Catholic confirmation: Were you required to "prove" mass attendance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of this and this practice would make me switch parishes. We are in MD and have class and service requirements for Confirmation candidates and it is a two year program. This is enough.

You technically can’t switch parishes for sacraments without the permission of your territorial parish priest.

Dp- we changed parishes and had no issue registering the kids for school or receiving sacraments. It probably depends on the parish.

[Anonymous]

Oh for crying out loud.
Talk about “check the box” requirements that do nothing at all to bring the young people into fuller communion with the church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh for crying out loud.
Talk about “check the box” requirements that do nothing at all to bring the young people into fuller communion with the church.

It is a requirement of the Catholic church that you attend mass. Why shouldn't they enforce it for students getting their first communion? It isn't a check the box requirement, it is an obligation of the Catholic Church. If you don't want to attend mass on a regular basis then don't sign up your child for communion classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh for crying out loud.
Talk about “check the box” requirements that do nothing at all to bring the young people into fuller communion with the church.

It is a requirement of the Catholic church that you attend mass. Why shouldn't they enforce it for students getting their first communion? It isn't a check the box requirement, it is an obligation of the Catholic Church. If you don't want to attend mass on a regular basis then don't sign up your child for communion classes.

First, the issue is confirmation, not first communion.
My reference to "check the box" isn't to attending mass, but to the silly requirement to wait in a long line after mass so the priest can hand you a card that I'm certain is going to get immediately thrown away. And it's even more ridiculous to require an out-of-town priest to sign something. What if someone is sick? Do they need a doctors note?
The priest in question is not acting in a way that will help these young people attend mass regularly, or help them grow closer to God, or help them become more active, adult members of the parish. He's acting in a way that infantilizes them and will, for many, drive them away from the church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of this and this practice would make me switch parishes. We are in MD and have class and service requirements for Confirmation candidates and it is a two year program. This is enough.

You technically can’t switch parishes for sacraments without the permission of your territorial parish priest.

This is true in Arlington. Washington and Baltimore do not care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is currently a confirmation candidate or was one recently, did your parish require some type of proof of mass attendance?

At our Parish, the priests will hand out saint prayer cards after mass. Each week it's a different saint, and each candidate has a card with his name on it. The candidate must approach the priest after mass to request the card, and the priest will give a brief description of the saint. The line gets LONG with so many candidates at each mass! After all the Sunday masses are over, it's obvious who did not attend mass because their card will still be in the box.
If someone is out of town, they can go to mass at whatever local parish, but they are expected to get a church bulletin and have the priest sign it to prove their mass attendance.

Is this pretty standard?

We’re in Arlington and my older son had to do this 2 years ago before he got confirmed. But there was no box and the priest was more interested in learning the kids’ names. My younger son will get confirmed this fall and they don’t seem to be doing this anymore. The priest who was there for my older son is gone so maybe that’s why.

[Anonymous]

This is not a big deal for families that attend mass. The rest of you? Well, the point is that you are supposed to be attending mass.

I taught religious education for many years and was shocked by how many of the children did not attend mass regularly, especially during the sacramental preparation years (2nd grade especially).

[Anonymous]

Not a requirement in DC. For our parish, there are a series of preparation events on Sunday evenings - that they scheduled on Sunday's that are long weekends for DCPS. We are out of town and shared this. Our parish said thanks for the heads up and that it was not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Not a requirement at our Arlington Diocese church. Very odd. e.

Signed,
An active parish member

[Anonymous]

Why would you get your child confirmed if you don't attend services?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you get your child confirmed if you don't attend services?

No one is suggested the family consistently skip mass (not called services in a Catholic church)
But some of us are bristling at the silly games this priest is making them play.

[Anonymous]

The documentation requirements in this diocese are insane. It really depends on the bishop around the country.

We are a military family and have had the bad luck to land in super conservative diocese that require 2 years of sacramental preparation on top of the 1+ year waitlist to make it into the preparation classes. So at this rate my 4th grader will receive his first communion in high school. I am hoping our next location is more reasonable or will at least accept our home education as part of the preparation.

[Anonymous]

What bothers me about this practice is that teaches a young person to attend Mass out of duty or obligation, and does nothing to a grow a young person’s desire to attend Mass.

[Anonymous]

OP here with an update.

We went to mass at a church near our hotel. After mass my son approached the priest with a bulletin and pen. He didn't even have to explain, the priest immediately took the pen and started signing--so I guess he's seen it before?

This is in a very "touristy" area where I'm sure they get lots of visitors from other parishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update.

We went to mass at a church near our hotel. After mass my son approached the priest with a bulletin and pen. He didn't even have to explain, the priest immediately took the pen and started signing--so I guess he's seen it before?

This is in a very "touristy" area where I'm sure they get lots of visitors from other parishes.

Very common. I recall hearing about these requirements from family members in other parts of the country as well.