I went with my Parish Priest to the home of an Indian family the other night and we entered into an interesting discussion about the state of British Society today. The father mentioned that when the children of Indian families in Britain leave primary school their parents send them back to India for their secondary education because something happens when they get to secondary school in Britain. They lose their Indian culture completely and become average British yobs, being rude to their parents, hanging around the streets, drinking, sleeping around etc. When Father asked what they think the Church's role should be in children's lives he replied, 'The Church needs to get stricter. If the priests keep the parents in line they will keep their children in line. We are fed up with hearing the priests tell us we should just let our children get on with it, its only a phase, they'll grow up and mature sooner or later.' I found this very interesting, especially when he later asked Father why he allows people who lead this kind of lifestyle to Communion and Father had no answer.
The people are actually demanding an end to liberalism, why aren't we giving it to them? Why do people insist on saying a liberal Church is the Church of the future? Priests must keep preaching orthodoxy from the pulpits and barring from Comunion those who should be barred!
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11 comments:
I'm almost afraid to ask, what do you suggest churches should be doing to keep parents and children "in line"?
I agree with you. I'm not sure when people can be barred from communion, but I agree we're not strict enough.
I have some particular views about that within the context of the post-Conciliar Latin Rite, but I don't want to moan on your blog about that (though I would do it by email; lol).
Super Happy Jen
Obviously I am not a parent, I can only offer advice based on my own upbringing and the various ways I have seen parents bring up their children. I can only suggest strictness and lots and lots of love. All children want is love and the kids going about causing trouble in the streets are children who's parents don't show them love and let them do whatever they want so they are given a false love in other kids and turn to drink, drugs and crime. As for what churches should be doing, simple, priests need to offer their services by preaching love from the pulpit, being their for parents who can't cope with their children, and parents need to learn to trust the priests.
'trust the priests'
I think that may be the problem. In a secular society priests are often seen as irrelevant men who, for whatever reason, 'opted out' of real life and therefore cannot be trusted. Preaching love from the pulpit is great but it's preaching to the converted while ignoring, some may even say mocking, the 'non-attenders'.
"If the priests keep the parents in line..."
I think that since you are on placement it might we wise to keep your eyes open and your mouth closed until you are ordained; then you can be the orthodox priest you wish to be. Criticising parish priest and publishing these comments on a blog which is read by who knows whom could land you in hot water as some American seminarians found to their cost.
Hrmmm... I had read this quickly, and had misunderstood your comments about the Priest. Be careful--I think I know how you mean what you're saying, but you've got to be careful.
Anyway, what happened to the NAC Seminarians?
Anonymous,
O.C.s seminary is orthodox, so seminarians coming out of it should be expected to be orthodox and should not be expected to keep their 'mouth closed'. O.C. is obviously being encouraged to 'walk the walk' as well as 'talk the talk' - which is surely a good thing. I would suggest that a placement parish too liberal to except orthodoxy should not except the placements!!
We are called to challenge each other to grow in Christ and this applies to us all, priests, future priests, and non-priests. And this is what Orthfully Catholic did in his post. Read today’s gospel if you think doing this is unlike Christ. It had something to do with picking up our crosses.
"If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
Maybe we should wave our fingers at Jesus for being so un-PC
'barring from Comunion'
I agree, why should people who are acting immorally be entitled to receive Comunion with those who are not acting immorally? If more priests refused Comunion to those they new did not deserve it then maybe people would treat Comunion with the respect it deserves. Why don't priests stand up for what they believe in and stop this liberal nonsense?
'The father mentioned that when the children of Indian families in Britain leave primary school their parents send them back to India for their secondary education because something happens when they get to secondary school in Britain'
bit of implicit racism here perhaps?
families of indian origins living in the uk are diverse and not a static uniform group who all think and act the same. i'm sure there are some families that do school their children in their home country but this is probably a minority in reality. i certainly know many indian families locally that do not and their children attend the local christian/catholic or state secondary (just like the 'average' family). i'm sure that the indian community have many different perspectives and beliefs regarding education. i think you're making over-generalisations here based on assumed racial characteristics. actually, it's more likely that the differing factor here is more likely to be socio-economic since you obviously have to be able to afford to pay for a foreign education and clearly not all have that option.
don't want to make a huge issue out of a minor comment but i do believe that those in public ministry should be careful of how and what they say, careful not to tap into unhelpful discourses that reinforce sterotypes or prejudice.
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