Kids

[Born Again Catholic]

I will never abandon my children no matter what the age. The years between the start of highschool and marriage may be the time your kids need you the most to be like rock of the faith for them. Rather than backing away this is the age when we should be encouraging them to discern if the have a calling to a religous vocation.

I am almost 40 and I still need a Mother(mary) to help point the way to Jesus especially when I stumble.

God has invited us to be part of His family, he will never abandon us, why should we abandon our own kids?

God Bless

[Crusader_4]

There is a trend that i notice around here a lot that Crusader1234 kind of mentioned a lot of Catholic teens...get torn away from the faith to what appear to be flashier movements and more Charismatic Churchs yet when it comes to depth and theology and the truth its shallow. So i think altho i am on a convert and not a cradle...i think it needs to be instilled with them with a love. My parents never put any undue pressure on me to go 2 Church, but it was something we did as a family...as well for some reason and i am sure some ppl here have it its an inkling of God from their Childhood. That they felt and believed God was there and i cant explain it but my parents instilled this seed in me so when i left the church they attended and entered the Catholic faith it was as if the seed that they had instilled in me bloomed. I dont tackle any issues here, but thats just what i have experienced on my journey home.

[jasJis]

Just a side note. Only in America is the Sacrament of Confirmation held back until teen years. It's not a rite of adult-hood. That idea is Protestant theology. Confirmation is one of the 3 Sacraments of Initiation to membership in Church. If a 7 year-old child (normative age of Reason) is able to recieve the Eucharist and recieve Graces, then logic shows that Confirmation is not more important.

Sacraments are gifts of Grace through physical signs and actions. Within the next 10 years at most, Confirmation will be placed between Baptism and First Communion where it should. Diocese will change their Catechisis programs and follow the model Florida uses for RCIA with continuing teen and adult education that is ritual/liturgy oriented and develop mystagogy of the Graces.

Baptism is the Gift of Faith and membership in the Church. Confirmation is strengthening of that Faith and ties to the Church. The Child wasn't asked about Baptism, neither should Confirmation be a choice. It needs to be moved back to a time that the kids aren't in a normally rebellious stage of emotional development and other efforts to share and show the fruits of the Catholic Faith to kids, teens, young and old aldults.

[crusader1234]

The way my youth minister explained it was that confirmation is saying 'Ok... I get what I've been learning all this time and I believe it and I want to be a part of this community'. It doesnt make sense to have non-catholics confirm? In my eyes that seems almost the same as spitting out the eucharist or making stuff up at confession for a good laugh. Its really just desecrating the sacrament which is intended if im not mistaken for those who want to take that next step in their faith.

[jasJis]

crusader1234,
Your youth minister's explaination is wrong and is basically spouting Lutheran theology, but that is a very common mistaken belief held by Catholics. It's very akin to a "believer's baptism". Check out the Catechism and read what Confirmation is about. Only in the US is Confirmation done in the Teen years and only for the last 50-60 years. I'm involved in Confirmation programs and I've had this explained by our Diocesan Director of Religous Education.

Lack of understanding of the Fullness of the graces bestowed in a Sacrament does not prevent the effects of the Sacrament. If lack of understanding was that critical, we wouldn't baptize babies or let 7 year olds recieve communion. It's a fine line making your kids recieve the Sacrament of Confirmation when they'r 14-15 and are struggling against it. How much is normal questioning? How much is normal teenage rebellion? They still will recieve Graces just as they did in Baptism. A parent needs to ask themselves if they force their kid to recieve the Sacrament, will it strengthen their rebelliousness, or will it be something that they will be gratefull for years later because of the graces recieved.

Catholics don't believe in a one time "conversion". We are called to conversion every day, from whatever place we may find our selves. We recognize God's graces are drawing us ever closer, and closer to Him. We spend our lifetimes growing and developing our relationship to God through the Body of Christ. We need the graces given in the Sacraments, and spend our lives participating with the effects of those graces that God gifts us with.

[God Conquers]

[quote]Catholics don't believe in a one time "conversion". We are called to conversion every day, from whatever place we may find our selves. We recognize God's graces are drawing us ever closer, and closer to Him. We spend our lifetimes growing and developing our relationship to God through the Body of Christ. We need the graces given in the Sacraments, and spend our lives participating with the effects of those graces that God gifts us with. [/quote]

Amen! Our spiritual lives are a daily battle for the supremacy of God in our lives.

This is true for our children as well, and as parents we must fight for them.

[cmotherofpirl]

Eastern rite Catholics are confirmed when they are baptised.

My nephew was confirmed at age 8.

Edited April 25, 2004 by cmotherofpirl