Catholic kids attending Protestant Sunday class!

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Some of my Catholic friends are sending their children to Protestant`s Sunday class instead of Catechism. Is this acceptable? Your comments are welcome( with referrence is most welcome). Because I like to give your views to them.

In Christ,
Mario Selvaraj
 
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selvaraj:
Some of my Catholic friends are sending their children to Protestant`s Sunday class instead of Catechism. Is this acceptable? Your comments are welcome( with referrence is most welcome). Because I like to give your views to them.

In Christ,
Mario Selvaraj
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For me definately NO !!! I can’t speak for others.
 
Why are they sending them to a Protestant Sunday class in the first place?
 
Only if you want them to become Protestants.

When they were baptized I though you promised to raise them in the Catholic Church.
 
I would first ask them why they’re sending their Catholic children to a protestant Sunday school class. What’s their rationale? If you understand their point of view you can probably talk to them more reasonably about their concerns and why you think it’s important for Catholic kids to attend a Catholic Sunday school class.

Do they have quality Catholic education/Sunday school available? That would be my other question. My parents sent me to Catholic school for several years and CCD classes. But in high school, I was at a public school and the only formation program was a primarily social youth group at my church. I attended a protestant Bible study run by one of my friend’s parents as well as a non-denominational group that met weekly for prayer and a teaching. My parents were not pleased about it to start with but there weren’t a lot of other options and I just wanted to grow in a relationship with Christ. Ultimately, it was one of the best things I could have done. It made me question and evaluate teachings of the Catholic faith because I was forced to either defend them or realign myself in some other beliefs. I had many conversations with my dad about our faith, what sets us apart from other religions and why. It gave me a lot of strength and courage in defending our faith that I probably would not have had otherwise.

There’s an upside to experiencing that; I wouldn’t recommend it for younger kids at all or others with Catholic options.
 
I would say that Protestant classes are better than no classes at all. However, if Catholic classes are available, the children should definitely attend the Catholic classes. Parents might think that at an early age, teachings aren’t that different anyway because the kids learn the basics, like who God is and what we celebrate at Christmas and Easter. Yet, there is a huge difference between Catholic and Protestant teachings, and some of them can be introduced early on, such as Mass and Eucharist. In addition, sending children to Protestant classes sends a message that there is little difference between Catholics and Protestants, and that’s not a good message to send to kids.
 
It shouldn’t be Protestant classes vs nothing, even if the Catholic classes are terrible. Why would the parents not then take the opportunity to take this upon themselves? After all, parents are called to be primary in the formation of their children.
 
JM2¢ from a very new convert - for whatever it’s worth?

As my parents did with us, I chose to let my children choose their own paths. I tried to give them instruction in what I believed - and managed to pass on nothing. Literally nothing - because everything I taught them was relative - shifting sands. I certainly didn’t pass along anything of foundation - no rock.

Maybe on my good days, I showed them an example of generosity, charity, kindness, thoughtfulness, intellectual and spiritual curiosity… but nothing that could sustain them. I also taught them spiritual laziness, arrogance, disdain for organized religion, heaven knows what else. Needless to say, this has been a painful awakening for me.

If you offer your children “nothing,” as I did, they will eventually turn to something - even if it only seems to fill their longing, because I think it is human nature to desire God and to resent and despise the separation from God.

“Train up your children in the way that they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” Aha. Hmmmm.

It doesn’t have to be too late for your friends. 🙂

Elizabeth
 
OK time for my 2cents worth. If they are attending Catholic School or Catholic sunday school in addtion to a Protestant Sunday school it would be OK as long as you monitor what they are taught and explain any discrepancies. When my kids were younger I was the Asst director of PSR for my parish and they went to Sunday school with me. When I went out on Sunday evenings the babysitters parents would only let her babysit if she could take the kids to her church. I said fine to that because I would prefer a babysitter that goes to church and a little more education won’t hurt my kids. I didn’t have any problems because they were young enough that they weren’t pushing any doctrine on them at their ages. They were mostly learning the basics…Jesus loves you, be nice to others, etc. But I would make sure they were going to a Sunday school at the Catholic Church first if I were you.
 
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ElizabethJoy:
JM2¢ from a very new convert - for whatever it’s worth?

As my parents did with us, I chose to let my children choose their own paths. I tried to give them instruction in what I believed - and managed to pass on nothing. Literally nothing - because everything I taught them was relative - shifting sands. I certainly didn’t pass along anything of foundation - no rock.

Maybe on my good days, I showed them an example of generosity, charity, kindness, thoughtfulness, intellectual and spiritual curiosity… but nothing that could sustain them. I also taught them spiritual laziness, arrogance, disdain for organized religion, heaven knows what else. Needless to say, this has been a painful awakening for me.

If you offer your children “nothing,” as I did, they will eventually turn to something - even if it only seems to fill their longing, because I think it is human nature to desire God and to resent and despise the separation from God.

“Train up your children in the way that they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” Aha. Hmmmm.

It doesn’t have to be too late for your friends. 🙂

Elizabeth
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God Bless You Elizabeth!!! I will pray for you and your children. Thank you for your testimony.

God Bless
Giannawannabe
 
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Giannawannabe:
God Bless You Elizabeth!!! I will pray for you and your children. Thank you for your testimony.

God Bless
Giannawannabe
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I will gratefully accept all the prayers I can get! 🙂

God bless YOU, too! 🙂
Elizabeth
 
Do we ever ask our children do they want vaccinations? Of course not, we make sure they are innoculated against disease.
So why do we as parents question why we should teach the truth of our Catholic faith to our children and wait instead to ask our children if they want to partake in it? Another example:
Most kids would never go to a dentist if they had a choice, for that matter most adults because it is uncomfortable…but it is necessary for their health.
Well, spiritual health and eternity are a big reason for making sure our children get to heaven some day. It is the real sharing of our love for them and for God when we teach them their faith.
We are given a great responsibility when God gifts us with children. We are to bring them to God…and by teaching them our faith, we are fulfilling that awesome role. If the only way you children can only get taught Christianity is by attending a Protestant Sunday class, then you have been given a grave responsibility for forming a Catholic catechetical program yourself. Recruit your pastor, ask how it can be done. Get instruction and start one. Never be afraid that you will fail. Pray and the Holy Spirit will provide the right tools and answers.
If your kids are attending because this is the only religious youth group, then consider starting one yourself at your parish or at least a small play group of Catholic parents. If you have noticed the void, odds are you are not alone. Pray on it! That’s what happened to me and 11 years later, I am loving it!
 
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LisaB:
I would say that Protestant classes are better than no classes at all. However, if Catholic classes are available, the children should definitely attend the Catholic classes.
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If the Catholic parish does not offer religious education and sacramental education for children it is failing to fulfill one of its basic functions, after Mass and the sacraments. This failure should be reported to the bishop. There is simply no excuse for a Catholic parish – or for Catholic parents – to ignore their sacred duty to hand on the faith to the next generation. Of all the abuses we discuss on these forums, this is the worst in my opinion.
 
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