Are you a non-Catholic family at a Catholic school?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Perhaps one part of the problem is that the Catholic schools, in an effort to survive economically, have positioned themselves as welcoming to students from other faiths. That creates an expectation that, while you won't argue in school, you don't have to publicly uphold all aspects of the faith, even outside of school. This really is a switch from that position.[/quote]

At one point in time some parish schools were in an economic bind and so were reaching out to non-Catholics but this is simply not the case today. We were established, contributing members of our parish and we couldn't get our eldest child into the K class, and we weren't the only family in this position. The parish had a sibling policy that put non-Catholic siblings of current students ahead of our child and they ran out of room. We couldn't believe it and left the parish. The parish school should be in the business of educating Catholic children and non-Catholic children upon special consideration, i.e., if there is room and if non-Catholics are amendable to the Catholic environment (whatever that may be and everybody should check it out).

[Anonymous]

I am going to get reamed for this, but i am an atheist, but want my kids to go to Catholic school. I like the idea of smaller classes and the inclusiveness of a catholic school. I want my kids to feel like they are part of something. Catholic school is so much more than being about religion. It's about "belonging."

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]I am going to get reamed for this, but i am an atheist, but want my kids to go to Catholic school. I like the idea of smaller classes and the inclusiveness of a catholic school. I want my kids to feel like they are part of something. Catholic school is so much more than being about religion. It's about "belonging."[/quote]


I understand where you are coming from and, as a Catholic, I have no problem with you seeking out a Catholic community for your children so that they have a sense of belonging but I think you last sentence should have said: It's ALSO about "belonging." You can't take the religion out of it and you shouldn't try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My children currently go to a catholic school and I have been thinking about converting them to become catholic. They were baptized in a methodist church so the catholic church would recognize the baptism. I am catholic also but my husband is not. What is difficult to catch the kids up on their sacraments they had missed out on? What was involved?

We converted from Southern Baptist to Catholicism. It wasn't a difficult process at all. Our youngest was only 3 when we converted, so for him it was just a matter of Baptism then religious ed classes (CCD). In our parish they celebrated first communion in second grade.

The older kids attended classes and then were confirmed. My husband and I went through the RCIA program. Talk to your priest. He'll be able to tell you exactly what is involved.

It was a wonderful experience for our family!

[Anonymous]

I don't understand this thread. Send your children to a Catholic school for whatever reasons you choose. All are valid, but don't then reject what the school is or refuse to participate in its requirements. In short, don't buck the the system. I'm not suggesting you convert, just don't go in with the attitude that you're going to go in fighting. If it's not what you want, go somewhere else. The "you can't make me" venom on this thread is incredible. No one is forcing you to send your DC to Catholic schools. There is no law that says you have to. You don't like our rules? Please, go somewhere else and just leave us alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this thread. Send your children to a Catholic school for whatever reasons you choose. All are valid, but don't then reject what the school is or refuse to participate in its requirements. In short, don't buck the the system. I'm not suggesting you convert, just don't go in with the attitude that you're going to go in fighting. If it's not what you want, go somewhere else. The "you can't make me" venom on this thread is incredible. No one is forcing you to send your DC to Catholic schools. There is no law that says you have to. You don't like our rules? Please, go somewhere else and just leave us alone.

But they don't want to go away. What they want is a low-cost alternative to the Public schools and more expensive private schools without all that awful Catholicism. And they are upset that the Catholic schools won't cooperate to the degree they would like to have them cooperate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this thread. Send your children to a Catholic school for whatever reasons you choose. All are valid, but don't then reject what the school is or refuse to participate in its requirements. In short, don't buck the the system. I'm not suggesting you convert, just don't go in with the attitude that you're going to go in fighting. If it's not what you want, go somewhere else. The "you can't make me" venom on this thread is incredible. No one is forcing you to send your DC to Catholic schools. There is no law that says you have to. You don't like our rules? Please, go somewhere else and just leave us alone.

But they don't want to go away. What they want is a low-cost alternative to the Public schools and more expensive private schools without all that awful Catholicism. And they are upset that the Catholic schools won't cooperate to the degree they would like to have them cooperate.

My only objection is to asking parents to censor their public comments about the beliefs of the Catholic faith, i.e. to refrain from public repudiation of ALL The Catholic beliefs.

I say this because it is well known that, among American Catholics, there is growing dissent as to the teachings of the Catholic faith.

