Catholic Mamas - June/July - Page 3

[wolfmom]

I think what xekomaya meant was that the blessing isn't universally given, especially to adults. All children can go up to communion with their parents, especially if they are too young to sit in the pew by themselves. But not all priests give a blessing. I know my kids love getting the blessing though.

I'm sorry for your struggles, ifonly! I hope you find peace and hopefully a baby too!

How is everyone's summer going? My kids are getting along good and better than that - hubby is home most of the time! I am feeling very good about my marriage right now and I hope that we can have a great summer.

I am thankful now for the extra money we have lately so we could afford to replace our front door. What a huge difference it makes!!

I am also praying a lot about the idea of another baby. Part of me really wants one but part of me is just so happy with my family the way it is now, and dh doesn't want another. I have made a deal with God. If we are supposed to have another then it will be an accident. I know that sounds crazy, but we are pretty much avoiding now and I don't want to go against my dh wishes so if we get preggy now it will either be a wacky ovulation or a 'holey' condom. (sorry, i know it's corny but i thought it was funny!)

peace and health,

[xekomaya]

Originally Posted by misseks

Really??? So what about little kids? Toddlers are *supposed* to stay in the pew by themselves?

No not at all, but if the priest chooses to bless them it is his choice, otherwise they just accompany you. Independent adults requesting a blessing during the time for distribution of Communion is something entirely different.

[brooklyngirl]

Our first Corpus Christi procession drew over 600 people. We stopped at every church in town (5 including the Ukraine.) It took three hours and it was awesome!

[jest]

Are there any Catholic homeschoolers here? What curriculum are you using? I'm starting to look at my curriculum options right now, although I won't be "officially" homeschooling until Fall '10, when my oldest is 5 1/2.

I'm interested to hear about what others are using.

[brooklyngirl]

We used Seton this year as part of a Seton satellite school and we are switching to Kolbe for the Fall. I will also use materials from Catholic Heritage curriculum. I'd like to design my own curriculum but for this year I know I need something in place before the baby arrives.

[jest]

Originally Posted by brooklyngirl

We used Seton this year as part of a Seton satellite school and we are switching to Kolbe for the Fall. I will also use materials from Catholic Heritage curriculum. I'd like to design my own curriculum but for this year I know I need something in place before the baby arrives.

May I ask why you are switching from Seton to Kolbe? I'm familiar with Seton because my sister started out using it. Now she uses mostly Sonlight because her kids are voracious readers but I think she uses Catholic Heritage for religion and she uses a different math (Singapore, but I think she's switching to Right Start). I've looked at the Kolbe website but I wish I could request info to be sent to me...I find it much easier to look at the information if I have it in print in front of me with a cup of tea, lol.

[Hey Mama!]

Originally Posted by xekomaya

This is an addition to the Mass not included in the rubrics. It's only permitted in some areas by some Bishops. You should talk to a priest before you choose to do that to see how they feel about it in your area.

I've live in and attended mass in 3 states, all in very different parts of the country. This was always done in each church. I do see some people stay in the pews, and my dh does but I also see the majority go up with crossed arms and receive a blessing.

I guess I should introduce myself-Dh and I went through RCIA 4 years ago. We attended faithfully for a couple of years then stopped going. I have been making the effort to go in the last 6 months, dh is no longer a believer in organized religion so it has been difficult to say the least. I want to get our children baptised so dd #1 can attend confirmation classes so she can receive First Communion. We don't know anyone to serve as godparents though. That is the main reason they haven't been baptised yet.

[claddaghmom]

nak hi guys

been going through a sad spell? dry spell? i don't know what you'd call it. i just feel that church is either draining or empty lately. i do feel strongly about receiving him; it's the highlight.

i think it's the church we are at. or at least i like to think that. i miss my childhood parish. i miss our actual parish. due to dh's job this is the only church we can attend right now.

all during mass i just kept tearing up. i don't know why. i never thought of myself as the judgmental type and i hate the conservative/liberal division that churchgoers use. but i cannot stand all this clapping and 'our god is an awesome god' music. and the homilies...i listen but feel dry. nothing ever hits its mark.

dh has been so distant in our faith lately too. no nighttime prayers lately. we make it to mass-barely on time once a week. not how i want to be.

sigh i don't know why i even posted this lol

[xekomaya]

Originally Posted by Hey Mama!

I've live in and attended mass in 3 states, all in very different parts of the country. This was always done in each church. I do see some people stay in the pews, and my dh does but I also see the majority go up with crossed arms and receive a blessing.

Okay, but that still doesn't make it an official addition to the Mass. You can read the rubrics for the Novus Ordo Mass on the UCCB site.

Originally Posted by Hey Mama!

I guess I should introduce myself-Dh and I went through RCIA 4 years ago. We attended faithfully for a couple of years then stopped going. I have been making the effort to go in the last 6 months, dh is no longer a believer in organized religion so it has been difficult to say the least. I want to get our children baptised so dd #1 can attend confirmation classes so she can receive First Communion. We don't know anyone to serve as godparents though. That is the main reason they haven't been baptised yet.

