I don’t think keeping the faith alive has anything to do with homeschooling. I think it has to do with families LIVING their faith–no matter where they school. I think it is a bit presumptuous to think that simply Catholic homeschooling is the only way that Catholics can teach their children their faith. I’m very supportive of homeschooling and homeschoolers. We are constantly reviewing where our children should be schooled. And while Monasteries were certainly one way the faith was passed on, it’s not like people weren’t Catholic during the “dark” ages. Infact, Dark Ages isn’t even used much anymore–as it’s not really true that people were somehow not intellectual during this time and infact backwards. If the people hadn’t remained Catholic during this time, it wouldn’t have mattered too much what the Monasteries were doing. The people WERE Catholic, though, and actually lived their faith because that’s all they knew–there was only the Catholic Church at this point. If more people did that today, we’d be in much better place.
You just argued my case that I stated earlier. In the dark ages, the monasteries were ONE important way that the faith was passed on. There were also many faithful Catholic families who played an important role as well. But they were spread out, harder to spot, less quantifiable. So while they ALSO preserved the faith, the monasteries had a role worth mentioning - a more visible role. In the same way, perhaps homeschoolers have a role - perhaps, like monasteries, we are ONE important way that the faith will be preserved. Because of the fact that we stick out like sore thumbs, our role is visible, quantifiable, while the other faithful Catholic families of today are harder to spot b/c of the fact that they are surrounded by similar looking non-faithful families. By your own admission, comparing homeschoolers to monasteries does not imply that they are the only way that the faith is preserved.
Sure the pastor COULD have complimented faithful families in general. But he was speaking to a homeschooler. He could’ve complimented the Knights of Columbus, or the Legion of Mary, or Single mothers, or Hard working Fathers. But he wasn’t talking to those people, he was talking to a homeschooler. This was not a homily to the entire parish, this was a statement to a homeschooler. Shame on that priest, for encouraging his parishioner for doing something good (can I admit that it is good without offending anyone?) Shame on that homeschooler for feeling encouarged by a compliment when there are 300 million people in our country who didn’t receive the same compliment. SHAME SHAME SHAME, stuck up, closed minded, think you’re better than everyone else, angry homeschoolers! DIdn’t you know, YOU’RE not allowed to receive compliments? It might offend everyone else!
Not every compliment given has to come with a caveat that there are other people in the world also deserving of compliments. That would be ridiculous. Son, you did a great job on your Math homework - but don’t get a big head, because other kids do good work in their math too. Dear Pastor, you are making a great difference in our community - but don’t think you’re better than the rest of us, because other people ALSO make a difference in the community. Catholic school, you are a gift to our parish - ummm,but maybe we shouldn’t have said that because all the families whose kids go to public school are also a gift to our parish. Gee, maybe we should just NEVER give compliments and NEVER encourage anyone to avoid hurting feelings. I guess it makes sense in our “Everyone get’s a trophy” sort of world.
…Yes. my local one is bad, and the nearest is over an hour away, so I must apologize if I dont waste my time traveling and instead taking care of and educating my child in the faith instead of taking time away from her to run the roads for people who would most likely bash me for homeschooling anyway…
I wasn’t trying to “win”… God bless you too!