I Smell Children!

The title refers to that awful guy in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the one who can smell out the children? Before I was married and had kids, I used to always imitate him when I was working in a restaurant and had to wait on lots of kids. It's mean, I know.

Which brings me to my next point. There's a blogger that I follow on Twitter, and she pointed to a post by another blogger, and it concerned me for several reasons.

We are having a conversation about it, of sorts, on Twitter, but I wanted to quickly write out this post because, funnily enough, I have to get ready to go to Mass. Mike just got back from 9:30 and I am going to 11:30.

Before I had Felicity, we all went to church together at what we thought would be our new church. We would all go in and sit and then when Anthony got too loud (and hoo boy can that get loud), either Mike or I would take him out into the huge foyer that they have at this church. It was ... not great. First of all, we had to stop taking turns because Mike had to take him to the toilet once we started training. Second, and this was more problematic, everyone and their brother came out to the lobby during Mass and it got a little crowded and a little hard to hear the priest. Also, if you stand near the doors, you can see everyone coming late (and I do mean late, like barely in time for Communion!) and it's a little disheartening to be out in the foyer because your child can't behave and to see all these neuro-typical people behaving horribly, just because they can. Is that irony? I can never tell.

Now that I've had Felicity, I usually take her on Saturday nights and Mike takes - well, he used to take Maria and Veronica but now he just takes Maria because Veronica is HORRIBLY behaved. She's loud, she takes off her shoes and blows you a raspberry when you tell her to put them back on, she runs up toward the altar, etc. There's no way for Mike to bring them both.

So I read this post and I think, hmmm. Really? Really we're not setting a good example for our kids? We're not taking responsibility for our children because we don't take them to Mass? Veronica is TWO! What is she getting out of Mass?

It is a great, great concern of mine, about Anthony and God. I pray every day that he will some day come to know God in a more real way. I would love it if he could make his Communion in a real way. I think he can make his First Communion regardless but I would like for him to know what is going on and be able to express stuff enough for Confession. If Sacraments give us grace, I wonder, where is he going to get his? I mean - I know that he is taken care of, I truly believe that God loves Anthony and that somewhere in his heart, Anthony knows God (as well as any 6.5 year old anyway) but I worry about this stuff anyway, is my point, and then to read a post that basically confirms my worries is ... um, worrisome.

Also, I flat out don't think kids of a certain age should go to Mass. I don't really think it's cute for a two year old to be waving her hands around at the Host. It drives me MAD when people talk about Jesus and the Suffer the Children quote, because, fine, those kids were AROUND in town or whatever, but you notice there were NONE at the Last Supper! They weren't invited, probably, because they should have been in BED!

So we disagree, this blogger and I, about kids at Mass. But I also disagree with sweeping statements like:

As Catholics:

We say that we are champions of Life, but are unwilling to help the unwed, pregnant mother.

We say that it’s everyone’s job to help those in need, but avert our eyes and shift in our seats when the beggar comes into the Mass.

We talk about how children are a blessing and the future of our Church, but we don’t want children interrupting OUR Mass.

We talk about how Jesus loves everyone and we should too, but then kick our son or daughter out of the house when they reveal to us they are gay.

Um, what Catholics are doing this? I used to go to church with some people in New York that I'm SURE didn't have a home. Almost all the churches I went to in the city were commuter churches and didn't have a regular parish EXCEPT FOR the homeless people. I can't speak for myself because I am not great with the volunteer work lately but my mother has been a long time volunteer for Birthline, which TOTALLY helps the unwed, pregnant mother. And believe me, she has OPINIONS about being unwed and pregnant, which have nothing to do with the help that she gives people. We are ALL sinners, I figure, and we all need help.

I just think there are a lot of sweeping statements in this post. I have a hard time when Catholics make sweeping and possibly untrue statements about Catholics because I feel like we get a hard enough time from everybody else!

That said, I am happy to have another Catholic blogger to follow, even if we don't completely agree.