The creation of so-called age-appropriate settings for Liturgy never existed before the early 1970s. The false dichotomy and the creation of the "youth culture" meant that worldly and even sinful aspects were introduced into the Liturgy. We have seen the abuses at World Youth Day.
I saw all this happening, especially after the NO came into being.
Why does this type of pandering to youth not work?
First, a statistic.
And, of course, I cannot find the poll online after all these years.
A huge falling off of Notre Dame graduates from weekly participation in the Mass on campus, when they graduated, was discovered in a poll some years ago. This poll revealed that those Catholic students who had been active in the weekly Mass were not so after graduation.
The main reason given, in a honest appraisal at the time, was that the students could not make the transition between their "specialized" students Masses and those in the parish.
Why should they? For four years, their sensual appetites for worship centering on them were not only allowed, but encouraged. True worship and the virtue of religion were not taught. Appealing to sensuality and the manipulation of emotions has nothing to do with Sunday worship. Their Masses were "all about me".
The second problem was that these students had not learned to pray. They had active, participatory Masses without the needed learning of reflection and deep prayer. There was a disjoint in the activity of weekly worship and daily prayer-and if there were prayer meetings, again, they were geared not for teaching the six levels of prayer but for "good feelings".
When I was active in both high school, college, and university ministry to students, I learned that the best way to incorporate students into the Church was to teach them proper worship. There could be some slight changes in the non-essentials of the Liturgy, such as in the prayers of the Faithful, but not in the essentials.
One of the most amazingly successful Masses I organized in Canada as the liturgical minister working with the priest chaplain was a Remembrance Day Mass (not done in the States) with the local Catholic Natives singing the songs praising the veterans and giving glory to God for their service. To this day, I have never experienced a more fitting honor to vets than at that Mass. This was not a novelty but an expression of true worship in a culture with Natives.
But, to have something like that as a regular "treat" would not be appropriate.
The entire teen culture is an evil construct of the 20th century. Before the dissolution of our classical school systems, and the too long, dragged out years of useless preparation for adult life, young people were expected to grow up and assume adult responsibilities by 16 in some countries, and 18 in others. They were apprenticed to either their dads or others. They learned to make a living, get married and have children, learning fatherhood and husband-hood in the family.
We have created an underclass by giving in the satan's design to weaken the culture by putting off adulthood too long. I am convinced that youth culture is founded on satanic principles of indulgence, lack of discipline, and the emphasis on emotions. We make all kinds of excuses for this long adolescent which now goes until the thirties and is a false construct of modern society. Satan applauds the huge numbers of peter pans and unmarried youth who only think of themselves.
Two close friends of mine were from extremely wealthy families. But, their fathers made them work in a factory, one in a cookie factory, during the summer, to learn the work ethic. This was not the father's business. They were good Catholics and saw the need for helping their boys grow up and accept responsibility. We must do the same in real worship.
Social scientists and false psychologists want us to believe that young adults are less than capable of responsibility. They have done the same with small children and those of you who have read my Montessori posts and the virtue posts know that young children are capable of high concentration skills and even holiness.
The satanic based teen culture is denying youth the time to become saints. It might be the only time they have to become saints. To be a saint is not to indulge in the feelings and consolations of religious experience. On the contrary....
We have created this false paradise for them and then wonder why they become self-centered adults who do not know how to sacrifice, or be part of a larger community.
Teen Masses and university chaplaincies do not prepare the youth for the word of the Church Militant.
I had three very good priests who worked with me at the high school and university level when I was in ministry. Two saw the rot of the training of chaplains to never really challenge youth, but provide "youth events" which never mentioned sin, the last four things, hell. They deplored with me, and this was in Canada, the introduction of New Age religion into the high schools, and saw the acceptance of the homosexual clergy.
Of course, as I was in charge of retreats, I planned the "real deal" on repentance and salvation.
I did this, and was called into the office, and was told I had no right to talk about sin to my high school students, who attended a wealthy school. Many were on drugs and most were no longer virgins. The administration did not want to save souls, only make money, and keep up the pretense of Catholic education.
I could not be a real Catholic thing, but only "Catholic-Lite". Of course, my days were numbered.
A minister or a teacher can only help was is happening in the home at that age, and not take over the real responsibilities of the parents. The parents will answer before God for not having the domestic church. What we can do in those positions is also teach the adults to take responsibility for their own children.
The other priest I worked with in London, an eminent psychologist, and I could see the danger of "youth Masses". He refused to do them, as he saw, as I did, the damage to the soul and mind of so-called age appropriate Liturgy. It was grow-up time in the Catholic Chaplaincy.
I learned all this the hard way. Notre Dame did as well. Whether the chaplains changed their approach or not after that survey, I do not know.
But, there is only one proper worship for God, and we sin seriously in not teaching this at an early age.
I shall go to the TLM later today, and there are at least 15-20 children under the age of 16 or so. They all behave beautifully. They are not being taught that they are the center of worship, but that God is the center of the Mass.
The last point I want to make is that the Mass is not for evangelization. What I mean is, we do not create an atmosphere of emotional manipulation at Mass in order to bring people to God. This is a Protestant mind-set. Nor is Mass entertainment, and sadly, much new Catholic music is entertainment, not true worship.
The Holy Spirit, through the Mass of the Ages, leads us all to God.
We do our youth a disservice with youth Masses. They will cling to a childish view of themselves and God and not enter into the virtue of religion. We are not preparing saints for the world, but "spiritual children" who have not learned how to stand up to the greatest time of evil ever seen since the days of the barbarians.
One more point. We missed our regular Mass one Sunday in California and had to attend the only one we could find in the evening. We had been travelling. It was a Life Teen Mass. It was horrible.
It was an abomination before the Lord. God forgive me for not knowing what it was all about-this was in 2007.
To see and hear people at the sacredness of Mass in flip-flops, halter tops, and sing Protestant songs was a shock to me. To see and hear the priest speak of feelings and emotions as if he were a summer camp director was disgusting.
God forgive us. This is just plain evil. Tell me what this has to do with the Triune God? This is all entertainment and emotional manipulation and our youth will be swept away by the times to come.
I remind people that the Pope Emeritus said no singing or instrumentals during the Consecration, and that the guitar and piano were not liturgical instruments. Think of why....
And, as clergy and laity, what right to we have to manipulate and impose our sinful natures on to the glorious Mass, the Sacrifice of Christ, the center of our prayer? Think of how we shall be judged for mocking God, for wanting to be God.....