| The Christmas Family Mass |
Tue, 22 September 2009 09:12  |
Anne
Messages: 3816
Registered: April 2004 |
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Liturgical zoo or pastoral goldmine?
Paige Byrne Shortal takes a different approach to a liturgy I mostly try to avoid. She points out the many pastoral opportunities we ought to recognize. The C&E Catholics are present. We don't have to go to the unchurched. On this night they have come to us. Take advantage of the opportunity. Help to make those who have felt unwelcome for any reasons feel they belong with us. Simple acts of hospitality can help.
This night could be a time to invite children to join in a carol sing along before mass begins. (which could possibly help to build up the children's choir)
This night preach simple truths....Jesus was like us and why it matters. Stick to the traditional message and don't be cute.
Think of ways to minister to the disenchanted, the divorced and remarried etc.
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| Re: The Christmas Family Mass |
Tue, 22 September 2009 10:08  |
Karl
Messages: 1306
Registered: April 2004 |
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Those lightly churched folk are also present on Christmas morning, which increasing numbers of American Catholic parishes tend to treat as an afterthought - and this is a good reason not to do so. In fact, many people travel or have family obligations on the Eve, and only get to church on the morning of Christmas. Christmas Day should not be a pale echo of Christmas Eve. When I sang in choir on Christmas morning, I would see a much higher proportion of strangers as compared to the usual Sunday morning Mass.
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| Re: The Christmas Family Mass |
Tue, 22 September 2009 11:30 |
Anne
Messages: 3816
Registered: April 2004 |
Senior Member |
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Those lightly churched folk are also present on Christmas morning
Not so much, I don't believe. I prefer Christmas morning but many go to the 4PM which can be standing room only. These folks usually want to get it out of the way (not only the C&E crowd)in order to fit in their family rituals (which are not the same as when we were younger)but never the less important to these families.
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| Re: The Christmas Family Mass |
Tue, 22 September 2009 12:44 |
 Gabby
Messages: 491
Registered: April 2004 |
Senior Member |
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While it's true that the unchurched are at the Family Mass (or the zoo as we have called it for many years now), I do see them also at the Midnight Mass which is also the one Mass of the year that the kids who stopped going to Mass in their teen will still attend.
I find that the priest sets the tone for the Family Mass. I've avoided it like the plague for the last 5 years because it had degenerated into a free-for-all, with kids roaming the sanctuary for the entire time, trying to climb into the nativity scene, breaking things and burning themselves (not exaggerating here). "Let them be" would say the pastor, "Christmas is all about kids."  Last year we got a new pastor who doesn't put up with any of that baloney. He's friendly & welcoming, but the behaviour at the Family Mass that he celebrated was so different, so good, so surprising, that people were still talking about it a month later.
Gabby
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Too traditional for the progressives & too progressive for the traditionalists
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| Re: The Christmas Family Mass |
Tue, 22 September 2009 13:02 |
Anne
Messages: 3816
Registered: April 2004 |
Senior Member |
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Yikes! While I don't usually mind chatty or cranky kids (I don't agree with having crying rooms) or the occasional one who runs out of the bench, what you describe is way over the top. Good that it has improved.
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| Re: The Christmas Family Mass |
Thu, 01 October 2009 13:52 |
mmstrita
Messages: 1109
Registered: January 2006
Location: South Florida |
Senior Member |
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| PS4Ever wrote on Tue, 22 September 2009 17:11 |
It's a good time to have polyphonic propers, Gregorian chant and other musical forms (organ, etc) that they don't hear out in the secular world.
Think Christmas Carols are the answer? Yeah, because every Church in the world that sings Christmas Carols are reaching those who only go on Christmas and they all now attend every Sunday of the year. 
Hire professionals. Give them Palestrina. It'll be unlike anything they've ever heard before and might make them actually want to come back.
They can get Christmas Carols in their car on the radio. In fact, I'm fairly certain they heard Joy to the World on the drive to church.
Give them something other-worldly that can better express the other-worldly actions going on at that altar.
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PS4: With all due respect, from Category to Category, from post to post, I really believe that you really do not want the people to participate in singing. The majority of the PIPs do not want Palestrina; the majority will not come back because of it. On the other hand the C & Es might not come back no matter what, but give them something they can sing when attending mass once or twice a year. Regardless of what they are "listening" too outside, before mass, they will sing "Joy To The World," "Silent Night" beautifully as a family. We must cater to them as good servants. I see it no other way, lest it be a concert forum.
Peace,
Ron
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