There's also a story we're researching about a priest in Staten Island, New York: Rev. Michael Cichon, pastor of the St.Joseph/St. Thomas Catholic Church, is booting hundreds of little kids out of religious ed classes because their families aren't attending Mass (search) at least once a month. Apparently, Rev. Cichon used the bar codes on each family's donation envelopes to track their attendance; if it was less than once a month, he kicked their 6 and 7-year-old kids out of Catholic ed classes and told them not to re-apply till next spring. Rev. Cichon does not deny doing so; he says he did so because he believes Mass is an essential component of the Catholic faith.
- from FoxNews Linda Vester
Now how ignorant (and I'm sorry, I can't think of another word to describe this) is this man? These 6 - 7 year olds have no clue what they've done wrong to be kicked out of their class (because they haven't done anything). And the fact that he used the donation envelopes to track the parents is appalling. I mean, what if they were in fact there, but it had been a bad week, and they couldn't donate. For that matter, why the hell are families given barcoded envelopes!?
__________________
All opinions stated in my posts are just that...my opinions...and should not be held in any way as the opinions of the CEPF Board of Directors or of anyone other than myself. - Rev. Heidi Andrews VP CEPF
that's one of the reasons i'm turned off by mainstream religions....it's almost always about money. your tithe, your donations...all of that. they don't seem to care about YOU. what kind of teachings is that, where your money is more important than you???
yep is sad all they care about is money.. not the fact they are losing valuable future parishioners lol...very sad.. he needs to be kicked out of his job...in my humble opionion .. he needs to think why he became a reverend in the first place was it to make money???
Greed and lust for power seem to be the ruling standard these days... or on thinking back a bit, seem to have been almost always.
I'm ashamed for this priest and his parish, so sorry for these children and their families.
Hopefully, they will look within and look around -- and learn that authoritarianism offers them nothing but the Universal Heart offers them everything.
We can hope.
__________________
Noncooperation with evil is as much a responsibility as cooperation with good.
-Ghandi ..... There is no excuse for willful blindness or voluntary ignorance.
-Me
14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Now, it seems to me that the Catholic priest who is kicking these poor children out of SUnday school because he thinks their parents aren't good enough Christians, is missing the point. Jesus certainly didn't care how religious anyone's parents were ... all were good enough in his eyes.
Being a Christian is not about how often you attend M**** or Sunday Service, or about how much you put in your plate. For me, it's not even about holding a certain belief about the nature of Jesus or God ... it is, instead, about your attitude towards other people, and towards this earth we all share. The one true church, is the one which exists in your heart. That is my belief, anyway.
There are even those outside Christianity, who espouse the ethic and spirit of Jesus even better than those who would label themselves "Christian".
Out of fairness, I've no wish to level judgement at churches, or the Christian religion in general. Religions are, after all, run by humans, and as humans we are all fallible and make mistakes, or allow our egos to rule the day on more than one occasion. This is true whether you be Pagan or Christian, attend a big Megachurch or just a small coven with a few friends. Such intolerance is, unfortunately, not limited to Christians. We're all imperfect.
Though I do not call myself Catholic by any means, I do have a lot of respect for the religion (if not the organization of the church as it stands today), the mythology, and some of the beliefs. Much of Roman Catholicism is, after all, very closely related to and derived from, the ancient Pagan beliefs. Casting aside the exclusivist and dogmatic beliefs about Jesus, God, birth control, the child molestation controversy, and women in the church, there is a lot in that tradition that I can appreciate. In fact, there were Christians in European history such as Martin Luther and John Calvin who refused to celebrate Christmas and the other Roman Catholic holidays, because of their pagan origins. Christmas was even outlawed in Puritan M****achusetts in the 17th century for just this reason! Shocking, isn't it?
I really am very saddened when the existence of the Church (whatever church) becomes more about money than it does about helping the community, or helping people achieve a special connection to God/Goddess/The Universe/Whatever You Want to Call It. I think that perhaps that was the reason that Martin Luther called for a reformation of the Catholic church back in the 16th century.
It doesn't matter what path you follow, the good of the community should always be ahead of your own financial gain. And children should never ever be punished for the actions of their parents. It just isn't right.
Ok, first - YES it is awful what that Reverend is doing, and NO - he should not kick out the kids because of what the parents are doing - and NO - he really should not track attendance thru the barcoded envelopes... but, ~ and this is my opinion ~, the bigger picture is maybe missed - the respectful treatment of the children and the parents as well.
These kids have no idea I am sure as to what their parents are doing and not doing. And this Rev. should go talk to the parents. Maybe there is a bigger problem that needs to be discussed, like work or family commitments that keep these people from church. Maybe the parents of these children will go to this Reverends superiors and this problem may be solved.
And the tithes to the church are simply a means to give to the Church, though I am still unsure as to why exactly (possibly to feed the hungry, etc).
I feel that yes, this is between the parents and this Rev - not the children.
Also, we, as able-minded adults must also remember, though we are Pagans, we can also learn from other paths. So, with that said, we need to watch our words and actions. After all, this was ONE Reverend in ONE church - not the whole of chrisitianity mind you, so, try not to catagorize or label simply because of one persons actions. Remember, we have been treated the same - and in order to open the barrier doors, we not put the whole in a box, just the ONE who did the deed
