To the Editor:
I would like to comment on the letter written to Father Ken Doyle on Oct. 11 about crying babies during Mass.
It seems to me that this topic usually comes up each year around the time when the Gospel deals with Jesus saying in Matthew 18:2-5: “He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.’”
Having received “unsigned” letters from a good Christian at our church in South Carolina complaining about one of our daughters not being quiet at Mass (there was no cry room in the church), and the next day receiving a typewritten card (also unsigned) stating, “Children should be seen and not heard, especially in church,” we moved from that parish to another one.
Several years later in Alabama we also received a letter from a concerned parishioner (again unsigned) about our granddaughter who was not making noise, but was being active and we were moving her from family member to family member to keep her entertained and quiet. The complaint was because “it” was distracting for the letter writer to see us moving the child from one member of the family to another.
I guess my major thought here is: how do you expect a child to learn how to behave in church if you never take them into the church?
I think as a Catholic Christian I don’t have any right to complain about children in church, by Church teachings, until the Catholic Church starts passing out birth control pills at the front door.
I will sign my name!
Ray Martin
St. James Parish
Washington
