A Catholic Education for Every Catholic Kid

Catholic Exchange ^ | September 17, 2007 | Heidi Bratton

[NYer]

This is the beginning of a series of columns written to help Catholic parents make solid educational choices for their children by comparing and contrasting various ways for families to give their children a Catholic education.  The presumption of the series is quite simply that we, as Catholic parents, are primarily responsible for giving our children an education that includes the essential ingredients of Catholic teaching no matter where they learn their ABC's and 123's.   Throughout the series I will use specific references to schools or situations in the diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, where I currently live.  I do this because, just as every public school system will be different in every town, so will each diocese have different Catholic schooling options, and different regions will have more or less support for home schooling.  I am including specifics because the specifics are what each family has to consider when making educational choices: the needs of their specific child or children, their specific work, their specific extended family, and the specific school systems within their specific region of the country.  All of the educational choices my husband and I have made, and are still making, for our children are very much in light of our specific, geographic location as well as our ideals about how provide the best education possible for our children.

During the first weeks of our home school year, I always write this definition on the board: "Discipline is remembering what you really want."  By writing this, I invite my students/children to pause and think, "What is it that I really want out of this year of school? What is going to keep me going when I don't feel like finishing a math assignment or writing a book report?" Stickers, special privileges, and good grades can be the immediate, external rewards, but the long-term reason for learning — what a student really wants — cannot come from either a parent or a teacher. The reason for this is that what each of us really wants is a question of internal motivation, not external enforcement.

As Catholic parents, charged with providing our children with 12 to 16 years of education, we also have to ask ourselves "what we really want" as it relates to educating our children.  What is the biggest purpose for which we are educating our child?  Good grades?  A good job someday?  Good athletic, music, or art programs?  How about good friends and eventually a good spouse?  What about the non-intellectual, social, and religious aspects of an education?  Because our children's school environment profoundly impacts our family life, and because autumn is the time for open houses and entrance exams for next year's school enrollment, I have compiled some thoughts on the educational choices available to Catholic parents.

First, I want to state clearly that the most important things our kids need to know are primarily learned at home and are being taught all the time.  The quality of our children's formal schooling is of secondary importance to the quality of our children's home life.  Having said that, I must also say that I believe every Catholic kid deserves a Catholic education.  I believe that giving our children an authentically and thoroughly Catholic education is at the core of what God and the Catholic Church ask of us as parents.  I think it is a necessity, not a luxury, but if you disagree with me, please don't stop reading just yet.

If you have previously thought that the only way to give a child a Catholic education was to enroll him in a Catholic school, you'll be happy to know that there are other options.  On the other hand, if you have previously thought sending a kid to Catholic school or to CCD was all you needed to do as a parent to give them a Catholic education, you may be surprised to learn that this is no guarantee.  Here's why; we parents are responsible for their faith formation, not a school or a teacher.

When we asked to have our children baptized by the Church as infants, we promised before the  gathered assembly to be their "first and best teachers in the ways of the Faith."  As our children's primary teachers in spiritual matters, we are responsible for three areas of Catholic knowledge: heart, hand, and head knowledge.  First, our children need to be introduced to our God who loves them.  Second, they need to be shown how to love him back.  Third, they need to be taught about Church history, doctrine, and prayer.  They need to know Scripture and to hear stories about the saints, heroes, and villains associated with Christian faith.  The basic idea behind the Catholic school system is that all three of these would be taught in a synchronized way and strengthened until they become the spiritual backbone of a well-formed Catholic adult.

A generation or two ago, many Catholic parents were able to turn to parochial school systems for help in living up to their baptismal promise.  Today, not as many parents are able to draw on this valuable resource.  If we cannot access the help of a good Catholic school system, we will need to be more disciplined ourselves about investing time and energy in educating their hearts, hands, and heads in all things Catholic.  Over the next few columns, I will explore ways that we Catholic parents can remain true to our baptismal promise no matter where our children learn their ABC's and 123's.

