Future for Catholic Schools

[marci]

We just recently are back in catholic school. We homeschooled for two years due to the distance (two hour round trip) of the school we originally went to. I did that drive for two years and then couldn’t take it anymore so I started catholic homeschooling. We moved this summer and now live 5 minutes from a new catholic school that the kids are now attending. This is their second year open and already they have doubled their enrollment. They went from 50 to aprox. 100, pre-K through 4th. They will add 5th and 6th next year and 7th and 8th the next. I feel so blessed to have finally find a good school for my kids to grow up in. They go to mass once a week and father does instruction on the readings and the Gospel after mass.

The school was started by members of the parish. Some with young children, but most have grandchildren attending the school. These people worked tirelessly for years to get the funds together to start our school. The first in over 40 years. The parish priest was also instumental in the beginning and he remains a permenant fixture in the school.

I think the number one priority for our Church (at least in the short term) should be money for good catholic education. There is no reason why funds cannot be made available. If poorer parishes can’t afford it, then have the diocese dip into the coffers of the wealthier ones. One generation of truely, faithfully educated young catholics could change our world. Everyone should do what they can to support our parish schools, especially the Church.

 

[Fitz]

My children have used public and Catholic schools. They all attended Catholic high school. I have been very happy with the schools they attended. We have used 3 different high schools due to moving once during that time. My last one is a senior in hs now and I will never regret my tuition money.

I have been chastised by some on CA for using Catholic schools- go figure! I love much about my kids experiences, including their religious training at school. Are these schools perfect? No. Are they very good- yes. My husband and I remain active in the process and I do believe that is always the key when raising children.

 

[chicago]

do you find that so in Chicago?

Unfortunately, a lot of the Catholic schools in the city have closed due to low enrollment (parents in poorer communities who can’t afford tuition, basically.) Historically, I think it can be said of a lot of the older dioceses that the exposure to a faith filled environment often fostered populations which were not Catholic into an attitude of gratitude and willingness to look at a faith system which was so charitible to those who were “not one of their own.” Certainly in Chicago, and many other places, Catholic schooling has often been seen as superior to secular education and something which the poorer populations, especially did (and still do) value as a way to finding opportunity in secular success.

Here there has been an increase in catholic schools…

In the U.S. South, there is great growth in business and movement of peoples to the point that there are population shifts (even explosions) in these areas. The Catholic Church is experiencing much growth in what was traditionally the “Baptist Belt” because of it. With it comes increasing institutions to repond to the need which, I suppose, can be afforded by those who have taken on work there.

 

[Larry1700]

Both of my children attended Catholic school from 1st grade through 12th. When in high school, they read a book entitled “Friday Night Lights.” My son said it was a good book, so I read it. I was shocked. There was sex and profanity, including using our Lord’s Name.

I asked the principal about it, and had a meeting with him and the English teacher. I was told that the book carried a good moral message, which I admit it did. However, when I asked them why they couldn’t choose a book with a similar message, which did not have the negative aspects of FNL, the only answer they gave was that it’s the English teacher’s decision. I also told them that I couldn’t understand why they don’t read the Catholic classics. Turns out that the English teacher was a Baptist.

They also had an atheist friend, and a Buddhist friend. I’m all for learning about other faiths, and being friends with folks from all backgrounds, but I have to admit that it bothered me that I was trying to get a good Catholic education for my kids and they were being exposed to other faiths. There’s nothing wrong with that, once you’re well-versed in the the faith, but at their ages it concerned me.

It makes me wonder if my money was well-spent.

 

[KathleenElsie]

IMO as long as traditionalists opt for homeschooling instead of parochial schools, and staying involved and active and being watchdogs on what is taught, the Catholic schools will continue to play less of a role in the Church --tragic, and exactly what the US bishops were worried about when they founded the parochial school system.

And as long as the Catholic Schools are so expensive that they require two working parents to afford the cost then traditionalists will continue to homeschool. In fact many more will join us in homeschooling.

Most of the families that homeschool (we are members of two Catholic support groups) with the mother in the traditional homemaker role have three to eight children and can’t afford the “NEW” private school system that now exists.

The schools near us do not have Mass, do not teach CCD and the majority of students are non-catholic children. Everyone pays the same in tuition and everyone vies for the available scholarship money . They still ask for money from the parishes and expect us to support them. So when the schools become Catholic (with a capital C) again then maybe some of us will consider returning to the system. Till then we will follow what the Pope said and that is that we (parents, God-parents and grand parents) are the ones responsible for teaching our children.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Well, the Catholic church does not require that you be Catholic if you need financial assistance, or need something from the food pantry or clothing pantry, or need a meal.
No we do not require that the recipients are Catholic. But when money or workers are scarce then the Catholics should be helped first. After all they probably gave to the charity prior to their needs.

