misbehaviour

Misbehaviour....

Regarding the teenagers poking each other while going up to receive holy communion, talking in church and during practise, not bringing music scores to practise....
Plus, I saw someone reading the catholic news while Fr. A was giving an excellent sermon.

Why this apathy?
Why this kind of behaviour?

The question of intent....
If one examines the intention of the root source of such behaviours, I think one can safely assume that there was no intention of malice.
Poking fingers at each other was probably done in fun. They can poke fingers at each other at home, in school or even at other public places. Now the problem was:
1. It was done in church, a sacred place of worship, where a decorum of respect and reverence is expected.
2. The timing was wrong. Going up to receive Holy Communion is a highly sacred moment. You are going up to recieve CHRIST! Would you behave like that if you were going up to meet a King?
3. The sum is the totallity of the whole.
So the behaviour of the youths reflect the choir which indirectly reflects the Catholic Church of SVDP.
I always felt that to look at the face of my students was to see the face of their parents...plus behaviours, warts and all.
Ditto church members seeing the behaviours of our youths.
tsk tsk....

Now the good news is....
There is room for correction.

1. Address appropriate behaviours in church. You can do whatever you want in your outside time but in church, you jolly well do ..........!!!!

2. Address the why's.

3. Build up the spiritual fibre of the youths. When you care about something, it will serve as a natural check upon behaviour.

4. Modelling and mentoring. The uncles, aunties, adults are role models. Actions speak louder than words. Eg. my own spiritual mentors include Uncle joosa, patrick, marianne, clementine. You watch and you learn.

5. Prayer