CHILDREN’S STORIES

Here’s a thought in response to a challenging problem.

Young mums and dads might be battling to do what they promised they would at their child’s baptism.

The baptizing celebrant would have said to them at the beginning of the ceremony: “You have asked to have

your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training her (or him) in the practice of

the faith. It will be your duty to bring her (or him) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour.

Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?” And they say “We do”. But do they really? How can they get help for this? Most

of them don’t come to church or have any real ongoing bond with the Church.

Here’s my thought. Many young parents read to their little ones. Always there are favourite stories. But these are invariably stories about

animals or trains and train engines. And if they are about people, there probably isn’t much reference to anything Christian. Nevertheless

they are attractive and well done.   Why can’t there be fascinating and mysterious little stories about biblical characters that are attractive

to four and five and six year olds with wonderful illustrations like you find in Mem Fox’s classics? Why can’t there be mini “historical

novels” about saints of long ago where facts are scarce and Christian imagination is called for? I am thinking especially of what we might

call “Rosary saints” – both from the Bible and from the life of the Church. Their lives and escapades could be made so real to little children

that they identify with them. One writer who did this many years ago so beautifully was the Austrian Karl Heinrich Waggerl with his

“Christmas Legends”.

So if there is anyone out there…..do let me know on >ben.hensley@op.org.au<  or >frben@rosaryafresh.org<

Fr Ben OP

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