Why should non-Catholic children, if there is room in the school, not be able to take advantage of the education?

And why should the non-Catholic child be given the same b cost breaks that the Catholic child is given. After all they do not support the parish that supports the schools. The non-Catholic should be allowed as long as they pay the full cost, do not complain about the religious teachings and there is room after all the Catholic children are enrolled.

I would agree that if a school is a Catholic school, then the Catholic Faith should be taught; it might be up to the school as to whether or not non-Catholic children should be required to attend religion classes.

Every child in the school should be required to learn about the faith. If they follow the faith or not is their business. But the teaching of a Catholic School should be Catholic.

The issue may be more that we have a problem with not enough Catholic children attending the school. However, if the parish wishes to continue to support a Catholic grade school, and the Faith is taught to the Catholic students, I don’t see why the school should not allow others to attend too. I would not agree to giving them a priority, but if there is room, what is the point of either letting it go begging, or shutting the school down?

Besides, the Faith should be infused throughout all classes, not just a formal religion class. There are many opportunities to influence others besides formal study.

Our homeschooled children get Catholic teaching in each and every subject.

A parish will support its own school; it is much more difficult to get a parish to support another parish’s school unless children are attending there. So simply shutting one school down and presuming that money will go from that parish to another’s is not necessarily a given.

Regional “private” schools are the norm in our area. Most of the traditional Catholic multi child families are unable to afford them.

 

[KathleenElsie]

That may be true, but what about the Catholic children in the school? I live in a small town–we have one Catholic PreK-12 school with about 300 students. Years ago our bishop mandated that all parochial schools in the diocese had to be privatised, so tuition and donations are the main sources of income. We do have non-Catholic students at the school (although first preference is given to Catholics)–if they were forced to leave, we might not be able to keep the school running!! And the next closest school is over 60 miles away, so closing our school would mean the loss of any possibility of a Catholic education in my town…

I think that your school should be supported by the parishes that provide the children also. The lack of Catholic Schools is creating the lack of priest and other religious IMHO. Will pray for your school.

 

[NMJenny]

I think that your school should be supported by the parishes that provide the children also. The lack of Catholic Schools is creating the lack of priest and other religious IMHO. Will pray for your school.

I agree that it should work that way, but unfortunately, since the schools are now considered “private” rather than “parish” schools, it just doesn’t happen.

Many thanks for your prayers…

 

[daughterofmary]

Catholic Schools in our nation need major reform.

Do not believe me? Take a look here:

catholic-tube.com/?p=204

Believe me? Take a look here anyway. It will confirm your decision to homeschool.

catholic-tube.com/?p=204

Pray.

:crying:

 

[HouseArrest]

Catholic Schools in our nation need major reform.

Do not believe me? Take a look here:

catholic-tube.com/?p=204

Believe me? Take a look here anyway. It will confirm your decision to homeschool.

catholic-tube.com/?p=204

Pray.

:crying:

Some of those kids were clearly put on the spot and nervous about answering - all the “I don’t knows”. The silly answers? They were asking them in front of their peers so I don’t think you are going to get an honest well thought out answer in those situations.

One time some organization asked a groups of younger kids - 13 or 14 - in a mall about their sex lives. They then published it as if they thought they had some real truth there. Some of the kids stated they had relationships with married people, etc., etc. C’mon, they were with their friends! (This was in the early '80’s) I don’t have a link to any article or anything - it was so long ago. But I do remember my brother at the time saying if someone had asked him and his friends they would have had all kinds of jokes going on. And he was a good kid.

Finally - not all Catholic schools are in trouble. It is harmful to us in our area with the constant “Catholic schools are not worth it” message coming at us from all angles.

 

[thedavidwilson]

Unfortunately, I don’t even think making the schools perfectly orthodox would save a lot of them from going away over the next 10 years.
I think the root of the problem is probably economic. Even paying our teachers and staffs significantly less than their public school counterparts, tuition rates are simply out of reach of a significant segment of the faithful, and in a small town, those that can afford it often aren’t a large enough group to keep a school open.
I’m beginning to think that a system built on the premise of nearly free labor (teaching sisters and brothers) can’t survive without them. I’m curious what others are seeing in their own areas, and any stories of how this trend has been reversed.

