Gideons invited to religion class at Catholic school?

[esr]

My son is in 5th grade at our Catholic school. During religion class last week 2 members of Gideons International came and talked to his class and gave them an orange Bible (just the NT and Psalms and Proverbs). They also encouraged the children to go to church and if they did not have a church home to come to their church. The teacher told the children to keep these Bibles in their binders because they would use them in class. When my son told me this, I was outraged!!! Has anyone else had this experience at their Catholic school?

 

[1ke]

Well this is just ridiculous.

I would definitely be in the principal’s office and demand that my Catholic child be given only a Catholic bible and approved translation! I would demand these Gideon bibles be removed. Period.

It is also inappropriate for non-Catholic groups to proselytize in a Catholic classroom. This is indifferentism and could lead children to believe that non-Catholic church services are equivalent to Catholic Mass.

I would also inform the diocese/bishop of these shennanigans. And I would take a close look at what else is going on in my child’s classroom. Where there is smoke, there’s fire.

 

[1ke]

Oh, and as for whether anything like this has been experienced by others. I experienced something similar, not quite that.

Our parish CCE program (I’m now the coordinator starting this year) a few years ago was looking to purchase classroom sets of bibles. We wanted picture bibles for our 1-2 grade, a “young reader” bible for 3-6, and then a teen/adult bible for the older grades. We had lots of problems with the young readers trying to read the adult bibles. It was just too hard and confusing.

So, we asked a couple of parishioners who **teach **at a nearby Catholic school (across the diocesan boundaries in another diocese, but only about 20 minutes from where we live) what bibles they used with their upper elementary. One of the teachers brought the bible they use at the Catholic school for us to look at.

It was a **Protestant **bible. I nearly flipped my lid. Her response was that it was a good “young reader” level bible. Nevermind that it’s missing 7 books and has heretical footnotes and sidebar explanations for key passages like Matthew 16:15-20! I pointed this out to her, and I received a shrug.

So, yes, be watchful of what your children are learning-- like a hawk!!!

 

[stteresasgirl]

Say WHAT?!!! And we wonder why we have so many “lost” Catholics who don’t know what they believe in. Sounds like the teachers don’t know either! Hello, 1980’s!

Thanks for opening our eyes. My prayer is that the true faith is protected and preserved.

God Bless,
stteresasgirl

 

[narrowpath]

These teachers are just not stopping creating the mess which my generation will have to fix… I wonder what its like being all the way back there in the 1960’s…

 

[shannyk]

My son is in 5th grade at our Catholic school. During religion class last week 2 members of Gideons International came and talked to his class and gave them an orange Bible (just the NT and Psalms and Proverbs). They also encouraged the children to go to church and if they did not have a church home to come to their church. The teacher told the children to keep these Bibles in their binders because they would use them in class. When my son told me this, I was outraged!!! Has anyone else had this experience at their Catholic school?

Ug. I won’t bore you with the details, but I had 2 similar incidents at my daughters Catholic school over the 3 years she was there. My objections got me absolutely nowhere and worse, labeled as some kind of fanatic. Gee, I thought I was paying 4 grand a year for my child to go to a Catholic school, the protestant schools around are much cheaper, I should have cut out the middle man! Needless to say she is now attending public school.

I’d be in the principals office faster than fast, and the rectory too. I hope you have better results than I did.

 

[vocatio]

Case and Point…

This is why we have chosen not to send our children to Catholic Schools. The allow heresy and that won’t cut it with us. We used to be members of the Church of Christ. i would feel safer sending my child to one the Christian Schools before a Catholic one. The statistics prove a point. When half of the Catholic children that attend parochial schools fall away from the faith compared to 70% of those that don’t you know there is a problem.

 

[Shin]

So many Catholic schools simply aren’t Catholic schools, they’re secular schools with the letters C A T H O L I C somewhere in their name.

 

[jwashu]

Well I’m happy to say I haven’t seen anything like this at our Parish School and I know the principle of another Parish and I KNOW she wouldn’t allow it.

The only thing I would say, considering I’ve looked at those small Gideon’s Bibles is… they really aren’t that bad. I primarily use the RSV-CE with my family, it’s approved but not what we use at Mass. Actually the NAB has a lot of errors in it and personally I would rather my kids not use it.

Those small NT, Psalms and Proverbs have no liner notes (at least not the ones I have seen). Sure some of the text is different but not much and since there are multiple approved Bibles as well (RSV, NAB, DR, etc…) they are going to hear difference translations and need to understand, by 5th grade at least, that there are different interpretations of the Sacred Scripture.

MOST importantly they need to understand that as Catholics our understanding of the Bible is not so dependant on one single word or one single verse. We are not Protestants, we are not going to “prove” our view is right by quoting verse after verse out of context. It’s the overall CONTEXT that is the most important thing.

Now if my kindergartner was given a KVJ with the Old Scofield liner notes and told that this was the only approved translations and that the notes would help them understand God correctly by himself (as I was in the Baptist Church) then I would come unglued

The other important thing for our children to know is that the table of contents in the NT is a result of the Spirit working through the Church. Protestants act like the Bible just sprang from no where. That is wrong, our children need to know that it was very devout Catholics and the Leaders of the Church, with the Holy Spirit working through them who decided what Books were needed to bolster the Traditions of the Church.

I guess as a former Protestant I’m more concerned with the context and making sure my sons can refute Sola Scriptura than if a single verse is worded differently.

Joe

 

[stteresasgirl]

Joe, you are blessed to have solid educators and curriculum at you local schools. Praise God! However, I have to agree that this is not the case in other areas. I chose not to send my kids to Catholic school because of not knowing whether or not they would have true, solid Catholic education. Sometimes you have to wonder, who is running the show? Solid, magesterium-based educators or the parents/financial contributers? If the parents don’t like what is being taught, they have the option to pull their child out along with their money. Then, if you have too many leave, the school closes down. All too often adminstrators and clergy have to play a public relations game and stick with the “politically correct” and “culture approved” items. The Gospel message of poverty, suffering, sacrifice is a hard pill to swallow for most within our society. A lot of people do not want anyone to challenge and question the American lifestyle that they are already living,

As a side note, I know many Catholic homeshool families and these reflect why they chose to homeschool and not send their kids to Catholic school.

Finally, it all starts within each and every one of us. Please pray for renewal within the Catholic Education system. Especially for the sake of our little ones whether they be taught at home, Catholic schools, or Parished-based relgious education programs. They are the up and coming members of the body of Christ.

Peace,
stteresasgirl