Ok I'm having an issue with people and their christian behavior ... or lack thereof.  I help out with our Sunday school classes.  I teach the kindergarten level.  I figure start with the basics and build.  So my main focus was the 10 commandments.  I didn't worry so much about the wording of them.   At that age as long as the priciple idea was there it was all good.  I'm proud of my kids.  They know the commandments.  We use pictures and simple words but still they get the idea.  Love only God.  Use God's name right.  Go to church.  Love your parents.  Don't Hurt others.  Love your wife or husband.  Don't Steal.  Don't Lie.  Don't be jealous of other people.  Don't be jealous of other peoples things.  They even know that the first three help us to Love God and the other 7 help us to love other people.

Well here's the thing.  The second grade class doesn't remember them.  They were supposed to do First Communion and First Reconciliation.  But how can you do that if you don't have the basic understanding of things you've done wrong.  Well the second grade teacher felt that way too.  And she had said that some of the kids weren't ready.  She didn't think they should have the sacraments this year.  Our priest was fine with that.  Until ... the council got wind of it.  One gal had two granddaughters in the class.  Her reasoning is they have all their lives to learn it.

True.  But how can they learn it if they don't come to class or church regularly.  Or if their parents don't think it's important.  Shrug.  One girl even had her mom doing her assignments.  Um Hello - you already learned that maybe you should be helping your child understand the love God has for us.  The grandma even commented - Well if we don't let them receive first communion how are we going to keep them coming to church.  Hmmmm - they're kids.  Their parents bring them? 

It got so bad that the teacher quit, left the church and is going to another church.  Wow.  Not a single person supported her.  At least not the ones that should have.  Which is a shame.  From there the christianity just fell straight to the bottom of the barrel.  We are almost a church divided.  Rich big families on one side.  Everyone else on the other. 

All the kids got to have the sacraments on Sunday.  But I have to say the christian faith in some is alive and well.  One of the parents of the kids receiveing first communion stood up at the end of Mass and stated that we should all give a special prayer of thanks for the teacher that left and all her hard work that she put into preparing the kids for First Communion and First Reconciliation.

I say Bravo to her.  I'd like to think I'm as well of a shining example of a christian being.

Dawn,

How horrible for that woman! She was standing for what she believed, and the way I understand what you said, the priest flip flopped on his opinion about it. SOOO not good!

There is a woman who goes to my church. She teaches a class of younger children (I honestly don't remember what age, 'cause I have no kids!), yet she goes out and has been seen holding hands with a married man, has told many, MANY untruths about people (including me), and yet, she still teaches. My pastor doesn't know about anything other than what she's said about me and that she's been mean to others. VERY mean. The thing she lied about me was on my old job. For some reason, this woman hates me. (April sarcastically says, "That's Christian, isn't it?") I have no idea what I could have done. The only things she says to me are belittling and hateful. I just don't respond.

My pastor has told me that he'll talk to her about her behavior. I won't let him. Why, you may ask? Because it was a work thing. If it were a church thing, I'd give him the OK in a heartbeat. He and I both know that she can't truly be a Christian if she's behaving in this manor. We are both praying daily (at least I do when I remember. ;-) ) for her salvation.

All that being said, maybe you, and those who support this woman, should pray that those who were so unsupportive of her, ALL OF THEM, that they realize what a wrong they've committed not only against this woman, but against these children and the sanctity of God's word and His Great Commission.

Hoping it all gets better there!

Hugs,
April