I think the only reason this system worked in the past (and will not work in the future) is that is was run with “free” labor. The loss of religious to teach and run the schools has resulted in our current economic and religious intruction problems. The only reason public schools nominally work now is because we have people who do not have kids in the system funding the system. For the most part Catholic schools are funded by those with children in those schools; i.e. much smaller funding base.

I think the orthodoxy and sustainability of Catholic schools are directly proportional. If you make our school liberal and not orthodox they will teach with a secular slant on things. These kids will take this in and not see much difference between being a Catholic and being a pagan (i.e. modern citizen in the world). In this libveral view why would a kid want to make the sacrfices to be a religious when they can live the same liberal life in the real world while making a lot of money and sacraficing less. As Catholics we need to make ourselves different to the world. Remeber we are IN this world but not OF this world. An important part of this is the outwardsigns such as wearing habits, having daily mass (even Latin Mass) and teaching on the hard topics such as homesexuality and moral issues.

Kids probably initially want to be marines, firemen and policemen because of the uniforms and the vehicles they dirve (outwardly signs). While this is not a good basis for a vocation choice it does put the thought in the child’s mind that these professions are distinguishing and worth while. We need to bring back these outward signs to the Catholic Schools. Hopefully the new large crop of traditional religious can bring some of this back to our Catholic Schools. Becasue if we continue with the current model it will not sustain.

 

[daughterofmary]

Thank you for your response. You made some good points. I could see where a number of people would be too shy to say what it means to be Catholic in front of their peers. Perhaps they believed their friends would think they, like the first two boys in the video suggested, wore a halo, and as two girls suggested, are sructured and uptight. Despite the silly remarks though (and probably about a quarter were) it does not seem as if those that professed to not believe God existed were making it up. I honestly believe that they said said so sincerely.

A large number said that God did not exist. In the end, the count was 1 out of 12 said they believed in God, and I do not think the 'silly remarks" were taken into account. And then in the end it asks the question and what I think is the person behind the camera’s answer. “What does it mean to be Catholic? To Believe.” You also had a number that did answer honestly.

In a Catholic school, one would think, at least someone could give an answer of what it means to be Catholic. Out of that number of people it is a bit disappointing that not one had the knowledge or maybe just not the courage to say what it means to be Catholic. And I think that says something about the Catholic school they are attending. And as someone who has experiences with a number of Catholic Schools the video is not far off from your average St. Something Academy.

Finally - not all Catholic schools are in trouble. It is harmful to us in our area with the constant “Catholic schools are not worth it” message coming at us from all angles.

You are right, and I apologise for making such a sweeping statement. Not all Catholic schools are in trouble.

From my experience though, many are. I have no experience in knowing about the Catholic grade schools. I would hope they are nothing like the national situation of the high schools though. And I have never heard from an orthodox teacher at a Catholic high school that does not constantly have to fight the good fight with more then half the staff.

Here is a poll and answers from actual Catholic teens about the Catholic schools they attend. These teens are not being pressured by their friends and actually do try to live out their faith. They are telling the facts about their experience in their Catholic schools. These teens are from across the States. It gives a better and possibly more truthful glimpse, I believe, at the tragic state of the schools. There are even some people that have good things to say about their schools, and I think their comments represent those few good Catholic schools that are still left out there: Thanks be to God!

I am not saying Catholic schools are not worth it. If they are actually “Catholic” schools they would be worth it. But with the state a number of them are in… there is nothing left that is conservative and orthodox except the home. And if the parents cannot homeschool because of time, money, job, etc. then the kids are just out of luck and are either stuck at some Catholic school walking a labyrinth and trying to “empty themselves” through Zen meditation during World Religions Class or at public school (which is probably better then most Catholic schools).

My post really was meant to give a glimpse into the tragic state of Catholic high schools in our country. I am sorry it came off as different

Here is the link:
phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=37392

(Something I noticed from the thread: When our Catholic teens are excited because they are able to go to Mass once a month and are able to go to confession once a semester… we should be moved to pity and compassion.)

 

[thedavidwilson]

You are right, and I apologise for making such a sweeping statement. Not all Catholic schools are in trouble.

We should probably define what in trouble means. If a Catholic school is bursting at the seams yet does not teach basic Catholic Dotrine I would call that in trouble. They have just successfully transformed from a Catholic School into a successful private school.

 

[daughterofmary]

We should probably define what in trouble means. If a Catholic school is bursting at the seams yet does not teach basic Catholic Dotrine I would call that in trouble. They have just successfully transformed from a Catholic School into a successful private school.

I took “trouble” to mean what you just described it to mean.