[NYer]

Heidi Bratton writes from Cape Cod, MA where she pens a column for Catholic families called "Home Grown Faith." For seasonal and topical collections of her columns email her at homegrownfaith@gmail.com.  Heidi is also a homeschool parent of five children, a professional photographer, the author of eleven Christian children's books, and a book for moms, Making Peace with Motherhood and Creating a Better You. Her books are available through www.paulistpress.com.

[NYer]

This is a very timely and important article that we will follow over the next few postings. As a Catholic educated by the nuns in post WWII America, and as the parent of an adult who was educated through a combination of Cathoic School / CCD, I was particularly taken with the last paragraph:

A generation or two ago, many Catholic parents were able to turn to parochial school systems for help in living up to their baptismal promise.  Today, not as many parents are able to draw on this valuable resource.  If we cannot access the help of a good Catholic school system, we will need to be more disciplined ourselves about investing time and energy in educating their hearts, hands, and heads in all things Catholic. 

I confess that in sending my daughter off to Catholic School, I assumed, out of sheer ignorance, that the teaching methods would be the same used when I attended school. It was a sad shock and sorry surprise to learn, from my daughter, that oftentimes Religion class was shelved in favor of devoting more time to Science or Mathematics. It wasn’t until she was well into CCD at our local parish, that I learned the ugly truth of what is being taught at the local (liberal) RC parishes. It was a struggle to get her to Confirmation (that would be 11th grade in our diocese) and then have her drop out because I was teaching one of the other Confirmation groups. As many of you know, it was then that I picked up the weapon of choice - the Rosary - and began praying. One year later, my daughter returned to the CCD program and was Confirmed in the Faith. I have never shed more tears of anguish and joy than I did over those two years.

---

That said, I must apologize for being lax in posting articles to the forum over the past few days. The pastor of our small Maronite Catholic Church asked me to head up the Religious Education program and I have spent the past few weeks exploring catechetical materials from different sources. The complexity of this task is in assigning students to groups. As a small parish with only 15 children, their ages range the gamut from Pre-K to 10th grade. We are only 4 instructors. Amongst these children, there are 2 (grades 3 and 7) who have neither been baptized, nor recieved any religious instruction. We have one 1st grader who repeated Kindergarten and one 2nd grader preparing for the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. We also have two children (8th and 10th grades) who were not chrismated at Baptism and are now candidates for Confirmation.

Last night, Father and I spent 3 hours developing a curriculum to cover the (only) 15 classes of religous education on the calendar. The added challenge was to select the proper materials to be used and then pick and choose which units might be covered - matching them to the liturgical calendar. And that was strictly for Pre-K! The formula, however, works as a template for the other classes, as well.

Letters of invitation were sent out to the parish families two weeks ago, with no response. Last Sunday, with Father’s permission, I got up after Mass to make an announcement. I used this opportunity to explain to the parents just what their children would be learning this year. Beginning with the Pre-K/K program, I told them the youngest children would be learning about the Trinity, Creation, why God made them, the 10 Commandments, loving others, the Church, Sin, Baptism and forgiveness. The older children would embark on a journey through time and space to learn specifically more about the Maronite Church. The would meet 1st century martyrs, Eastern Catholic Fathers and then pack their belongings to join other Maronites as they flee persecution in the fertile valleys of Syria for the unknow mountains of Lebanon. Along the way, they would meet Abbot Alexander of Bet Maroon and hear him speak of how the Jacobites killed 350 of his monks.

To drive home the value and importance of Religious Education, I, a Roman Catholic, addressed these Maronite parents and grandparents, reminding them of an event that took place in 1860. The Muslims attacked a Convent. The Superior, knowing what was about to happen, promised to show the invaders the hiding place of a great treasure. (Remember, there was no electrity back then). He led them into the Church, lit 2 candlelabras, opened the Tabernacle and swallowed the Consecrated Hosts. The Muslims killed him immediately, on the altar. There were witnesses to this event - the Blessed Massabki Brothers. The Muslims promised to spare their families if they would convert to Islam. One by one, each brother defended his Catholic faith and was slaughtered. The last one was Francis. He chose his carefully chose his response.

