When children are baptised we say, “we welcome you into the Lord’s family; welcome into the family life of the Church.” Children are never too young to come to church.. Children of whatever age are all very welcome here at Saint Joseph’s.
At Saint Joseph’s we realise that bringing children to church, especially babies and toddlers, can sometimes be very hard work for the parents...and you always feel as if your baby is crying louder than any other baby!!
We do not want church to be an anxious experience for you and your child. It should be a happy time. Inside this leaflet you will find some information which we hope will make coming to church with your child easier, more enjoyable – and certainly less anxious.
If your baby is in a carry cot or push chair you may well find that the side aisle benches are easier for you. There is more room for the push chair or carry cot, and more floor space between benches if your baby wants to sit, lie or crawl around the floor.
If your baby is settled, please feel free to remain seated during the service even at times when others are standing or kneeling. If you need to walk around to settle your child, please feel free to do so. You might find the entrance area beyond the etched glass screens useful for this purpose; you will still be able to see and hear the Mass. Don’t be embarrassed if your child cries.
If your baby needs feeding or changing, it is quite in order for you to do this on the church premises. The hall kitchen has hot and cold water, facilities for boiling a kettle, and a small microwave oven. Please use these facilities if you want. There is a nappy changing table situated in the disabled toilet near the rear entrance.
Babies are attracted by the light shining through the stained glass windows, or by the flickering light of the candles, or by colourful statues, so take some time to walk around the church and show these things to the baby before or after mass.
Babies may enjoy being held close as the parent sings or moves to the music of the Mass. Don’t be afraid to walk about quietly during the Mass – there is plenty of space towards the back and in the entrance hall.
At communion time, please bring your baby with you to receive a blessing. This is a sign that children of all ages are very much part of our church family, and although not able to receive communion until they are older, share in the eucharistic celebration.
Very quickly your baby will be absorbing the atmosphere of our worship and, apart from the occasional ‘off-day’, will quickly accept his or her time in church as part of the rhythm of the week.
Toddlers can be energetic and want to see and do as much as possible. They want to get up and move around – quite understandable at that age! If your child goes for a walk-about in the middle of the service, let him / her explore, but keep an watchful eye. If the child wants something more energetic, the carpeted area in the front porch is a good place for running about and falling over; you will still be able to see and hear the Mass from there.. You could bring a favourite toy that the child can play with – make sure it’s a quiet toy, though.
It is good practice to get your child to realise that there are different parts to the Mass, when different things happen; the eucharistic prayer and especially the consecration are special times to be still and quiet; the liturgy of the word is a time for listening and doing (see below); the hymns are times to sing with full voice; choir songs are times to sit and listen and enjoy the singing. Waiting for the bells to ring at the consecration can help to hold a child’s attention at that part of the Mass.
Children learn much by imitation, so encourage your toddler to imitate what you doing – holding a hymn book and standing with you when you are singing, answering the prayer responses, kneeling down or sitting.
At the 9.00am. and 11.00am. masses the young children are invited to go to the church hall for their own Liturgy of the Word and activities. Encourage your child to go with them. At first you may need to go with your child yourself to give him / her confidence. With young toddlers it is advisable that you stay with the child throughout and help your child with the activities. The children return at the offertory bearing the gifts of bread and wine and their work. They are then encouraged to be quiet during the special times of the eucharistic prayer and the consecration. Encourage your child to kneel, sit, stand at the appropriate times with you, and to respond to the prayers. Bring your toddler forward at communion time to receive a blessing as you receive communion. Come forward as a family if possible. This can be a special time for your child and the people around.
When children are in church they are not there simply to be “coped with” or “put with”. On the contrary, they are members of the congregation and are with us to worship as part of their journey of faith. Even when they are doing things which children do, amusing themselves with a favourite book or toy, exploring, asking questions, then they are absorbing the atmosphere of worship.. We encourage them to be further included by finding ways of involving them in the liturgy and drawing their attention to what is going on, even if it is only for a short time. And, when there is an outburst – well, that’s children being children, and there’s no need for anyone to get too upset or grumpy!
...our children are the future (as well as the present) of our church and will carry the Christian faith to new generations. The sound of children is a sign of hope and of the future. If there were just the silence of middle and old age in our church we wouldn’t have a future! So, let us rejoice that God has called so many families and young children to worship in our church – and rejoice in their presence!