you fix it, they will come.

 

This is exactly what I think has been happening in our parish. It was almost dying three years ago. It is *thriving* now. Like, exploding.

 

Okay, another question (and I'm seriously curious, not trying to poke or prod):

 

What happened to all of your nuns (and monks)? Was this due to the 60's? (what a loss as it would solve a lot of your issues with volunteers)

 

 

Monastics are people that I think Protestantism is missing out on. They are highly regarded in Orthodoxy (and I know they used to be throughout history in Roman Catholicism). They were the teachers, the healers, and the ministers of the needy. There is a nunnery (RC monastery) right outside our city, though it's small and I'm not sure what they do...I only know they don't teach at the local Catholic schools :( And we have at least two Orthodox monasteries here in PA (one with nuns and one with monks...my son has gone every chance he gets to one of them and has helped with their groundwork with the youth while other youth help with boxing bread the monks make for special days...the female monastery is one that I want to visit). I know our priests do most of the teaching outside of Sunday School (including the youth events).

 

We have a convent in our town though small. There are some very young ladies (22?) that are novitiates who celebrate mass with us. We used to have a Salesians of Don Bosco college here, too, though that closed years ago. But the Felicain Sisters still offer the higher degrees here at the county college.

Edited May 27, 2011 by justamouse

[Parrothead]

 

We have a nunnery in our town though small.

Convent.

 

Nunnery is one of those words like papist.;)

[Violet Crown]

Our sisters are here. One step at a time.

[justamouse]

Convent.

 

Nunnery is one of those words like papist.;)

 

fixed. :D Sorry.

[Avila]

Our sisters are here. One step at a time.

 

This is the order my 12yo DD wants to join, if she has a religious vocation. She likes Dominicans better than my Carmelites. ;)

[mommaduck]

Convent.

 

Nunnery is one of those words like papist.;)

 

oops, sorry *blush* (I would have used that word if it had come to mind, but my brain is still working at limited capacity).

 

I have one daughter that has asked about becoming a nun (she's just not sure if she wants to do it in her 20's or if she wants to do it in her elderly years if she becomes widowed at some point...but it's kinda cool that she is asking about it on her own).

Edited May 27, 2011 by mommaduck

[justamouse]

oops, sorry *blush* (I would have used that word if it had come to mind, but my brain is still working at limited capacity).

 

I did it too. ;) And for the lack of brain cell reason, too. I smacked myself on the head.

[Parrothead]

oops, sorry *blush* (I would have used that word if it had come to mind, but my brain is still working at limited capacity).

Baby keeping you up?

[Aquinas Academy]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

I've tried and only had minimal success. :( In my parish there is a group of old ladies who do all the RE. They are lovely people and very well meaning, but the RE class is mostly colouring pages and learning about a few Bible stories and prayers. It's also a very small parish so all the kids and teens are put into one class. Of course, the teens don't want to colour in pictures of Mary and Jesus so they drop out. Our priest knows that the RE is bad, but he can't make the ladies who run it change.

There are slightly better programmes for First Communion and Confirmation, but they are only last a few months.

Earlier this year another mum and I started our own RE class. A few other families have joined and the wonderful thing is that the parents (who have been poorly catechised) stay for the classes. The younger kids use the Baltimore Catechism with supplements, and the teens and adults use the Didache textbooks. The spiritual growth and understanding of the church has been amazing. Unfortunately, I'm not sure we'll be able to continue next year.

[Murphy101]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

 

It really depends on your parish and diocese. Some are more friendly to it than others. Like I mentioned previous, sometimes people prefer to stay ignorant and sometimes people don't want to educate thoroughly for fear of scaring people away or hurt feelings. IOW, there is an element of "better to fill the pew than minds". I KNOW they don't view it that way, but that ISwhat it boils down to. :(

 

Religious vocations decreased after V2. We also stopped a lot of the direct catechism like the Baltimore Catechism, in favor of the "getting in touch with your feelings" programs. People ran with changes they wanted to see instead of waiting for V2 to get implemented as the council intended. There was a lot of impulse instead of reason. So when education decreased, so did vocations. And when the pre-V2 nuns retired, there were fewer to replace them, and the nuns left the hospitals and schools.

