Catholic Schools and Abortion

[Maureen_Fiore]

I have a gripe about how my children view abortion. I was shocked when my 15yr. old told me that she feels abortion is bad but if a teenager gets pregnant than it is ok for her to terminate her pregnancy if she does not want the baby. I told her that it was wrong and I am shocked that she would think like this. She has spent 9yrs in a Catholic school and to make a statement like that was outrageous. I have two other children in a Catholic School and not once does their religion homework speak of the evils of abortion. Why are the Catholic Schools afraid to teach the evils of abortion. I had to explain to my daughter (15yr) why it is wrong and I plan to keep her informed of the brutality of the killing of innocent life. Any ideas concerning this matter? I cannot believe that abortion is not mentioned in her old grade school. She attends a public HS.

 

[puzzleannie]

did you investigate what was taught in her Catholic school while she was there? What has she been taught in the family, the primary and preferred place for education on marriage and sexuality? Have you investigated what is being taught in her public school as well as their policy for counsellors, nurses etc. should she approach them with a problem or concern in this area?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I think the main problem is that many young people, Catholics included, do not take chastity seriously. We teach chastity, but evidently not very convincingly if the Catholic high school around here is any indication. I’ve had three children in Catholic HS and all three report there is rampant permiscuity.

IMO it is a great deal of wasted effort to go after abortion when the immediate cause of it is practically untouched. Our generation glamorized permiscuity and now we go about with wishful thinking that our children will not follow suit. We do this, however, while in such a state of denial that we do not have honest and trusting relationships with these children. Just from listening to my own children and reading some of their blog sites, one can find out so much about other people’s children that they don’t know it would make your head spin. The way they drink and party and have rampant sex and then write about it on an “unprotected” web site, it is absolutely astounding.

With that in place, I think abortion in most cases is a desperate measure to get them out of the pain they envision as a result of a choice they’ve already made. I honestly don’t think kids jump into bed thinking, “let’s get together and if we make a baby we will abort it.”

Plus, contraceptive thinking runs rampant in these circles, as the children are in their own little world, isolated by the generation gap.

Short summary: I don’t think Catholics will even gain assent in their own ranks on the abortion issue (especially the political components) until we learn to teach our children chastity better than the rest of the world. Until then, we are fighting an internal battle, standing divided, and if we keep it up we will continue to lose the war.

Hint: if you have a great relationship with your children, ask them if they will show you their blog sites or those of their friends. Do this cautiously because if they think you will try to “fix” them or their friends, or take any “adult” action based on what you learn, you will be putting them into a position of either giving you an elusive answer or becoming themselves a traitor among their age group.

Alan

 

[Lorik]

You need to teach your daughter that it is not possible for something to be bad but ok at the same time. How many other things does she think are bad but ok? That a dangerous mindset,especially just starting her teen years.

 

[mlchance]

Grade school is too early to discuss abortion with children except in the most general of terms (i.e., abortion kills an unborn child, and Thou shalt not kill). More detailed conversations are the parents’ responsibilities.

Now to more specifically answer the OP’s question, “Any ideas concerning this matter?”

Here’s my idea as both a father and a Catholic school teacher: Stop expecting the Catholic schools to do your job regarding the moral formation of your children.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[CARose]

My daughter will turn 14 in April, and has been attending Public Schools. We are in the process of applying for her to attend a Catholic School next year (High School). It is a brand new school, so I don’t know for certain how they will approach the Catholic Moral teachings, but it is my hope and prayer that they will take these teachings seriously and convey this to the students.

However, having had my daughter in Public Schools up to now, I have never thought that the schools had the responsibility to teach Catholic Morality to my daughter. I have therefore taken on the responsibility myself and have been very forthright in teaching her the Catholic understanding of right and wrong, especially as it affects her Chastity. I have explained that many of her friends are likely not being taught to take the same approach, and that it is sad that they do not realize the damage that is done to a persons future relationships through the premature physical intimacy, an intimacy that belongs between Husband and Wife.

My fear regarding sending her to a Catholic School is that I don’t know if she will be taught an “alternate” view of Catholic Teaching, a view that is more permissive in nature. I assure you that I will have my radar up, and will take action if necessary to protect my daughter from error.

It is my responsibility to help my daughter navigate in todays dangerous culture. I take this responsibility very seriously!

