Evangelical christian schools vs. Catholic ones

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(hope this is in the right spot) 😊

I was talking with a woman I know, whose husband is the principal at the local Christian school (he also teaches, coaches, etc. 🙂 ). The school is Evangelical/Fundamental in background, backed by one of the charismatic non-denoms here. They accept children of all faiths there, Catholic included.

So even though twosweetgirls will more than likely go to the Catholic school, I was just chatting with her about the possibility of her Christian school, and would we still be able to go even though we’re Catholic.

Her answer? “Well, yes, but we would sit down with you and your husband–along with all the board members, the pastor and several teachers–and have an interview with you guys to determine your testimony.”

I asked for clarification. She said: “We require that at least one parent be a born-again Christian, and there HAS (her emphasis) to be a solid testimony and the personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Savior.” She then said that there were the few and far between instances where families were rejected, because they had no testimony or personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Saviour that they could speak of.

How disappointing to hear that. 😦 I asked her, “they were turned away, when at least having their children in Christian school might have at least opened the doors for them to know Christ?” I don’t think she understood me, so I wrapped up the conversation and left, thanking her.

But seriously? I was so disappointed by what she said. People’s “testimonies” and “personal relationship with Jesus as their Saviour” are all based on this Christian school’s interpretations of such, and are turned away if people can’t “prove” it or say the “right” things. I know at our Catholic school, all are welcome–and there’s no interview or proof of testimony or “personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Saviour in a born-again relationship” needed.
 
The sad thing is that this woman thinks that Catholics do not have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. I guess it all is semantics. But I notice that some priests nowadays are using the words “personal relationship with Jesus” when they preach on the Eucharist. So that may help Catholics in the pews to understand/answer such questions.
 
Don’t touch such a school with a ten-foot pole. It does not sound like Catholics (or anyone) are truly accepted there unless they basically renounce Catholicism in favor of the school’s definition of Christianity.

I personally would never consider sending my child to an evangelical Christian school anyway. They warp science and history to fit their fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible, and their version of Christianity is at odds with Catholicism. On the other hand, I am starting to get excited about the possibility of sending my now-toddler son to one of the local Catholic schools, which have excellent reputations.
 
Well most Catholic schools offer discounts and preferred enrollement to parish members, so that could be viewed as the same thing:

“Isn’t that sad? The children could open up their parents hearts to Christ, but the parents can’t afford it because they don’t get the parish discount/were rejected because all the spots were taken by parish members’ children. We don’t go to the Catholic church, so we’re discriminated against.”

Frankly, I think that’s how it aught to be. I wouldn’t send my kids to an evangelical school either, but I respect that they have the right to discriminate against who they’ll accept, just as the Catholic school can offer an easier path to Catholics.
 
As an evangelical pastor’s wife and mother of a son who attends an Evangelical school let me explain the whole idea of sharing your testimony with the school. Basically, they just want to make sure what is taught at school will not be devisive in the home. And that the home will uphold the values of what is being taught in the school. There are many private evangelical schools who do allow non-believers in the school…often non believing parents want their kids to have a good education and are drawn by private religious schools. I have friends who are administrators at 5 different evangelical schools throughout the U.S., so when non believers (those who do not have any faith that Jesus Christ is the son of God) desire their children to attend one of these schools, it is just made very clear to them that their children will learn that Jesus Christ is who He said He is.
I consider Catholics to be brothers and sisters in Christ…how very sad to hear such bitter comments about evangelical schools distorting history. Wow. One of our local schools might be closing next year and there are about 15 of us evangelicals that have been looking at a local Catholic school, but I think I will have to show my friends this forum. We don’t want our kids to be greeted with such negativity. Interestingly enough, the middle school principal at this school has been so gracious and accomodating, praying with us and for our school and at the same time willing to welcome our students if our school indeed goes under. I guess just as your experience with evangelicals, the love of Christ is more evident in some Catholics than others.
 
Hi Chloegirl,

Welcome to CAF. Please do not let the comment about watered down curriculum turn you off. That was very unfair since that person does not know the curriculum being taught at your school.