 

Without the nuns, schools had to pay lay people, and the schools got more expensive. So fewer kids went to the schools. So between fewer kids in the schools and fluffy bunny religious ed programs, you get our current state of uncatechized grownups who, in turn, are not catechizing their kids.

 

Well stated summary.

 

And in many ways CCD is flat out impractical in application. It's hard to create a quality program in roughly 24 or less once a week lessons (remember holidays, summer and spring breaks etc..) that are rarely more than 45 minutes long each. Then you figure half the time half or more kids won't show because they are from divided homes. IOW mom and dad don't live together, so every other weekend the kid isn't coming to CCD. Or they get a cold. Or...

[mommaduck]

Baby keeping you up?

 

Only if I'm not in bed with her :( If I'm up, she insists on being held.

 

These are the ones I pass by all the time: The Cloistered Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary

[momof8]

Well, coming from a protestant point of view, I just want to say that all the name calling from both sides is appalling and not God-glorifying at all. We are all Christians and though we have different doctrines, we SHOULD be united by common threads of believe such as forgiveness through Jesus. I've known some really devout Catholics(such as my mom) and some really devout Protestants. Also, some on both sides who are whatever they are in name only. It really doesn't present a very good image to the unbelieving world.

[justamouse]

There are slightly better programmes for First Communion and Confirmation, but they are only last a few months.

 

 

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

[brehon]

I got some books today that *that nun* gave the kids to go over and they were pretty hefty. There were many levels for all ages and she told me that if 'these don't work for you I have others'. She was very tuned into how all kids learn differently.

 

I don't know. We have ongoing faith classes every week, RCIA classes every year, CCD and a parochial school.

 

 

So, don't leave me in suspense, please. What were the books? Thanks.

[Parrothead]

 

And in many ways CCD is flat out impractical in application. It's hard to create a quality program in roughly 24 or less once a week lessons (remember holidays, summer and spring breaks etc..) that are rarely more than 45 minutes long each. Then you figure half the time half or more kids won't show because they are from divided homes. IOW mom and dad don't live together, so every other weekend the kid isn't coming to CCD. Or they get a cold. Or...

Sports get in the way like basketball and hockey. Ugg! I can't tell you how many classes I had to cancel because of those two sports. If 3/4 of the children either play or have a family member that plays CCD gets kicked to the curb.

[Murphy101]

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

 

Nope various, sometimes considerably, between diocese.

 

Then there is what the church actually requires vs what CCD programs request.

[Parrothead]

 

And in many ways CCD is flat out impractical in application. It's hard to create a quality program in roughly 24 or less once a week lessons (remember holidays, summer and spring breaks etc..) that are rarely more than 45 minutes long each. Then you figure half the time half or more kids won't show because they are from divided homes. IOW mom and dad don't live together, so every other weekend the kid isn't coming to CCD. Or they get a cold. Or...

Sports get in the way like basketball and hockey. Ugg! I can't tell you how many classes I had to cancel because of those two sports. If 3/4 of the children either play or have a family member that plays CCD gets kicked to the curb.

 

And once I had a finance commission member argue with me over the cost of heating the building vs. the kids getting CCD classes in the winter.

[WIS0320]

Question: is there anything any of ya'll can do to increase religious education in your parish? I mean, can't you speak with your priests, your bishops, someone???

 

I think it really depends on the Bishop and then it trickles down to the parish priests. I currently live in a diocese (Arlington, VA) with a very orthodox bishop and our parishes are largely run by traditional priests and our religious education reflects that. I lived in the midwest for a couple years and my parish there felt more casual on all levels, from how the priest dressed to the style of the church to the type of religious education taught.