CARose

 

[PLAL]

I agree the Catholic schools are lax on the issue of abortion and contraception. I learned more about my faith on my own than I did during 9 years of Catholic schooling (4th grade thru HS).

I believe all Catholic schools should be teaching “The Theology of the Body” and use Christopher West’s books & cd’s as a learning guide. I do have to give our local Catholic HS kudo’s recently because they did have Fr. Pavone visit and talk to the entire school on abortion and on 3-17 & 3-18-06 Fr. Corapi will be talking to over 2,000 people at the high school. The numbers would have been much larger than this but the fieldhouse holds 2,000 people. The venue was already moved to different places twice because so many people were signing up to see Fr. Corapi!!

christopherwest.com/hearnow.asp

faceofchrist.org (schedule)

 

[CARose]

PLAL:

I believe all Catholic schools should be teaching “The Theology of the Body” and use Christopher West’s books & cd’s as a learning guide.

Amen!

PLAL:

I do have to give our local Catholic HS kudo’s recently because they did have Fr. Pavone visit and talk to the entire school on abortion and on 3-17 & 3-18-06 Fr. Corapi will be talking to over 2,000 people at the high school. The numbers would have been much larger than this but the fieldhouse holds 2,000 people. The venue was already moved to different places twice because so many people were signing up to see Fr. Corapi!!

Bravo!

I’m hoping that our new school might invite Jason Evert and his wife Christalina to talk about Chastity. Having Fr. Pavone and Fr. Corapi speak would be incredible! I would be sooo happy to have them on campus. It speaks volumes as to what the agenda of your administration is! Now you merely need to confirm to your children that these teachings ARE the Truth and are to be followed in their completeness.

How wonderful for you!

CARose

 

[oldfogey]

Catholic schools do not have the total responsibility for my children’s moral formation, but they need to cooperate. Fact is, the catechesis at our Catholic high school leaves a lot to be desired, so as parents we do it. And we correct any misconceptions they get at school, where sin is almost never mentioned, nor contraception, nor abortion, nor that homosexuality is wrong, nor many other teachings.

 

[katy]

mlchance:

Grade school is too early to discuss abortion with children except in the most general of terms (i.e., abortion kills an unborn child, and Thou shalt not kill). More detailed conversations are the parents’ responsibilities.

Now to more specifically answer the OP’s question, “Any ideas concerning this matter?”

Here’s my idea as both a father and a Catholic school teacher: Stop expecting the Catholic schools to do your job regarding the moral formation of your children.

– Mark L. Chance.

That is fine, but I found that the Catholic school my kids went to tended to undermine what I knew was Church teaching. I finally had to take them to public school. That didn’t work well either, because even tho I tried to present Church teaching properly, I really didn’t know enough myself or how to present it. I was not brought up in a church, and my own Catholic instruction was seriously lacking. There was just so much I could make up for. I had hoped for at least support from religion teachers. Why else are they there?

 

[matt1985]

I spent abou 10 years in catholic schools and do not think they teach enough about abortion. All I remember learning was love your neighbor type things. They should focus a lot more time on teaching about the false claims that the abortion advocates make. I think catholic schols should spend 50% of the time in religion courses teaching about the wrongs of the culture of death. If parents don’t like it they can pull their kids out.

I droped out of catholic HS and went to public schools after one year. The one religion course I took was a big waste of time. We didn’t focus a lot on moral issues,just memorized facts for tests.

 

[mlchance]

katy:

I had hoped for at least support from religion teachers. Why else are they there?

I am there to teach the content of the Catholic faith in an age appropriate manner to a classroom of students that comprise Catholics, Protestants, the areligious, and even a Muslim. I compromise no article of the Catholic faith in my instruction, but this doesn’t mean I cover everything. First, there isn’t time to cover everything. Second, not everything is age appropriate.

My students are all around 11-years-old (on average). More than a general overview of Catholic sexual morality is beyond my authority. Those topics are to be taught, first and foremost, by the parents and then by the parish.

Parents have no excuse for not being able to do their part in the moral formation of their own children. Resources are readily available, and learning what those resources make available is a moral obligation imposed by baptismal vows.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[Monica02]

Catholic schools do not always teach Catholic values. My nephew had three of his four religion teachers in his Catholic high school tell him that abortion was acceptable and even necessary. You need to keep an eye on what is being taught and be willing to fight the school.

