WHAT CATHOLIC PARENTS NEED TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN

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A.M.D.G. 

Ronald J. Evans, SFO

Over the past twenty years our Catholic family has become extremely lax in its respect and manners upon entering a Catholic Church and participating in the liturgical services.The building which we enter to worship and praise God, whether a week day or Sunday is a sacred place. It is the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ ever present in the Tabernacle. It is a place where the Lord Jesus Himself is waiting to welcome us and to shower us with all the blessings. Going into a Church is not the same as going into a movie theatre, a sports field, a restaurant, or the beach. It is the House of God and one should enter it properly dressed, and in a humble respectful manner.  A reminder of how we should act upon entering the Church: In the parable of the two men, in the synagogue; one pompous, the other humble. The pompous man went straight to the front of the synagogue and began bragging to God how good he was, the other fell on his knees, bowed his head and said “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Today I believe that Jesus could add to that parable the person who enters the House of God apathetic. This is the person who doesn’t care whether he is in the presence of God or not, he is there because he feels he must. Going to Mass and worshiping God is not really important if everything is okay in his life, it is only important when he is scared or wants something. Which are we? The proud where we feel we own the house of God and can ignore him. Or are we humble and grateful for the privilege of being able to enter into his presence to worship him, speak to him, seek his graces, hear His word, or just quietly sit in his presence. In addition, at the Eucharistic celebration feed on God’s word in the Scriptures, and by the power of the Holy Spirit plain bread and wine are changed into Jesus’ body and blood for our consumption. Jesus and the communicant become one.      When entering the church to leave the world outside and concentrate on His Majesty our creator and redeemer.

 PROTOCAL FOR SUNDAY MASS, HOLY DAYS, FUNERALS, MARRIAGES, BAPTISMS, CONFIRMATION, SPECIAL LITURGIES 

• Always be on time!!! Would we be late for a dinner party, a concert, a theatre production, or some sports competition? I doubt it; we would do all we could to be early and be anxious for the event to begin. Is God so unimportant that it doesn’t matter if we are late?
  Be there in the pew at least ten minutes before the liturgy begins. Arriving late for Mass is a great distraction to others, especially to the priest on the altar. It says something about the person coming late, especially if they are continuously late: it says that Mass is really not important we’re here because we must be. Like wise leaving Mass before it is over, is also a distraction and gives the same message that Mass is not really that important

• Dress as would to be in the presence of a person in a very high position, because we are in the presence of our God, our Creator, our Redeemer, and Sanctifier. There is none higher than He! A poor person coming to church in his/her best rags is honoring God. A person of means coming to church dressed in rags, or unbecoming clothing is an insult to Him. Short shorts, sports attire, low cut dresses, tops that afford others to see their belly or lower, any clothing that speaks “look at me” is a distraction and disrespectful!

• Upon entering the church, there is a holy water font. Dip you hand in it and make the sign of the Cross, the standard of our Catholic faith. Doing this should remind you of your baptism, and the love of Christ who by his suffering and death on the Cross saved you from your sins.

• When you enter the main part of the church, called the nave, you should be silent! You are in the presence of the Lord, genuflect on your right knee before entering the pew, this is giving Jesus our King the homage he deserves, if you can’t genuflect bow in respect.

• Upon entering the pew, knee down, make the sign of the cross and talk to your Savior, not those about you. When you finish your prayers, sit quietly in the pew and let the Lord talk to you. It is most impolite to talk to the people about you; it greatly those near by who want to spend time talking to Jesus, and those who want the opportunity to bask in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

• Never chew gum in church, especially when receiving the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. To do so shows great disrespect to our Savior! Remember that when you receive the Eucharist, Christ is truly presence in you. You and your Savior become one. If you are chewing gum and the sacred host at the same time, some of the sacred host may get mixed in with the gum you are chewing and when you spit it out, you also spit out Christ.

• When coming up to receive Holy Communion, say an act of contrition, and think about what is going to happen, you are going to receive the body and blood of Christ! The priest will place the host in your hand; do you know what you have? You are literally holding in your hand, your God, your Savior and you will consume his body and blood. What an awesome happening! It deserves the utmost respect and reverence. The benefit you receive from the sacraments is based on your attitude! Receive the sacraments with the greatest of reverence, humility and your grace will beyond your imagination.

• When you approach the priest or extra-ordinary minister of the Eucharist, make a slight bow of your head in reverence, and put out your hands out to receive the host. Consume it immediately; do not take it back to the pew.

• When you get back to the pew, kneel down and thank Jesus for the gift of himself, welcome Jesus into your being through words of adoration, thank Jesus for your gift of life, and all the blessings he daily bestows upon you, seek Jesus forgiveness for your sins, petition Jesus for the needs you have. Ask Jesus mercy on all of your loved ones who have died, and those in purgatory who have no one to pray for them. Have a conversation with Jesus and listen to Him in the silence of your soul.

• When it is time to leave the Church, genuflect and leave the church in silence. Remember you are still in the presence of your Savior.

• Greet all your friends and the rest of the congregation outside the church or in the social hall. There may be people still praying

• Please remember that it is at the liturgy that we come together as a community to seek Gods’ forgiveness, to praise Him, to listen to His word. We offer Him simple gifts of bread and wine, which at the words of consecration and through the power of the Holy Spirit will become the body and blood of His only begotton Son, a reminder of the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for our sins. It is an opportunity to feed on the bread of life Jesus Christ Himself our Lord, and Redeemer. We come together to do these things in reverence and respect, to be with Him as both a whole community an also as an individual.