Traditional Catholic school

[Malcolm_McLean]

Are there any traditional Catholic schools?

Would anyone be interested in setting one up?

 

[amstre2u]

Could you elaborate on what you mean by “traditional”? There are many schools in existance that focus on more “traditional” education techniques and methods (grammar, spelling, etc). If you are speaking of Eastern Rite, there are several scholls I know of in PA that follow that tradition.
I guess I’m interested to find if you’re talking about traditional Catholicism in a school or traditional education that is Catholic.
Thanks!

 

[Unfinished]

Are there any traditional Catholic schools?

Would anyone be interested in setting one up?

I think the FSSP has a school.

Don’t quote me on that though.

 

[Wendy-Kay]

I think the FSSP has a school.

Don’t quote me on that though.

St. Gregory’s near Scranton. I wish we had something like that near here.
There are a lot of Regnum Christi schools near the Atlanta area, but the tuition is steep.
The Agnus Dei program is set up for group home-schooling with an emphasis on raising saints, but I don’t know much about it.

 

[Karin]

WEll I can think of several in our area…Regis, NYC…Xavier, NYC…Prep, NJ…

 

[Corki]

I think the FSSP has a school.

Don’t quote me on that though.

The FSSP has a school in Kansas. stjohnv.com/?title=shome&menu=smenu

 

[jbuck919]

WEll I can think of several in our area…Regis, NYC…Xavier, NYC…Prep, NJ…

I do not know what you mean by Prep NJ (there are many Catholic schools just in the Joisey boibs but I need a 'splanation on that one). However, I doubt very much that Regis or Xavier, distinguished schools with a long college prep record, qualify in the sense intended by the original poster (even though that person did not make self quite clear).

Speaking as one who taught at a Catholic high school fo ten years, without intending to incite controversy, and with all respect to any parent who wishes a child to be taught according to traditional Catholic values, I have to point out that the primary concern must be that the school have appropriate accreditation. This is absolutely crucial, and is occasionally not found in those few schools that take an ultra-fundamentalist approach to the religious side of educaiton (they are usually not Catholic, but Catholic ones exist and are to be avoided at all costs).

Finally, I would like to point out that this kind of education even at its very best does not shelter children either from modern realities or from their own nature. Even when Catholic education was “traditional,” it did not keep girls from getting pregnant or teens from partying.

 

[Karin]

I do not know what you mean by Prep NJ (there are many Catholic schools just in the Joisey boibs but I need a 'splanation on that one). However, I doubt very much that Regis or Xavier, distinguished schools with a long college prep record, qualify in the sense intended by the original poster (even though that person did not make self quite clear).

I guess I did not understand what he meant by a Traditioanl Catholic School then…what is the OP talking about???
Sorry the Prep I was speaking of is St Peters Prep H.S. (fondly called Prep by Parents and students)

Speaking as one who taught at a Catholic high school fo ten years, without intending to incite controversy, and with all respect to any parent who wishes a child to be taught according to traditional Catholic values, I have to point out that the primary concern must be that the school have appropriate accreditation. This is absolutely crucial, and is occasionally not found in those few schools that take an ultra-fundamentalist approach to the religious side of educaiton (they are usually not Catholic, but Catholic ones exist and are to be avoided at all costs).

My son attends a Catholic Prep High School here in NJ…accredited etc. and they actually teach religion that would make any traditional Catholic happy
So I am a bit confused as to why we should avoid schools like this…

 

[Benedictus]

My son attends a Catholic Prep High School here in NJ…accredited etc. and they actually teach religion that would make any traditional Catholic happy
So I am a bit confused as to why we should avoid schools like this…

I think his point was that there’s more to a good school than it being fully Catholic. The whole point of school is to educate children. If you just want to make into good little Catholics, you can keep them at home and have them read the Bible and pray the Rosary all day.

I have seen too many Catholic schools with weak academics. Many Catholic high schools, for example, don’t have the AP classes that almost all public schools have.

My own experiences in a Catholic grade school (which was quite a long time ago now), left much to be desired. Frankly, I was bored to tears by the math and science classes that moved at the rate of molasses. I’m sure on paper the school’s test scores were above those of the average public school, but much of that was due to socio-economic factors, amongst others.

 

[Karin]

I think his point was that there’s more too a good school than it being fully Catholic. The whole point of school is to educate children. If you just want to make into good little Catholics, you can keep them at home and have them read the Bible and pray the Rosary all day.

I have seen too many Catholic schools with weak academics. Many Catholic high schools, for example, don’t have the AP classes that almost all public schools have.

Ok…well the high schools I mentioned all offer AP classes…and give a well rounded education (academic) and religious!

 

[jbuck919]

I guess I did not understand what he meant by a Traditioanl Catholic School then…what is the OP talking about???
Sorry the Prep I was speaking of is St Peters Prep H.S. (fondly called Prep by Parents and students)

My son attends a Catholic Prep High School here in NJ…accredited etc. and they actually teach religion that would make any traditional Catholic happy
So I am a bit confused as to why we should avoid schools like this…

Well, you’re talking about St. Peter’s in Jersey City, a Jesuit school and a very fine one. It feeds into a small college of the same name (or at least used to).

I’m not trying to throw a monkey wrench in here, just attempting to get people to define their terms. Almost all accredited Catholic schools are traditional in the sense that they observe the basics and usually a lot more. They’re not traditional in the sense that they make their students bow their heads when they say “Jesus.” Anyone of my age (52) or older will get what I mean.

