That is completely untrue. Public school system existed in many countries, such as France.
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tafan2
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I am guessing that statement in the Syllabus of Errors was in response to public schools in countries like France.
There shouldn’t be a question of “didn’t make the cut” for a Catholic who wants to send their children to a Catholic school. I know I say “back in the day” a lot, but darn it, there were a lot of things, in the Church and in society, that were better “back in the day”. Free or nearly-free Catholic education, to the extent it was available — and it was widely available, at the elementary and middle school level if not higher — is one of those things that were better. (Yes, I realize some things “back in the day” weren’t better, in fact, some were far worse, but this is not one of those things.) You had the schools largely staffed by priests and sisters who devoted their lives to teaching, large families that were able to send their children to these schools, and some way, somehow, the education got imparted and the bills got paid.
Some might tell you this kind of thing isn’t a problem in all public schools. Maybe not, but it sounds like it was definitely a problem in that school.
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puer.dei
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France’s, at least, was tuition-based, unlike our modern system. Which put it out of reach for many.
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_AnnoDomini
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What about colleges? Are Catholics obligated to attend Catholic colleges?
Sorry but I don’t understand what you mean.
Public school system in France, was and still is “free” for the parents. (that’s mean paid by collectivity).
Catholic school system is currently mostly found by the State, and the parents paid a small percentage of all. In olders times public school system was in part managed by religious congregations and even convents (which was more costy).
It’s preferred, but obviously not obligatory. Relatively few people have the resources or opportunity to choose Catholic higher education over public or private nonsectarian colleges. I have never heard even the most severely orthodox Catholic priests or teachers — not even SSPX or sedevacantists — tell their parishioners or students that they have to get permission from the Church to attend a secular institution. The mere existence of Newman Centers on many larger secular college campuses should indicate that the Church does not object to Catholic students attending non-Catholic colleges.
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_AnnoDomini
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Thank you so much! That’s good, as I’m enrolled in a non-Catholic college 
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1ke
Guest
Honestly, if you are looking into the Catholic Faith, the Syllabus if Errors isn’t the place to start.
Also, education across the globe looked much different when that was written than it does today, both Catholic and non-Catholic schools.
Also, education across the globe looked much different when that was written than it does today, both Catholic and non-Catholic schools.
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puer.dei
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It’s great if you can, but it’s not obligatory.
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twf
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I imagine its an issue of the expense. It costs a lot of money to open new schools and the demand isn’t being met.
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twf
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Well I actually started a thread on this topic a few months back. There were various factors. There are limited seats, and we didn’t get one. As I explained in the original thread, part of the criteria was based on how many envelopes you had put in the collection plate the previous year. I would consolidate offerings into large periodic cheques, rather than smaller weekly cheques, and that ended up hurting me as they had no proof that my attendance was more regular than the envelopes indicated. I spoke to the priest, who knows me, and he was going to talk to the principal…but I guess at the end of the day they had to award the few seats left based on some objective criteria.
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tafan2
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Of course schools are expensive. We (the Church) have to figure out how to adapt.
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fredystairs
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There is also the expense of the teachers. Back in the 1940s and 50s, there were many more religious sisters and brothers who would teach for a minimum salary. Now we have to pay the laity to teach and understandably they require a higher salary. This of course drives up the tuition for the family.
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Genesis315
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See my response to you in the other thread on religious liberty about what the Syllabus is. This proposition is taken from a letter of Pope Pius IX to the Archbishop of Freiburg. At the time, Liberal governments were taking direct control of all education, and stripping them of their traditional connection to religion and the Church–even seminaries! This is merely condemning this forced education of youth that excludes their supernatural ends and goods and completely excludes the Church.
Two points are implied: a true education must include religious truth and what is good for the soul, and these elements should ultimately be subject to the Church. Catholics when possible should go to a school where both are integrated, but where not possible, the religious truth should be supplemented by parents or the Church and this religious instruction should be subject to the control of the Church, who is the authorized teacher of the faith.
Furthermore, even in schools that do not provide religious instruction per se, Catholics cannot approve of them teaching things contrary to the truth (like bad morals, etc.).
Catholic doctrine is that parents are the primary educators of their children. Civil authority, for the sake of the common good is to aid parents in their responsibility. The Church provides our education in sacred truths revealed by God for our salvation.
Here’s how the Second Vatican Council addressed non-Catholic schools:
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[ties in with this:]
One of the things I’ve always believed about Catholic schools/colleges is that you’re in a Catholic “bubble,” i.e., you’re there with other Catholics, people with your background and your values. Okay, you won’t have the rainbow flag, you won’t have the child who comes from an LGBT home, but you won’t have the opportunity to be with people with different beliefs, the kinds of people you’ll be living and working with in the real world.
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1ke
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This does not reflect the reality of Catholic school demographics. Catholic schools are racially and culturally diverse, although that probably depends on where you live, and about 20% of attendees are not Catholic.
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Dolphin
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Eh, I’d say 80% of my private Catholic college isn’t Catholic. But probably 70% is Christian
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