Years ago when I attended Catholic parochial grade and high schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, I had many classmates who were non-Catholic Christians or even non-Chirstian. The priests, nuns, and laypersons who taught at my schools never, never treated non-Catholic children any different than the Catholic children. I am positive that your children would be welcomed and not met with negativity if you did decide to place them in a Catholic school.

But you should also consider that a Catholic school will teach religion classes in the Catholic tradition of Christianity and not yours. Over the years, I have had non-Catholic Christian co-workers who would place their children in Catholic schools because they did not like the local public school system. They would eventually pull them out because the children would be taught such things as praying to Mary and the saints, saying the Rosary and the Hail Mary, being taught how to cross themselves, and other Catholic things. I don’t know where you are located, but the Archdiocese of Chicago does not exempt its non-Catholic students from religious classes. I don’t know how big of an issue this would be for you and the other families.

I will pray for a good resolution for you and your school. I hope that you will come again to CAF. There are many good people here with whom to share Christ’s love.

God bless,

Jean
 
A Nun went to see Padre Pio for Confession - She clipped 3 beads from his Rosary.

Padre Pio confronted The Nun and said why did you do that?

The Nun said - “Because I wanted a Relic from a Holy Person”

Padre Pio said - “Give me back the beads and Go make your own Relics”

Moral of the story - Beware of what you wish for - May G-d grant you your own Revelation!
 
Jean_1958 said:
Hi Chloegirl,

Welcome to CAF. Please do not let the comment about watered down curriculum turn you off. That was very unfair since that person does not know the curriculum being taught at your school.

Years ago when I attended Catholic parochial grade and high schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, I had many classmates who were non-Catholic Christians or even non-Chirstian. The priests, nuns, and laypersons who taught at my schools never, never treated non-Catholic children any different than the Catholic children. I am positive that your children would be welcomed and not met with negativity if you did decide to place them in a Catholic school.

But you should also consider that a Catholic school will teach religion classes in the Catholic tradition of Christianity and not yours. Over the years, I have had non-Catholic Christian co-workers who would place their children in Catholic schools because they did not like the local public school system. They would eventually pull them out because the children would be taught such things as praying to Mary and the saints, saying the Rosary and the Hail Mary, being taught how to cross themselves, and other Catholic things. I don’t know where you are located, but the Archdiocese of Chicago does not exempt its non-Catholic students from religious classes. I don’t know how big of an issue this would be for you and the other families.

I will pray for a good resolution for you and your school. I hope that you will come again to CAF. There are many good people here with whom to share Christ’s love.

God bless,

Jean
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Great post.

We have quite a few non-Catholic students at my kids’ school. All students must take religion, attend Mass weekly with their class and participate in devotions such as morning prayer, the noon-time Angelus and the Stations of the Cross. All of this is made very clear prior to enrollment. I am sure there may be some parents who would be offended by this but the ones who actually enroll do not seem to have any problem due to their religious affiliation.

As to the OP, while that seems kind of agressive, I can understand it to a degree. My kids former school had a similar policy. While they welcomed everyone, they would meet with parents if there was a chance of a disconnect between what was being presented at home and school. It was more about living according to Catholic teaching than testimony. For example, I knew one couple, unmarried but living together, each with kids from their previous marriages who were at the school. The principal had a “sit down” with them and told them that their children would be learning about the immorality of living together before marriage, of the permanance of marriage, etc. He told them that while the topics would be handled with sensitivity, the Church’s teaching wouldn’t be watered down just because those particular children were in class. Sounds harsh but there was a happy ending. The couple decided to separate households for the sake of the kids and one (the husband) came back to full practice of his faith. 😃
 
It seems rather reasonable to me-there is nothing in the OP to suggest that Catholics are automatically judged to be “unsaved”-the OP seems to suggest that this policy is applied to all those from outside their church that wish their children to attend.

Given the legal climate today (I know of more than one case of homosexual partners gaining admission for a child and then beginning a series of legal actions against the religious school on the grounds of “discrimination”) as well as their likely belief that family has a great impact on the behaviour/faith of the child, it seems a natural consequence that they would want to ensure that families were onside with what they would be teaching and the standard the children would be held to while in class.