“Sheik Abdallah can take the money I lent him; he can also take my life. But my faith, no one can make me deny. I am a Maronite Catholic and on the faith of Christ I will die.”.

They massacred him with swords, hatchets and daggars.

To my total surprise and chagrin ( I detest public displays of emotion ), the assembled congregation applauded. They also came over to me after Mass and signed up their children, on the spot, for their religious education classes.

As noted, the great challenge is in grouping the children at proper learning levels. As Maronites, these children need to learn about their ancestry, saints, Patriarchs, and the permanent link that binds the Maronites to Holy Mother Church. More importantly, the parents of these children need to spend more time in prayer with them. This Sunday, I will address that issue and introduce them to the prayers their children will be learning from the very basic auricular prayers to meditative and contemplative prayers. The older children will be introduced to the daily prayers of the Maronite Divine Office.

Please remember these children in your prayers! This Sunday, for the first time in the 102 year history of this parish, the pastor will celebrate the Rite of Commissioning, at Mass. It is an awesome task, to say the least, but I simply can’t say “no”.

Thank you all for your support, understanding, and prayers.

I would like to publicly acknowledge Ignatius Press for their support in assisting this small parish by providing a wealth of materials for our consideration. Their Image of God series, is the one we have chosen for our program.

[NYer]

This is a very timely and important article that we will follow over the next few postings. As a Catholic educated by the nuns in post WWII America, and as the parent of an adult who was educated through a combination of Cathoic School / CCD, I was particularly taken with the last paragraph:

A generation or two ago, many Catholic parents were able to turn to parochial school systems for help in living up to their baptismal promise.  Today, not as many parents are able to draw on this valuable resource.  If we cannot access the help of a good Catholic school system, we will need to be more disciplined ourselves about investing time and energy in educating their hearts, hands, and heads in all things Catholic. 

I confess that in sending my daughter off to Catholic School, I assumed, out of sheer ignorance, that the teaching methods would be the same used when I attended school. It was a sad shock and sorry surprise to learn, from my daughter, that oftentimes Religion class was shelved in favor of devoting more time to Science or Mathematics. It wasn’t until she was well into CCD at our local parish, that I learned the ugly truth of what is being taught at the local (liberal) RC parishes. It was a struggle to get her to Confirmation (that would be 11th grade in our diocese) and then have her drop out because I was teaching one of the other Confirmation groups. As many of you know, it was then that I picked up the weapon of choice - the Rosary - and began praying. One year later, my daughter returned to the CCD program and was Confirmed in the Faith. I have never shed more tears of anguish and joy than I did over those two years.

---

That said, I must apologize for being lax in posting articles to the forum over the past few days. The pastor of our small Maronite Catholic Church asked me to head up the Religious Education program and I have spent the past few weeks exploring catechetical materials from different sources. The complexity of this task is in assigning students to groups. As a small parish with only 15 children, their ages range the gamut from Pre-K to 10th grade. We are only 4 instructors. Amongst these children, there are 2 (grades 3 and 7) who have neither been baptized, nor recieved any religious instruction. We have one 1st grader who repeated Kindergarten and one 2nd grader preparing for the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. We also have two children (8th and 10th grades) who were not chrismated at Baptism and are now candidates for Confirmation.

Last night, Father and I spent 3 hours developing a curriculum to cover the (only) 15 classes of religous education on the calendar. The added challenge was to select the proper materials to be used and then pick and choose which units might be covered - matching them to the liturgical calendar. And that was strictly for Pre-K! The formula, however, works as a template for the other classes, as well.