 

[Karin]

Well, you’re talking about St. Peter’s in Jersey City, a Jesuit school and a very fine one. It feeds into a small college of the same name (or at least used to).

yes …that is what I speak of…mighty proud of it (did I mention my son attends )

I’m not trying to throw a monkey wrench in here, just attempting to get people to define their terms. Almost all accredited Catholic schools are traditional in the sense that they observe the basics and usually a lot more. They’re not traditional in the sense that they make their students bow their heads when they say “Jesus.” Anyone of my age (52) or older will get what I mean.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Could you elaborate on what you mean by “traditional”? There are many schools in existance that focus on more “traditional” education techniques and methods (grammar, spelling, etc). If you are speaking of Eastern Rite, there are several scholls I know of in PA that follow that tradition.
I guess I’m interested to find if you’re talking about traditional Catholicism in a school or traditional education that is Catholic.
Thanks!

I know there’s an SSPX St. John Boscoe school for boys in Calgary, Alberta. It’s very traditional.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

I do not know what you mean by Prep NJ (there are many Catholic schools just in the Joisey boibs but I need a 'splanation on that one). However, I doubt very much that Regis or Xavier, distinguished schools with a long college prep record, qualify in the sense intended by the original poster (even though that person did not make self quite clear).

In a sense the definition has to be a bit fuzzy, because there is no firm definition of “traditional Catholic”.
A traditional Catholic school would be one that caters for parents who describe themselves as “traditionalists”, regularly attend Tridentine Mass, and so forth. However we wouldn’t necessarily demand membership of a traditionalist organisation, we wouldn’t necessarily refuse the child of a left-wing trendy Catholic professor who likes the school for other reasons.
At a minimum
Latin Mass is celebrated in the school as often as the bishop allows.
Latin is part of the curriculum.
Teachers are Catholics in good standing.
Children are baptised, and parents have a domestic situation that allows them to fully participate in the church. i.e. divorcees or single parent familes are OK, cohabiting couples or step-familes are not, unless there is an annulment.
Children to attend Sunday Mass.

Speaking as one who taught at a Catholic high school fo ten years, without intending to incite controversy, and with all respect to any parent who wishes a child to be taught according to traditional Catholic values, I have to point out that the primary concern must be that the school have appropriate accreditation. This is absolutely crucial, and is occasionally not found in those few schools that take an ultra-fundamentalist approach to the religious side of educaiton (they are usually not Catholic, but Catholic ones exist and are to be avoided at all costs).

I am British not American. Some traditionalist parents probably want chalk, cane and creationism in the classroom. This isn’t a good idea.
Schools in the fifties and sixties raised the generation that has largelty fallen away, and we don’t want to repeat their mistakes. In practise, most pupils will come from very stable, highly educated backgrounds, and so there will be less need for strict discipline and regimentation.

Finally, I would like to point out that this kind of education even at its very best does not shelter children either from modern realities or from their own nature. Even when Catholic education was “traditional,” it did not keep girls from getting pregnant or teens from partying.

Children don’t have the will or resources to resist determined authority in a sustained manner. Apart from a handful of celebrated incidents, you can keep control, as long as you try hard enough. Children only have money that their parents give them, for example, so they can only buy drink and drugs if parents are prepared to subsidise it.
However they do have to leave and some point, become adults, and make their own decisions. So older pupils must be given progressively more freedom.

 

[Corki]

I
Speaking as one who taught at a Catholic high school fo ten years, without intending to incite controversy, and with all respect to any parent who wishes a child to be taught according to traditional Catholic values, I have to point out that the primary concern must be that the school have appropriate accreditation. This is absolutely crucial, and is occasionally not found in those few schools that take an ultra-fundamentalist approach to the religious side of educaiton (they are usually not Catholic, but Catholic ones exist and are to be avoided at all costs).

While accreditation might be a concern for high school, its validity for an elementary school is very dependant on location. In Texas, for example, accreditation is not an issue for private schools at all. There are many accreditations that can be obtained, usually by paying a fee to a accreditation granting organization. It looks good on paper but has no bearing on what is taught, how or by whom. By law, all students are treated the same for high school admissions regardless of whether they come from a public, private or home school and that is independent of accreditation.

The diocese where I live does offer accreditation but only to schools who use their predetermined curriculum. So, it is virtually impossible to have a traditional Catholic school (whether you mean TLM-type or just “old fashioned” Catholic education) accredited by the diocese.

Even at the high school level, accreditation is a concern but not a major one – and certainly not the primary one.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

While accreditation might be a concern for high school, its validity for an elementary school is very dependant on location. In Texas, for example, accreditation is not an issue for private schools at all. There are many accreditations that can be obtained, usually by paying a fee to a accreditation granting organization. It looks good on paper but has no bearing on what is taught, how or by whom. By law, all students are treated the same for high school admissions regardless of whether they come from a public, private or home school and that is independent of accreditation.

The diocese where I live does offer accreditation but only to schools who use their predetermined curriculum. So, it is virtually impossible to have a traditional Catholic school (whether you mean TLM-type or just “old fashioned” Catholic education) accredited by the diocese.

Even at the high school level, accreditation is a concern but not a major one – and certainly not the primary one.

Accreditation is only as good as the body doing the accrediting. In my opinion the educational establishment in Britain is incompetent, though the Catholic schools are a lot better than the state-run ones. They still suffer from the same malise. I doubt that the situation in America is much better.

So I don’t see it is important for our school to be accredited. The staff will have a love of learning and, because traditional Catholics are often very highly educated, we shouldn’t have much of a problem recruiting able men to work as teachers.