 

As an aside, I actually accidentally moved into a parish with a homeschool co-op that is a gold mine. I've met a couple families who specifically moved (one family from out of state!) just to be a member of my parish and to utilize the homeschooling resources. Our priest is fantastically amazing too. :)

[Avila]

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

 

Ours are only for the year before and during the sacrament. So 1st-2nd for FHC and 9th-10th for Confirmation in my current diocese. Other years, CCD is optional. And pretty unevenly attended.

 

K-5 is a more traditional CCD, with 2nd requiring an additional once a month sacrament prep class. 6-10 is a relationship-focused youth ministry, with 10th grade requiring a additional weekly sac prep class for the last semester.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Asenik

[prairiebird]

In many cities with large immigrant populations there would be a Catholic Church for that ethnicity. An Irish Catholic church for the Irish immigrants, an Italian parish, a Slovenian parish, a Polish parish, etc. In Joliet, many of these ethnic churches are just blocks from each other;). The parish was also a neighborhood, a family, a cultural center, etc, especially for the immigrant populations. Church shopping just wasn't as common.

.

 

Heh, funny, I had the Joliet Diocese in mind when I was saying this.

[Murphy101]

Sports get in the way like basketball and hockey. Ugg! I can't tell you how many classes I had to cancel because of those two sports. If 3/4 of the children either play or have a family member that plays CCD gets kicked to the curb.

 

Football and soccer are king here.

 

Then there is ME, who has become rather militant about not doing squat on Sunday, including CCD. I refuse. We go to mass. We come home and do nothing. The end. ONE day a week I will not spend shuttling kids and filled with social/school/work obligations! I won't do it anymore I tell you *stamping foot* and you can't make me!;)

[mommaduck]

Oh and these are the two monastery's I'm familiar with:

 

Orthodox monastery of the Transfiguration (convent)

 

Monastery of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

[Aquinas Academy]

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

I've lived in a number of different dioceses and it varies a lot. Here you only have to do one year for each, supposedly in 2nd and 8th grade, although the age range varies hugely.

[Parrothead]

Well, coming from a protestant point of view, I just want to say that all the name calling from both sides is appalling and not God-glorifying at all.

Who is name calling? Are you speaking of in general or something specific that happened here?

 

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

Lots of dioceses are going to the Restored Order which is to have the kids confirmed prior to making first Communion. This comes from the old old days when infants were baptized, confirmed and given Communion. If I'm not mistaken the EO still does this.

 

Dd has already been confirmed by the bishop, and has been since 2nd grade.

[mommaduck]

Lots of dioceses are going to the Restored Order which is to have the kids confirmed prior to making first Communion. This comes from the old old days when infants were baptized, confirmed and given Communion. If I'm not mistaken the EO still does this.

Dd has already been confirmed by the bishop, and has been since 2nd grade.

 

Yes, we do :D (Meg's is scheduled for August 13th...her nouna just called me all excited that her cross came in and she's still hunting for the right gown for her. I think her godmother is going to spoil her :lol: )

[Avila]

Lots of dioceses are going to the Restored Order which is to have the kids confirmed prior to making first Communion. This comes from the old old days when infants were baptized, confirmed and given Communion. If I'm not mistaken the EO still does this.

 

Dd has already been confirmed by the bishop, and has been since 2nd grade.

 

I wonder if they will do that here at some point. In my old diocese and here, the trend was to move Confirmation further away because kids stop coming after it.

[WIS0320]

I'm not understanding something-here, confirmation classes go until 10th grade and they are an undertaking. I though all parishes were the same? My nieces live by the shore and also took classes until 10th so they could be confirmed.

 

I believe this is determined by the bishop of each diocese. Some kids have first communion a grade earlier or later than is typical and confirmation is not always at the same age/grade level.