Letters of invitation were sent out to the parish families two weeks ago, with no response. Last Sunday, with Father’s permission, I got up after Mass to make an announcement. I used this opportunity to explain to the parents just what their children would be learning this year. Beginning with the Pre-K/K program, I told them the youngest children would be learning about the Trinity, Creation, why God made them, the 10 Commandments, loving others, the Church, Sin, Baptism and forgiveness. The older children would embark on a journey through time and space to learn specifically more about the Maronite Church. The would meet 1st century martyrs, Eastern Catholic Fathers and then pack their belongings to join other Maronites as they flee persecution in the fertile valleys of Syria for the unknow mountains of Lebanon. Along the way, they would meet Abbot Alexander of Bet Maroon and hear him speak of how the Jacobites killed 350 of his monks.

To drive home the value and importance of Religious Education, I, a Roman Catholic, addressed these Maronite parents and grandparents, reminding them of an event that took place in 1860. The Muslims attacked a Convent. The Superior, knowing what was about to happen, promised to show the invaders the hiding place of a great treasure. (Remember, there was no electrity back then). He led them into the Church, lit 2 candlelabras, opened the Tabernacle and swallowed the Consecrated Hosts. The Muslims killed him immediately, on the altar. There were witnesses to this event - the Blessed Massabki Brothers. The Muslims promised to spare their families if they would convert to Islam. One by one, each brother defended his Catholic faith and was slaughtered. The last one was Francis. He chose his carefully chose his response.

“Sheik Abdallah can take the money I lent him; he can also take my life. But my faith, no one can make me deny. I am a Maronite Catholic and on the faith of Christ I will die.”.

They massacred him with swords, hatchets and daggars.

To my total surprise and chagrin ( I detest public displays of emotion ), the assembled congregation applauded. They also came over to me after Mass and signed up their children, on the spot, for their religious education classes.

As noted, the great challenge is in grouping the children at proper learning levels. As Maronites, these children need to learn about their ancestry, saints, Patriarchs, and the permanent link that binds the Maronites to Holy Mother Church. More importantly, the parents of these children need to spend more time in prayer with them. This Sunday, I will address that issue and introduce them to the prayers their children will be learning from the very basic auricular prayers to meditative and contemplative prayers. The older children will be introduced to the daily prayers of the Maronite Divine Office.

Please remember these children in your prayers! This Sunday, for the first time in the 102 year history of this parish, the pastor will celebrate the Rite of Commissioning, at Mass. It is an awesome task, to say the least, but I simply can’t say “no”.

Thank you all for your support, understanding, and prayers.

I would like to publicly acknowledge Ignatius Press for their support in assisting this small parish by providing a wealth of materials for our consideration. Their Image of God series, is the one we have chosen for our program.

[madprof98]

Paulist Press??? For real???

[353FMG]

Many Catholic schools accept Muslim students, who can afford the tuition, while many Catholic students can’t. I have always refused to make a contribution to any Catholic school or college as long as there is ONE Muslim on campus.

Very un-Christian of me, huh? Then, so be it - my conscience is clear.

[NYer]

That was my reaction, as well. They sent me a sample of their Confirmation booklet. To my amazement, it included a large writeup on Cardinal Bernardin in which the authors were most sympathetic. There isn't enough fuel in the fireplace to consume this slim volume. That is why I was so pleased with the materials form Ignatius Press.

[Salvation]

**A Catholic Education for Every Catholic Kid**

Amen!

If I had it to do over, my children would all go to Catholic School. (All five of them!)

[AnAmericanMother]

Good for you! Your efforts in preparing a sound and orthodox course of instruction for the children will pay big dividends . . . in this life and the next!

I was SO grateful that our parish has a good CCD program!

[Gerish]

Good luck and God Bless you on our journey of teaching Religious Education. Wish you much success.

I also went the Catholic school route when my children started school years ago. The religious education they received in school was watered down and liberal. I could go into many examples of the cafeteria-style religious liberalism being taught, but I don't have enough time. We had to pull them out as my husband and I felt this kind of education was endangering their souls. We are fully aware of the responsibility God has given us and decided to teach them ourselves while still having them attend Sunday school at another parish. It was and has been a very good decision.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"We are fully aware of the responsibility God has given us and decided to teach them ourselves while still having them attend Sunday school at another parish."

