By ANN KIMMEL THOUSANDS of mothers have blessed the people who first thought of a church "criery", behind glass walk. for restless, bored or bellowing toddler; so thatthe grown-ups can follow Mass in peace. But on Sunday I watched the start of an even better experiment.
Fr. Kenneth Allan, with the help of catechists, assembled two dozen tots around the altar at St. Aiden's in Coulsdon, Surrey. for a special 10 o'clock "Infants' Mass".
The children sang a Gclineau Introit psalm in a key to fit their voices. When Fr. Allan held out his hands to say "The Lord be with you", They responded by holding
out theirs on "And with you".
A schoolgirl read a Collect from a children's pram book; others read small-fry Epistle and Gospel. Then they all sat cross-legged on the floor while Fr. Allan gave a minutelong sermon.
Then "Stand up now for the 'I believe'," he said, and they all recited the Apostles' Creed. Another psalm, more gestures-a deep how at the elevation, a' series of hand movements during the Our
e who were old enough received Those Communion, followed by their parents who had been sitting in the pews. Mass was over in 25 minutes, before anyone had time to grow restless.
St. Aiden's Church at the moment is a rather small hall. But the foundations have already been laid for a new church in which the seats will form a shallow arc round the front curve of the Sanctuary. Fr. Allan is making sure that on the sides plenty of floor space will he left for the Infants' Masses.