Children in Church: A Blessing and a Sign of Life

by Fr. John Granato  |  03/23/2025  |  Words from Fr. John

My Dear Friends,

Several decades ago, when I was in high school, I attended Mass at The Church of the Immaculate Conception (now Basilica) in Waterbury. The pastor was Father John Blanchfield, who was also a long time principal at Sacred Heart high School (although by the time I was in high school the principal was Father (now Monsignor) James Coleman. Eventually, Father Blanchfield was reassigned to St. Aloysius in Plantsville, where he served as pastor until he died in 2006 (died after celebrating Mass). I remember when he died because it was a couple of weeks before my ordination to the priesthood. I was privileged to be able to vest as a deacon at his funeral Mass. I learned many things from Father Blanchfield, but the one thing that sticks with me the most is how he felt about a Mass filled with young children and babies. Many times, after Holy Communion, he would comment on how beautiful it was to have a church filled with these “little angels” and how their voices and cries were beautiful music to his ears.

Many people have said that a church without crying is a church that is dying. Indeed, a church, and individual Masses, with children is a church that is vibrant and alive. We are truly blessed in our parish to have so many young families in attendance at our Masses. Even the 8 am and 11:30 am Masses have seen an increase in young families. Our Lady of Hope is truly a welcoming church when it comes to our families and our young children and babies. I love hearing a church filled with so much noise from our young toddlers and babies. It reminds me of when I was in Brunswick, Maine at St. John the Baptist Church. At our daily morning Mass (we also had an evening Mass every day) we would have between 20-30 people. One particular young woman tagged along her three children to daily Mass. She was struggling raising her three children and was struggling in her marriage, but she was faithfully bringing them to Mass so she could start her day with God’s love.

Now this church was massive; it could hold over a thousand parishioners. Yet, despite so much room for the 20-30 people at daily Mass, one particular woman approached me and “requested” that I tell this woman that she needed to control her children. I, of course, refused to do such a thing. This woman argued with me for over two years. I calmly replied to her that it was a good thing that this young woman was present because it meant that our church was growing and not dying. I have carried that same sentiment in every assignment that I have had. It truly is a blessing to hear the sounds of so many toddlers and children. And these children are not the future of the church. They are the church!! They belong to the church as every other parishioner. Jesus says to let the children come unto him.

A friend of mine has always said, and I believe there is some truth to it, that a family with young children should try and sit closer to the altar so that the children and toddlers can see what is happening at the altar in order to engage them; otherwise they sit restlessly because they only see the backs of the heads of those in front of them. Our Catholic Church (here at Our Lady of Hope and in our Archdiocese and in our universal church) is indeed in good hands when we are filled with young families with young children and babies. As Father Blanchfield has said many times, it is music to my ears when I hear their voices. God bless our little ones and the parents who are raising them. Our parish at Our Lady of Hope is truly blessed by their presence and by your presence.