Catholic school when you are not super Catholic

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have experience with Catholic school when you are not a devout Catholic? DH and I were both raised Catholic and had all the sacraments but are not active in our church. We are toying with the idea of sending our kids to the local parochial school because they have had an iffy experience with behavior issues and big classes in our FCPS elementary. But I am wondering what that experience will be like for them and for our family. My gut tells me that I would not love that experience for them. We don't have the money for some of the other privates around us.

[Anonymous]

People- STOP considering Catholic unless you are open to your children embracing the faith. It’s a bad fit for everyone if you are already feeling it won’t align with your values. If you are open to reviving your faith, then go for it!

[Anonymous]

The faith will pervade everything - prayers before each class, practice, game. Frequent Mass as a school and expectation to attend Sunday Mass as a family. Know that going in.

We saw a slightly older culture - addressing me as “Mrs DH last name” automatically; using cursive; no individualized instruction. Conservative isn’t the right word exactly, but it was different.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to an Arlington diocese Catholic K-8. I would guess you would be similar to 75% of the families. There aren’t that many super devote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to an Arlington diocese Catholic K-8. I would guess you would be similar to 75% of the families. There aren’t that many super devote.

This. There are a ton of lapsed Catholics at these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to an Arlington diocese Catholic K-8. I would guess you would be similar to 75% of the families. There aren’t that many super devote.

Sorry, I should have written devout. Not devote.

[Anonymous]

Most people send their kids to Catholic school because it is a Catholic school. The want the religion and culture to be reinforced.

That's not your motive. You want to avoid what you feel are problems with the public school. I'm not sure that's not a recipe for disappointment both for you and the school.

[Anonymous]

I went to Catholic school and was really torn on sending DC to Catholic. Part of me really wanted DC to have that experience I did growing up and what I felt Catholic school provided me, even if I do not currently go to Mass. However, we ended up being waitlisted and went with an Episcopal school. I think we made the best decision. If your values still align with the Catholic Church, you just don't go to Mass, I think you will be fine. I personally disagree with a lot of Catholic teachings, so I think it may have been a struggle, especially in the Arlington Diocese, which is extremely conservative. I have been told that kids sometimes are seen doing Mass homework during Mass on Sundays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to an Arlington diocese Catholic K-8. I would guess you would be similar to 75% of the families. There aren’t that many super devote.

This. There are a ton of lapsed Catholics at these schools.

Then it varies because at our Arlington diocese K-8, most are devout if you define devout as attending Sunday mass, taking kids to confession when they get in trouble at school, praying at home, etc. The newcomers who came during COVID but never left are the outliers.
OP, don't go unless you want the faith formation first. Catholic schools can be great, but a kid with iffy behavior will get punished into submission. Which could be what you want but often does a number on boys.

[Anonymous]

OP, it’s fine especially at the high school level. I’m sending my non-Catholic kid to a Catholic high school. Never once, did I hear any administrator say only Catholics need apply. If they had, their enrollment would be down to about 1/4 of what it is now. In fact, during the application process, I don’t think anyone talked about at all. Most referred to educating the whole child to become an adult. Some talk of Christian service requirements, but honestly, the Christian service requirements are applicable to any faith community (serving the poor, hungry, etc).

If you want Catholic schools to become only for Catholics, you should advocate for administrators to restrict enrollment rather than coming in here to tell people to go away.

I suspect your concern is really about abortion rights and you wouldn’t even want progressive Catholics in your Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to an Arlington diocese Catholic K-8. I would guess you would be similar to 75% of the families. There aren’t that many super devote.

This. There are a ton of lapsed Catholics at these schools.

Then it varies because at our Arlington diocese K-8, most are devout if you define devout as attending Sunday mass, taking kids to confession when they get in trouble at school, praying at home, etc. The newcomers who came during COVID but never left are the outliers.
OP, don't go unless you want the faith formation first. Catholic schools can be great, but a kid with iffy behavior will get punished into submission. Which could be what you want but often does a number on boys.

I would guess that fewer than 25% attend Sunday mass on a regular basis. No one takes the kids to confession but the teachers take them once a year during religion class time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it’s fine especially at the high school level. I’m sending my non-Catholic kid to a Catholic high school. Never once, did I hear any administrator say only Catholics need apply. If they had, their enrollment would be down to about 1/4 of what it is now. In fact, during the application process, I don’t think anyone talked about at all. Most referred to educating the whole child to become an adult. Some talk of Christian service requirements, but honestly, the Christian service requirements are applicable to any faith community (serving the poor, hungry, etc).

If you want Catholic schools to become only for Catholics, you should advocate for administrators to restrict enrollment rather than coming in here to tell people to go away.

I suspect your concern is really about abortion rights and you wouldn’t even want progressive Catholics in your Catholic school.

So many Catholics are pro-choice. Not really pro-abortion, but many do not believe it is something that the government should be legislating.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to catholic school. I consider myself contentedly catholic. There are certainly more devout families at our school, but there is definitely a wide range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People- STOP considering Catholic unless you are open to your children embracing the faith. It’s a bad fit for everyone if you are already feeling it won’t align with your values. If you are open to reviving your faith, then go for it!

+1

[Anonymous]

My kid is not Catholic so wasn’t too into the masses. But kid did get a strong service bent from the many hours of projects required by the school. Kid now wants to help people in the future.

I’ve been very happy with the Catholic school.