How good is Catholic education?

[OsculeturMeOsculo]

There have been a lot of people leaving the Holy Church and one of the primary causes seems to be a poor catechisis. I was wondering how good your education on the Catholic faith was from a different viewpoint. Was it very informative or did you need to look on your own for answers, or some other alternative?

 

[adgloriam]

Ii is worthwhile to emphasis that as for formal doctrine some might not have catechesis and thus formal clear knowledge, to their loss and with all consequences that naturally follow. Yet, some were given a “catechesis of the heart” and that is easy to overlook and appear all too natural. Yet what is formal knowledge worth without a good heart?

[And are those of good heart not also likely to commit mistakes for lack of doctrine or simple falling into sin? So knowledge does play an important part in our capacity to make choices and adjust our will in accordance with reason. I like thinking of the beatitudes and how many times they require only grace and a good heart.]

 

[TK421]

Catholics schools are generally associated with privilege.

I taught in one for a year. The religious curriculum was aligned with the official teachings of the Church. That being said, as pretty much anybody knows, transferring knowledge pertaining to the faith isn’t the same thing as teaching math or writing. If it isn’t modeled in the home than the prospects of it being integrated into the lifestyle of the student are not good.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

My Catholic school did not teach the specifics of the faith very well. Unfortunately, this was the case in a lot of Catholic schools in the 1970s. They got too into teaching generalities, “love one another”, “explore your relationship with God”, and pushing a lot of social justice.

Many of these Catholic schools, including the one I attended, have since closed or consolidated.

I would say about 80 percent of what I learned about Catholicism growing up came from my Catholic mom either teaching me, or me just seeing how she and my convert dad went about their faith, such as stopping in to church for a “visit” to Jesus, going to Eucharistic Adoration, saying the Rosary as a family, going to Mass on Sunday as a family and afterwards often discussing the homily, etc. Probably about 10 percent came from stuff I learned in school (mostly from the small handful of older Sisters who were still teaching) and another 10 percent came from me reading out of books on my own.

I agree with TK421 that if you don’t see your faith being actually practiced and lived out at home, you’re not going to learn it very well from having some religion classes and the occasional school Mass.

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

Catholic schools should be thought of as a supplement to the faith. If it isn’t modeled at home then it very rarely will “take” if it’s only seen at school. I’ve witnessed this over the years both from my fellow catholic school classmates and from kids I knew who went to public school but whose parents were very active in their faith.

 

[pianistclare]

Catholic schools have oodles of potential to grow wonderfully well-formed children.
Just like their parents do.

I taught in a Catholic school for ten years.
The students who are still actively practicing their faith had good parenting.
One does not replace the other.

No free rides, everyone has to do the heavy lifting.

 

[Talitha712]

I went to Catholic school. The religion books I had in grammar school were horrible, but some of the teachers were so good that they made up for it. Also, the parish priests liked to visit the classrooms and talk to us. The religion classes I had in high school were great but a lot depended on what teachers you were assigned to. I always got good ones.

Most of my religious education came from home. But I was very lucky in that my parents are devout Catholics, had the time and inclination to raise me close to the faith, and I have a priest and a religious sister in my family.

 

[PJM]

“There have been a lot of people leaving the Holy Church and one of the primary causes seems to be a poor catechisis. I was wondering how good your education on the Catholic faith was from a different viewpoint. Was it very informative or did you need to look on your own for answers, or some other alternative”

It would have depended if you were pre-or post Vatican II {1965}
Before Vatican II Catholic Education was for the most part quite good; after Vatican II, it declined greatly.

Mine was pre-Vatican II for 12 years; and I am today an Informed and fully practicing RC. However about 30+ years ago I became a Marian Catechist and further studied the Faith intensely to do so.

PJM