As a preface to this column, I want to say that I realize most of you reading this are faithful to Sunday Mass attendance. I ask you to share this message with those you know who are struggling with this issue.
Last year, about this time, I was standing at the entrance to one of our parish churches waiting for the Confirmation ceremony to begin. The pastor of the parish looked over the Confirmation class standing in line waiting to enter the church and said, "About half of these young people weren't here last Sunday." I found this distressing. Since then, several more pastors have talked to me regarding their concern about some of our young people's carelessness with Mass attendance. Of course this is not a problem only in the Diocese of Sioux Falls.
Last Pentecost, Pope John Paul II in his apostolic letter Dies Domini (On Keeping The Lord's Day Holy) said that Sunday is the fundamental feast day for Christians and at the very core of our faith. He repeated this theme during the youth gathering in St. Louis just a few weeks ago.
"You belong to the church and can find no greater expression or support than by sharing in the Eucharist every Sunday in your parish. Christ gives us the gift of his body and blood to make us one body, one spirit in him, to bring us more deeply into communion with him and with all the members of his body, the church. Make the Sunday celebration in your parishes a real encounter with Jesus in the community of his followers: this is an essential part of your 'training in devotion' to the Lord!"
The standard of Mass every Sunday doesn't begin when you are 15 or 16, but has to begin when you are much younger.
Unfortunately, in many cases, it is the parents who have failed in their responsibility to worship as a family every Sunday. In talking to our priests, I have discovered that today other things are more important – pheasant hunting, sporting events, farm chores, weekend jobs, friends or simply sleeping.
It is time to say enough! I believe that bold action is necessary in order to call our young people to accountability.
The Pope pointed out to the 700 plus young people from our diocese, and the entire group of 20,000 that, "This is the time of your 'training,' of your physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual development. But this does not mean that you can put off until later your meeting with Christ and your sharing in the church's mission. Even though you are young, the time for action is now!"
I encourage each of our priests to discuss this issue with their religious education team and parish council.
Along with the other aspects of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, I believe that fidelity to worship and to parish life is significant.
I do not believe that young people who do not worship regularly should be presented for Confirmation as if they are prepared to complete their initiation process in the church for the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
As priests and religious educators, we need to challenge our young people and their families to be faithful to regular Eucharist worship. I am aware of one parish in the diocese where more than one-third of the young people being prepared for Confirmation did not worship regularly.
We need to be clear in our expectations and call young people to be faithful to the precepts of the church (Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 2041-2043) and to the apostolic letter Dies Domini. We have to engage young people to see if they have been faithful to regular Mass attendance and to the other requirements of the Confirmation program.
Regular Mass attendance, class attendance for instruction, service hours and a retreat should be part of every Confirmation program.
Parents need to be partners with us, and if they are the ones who are irresponsible, then they have to be called to the faith witness which is expected of them. Attending Mass on Sunday is a serious moral issue.
I encourage our priests and religious educators to dialogue with our young people and explain the importance of weekly Eucharist. In a Sunday Eucharist, we participate in the paschal mystery. The mystery of the church is made present. The Sunday Eucharistic assembly is a sacrament of unity and should not be fragmented into separate groups, movements or associations. In a common celebration, the pilgrim people of God move toward the heavenly Jerusalem in hope, encouraged by the proclamation of the Word of God and nourished by the Lord's Supper.
If our young people are not faithful to the Eucharist, then I believe that delaying Confirmation should be seriously considered. This does not mean that they are going to be dropped or that we are not open to them. However, we must call them to be responsible about the practice of their faith.
Implementing this will be challenging. It will take additional effort and time by the priests, parents and religious educators. In one parish where the pastor is working heroically to challenge young people, this is going to mean a second Confirmation. I am willing to make that commitment if the young people make their commitment to be faithful to the Eucharist.
A generation from now we will have a stronger, more committed, more devotional, more holy people.