[justamouse]

So, don't leave me in suspense, please. What were the books? Thanks.

 

Here are some. She said she was also getting some for next year from Loyola Press. Sorry, wasn't thinking to post links. :001_smile:

 

(The first link to Sadlier Press-my oldest was given the book One Faith One Lord and browsing though it it has the Nihil Obstat and in the first few chapters talks about how Genesis was not trying to answer questions of science, how 24 hours does not literally mean a day and how evolution is compatible with church teaching-that God is the creator of all life. Just in case you don't want that.)

Edited May 27, 2011 by justamouse

[Parrothead]

I wonder if they will do that here at some point. In my old diocese and here, the trend was to move Confirmation further away because kids stop coming after it.

More and more dioceses are moving toward restoring the order of the sacraments. So much so I'm now surprised to hear of confirmation in high school.

[Aquinas Academy]

Lots of dioceses are going to the Restored Order which is to have the kids confirmed prior to making first Communion. This comes from the old old days when infants were baptized, confirmed and given Communion. If I'm not mistaken the EO still does this.

 

My previous dioces followed this order, so DS 9 is confirmed, but DD 13 is not (she really wants to be confirmed in Latin Rite).

[justamouse]

More and more dioceses are moving toward restoring the order of the sacraments. So much so I'm now surprised to hear of confirmation in high school.

 

The nun did say they could be confirmed if we wanted. Huh. I'll have to talk to her next week about it.

[mommaduck]

More and more dioceses are moving toward restoring the order of the sacraments. So much so I'm now surprised to hear of confirmation in high school.

 

Okay, I know I'm full of questions tonight, but I'm learning a lot here.

 

Why did the RCC move away from the way it was done (aka, infantile baptism, chrismation/confirmation, communion altogether)?

[cathmom]

I wonder if they will do that here at some point. In my old diocese and here, the trend was to move Confirmation further away because kids stop coming after it.

 

In my diocese, it's 2 years of Confirmation prep, with a new rule that you must attend RE for the year prior to beginning, so you aren't getting confirmed until 10th or 11th grade, I can't remember which. I really hate what Confirmation prep has become - it seems like just a way to blackmail families into continuing to attend RE. The classes are full of kids who don't want to be there. I'm seriously thinking of just having my dc wait until they turn 18 to be confirmed so we don't have to jump through hoops.

[Parrothead]

Okay, I know I'm full of questions tonight, but I'm learning a lot here.

 

Why did the RCC move away from the way it was done (aka, infantile baptism, chrismation/confirmation, communion altogether)?

Up until about the 5th century the sacraments were given together. During the middle ages two things happened - great emphasis on infant baptism and dioceses in general grew. The priests were able to baptize and give first communion, but the bishop must give the sacrament of confirmation. Eventually infant communion stopped - it is unknown exactly why. But when one couldn't be confirmed without confirmation, confirmation started falling by the wayside.

 

Pope Pius X was the one that pushed for Communion about the age of reason (7ish). The Second Vatican Council called for the order of the sacraments to be restored. Slowly that is happening.

[justamouse]

Okay, I know I'm full of questions tonight, but I'm learning a lot here.

 

Why did the RCC move away from the way it was done (aka, infantile baptism, chrismation/confirmation, communion altogether)?

 

Up until about the 5th century the sacraments were given together. During the middle ages two things happened - great emphasis on infant baptism and dioceses in general grew. The priests were able to baptize and give first communion, but the bishop must give the sacrament of confirmation. Eventually infant communion stopped - it is unknown exactly why. But when one couldn't be confirmed without confirmation, confirmation started falling by the wayside.

 

Pope Pius X was the one that pushed for Communion about the age of reason (7ish). The Second Vatican Council called for the order of the sacraments to be restored. Slowly that is happening.

 

I just looked this up on Father Z's blog. What Parrot said.

 

I think I'll go with tradition on this one and see if I can do a three in one.