Children's Masses

   

Children's Masses

If you want to experience lively, joyous enthusiasm, try to participate in one of the famous St. Barbara Children’s Masses. From the energetic music of the Buser Family Band, to the heart-warming prayer session with Francis Olson, Director for Children’s Masses, to Fr. Chuck’s happy children’s homily, a St. Barbara Children’s Mass is the place to be.

From toddlers to Junior High kids, dozens upon dozens of children arrive (frequently wearing some article of clothing in the liturgical color for the day) carrying stuffed animals. Stuffed animals? When several hundred Jell-O-like children are all packed together, there is nothing like a favorite stuffed animal to help bring stillness to a person. The kids and stuffed animals sit on the floor in front of the altar during the mass.

All the adults present are brought into the liturgy. No observers here. In fact, Chuck Buser, the parish guitarist and leader of his own Family Band (all the band members are his own family), purposefully gets the "older" people to sing motion songs prior to mass beginning. Fr. Chuck makes sure that his homily, while most definitely addressed to the toddlers and young children, also reaches the hearts of all the adults.

Children’s Masses are scheduled to be celebrated at the regular 5:30pm Saturday Vigil Mass. A lot of the time Chuck Feldman, master chef, or some other parish group puts on a children’s dinner or festive dessert social after the mass has been concluded. The after-mass event is always as well appreciated as the lively Eucharist in church.