One of my students stopped going to mass...

[Theoketos]

She was so on fire. And she still loves Christ and the Youth Group. She is one senor I had in the Youth Group. Really, she is an awesome person.

Strangely, her excuse is that she is too busy with work. And She really is busy. She works as a life guard more than 40 hours a week most times. Then she is really tired afterwards.

All of the 2nd paragraph I got from her worried mother this morning after mass.

Soooooo... As I can not seem to get a hold of her I thought a hand written letter would be awesome.

This letter is going to be really gentle. I think she needs to be compelled by the Love of Christ. This letter is not meant to be a manipulative guilt trips(and I do not want any thing to do with spikes *cough Don John* )

Thanks Pham

Edited June 19, 2005 by Theoketos

[Aloysius]

I know just what you want to say...

GO TO MASS OR BURN!

errr... wait... that's not gentle?

[Fidei Defensor]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Jun 19 2005, 01:37 PM']I know just what you want to say...

GO TO MASS OR BURN!

errr... wait... that's not gentle?
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[/quote]
Just slightly forceful

[jmjtina]

I hear SOOOOO many excuses as well. I've given up "gentle" and just bluntly tell them. ( in a nice firm way )

And I usually end up saying, "Is it worth going to Hell for?"

Tired does not justify a mortal sin. We are ALL tired. But that doesn't mean you miss Mass just so you can have an extra hour of sleep. And I leave the choice up to them. I do invite them to attend Mass every chance I see them.

Honestly, I stay firm and blunt, because I don't want to send the wrong message to the youth. I more afraid of not being firm and blunt because I don't want them to interpret it as something that is light and of no real seriousness.

Especailly on my seniors who know better.

[homeschoolmom]

sad... very sad. I find the "I'm too tired" excuse so weird. Mass is what gives me the energy to get through the week. And going during the week pumps me up for the remainder...

[jmjtina]

James, I'll keep you in my prayers, especially for your senior.

Remeber to pray before you write. You probably know her best and how she'll probably respond, so who better to write a note of concern than you? Another mentor figure usually helps, especially with those who used to be involved and then all of a sudden stopped.

God Bless.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

This is indeed very sad.

I would offer all the help you can to get her to Mass if she's too busy. I would also see if there is any way she can get off work long enough to go to Mass...she has a right to by federal law.

Other than that, James, you have a gentle heart...use it and say what you think she needs to hear.

[Noel's angel]

I'd say to her that Jesus is always longing for us to receive Him, and it is only by receiving Him in the Eucharist that we can truely feel the touch of His hand. By receiving the Eucharist, He can help us carry our cross and in her case, this cross is of exhaustion from working. We never like to be neglected by our loved ones, so why should we neglect love itself?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Missionaries of Charity to Mother Theresa: "Mother, we have no time to do all of our work."

Blessed Mother Theresa: "Add another Holy Hour."

If she makes the difficult effort to go to Mass, she will find herself blessed abundantly with all the strength she needs.

[picchick]

I would have the youth group pray for her too. St. Monica prayed for years for her son. I think that you should start the youth group praying. Maybe not like, "Pray for so and so to come back to Mass." but maybe for, "the members of the youth group past and present to continue to make time for Christ."


Meg

[journeyman]

[quote name='picchick' date='Jun 19 2005, 03:25 PM']I think that you should start the youth group praying for, "the members of the youth group past and present to continue to make time for Christ."
Meg
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I like that

If there's some underlying problem (transportation; time for meals; other?) see if that can be addressed in a way that solves both problems

add an "adjunct role" to youth group? Have her as a resource person - get her on PM - so even if she's not at the parish regularly she's still involved? Logistics at midnight may be something she can do, while Mass at 8 AM is not

[iggy]

[quote name='Raphael' date='Jun 19 2005, 02:09 PM']Missionaries of Charity to Mother Theresa:  "Mother, we have no time to do all of our work."

Blessed Mother Theresa:  "Add another Holy Hour."

If she makes the difficult effort to go to Mass, she will find herself blessed abundantly with all the strength she needs.
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This makes me think of another Mother Theresa story: A priest (pretty sure it was a priest) was talking to her and saying how he did not have time for prayer in his day. He said "I get up every morning at five to start working, and I am too busy the whole rest of the day"
Her response "Get up at four"

Edited June 20, 2005 by iggy

[Theoketos]

By the Way. She is going back to the holy sacrafice of the Mass. And I convinced her with love and the example of true contrition...that is doing it out of love of God rather than fear of Hell.

Thanks for the prayers.

[dUSt]

You should have just snuck into her house at night and played horrific tricks on her like she was being haunted by ghosts and attacked by Satan, like writing evil things on her walls with blood and leaving dead animals in her closet and stuff.

That's what I would have done.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

[quote name='Theoketos' date='Sep 21 2005, 12:01 PM']By the Way. She is going back to the holy sacrafice of the Mass. And I convinced her with love and the example of true contrition...that is doing it out of love of God rather than fear of Hell.

Thanks for the prayers.
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Yay! Good to hear!

[prose]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Jun 19 2005, 01:37 PM']I know just what you want to say...

GO TO MASS OR BURN!

errr... wait... that's not gentle?
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[quote name='dUSt' date='Sep 21 2005, 01:07 PM']You should have just snuck into her house at night and played horrific tricks on her like she was being haunted by ghosts and attacked by Satan, like writing evil things on her walls with blood and leaving dead animals in her closet and stuff.

That's what I would have done.
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These two are EXACTLY what I would've done...

lol

But seriously, I am glad to hear everything worked out.

[Theoketos]

[quote name='dUSt' date='Sep 21 2005, 01:07 PM']You should have just snuck into her house at night and played horrific tricks on her like she was being haunted by ghosts and attacked by Satan, like writing evil things on her walls with blood and leaving dead animals in her closet and stuff.

That's what I would have done.
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[/quote]


Isn't that how we met?

[dUSt]

[quote name='Theoketos' date='Sep 21 2005, 01:28 PM']Isn't that how we met? 
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Most likely.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

ROFL