St Nicholas Catholic Church, Boldmere
  St Nicholas Catholic Church, Boldmere
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  • Home
  • Information
    • Contact
    • The Parish of St Nicholas >
      • Parish Pastoral Council
      • Parish History
      • Parish Boundary
      • Register with the parish
      • Parish Parking
    • Parish Newsletter >
      • Communications guidance
    • Parish Blog
    • Ministries >
      • Safeguarding
      • Service in administration
      • Financial support of the parish >
        • Parish Finance Committee
      • Service in sharing the Faith
      • Social Support
      • Service to the Liturgy
    • Parish Groups >
      • Colour and Light Group
      • 50/50 Club
      • Parish Book Club
      • Society of St Vincent de Paul >
        • St Vincent De Paul
      • Scripture Group
      • Sunday Friends Group
      • World Development Group
      • Open Parish Meetings
      • Boldmere Winter Night Shelter
    • Copies of Sacramental Certificates
    • Local Catholic Schools >
      • School Parking
      • Governors
    • Links
  • Worship
    • Regular times of Mass and other times of prayer
    • Sunday
    • Celebrations of Mass >
      • Worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass
      • Mass Intentions
      • Singing the Mass
      • Unable to attend Mass
    • The Scriptures >
      • Lectio divina
    • Morning Prayer
    • Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
    • Service to the Liturgy >
      • Training for ministers
    • Private Prayer >
      • Christian Prayer
    • Liturgy preparation sheets
    • Saints of the Diocesan Calendar
  • Join us
    • Sacraments of Initiation >
      • Journey in Faith
      • Baptism
      • Liturgy of the Word with Children
      • 2025-6
      • 2024-5: Communion and Confirmation >
        • Confession
        • Confirmation
        • Holy Communion >
          • Pilgrimage to Lichfield Cathedral
          • Pilgrimage to St Chad's
    • Baptism of Infants >
      • Godparents and Sponsors
  • Pastoral
    • Catechesis/Deepening our faiith >
      • Fratelli Tutti
      • Deepening love and holiness
      • Family >
        • Children at Mass
      • What are we here for?
      • Owning our Faith and Calling
    • Funerals
    • Social Support
    • Pastoral visits >
      • Pastoral visits at home
      • Pastoral visits at hospital
    • Sacrament of Matrimony (Marriage) >
      • Wanting to celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony?
      • Finding Marriage challenging?
    • Praying for the Sick
    • Service to the local community
    • Pilgrimage >
      • Ephesus, Miletus and Izmir
      • Assisi
      • Rome
      • Saint Chad's and Lichfield Cathedrals
  • Newman Centre
    • Mini Munchkins
    • Inclusive Dance and Drama
    • Kombatkids
    • Plukerz
    • Rhythm Time
    • Sweaty Mama
    • Women's Institute
  • Synod
  • Diocese
    • Unfolding God's Plan
    • UGP Parish response

Children at Mass

PictureLittle angels? In your dreams!
Our parish includes many young families. This is a blessing, but also a challenge!  And among the challenges are the ‘noises’ that come from young children. These can be embarrassing for their parents, and irritating for others. 

However if we all try to bear both those things in mind it makes it easier for all of us to deal with the situation.
  • Those without children will want to be tolerant to families with younger children.
  • Those with care of the children will want to be considerate to others in the parish.
We will never get things perfect, but with tolerance and consideration we can keep on trying to ​give things our best effort.

Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of prayer and faith. Our parish wants to support and encourage them in their role. Parents helping their children to learn to  pray at Mass, and take a full part, is a key part of this. 

Children learn about prayer and reverence from their parents from the earliest age. Young children like to imitate their parents. So how you pray before and during Mass; how you join in the singing; how you follow the Mass and so on sets the pattern that your children will follow, particularly if you help and encourage them. Some children will learn more quickly than others, but always your example makes a difference.

Some practical suggestions that have come from other parents include, in a gentle and sustained way, encourage children, even the youngest children to: 
  • make the Sign of the Cross.
  • stand, sit and kneel with the rest of us.
  • follow and join in the prayers and songs. Using a Missal and hymn book offers a great help in this.
  • learn that they come to Mass to pray, not to play.
  • if very young children bring a toy to church, please make sure it is a soft toy, which does not make a noise when played with or dropped. 

There are a few suggestions, too, of things to avoid: such as 
  • giving children food and drink during Mass.  It is a distraction for others, and sets a poor example for older children.
  • leaving the children to 'entertain' themselves during Mass, because this is not helping them to get a sense of what Mass is about
  • sitting at the back, where the children cannot see anything, and are not being helped to see what other people are a part of.
  • bringing toys to Mass, unless the children are very young, in which case ensure they bring soft toys only which do not make a noise.

​Finally - what ever the struggles - please know you and your children are welcome and valued! Honest!

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  Our Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham: Registered Charity No. 234216

Address: 243 Jockey Rd, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5US         Telephone: 0121 354 1763  
​ Email: [email protected]     Website: www.stnicholasboldmere.co.uk
Parish Blog: www.stnicholasboldmere.wordpress.com     Facebook: St Nicholas Church, Boldmere
Parish Priest: Fr Allen Morris 
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