Welcome. You don't need to know people personally to be. I'm sure your priest would be happy to recommend some parishoners to be your children's Godparents. I'm sorry to hear about your DH. That's always a difficult situation. Will say some prayers for you.

[xekomaya]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

all during mass i just kept tearing up. i don't know why. i never thought of myself as the judgmental type and i hate the conservative/liberal division that churchgoers use. but i cannot stand all this clapping and 'our god is an awesome god' music. and the homilies...i listen but feel dry. nothing ever hits its mark.

Mama, you have to go where you're being fed. Time spent traveling to Mass is never wasted.
Conservative/liberal division is a bunch of crock and I'm not about to jump in and say what's what --There is a clear set of rules and Canon law and we have a Pope for that. The truth is, we should be intellectually honest enough to know the difference. If you're attending a Parish with rampant modernism and irreverence, how can you expect to grow in Piety? You've gotta protect your faith and the eyes and ears of your children.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by xekomaya

Mama, you have to go where you're being fed. Time spent traveling to Mass is never wasted.
Conservative/liberal division is a bunch of crock and I'm not about to jump in and say what's what --There is a clear set of rules and Canon law and we have a Pope for that. The truth is, we should be intellectually honest enough to know the difference. If you're attending a Parish with rampant modernism and irreverence, how can you expect to grow in Piety? You've gotta protect your faith and the eyes and ears of your children.

teehee yes her poor ears are learning this music egads!

[brooklyngirl]

[QUOTE=jest;13971517I find it much easier to look at the information if I have it in print in front of me with a cup of tea, lol.[/QUOTE]

LOL! I know I'm still waiting for the catalog I think they may have had issues getting those printed on time. I would e-mail and see if they are finally out.

There were several aspects of Seton that I did like. I understand completely why so many families use it:
-every subject is taught from a Catholic perspective. I didn't have to "correct" or explain anything that went against the faith.
-they have everything planned out for you and they take care of some of the grading. Very reassuring for those with no prior experience.

I have a degree in History and my dh in political Science. So you can imagine that History would be one of the subjects that really matters to us. I had issues with History from the 2nd grade on. Seton keeps the theme "Catholics in History" from grade 1-4 with the exception of on of the second grade books which has the potential to be really great but is not Catholic, is outdated and in some ways very strange in it's treatment of other countries.

When I looked at Kolbe the History starts with the Egyptians, moves to Greeks, then to to Romans. I just think that approach will work better for us. I fell in love with their Literature plans because they give you an extensive book list and your child can choose which book they want to work on at any given time.

I spent a lot of time fleshing out the materials for certain students. If I gave some of them a second grade Seton Science lesson as it was actually presented they would be done with it in 5 minutes. I had two students finish the entire Seton science curriculum in one quarter. (and that was fleshed out with outside resources, experiments etc.) I'm using Behold & See 3 for my daughter this Fall and I don't see her zooming through it.

Lastly, I taught a Spanish High School class using Seton for three students. I had to call the academic adviser on more than occasion. The tests were a huge problem in that course because at times they did not correspond with what the textbook asked them to do. I would call to get clarification and while the adviser was not unpleasant I never got a straight answer. I would get hints. I just could not imagine a non-Spanish speaking parent teaching that particular course.

Whew! sorry that's long.

[Hey Mama!]

I have an exciting job prospect on the horizon. I interviewed today for a prek-kindergarten teacher at a very small Catholic school. The only thing that may hinder me is that I am not certified to teach. The principal told me that the diocese has provisions for non-certification. If I turn in a plan of degree completion and actively work on finishing my degree, I may be allowed to teach. Ladies, this is super exciting to me, I really pray that this works out. I also picked up some enrollment forms for my daughters. I really liked the vibe of the school and the very small class sizes. I'm excited that my girls may go to school and learn about their faith-they will really know what the Catholic faith is all about. I'm often confused because I'm so newly Catholic, I feel like I can't be a good steward of the faith to them.

and xekomaya-forgive my assumptions

[jlpumkin]

claddaghmom - you will be in my prayers & hopefully us in yours. We have moved to a very NON Catholic area. The parish here seems to be in competition with the Baptists down the street. The first mass here I sobbed. DH couldn't take it anymore and we now drive a bit further to get to the AF base parish. We feel blessed to have an option.

Which brings me to... we are homeschoolers now as well DH also withdrew dd from the parish school. We are using a combination of Catholic Hertiage Curricula and Sonlight. There is an awesome yahoo group - SL Catholic - that is made up of SL users. When/if a momma finds something in the curriculum that may be objectionable to our faith it is posted along with suggested replacement materials. It's been a great resource for me in planning the year.

[momtokimari]

Originally Posted by Hey Mama!

We don't know anyone to serve as godparents though. That is the main reason they haven't been baptised yet.

The godparents are supposed to be other Catholics, right? Not just people to take your kids after you die?