 

[Monica02]

matt1985:

I spent abou 10 years in catholic schools and do not think they teach enough about abortion. All I remember learning was love your neighbor type things. They should focus a lot more time on teaching about the false claims that the abortion advocates make. I think catholic schols should spend 50% of the time in religion courses teaching about the wrongs of the culture of death. If parents don’t like it they can pull their kids out.

I droped out of catholic HS and went to public schools after one year. The one religion course I took was a big waste of time. We didn’t focus a lot on moral issues,just memorized facts for tests.

I think Catholic schools should have an age-appropriate lesson on the evils of abortion every year, K-12. Little tykes can be shown fetal development pictures and developpment facts. Older kids can definetly handle more detailes about abortion (including graphic abortion photos - the truth is the truth) and other life issues. A course on refuting the pro-aborts silly arguments for abortion is must because so many kids (and adults) fall for the silly pro-abort arguments.

The sad fact is there are alot of pro-abort Catholics in the parishes and schools and they use any weak excuse to avoid Catholic moral teaching. My sister had to fight tooth and nail to counter all the pro-abort, anti Church nonsense her kid was taught in Catholic schools.

 

[Eileen_T]

We did a series of talks to some Catholic High Schools a few years ago, on Chastity. At one school the subject of contraception cam up and one of the presenters said that the Church teaches that using contraception is sinful. The teacher spoke up at once and said “You can’t tell them that!”

I wish it was an isolated incident. I had a phonecall from the Counsellor at a Catholic girls HS who had one of the students who was pregnant. (The girl was “exploring her options” and I was able to help convince her to have the baby.)

I mentioned to the Counsellor that when a girl had a pregnancy test that was negative it was a great “teaching moment” to talk about chastity. She agreed but added, “But you have to tell them that if they do have sex it is important that they use a condom.”

The stupid thing is that the girl was not permitted to leave the school to come to our Pregnancy Centre (I went to her), but if she decided to have an abortion the Counsellor would have arranged for her to go to Family Planning during school time.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Some Catholic schools employ teachers who are not Catholic.

In one case, another teacher came in and exchanged teaching religion for math or something.

Alan

 

[Chris_Jacobsen]

Monica02:

The sad fact is there are alot of pro-abort Catholics in the parishes and schools and they use any weak excuse to avoid Catholic moral teaching. My sister had to fight tooth and nail to counter all the pro-abort, anti Church nonsense her kid was taught in Catholic schools.

No wonder the post Vatican II Catholic Church is a religion of immeasurable hopelessness. Even Jesus Christ doesn’t care. If Jesus and his Mother Mary really cared and really loved us this horrible stuff couldn’t go on.

Someone please convince me it is a mortal sin to miss church on Sunday in a religion where people believe and teach that is perfectly ok hack babies to death.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

One thing I can say about the Catholic schools K-12 our kids have attended; they are all solidly pro-life, and they teach it. Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School even has student clubs who hold prayer vigils at the clinic of the infamous “Tiller the Killer” elective late term abortion doc a few miles from here.

Alan

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

puzzleannie:

did you investigate what was taught in her Catholic school while she was there? What has she been taught in the family, the primary and preferred place for education on marriage and sexuality? Have you investigated what is being taught in her public school as well as their policy for counsellors, nurses etc. should she approach them with a problem or concern in this area?

In my daughter’s Catholic grade school they did not teach and still don’t teach the evils of abortion. My son who is in the 4th grade is learning the Apostle Creed. The Our Father and the meaning of the prayer. I have another daughter who is in the 8th grade and she is learning about the Crusades and the history of our Catholic faith. No where are they being taught about abortion. Yes, I understand it is the parents overall responsibility to address this problem and to keep your children faithful. My daughter understands my views perfectly on abortion. But, as children get older they begin to form their own opinions. I cannot make her change her views, but I will stress to her the brutality of abortion and that it is wrong.

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

Lorik:

You need to teach your daughter that it is not possible for something to be bad but ok at the same time. How many other things does she think are bad but ok? That a dangerous mindset,especially just starting her teen years.

Actually, she is a very good girl and I don’t think she understood the ramifications of this teribble act. After we sat down and I discussed this to her she realized that it is not “ok” not for her or anyone she comes in contact with. I taught my daughters about drugs and about smoking and I know they both will make the right choice. My original post was to point out that abortion needs to be reinforced in the grade school. Many young girls are engaging in sexual behavior before they even reach my daughter’s age, or high school. This is why I am concerned.