Yesterday at Our Lady of Consolation

Fr Bill Agley said a Requiem Mass at OLOC yesterday, it being Remembrance Sunday, on what was a very atmospheric afternoon, weather-wise. Grateful thanks to Fr Bill.

I've been reading the blogs and press about the (to my mind awful) Children's Liturgy. There were young kids at yesterday's Mass at OLOC, and not a peep from any of them.

Anyone can see that kids pick up on what's going on around them. If there is talking in Church before Mass, kids will talk in Church before Mass. If there's no-one genuflecting, they won't genuflect. If there is fidgeting and to-ing and fro-ing by anyone in Church, from the going out and coming in of children off to and back from their special colouring sessions of  'Jesus and me', to the often interminable offertory procession which is more like an interlude than an occasion for reflection and preparation, they won't learn what is and isn't proper behaviour in Church. Why send kids out to colour Jesus when they can actually be in the presence of the Lord in Church? Where is the sense in that?

Of course I'm biased towards the EF (for one thing, it doesn't feel half as long and drawn out as the OF, which for children's attention span is good). It's visually engaging with lots to look at, it's mysterious, it's sometimes quiet and sometimes not, it's impossible to miss the Consecration as there are so many bells, and no extraordinary people fluffing about round the altar. It's better for kids all round, even the very fidgety ones.

I've mentioned before this great little book, Know Your Mass, it's very retro, which is not always a bad thing. I can't recommend it highly enough.