Conducting a children's mass QUESTION from Mina March 18, 2000 Hello!! I am in charge of what our parish calls a 'children's mass' on the first and third Sunday of every month where the children are excused right before the first reading and we go to a little room right behind the altar to have 'mass', an art project of some sort that relates to the gospel and then the children are returned during the offertory hymn. This is my first encounter with a setup like this and was given no guidance other than a snapshot of what the previous ladies did and this is just following their lead, but I feel awfully uncomfortable reading the gospel and don't know what or how the guidelines are for doing this type of children's mass. Can you help? Thanks
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 23, 2000 Dear Mrs. Mina:
This is not my area and I would normally refer you to John Miskell in our Liturgy Forum, but his computer is still broken.
I know that one just cannot do anything one wants with children at Mass. The Mass for children is not to be substantively different than Mass regularly.
There is a Directory of Children's Masses that can be found in the book listing Vatican II documents.
You need to get a copy of this and follow the instructions it gives for Mass with Children. The way in which a Mass for Children is performed cannot be just winged. The Church does have legislation on it.
When Mr. Miskell comes back, which hopefully will be next week sometime, please post your question to him. He will be able to give you a better answer.
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