One of the reasons given by parishioners at St. Thomas parish in Salem not to close them is their popular Children’s Liturgy on Sunday. The Boston Globe provides a glimpse at what this “great” Mass is all about:
Picking at his guitar, Tony ‘‘Full of Baloney” Bellerose leads children at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Salem through a foot-stomping exercise he affectionately calls, ‘‘God Robics.” ‘‘Are we ready?” Bellerose asks in a friendly, folksy voice. He breaks into ‘‘If You Believe in the Father,” a song that lets kids act up in church. ‘‘If you believe in the father ... Clap your hands ... Stomp your feet ... Shout ‘Amen’ ... Stand up tall ... Turn around ... Whistle now ... Hug someone ... Do it all!” Bellerose sings, over the giggles and squeals of parents and children racing to complete the faithful challenge.
This is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Sounds like an abomination. This kind of display is more suited to some saccharine show featuring an obnoxious purple dinosaur and not the celebration of the Sacrifice of Calvary and the Last Supper.
