Our New Charismatic Friends

A while ago, and somewhat against my prejudices, we went to a Charismatic day run by a group called something like 'For Christ's Sake.'

I have always had some reservations about the Charismatic Renewal. I like their ardour, but find their approach to liturgy hard to take; further some Charismatic Catholics seem more loyal to the Charismatic Renewal than to the Church.

In many ways, the day reflected my prejudices: lots of enthusiasm and positive thinking, and a Mass I found very difficult: I incline more to Latin, Gregorian Chant, and reverence than to hand waving, bass'n'drums and very active participation in that Charismatic interpretation of those words. And as for their taste in music...

However, we liked the couple running it, and yesterday they came round for the day, with their three boys.

We enjoyed the day enormously. Their boys, younger than ours, knew how to play (not something we always find in visiting children); they settled in well with our four, enjoyed playing in the garden and going for a walk, ate their food in a civilised fashion and so on. Immediately we were inclined to recognise their parents as doing a lot right.

Meanwhile we were chatting with their parents and were hugely impressed: people of real faith, orthodox and committed to evangelisation. Delightful people without that 'holy' veneer that can be so off-putting, but a more profound and reflective faith. The father works as a jobbing builder, but not a great deal at present: there is so much to do for their community. So really, they live by charity, relying on Providence to run their missionary work and support their family. They strike me as more counter-cultural than us, which I particularly like.

Which leaves us with a real dilemma: we are keen to support them and the work they are doing, but I can't see us going to any more of their Masses; nor do I yet feel we know them well enough to explain why without risking hurting them and being misunderstood....

Family Days

One priority is to provide support for parents, and to get their kids actively engaged in the parish, particularly around the time of First Holy Communion. Too often, in our parish, that is the last time we see some of the kids (and their parents) so we need to establish links before and during that process, to help them maintain their Faith.

We will do this, at least in part, by having Family Days, where the teenagers will take responsibility for organising fun and Faith-focused activities for the kids, whilst the parents get to know each other, and benefit from a short input from a priest - or even another parent.

This is all very much at the ideas stage, and so will doubtless develop over time. I may occasionally post on it, as things get going.

Kick-starting things in the Parish

This weekend we had the diocesan youth co-ordinator in the parish, and we invited him and a number of other parents to dinner on Saturday night. Our Parish Priest (who is relatively new to the parish) has been shocked that there is nothing in place for kids or families. Most of those we invited couldn’t come (it was all at rather short notice) but those of us who were there identified two different priorities which we will try to act on. One is Chocolate And God, the other Family Days. I will post on each of these separately (I try to avoid long posts except when I get carried away!)