Are Catholic Schools for Catholics only?

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JimmyJeff

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I know in the city of St. Louis, they will let everyone in but out here in the country many of them state that you must be Catholic to attend. I guess some of you may wonder, “why would a non-Catholic want to send their child to a Catholic school?” but I have a good reason for wanting to send my daughter to a Catholic kindergarten as opposed to a generic christian school or our local public kindergarten. An independent school is out of the question because we can’t afford 12k or more a year.

I would think letting non-Catholic Christians go to a Catholic School would be an excellent way to evangelize. I’m wondering if this “rule” exists because of space issues? Since I know the Priest and Deacon of the church school I’m interested in, I wonder if it’s possible to make an exception, space permitting?

Any ideas?
 
I suspect it may be because of space. I went to Catholic schools all of my life and we had Protestant kids in attendance with us. My wife’s oldest friend is Jewish and attended Catholic schools in New Orleans.

At my sons’ high school in a small town, the rule was that Catholic kids got in first and then if there was space, others could enroll. I don’t see it as a problem. Talk to the priest and deacon.
 
nope…most Catholic schools allow non-catholics to attend…
there are a few that do not allow non-catholics to apply though…like Regis High School (NYC)…
both have there pros and cons:)
 
I know of no Catholic school that will not open admission to non-Catholics, but those who are subsidized by parishes or dioceses will of course give first preference to their own members, and often reduced tuition because of those subsidies. If there are open spots they will usually take anyone who qualifies academically, can afford the tuition, and is willing to abide by the rules and policies of the school. In fact many Catholic schools, especially high schools, have scholarship programs for which non-Catholic students are eligible.

Whether or not non-Catholic children are required to participate in religious instruction or religious services varies, different schools have different policies.
 
JimmyJeff said:
I Since I know the Priest and Deacon of the church school I’m interested in, I wonder if it’s possible to make an exception, space permitting?

Any ideas?
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my idea is that you would get a better answer just calling the school or the priest and asking.
 
Karin said:
nope…most Catholic schools allow non-catholics to attend…
there are a few that do not allow non-catholics to apply though…like Regis High School (NYC)…
both have there pros and cons:)
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Yeah, but Regis is special. They select only the most elite students and there is no tuition!
 
JimmyJeff said:
I would think letting non-Catholic Christians go to a Catholic School would be an excellent way to evangelize. I’m wondering if this “rule” exists because of space issues? Since I know the Priest and Deacon of the church school I’m interested in, I wonder if it’s possible to make an exception, space permitting?

Any ideas?
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I’m also in Missouri and around my area, they only let Catholics attend the Catholic school. There’s a public school a few blocks down that everyone else attends.
I think with the growing homeschooling population, those that want their kids to be taught certain things take it upon themselves to do it at home.
I think it would awkward to mix the kids anyways because the ones that weren’t Catholic wouldn’t know what was going on when they were praying their prayers and such.
 
Blue_Serenity said:
I think it would awkward to mix the kids anyways because the ones that weren’t Catholic wouldn’t know what was going on when they were praying their prayers and such.
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My daughter wasn’t Catholic when she attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart. She never had a problem with prayers & such.
 
puzzleannie said:
I know of no Catholic school that will not open admission to non-Catholics, but those who are subsidized by parishes or dioceses will of course give first preference to their own members, and often reduced tuition because of those subsidies. If there are open spots they will usually take anyone who qualifies academically, can afford the tuition, and is willing to abide by the rules and policies of the school. In fact many Catholic schools, especially high schools, have scholarship programs for which non-Catholic students are eligible.

Whether or not non-Catholic children are required to participate in religious instruction or religious services varies, different schools have different policies.
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On the St. Louis Archdiocese website it lists all the schools web pages. Several of them (Mary Queen of Peace and Acension and St. Alban Roe) specifically state that there school is for Catholics and parishioners only. I think it must be a space thing because the older schools practically beg you to send your kids to their schools. I get mailings from 2 schools all the time (Villa/Oak Hill and Visitation) that say they welcome other faiths and diversity. Problem is they cost over 10,000 for kindergarten.

Honestly, I don’t have a problem with my daughter learning Catholic ways in kindergarten. She loves her Lutheran preschool and makes everyone pray before meals. I think a faithed based kindergarten would be awesome for her but a Catholic faith based education is the only faith based education I trust (even though I’m not Catholic). I wouldn’t have her opt out of religion except obviously if she stayed in the school past first grade, she couldn’t participate in first communion unless I completed RCIA and converted.
 
JimmyJeff said:
she couldn’t participate in first communion unless I completed RCIA and converted.
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actaully that is incorrect…my eldest went through first communion etc. and I was not a member of the Church…🙂
 
My high school was Catholic-only, although for various reasons a few non-Catholics were admitted. My elementary school accepted anyone, we even had an adherent of the ratasuomi (sp?) faith. It all depends on the school.
 
JimmyJeff said:
was your husband?
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my ex-husband was and he lived 3000 miles away…so he played no role…when I married him in the Catholic church I promised to raise the kiddies Catholic (even though I was not at the time)…when he and I divorced I kept that promise to the Church…hence I made sure my eldest son got all of his Sacraments even though at the time I was not Catholic…the Church had no problems with this…they did not require me to be a member for my Catholic child to get the Sacraments
 
JimmyJeff said:
I wouldn’t have her opt out of religion except obviously if she stayed in the school past first grade, she couldn’t participate in first communion unless I completed RCIA and converted.
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Actually, she could participate in first communion if she completed RCIA and converted. My parish has a children’s RCIA program. The parents of the child don’t have to be Catholic, although if they aren’t, they have to give their permission for the child to participate.
 
lak611 said:
Actually, she could participate in first communion if she completed RCIA and converted. My parish has a children’s RCIA program. The parents of the child don’t have to be Catholic, although if they aren’t, they have to give their permission for the child to participate.
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a child over the age of reason is considered an adult for the purposes of the sacraments of initiation and would have to demonstrate and express a desire to receive them, and go through the RCIA process with instruction suitable to age level, which involves conversion of heart, and ultimately must decide whether or not to proceed with the various stages of the process. A child of school age may not be forced to receive the sacraments even if the parents wish it. The parents do not have to be Catholic but they do have to demonstrate that they will continue the child’s religious education and enable the child to practice the faith, and at least one parent must consent.
 
A news story was recently posted here about the D.C. Catholic schools and the tremendous turnaround they have achieved. I found this comment noteworthy:
About 60 percent of consortium students come from low-income families, and nearly all are minorities. Most – 74 percent – are non-Catholic. Asked about this, consortium officials quote Hickey: “We don’t educate these children because they are Catholic. We educate them because we are Catholic.”
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washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/07/AR2007010701021.html
 
mercygate said:
My daughter wasn’t Catholic when she attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart. She never had a problem with prayers & such.
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That’s good. Was your family heavily involved in any other religion at the time she attended that school?
 
The Catholic School that my husband used to teach in had a few Jewish familiy attending them.
 
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