Amen to that. Pray for my kids, if I may ask, and I will pray for yours.

[steadfastconservative]

The Church has always taught that parents are the primary educators of their children in the faith. And the primary way to teach one’s children the faith is to live the faith—to go to Mass each week, to pray each day, to do spiritual reading, and to discuss religious issues and matters at home. If parents do that than it is possible for them to send their children to a less-than-perfect parochial school or even to public school and CCD and still have them grow up to be good Catholics. If parents don’t practice the faith or discuss it often with their children, it won’t matter where they send them to school because the kids will grow up thinking that religion isn’t an important part of daily life let alone the most important part.

[Juana la Loca]

You are absolutely correct. Let’s not forget that there are many of us for whom Catholic schools are simply not an option. We live in a rural area. There’s no Catholic schooling available here, but we teach the kids the faith at home to the best of our ability and send them to CCD as well.

And if you think that all you have to do to ensure that your kid grows up in the faith is pack them off to Catholic school, you are dead wrong. My brother went to a very prestigious Catholic high school, and the last time he saw the inside of a church was at his wedding twenty years ago. I was a public school kid with a crappy “spirit of Vatican II” CCD program, and by the grace of God, I am the one who is a practicing Catholic.

Catholic schools are great, but they are not a panacea. Kids need Catholic families more than they need Catholic schools.

[livius]

Great story (your talk to the parish and their response). When people hear of Christianity being taken seriously, it makes them sit up and take notice!

Good luck with your religious ed program. It’s vitally important and it is wonderful that you are doing this.

[Tax-chick]

Kids need Catholic families more than they need Catholic schools.

Worth repeating!

[dangus]

Great. Now the problem is this: With diabolical forces so deeply penetrating the US Catholic churches that the director of domestic policy for the USCCB is a political flak who teach abortionists’s stooges how to make themselves look Christian, where do we go for a Catholic education?

That ain’t rhetoric.

[Tax-chick]

http://www.setonhome.org/

[dangus]

I write that as a future parent who is exasperated at the thought of Catholic schools, using their authority as supposed representatives of the Catholic faith, actively undermining what I teach them. I sometimes think public school is preferable, because then the kids will at least know that what they encounter in school is contrary to their faith.

[dangus]

AWESOME! And the center is close enough to where I currently live, I can even drive out there to get resources, if I need to.

[dangus]

That is such a fantastic idea: Christ-centered distance learning for Home Schoolers! I think *I’M* going to read the books they recommend for the High School reading list.

[Sashula]

I had to pull my daughter out of “Catholic” school in the middle of first grade last year. We learned over the course of the three years she attended that it was CINO and not even generically Christian. Sure, there were statues of the Blessed Mother and crucifixes in each classroom, but attending this school (the only Catholic school in our former city) was all about tradition and social standing.

My daughter was bullied every single day by 1) a judge’s daughter, 2) a doctor’s daughter, 2) the daughter of the president of the school board, 3) anyone else who cared to glom on. I told the guidance counselor about it within the first six weeks of school, and he did absolutely nothing — except tell me that I needed to lighten up and let DD watch more television.

The situation was really grim — my little girl was crying every day, couldn’t eat, didn’t sleep. I offered up Rosary after Rosary, and finally one day my daughter climbed up in my lap after school and asked me to homeschool her forever. I had never considered homeschooling before.

I took DD out of school and was completely ostracized. We moved in May, and I intended to put DD into Catholic school here, but she just wasn’t ready to face that again. Now I’m meeting more parents who have children in our school and I see that we’d be facing much the same situation as before.

I can’t even consider putting her into public school here in Barak Obama Land.

I never thought I would homeschool, but I’ve come to realize that’s the only way I’m going to be able to ensure my children get the education they need. I’m not a wow-homeschooling-is-awesome mom, but our current situation (state of local parochial schools, state of public schools) leaves me no other option.