[Katwoman]

Originally Posted by jest

I find it much easier to look at the information if I have it in print in front of me with a cup of tea, lol.

AMEN!

We're starting our homeschooling journey this fall and this has been the biggest trouble for me. All the websites/all the choices/with not quite enough information - for me - to make choices.

We are using Catholic Heritage and Five in a Row. I still have to settle on a science. My DD desperately wants actual experiments. But I'm having trouble discerning over the internet what would be good experiments for a 5 yo. Wish there was a huge warehouse I could wander through and "touch" everything.

Glad to see another hs. Do they have a hs group at your parish? Or a nearby parish? We joined with anther parish and there is about 15 families in it. It's cool to have a community within the faith.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by jlpumkin

claddaghmom - you will be in my prayers & hopefully us in yours. We have moved to a very NON Catholic area. The parish here seems to be in competition with the Baptists down the street. The first mass here I sobbed. DH couldn't take it anymore and we now drive a bit further to get to the AF base parish. We feel blessed to have an option.

Which brings me to... we are homeschoolers now as well DH also withdrew dd from the parish school. We are using a combination of Catholic Hertiage Curricula and Sonlight. There is an awesome yahoo group - SL Catholic - that is made up of SL users. When/if a momma finds something in the curriculum that may be objectionable to our faith it is posted along with suggested replacement materials. It's been a great resource for me in planning the year.

i guess i was so focused on us just doing what we had to do that it's crept up on me.

[Hey Mama!]

Originally Posted by momtokimari

The godparents are supposed to be other Catholics, right? Not just people to take your kids after you die?

Yes, they are. We are not close to anyone at our church.

[JMJ]

I'm interested to get some thoughts from some more experienced Catholic moms. How do you decide if/when to temporarily take your child out of the sanctuary to regain control while minimizing disturbing other worshipers? Is it based on age? volume? timing? length of disturbance? Where do you sit at mass? Also, how much of mass is it appropriate to miss and still go to communion? I usually don't go if I miss the Penitential Rite or large chunks of the Eucharistic Prayer, but I want to know if there are any guidelines or what other parents do.

My dd is 3 months old, and so far, she mostly sleeps during Sunday mass because I'm standing and singing in the choir. I have had to take her out a couple times when she's screaming and doesn't calm down within a few seconds. I'll usually try to nurse her or comfort her depending on what I think she needs, and if that doesn't immediately calm her down, out we go.

I usually try to go to daily mass too, though, and she's not always asleep and sometimes noisy. The daily masses don't use microphones, so there's no place I can go that I can hear the mass, but they can't hear my baby. Sometimes, she's awake and babbling, and I don't have too much of a problem with that at this age. She's not old enough yet to understand me if I try to quiet her. I usually only leave if I think that she is so loud that the other people around me are going to have a hard time hearing, and most of the time, I'll try standing in the back of the church with her first.

I'm of the belief that children are an important part of the church and they belong in the sanctuary in a place that they can see unless they have really lost control and need a moment and some privacy to regain it. At the same time, I don't want to draw anyone away from their worship while taking too long to resolve or remove the distraction.

[Peppermint]

JMJ- you are there at Mass, attempting to participate, and the consecration is taking place whether you are in the pew or the narthex. Just as you can receive Communion at a Communion service, where you were not present when the consecration took place- you should go to Communion on Sunday if you are present at the Church, regardless of what you missed in taking care of your LO.

As for when to take them out- each mama has to make her own rules on that. I take them out when I feel that the people around me are going to be unable to hear the Mass for more than a minute (if that, depending on age).

I've been able to have my babies in the pew with me most of the time until they started gymnastic nursing- and I then felt the need to go in the back for modesty's sake. Are you nursing her in the pew, or while you sing in the choir? It is time well spent to learn to nurse discreetly and be able to do so in Mass. I find that usually for about a year, sometime between 1-3 years, my kids (especially #4- he's a piece of work!!!) need to be taken to the narthex often, as no nursing or little kid religious books, or even cheerios keep them quiet. We are fortunate enough to have many Mass options and DH and I will often split shifts during that very difficult stage so at to not have to take the insane toddler(that is not for everyone though, some people are very anti-split shifts, but- it works for us at times).

I saw the homeschooling discussion, we use an ecclectic mix of materials, in that being a fair amount of CHC, I just love their materials! I do love the Faith and Life series for Rel. Ed. along with CHC's lesson plans for sacramental prep, nothing beats their sacramental prep, IMNSHO . (although I still supplemented even that, I am silly about how much I love Sacramental prep).

Things are well here, I am in my 3rd trimester now, and we are expecting another boy: DD is crushed that she isn't getting her sister that she longs for. If you all could spare some prayers for my 2 year old, he has had random very high fevers with no other symptoms (except 2 year molars coming in) over the past few weeks, and I think I am going to have to take him in for blood work to make sure it is nothing more. The Dr.s all say that teething can not account for a fever that is very high (104+).