Catholic Education

[pauljmaxmi]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Catechism makes some sort of direct statement that highly recommends that parents send thier children to Catholic school. Does this apply to primary, secondary…post-secondary. Of course, I could be wrong, and please correct me because I am most interested in knowing.

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and Code of Canon Law (CIC) each reference Vatican II’s *Declaration on Christian Education * when explaining parents’ rights and responsibilities in the education of their children.

The Catechism explains that parents have a fundamental right to choose a school for their children:

“As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental. As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing schools that will best help them in their task as Christian educators. Public authorities have the duty of guaranteeing this parental right and of ensuring the concrete conditions for its exercise.” (CCC 2229)

Canon Law points out that, if able, parents are to utilize Catholic schools in the Christian education of their children:

“Parents are to entrust their children to those schools which provide a Catholic education. If they are unable to do this, they are obliged to take care that suitable Catholic education is provided for their children outside the schools.” (CIC 798)

This is not a prohibition against the use of non-Catholic schools but rather direction for parents who are unable to utilize Catholic schools in their children’s Catholic education.

Here is a link to the full text of the Declaration on Christian Education: vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_gravissimum-educationis_en.html