A school as an evangelistic outreach is another model and the validity of both models can be debated, but there doesn’t appear to be any cause for offense if the situation is as the OP recounted it.
 
Originally Posted by Jean_1958
Hi Chloegirl,

Welcome to CAF. Please do not let the comment about watered down curriculum turn you off. That was very unfair since that person does not know the curriculum being taught at your school.
Hello Ms. Jean - I take no offense

Americans are igorant of thier own History let alone World History

-Halo-
 
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Catholics - Two types of sin (Venial - Mortal) -

Protestant - ? (who knows?)
 
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First Bishop of Antioch was St. Peter.

“And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.” (Acts 11:23-26)
 
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Septuagint - What is It?
Septuagint (sometimes abbreviated LXX) is the name given to the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. The Septuagint has its origin in Alexandria, Egypt and was translated between 300-200 BC. Widely used among Hellenistic Jews, this Greek translation was produced because many Jews spread throughout the empire were beginning to lose their Hebrew language. The
 
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The Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt began in 168-167 B.C. when the Romans expelled Antiochus Epiphanes from Egypt, a man who began to vent his rage upon the Jews. He massacred vast numbers of Jews on their Sabbath day, took many captive, erected a fortress on Mt. Zion, and attempted to abolish all vestiges of Jewish worship and practice. The Temple was dedicated to the false god Zeus, and upon the newly erected altar a pig was sacrificed! (The apocryphal book of Maccabees, apparently quoting Daniel 11:31, calls this act the “abomination of desolation.”)1

heraldmag.org/2002/02so_7.htm
 
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1654 Maryland. In the new colony, religious tolerance for all so-called Christians was preserved by Calvert until 1654. In that year, Puritans from Virginia succeeded in overthrowing Calvert’s rule

1692 - In May, hysteria grips the village of Salem, Massachusetts, as witchcraft suspects are arrested and imprisoned.

1700-Massachusetts orders all Roman Catholic priests to leave the colony within three months, or suffer penalty of life imprisonment or execution. New York then passes a similar law.

1701-The French establish a settlement at Detroit. -Yale College is founded in Connecticut.

1702 - In Maryland, the Anglican Church is established as the official church, financially supported by taxation imposed on all free men, male servants and slaves.
 
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Papal States, from 754 to 1870 an independent territory under the temporal rule of the popes,

On September 10,1870 Italy declared war on the Papal States. Although the pope’s tiny army was incapable of defending the city, Pius IX ordered it to put up at least a token resistance to emphasize that Italy was acquiring Rome by force and not consent
 
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Dormition Abbey is a massive structure that rises on Mount Zion, just outside the Zion Gate
  1. Ecole Biblique
  2. Bible study. Ancient findings. Dead Sea Scrolls
Catholics - 2
Protestants - 0
 
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The Penal Laws in Ireland - refers to a series of laws imposed under British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics

Catholics could neither buy land nor inherit it, other than by the equal division of estates between all sons.

There were vast rewards for turning Protestant; a male convert was entitled to all his brothers’ inheritance, a female to her husband’s property.

Irish language, music and literature were banned, as was the saying of the Mass.

The intention was to crush the identity of the Irish people through the suppression of their culture. However, clandestine “hedge schools” developed where outlawed Catholic teachers taught Irish language and music; Mass was said in secret
 
twosweetgirls
If you would like me to instruct your teacher on factual history - I would be glad to.

Au Revoir
-Halo-
 
The Penal Laws in Ireland refers to a series of laws imposed under British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics

Catholics could neither buy land nor inherit it, other than by the equal division of estates between all sons.

There were vast rewards for turning Protestant; a male convert was entitled to all his brothers’ inheritance, a female to her husband’s property.

Irish language, music and literature were banned, as was the saying of the Mass.The intention was to crush the identity of the Irish people through the suppression of their culture. However, clandestine “hedge schools” developed where outlawed Catholic teachers taught Irish language and music; Mass was said in secret
 
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