With an inspiring message for parents, Fr. Michael Pomazansky exhorts us to help our children not just come to church but to learn to love church. Addressing practical aspects and the important matter of compulsion, this short article offers a always timely message to Orthodox Christian parents and their children.

0:00 Beginning

0:07 The parents’ obligation to raise their children in the love of God in church

2:51 Contact with spiritual grace is one of the first concerns of Christian parents

3:35 The key to religious education and the matter of compulsion

7:24 There must be at least some active participation for the child to grow to love church

Fr. Michael Pomazansky was a priest trained in Russia before the Bolshevik Revolution and later Professor at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY. Highly revered as a living link to Holy Tradition and transmitter of true Orthodoxy, Fr. Michael reposed just before his 100tg birthday in November 4th, 1988.

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Fr. Michael writes:

And however we may influence them in our family at home, however much we might teach them the Gospel, we would be depriving them of the direct action of heavenly grace, and at best we would arouse a thirst for faith in them—but we would still be keeping them far from the heavenly light and warmth, which comes down, regardless of our human efforts, in the mysteries, in all the services, in holy prayers.

The task of religious 'education will be fulfilled only when we teach our children to love church.

But certainly, if this remains just compulsion, and to such an extent that it creates a psychological repulsion in the young people—this will show that the aim has not been attained, that the method has proved to be inadequate and the compulsion in vain. Let the child brought by our will express a desire to remain there through his own will. Then you will have justified your action.

“The holy maidens Faith, Hope and Charity, and the holy young bride Perpetua, who became martyrs, are witnesses to the fact that adolescence is an age prepared even for the highest active participation in Christ's Church. The baby in his mother's arms in church who cried out, "Ambrose for bishop!", and by his exclamation determined the choice of the renowned Ambrose of Milan for the episcopal cathedra—this baby is a defender of children's rights to an active participation in Christ's Church. And so let us take some trouble over our children: first let us give them the chance to take more part in church—and in a wider and more elevated form than just giving the censer to the priest; and secondly, let us adapt ourselves somewhat to our children when praying together with them.

Let the children be conscious that they are members of Christ's family.

Let the children come to love church!

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