Excerpts From the Manual of the
Eucharistic Crusade of the Apostleship of Prayer

Educating the Youth to Live the Mass

(slightly edited by Fr. Boulet)

A. EDUCATION FOR CORRECT PARTICIPATION IN THE MASS

2. THE INSTRUCTION ON THE MASS

e). How are adolescents to be brought to this idea of the Mass?

The outstanding difficulty with young people is how to bring them to the understanding of and deep, affective reaction to the Mass and its ceremonies that are necessary if one is to appreciate the value and importance of the Mass and is to love taking part in it. This difficulty must neither be neglected nor underestimated. If it is not sufficiently attended to, Directors will hardly be able to bring their Crusaders to a deep knowledge of or a really devout participation in the Mass. The suggestions which follow do not pretend to be infallible precepts for solving the difficulty. They merely indicate means which may be useful for awakening and promoting a liturgical sense and a Eucharistic life among the Crusaders.

1. In the first place we purposely mention once again a requirement about which we have spoken before, and which is of the highest importance for our purpose here, namely, reverence in both the priest who is celebrating the Mass and in the children who are attending. This reverence should be further extended to characterize all Eucharistic instruction and all exercises which deal with the understanding of and the preparation for Mass. If reverence is absent or neglected, such understanding will never be reached. Nor must it be reduced to mere regimentation or external disciplining. It must result from a love of God to Whom, as to a Father, we wish to show honour and adoration, and to make satisfaction.

Therefore as a general rule a fault against reverence should rarely be punished, but should rather be corrected by an admonition. If however, due to the gravity or the frequent repetition of the defect, some sanction is necessary, the punishment should never be given in church, nor should corporal punishment ever be used. A stern warning should be given, or the parents may be informed. If no sign of amendment is forthcoming, the culprit should be dismissed from the Crusade.

2. It should be greatly insisted on that adolescents know the fundamental idea of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. This does not mean that they need to know many things about the Mass. At least at the start, it is enough if they grasp the fact that the Mass is the representation of the Sacrifice of the cross in which Christ, together with His Church, offers Himself to God the Father and in which we receive the Body of Our Lord as food for our souls. This is an excellent basis on which a correct understanding of and an interior participation in the Sacrifice can be founded.