Recently a large gathering of liberal Catholics occurred in Detroit Michigan. The Archbishop there desided that the ideas they were discussing were contrary to Catholic faith, and he warned that any priest attending the mass associated with the conference would be defrocked.


http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/detroit-archbishop-warns-clergy-not-attend-catholic-gathering

While that was certainly his right, he also issued a statement to the faithful saying that the group congregating was presenting ideas contrary to Catholic teaching. I can only imagine it would take but a step or two farther (such as some parents of kids at Catholic schools posting on FACEBOOK that they supported the ideas of this gathering, or attended the gathering) to trigger the expulsion clause such as the one parents of Catholic School kids in the ADW are now required to sign.

Among the dangerous ideas being proposed at this conference was this, the CATHOLIC BILL OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:


http://americancatholiccouncil.org/bill-of-rights/

Just so you non-Catholics understand -- that is what is beind the ADW attempt to be sure every parent will tow the line. There is a culture war right now between Conservative and Liberal Catholics. The Conservatives are winning in the archdiscese of Washington.

If you do not submit to the heirarchy of the Vatican in every way then it would be a grave mistake to send your children to a Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Interesting - he is the same priest that said...

“Mutual respect and a common purpose should not just be the hallmarks of relations between Catholics and Muslims,” Archbishop Vigneron said at the rally. “Rather, they they should be the hallmarks of relations between peoples of all faiths living together in our community.”

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/detroit-archbishop-speaks-out-against-planned-anti-muslim-rally/

[Anonymous]

I think the key to 23:28's post is...
I can only imagine it ...

It would make a good book - people getting kicked out of Catholic school because they are seen is a pharmacy getting birth control.

I'd go see the movie if Clooney was in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand this thread. Send your children to a Catholic school for whatever reasons you choose. All are valid, but don't then reject what the school is or refuse to participate in its requirements. In short, don't buck the the system. I'm not suggesting you convert, just don't go in with the attitude that you're going to go in fighting. If it's not what you want, go somewhere else. The "you can't make me" venom on this thread is incredible. No one is forcing you to send your DC to Catholic schools. There is no law that says you have to. You don't like our rules? Please, go somewhere else and just leave us alone.

But they don't want to go away. What they want is a low-cost alternative to the Public schools and more expensive private schools without all that awful Catholicism. And they are upset that the Catholic schools won't cooperate to the degree they would like to have them cooperate.

My only objection is to asking parents to censor their public comments about the beliefs of the Catholic faith, i.e. to refrain from public repudiation of ALL The Catholic beliefs.

I say this because it is well known that, among American Catholics, there is growing dissent as to the teachings of the Catholic faith.

Recently a large gathering of liberal Catholics occurred in Detroit Michigan. The Archbishop there desided that the ideas they were discussing were contrary to Catholic faith, and he warned that any priest attending the mass associated with the conference would be defrocked.


http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/detroit-archbishop-warns-clergy-not-attend-catholic-gathering

While that was certainly his right, he also issued a statement to the faithful saying that the group congregating was presenting ideas contrary to Catholic teaching. I can only imagine it would take but a step or two farther (such as some parents of kids at Catholic schools posting on FACEBOOK that they supported the ideas of this gathering, or attended the gathering) to trigger the expulsion clause such as the one parents of Catholic School kids in the ADW are now required to sign.

Among the dangerous ideas being proposed at this conference was this, the CATHOLIC BILL OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:


http://americancatholiccouncil.org/bill-of-rights/

Just so you non-Catholics understand -- that is what is beind the ADW attempt to be sure every parent will tow the line. There is a culture war right now between Conservative and Liberal Catholics. The Conservatives are winning in the archdiscese of Washington.

If you do not submit to the heirarchy of the Vatican in every way then it would be a grave mistake to send your children to a Catholic school.

Wow -- you are getting into the weeds here and alarmist. Like the Pope is going to come knocking on your door late at night because someone posted something on FB about how great Obama is and he is pro-choice! Catholic schools are there for a reason. Either you abide by it or you don't. You don't HAVE to attend Catholic school, though there are literally hundreds of thousands of non-Catholic children who attend Catholic schools in US who seem to do fine without a witch hunt for their parents!

FTR, the "culture war" you claim is nothing new for the Catholic church. Heard of Henry VIII? Even in more recent times SSPX? People are always breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church....and on it goes. Which is what I like about it.

[Anonymous]

I'm a bad Catholic, but my daughter attends Catholic school. (My son will enter K in 2 years.)

We have a few non-Catholics who probably do more for the school than the Catholics do.

Seriously - who cares? I suppose there are brimstone and fire church schools, but thankfully, ours isn't that way.

As an aside, as an educator, I can say she is probably at the same level as pals who send their kids to Sidwell. So we're very happy with her program.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous] The parish had a sibling policy that put non-Catholic siblings of current students ahead of our child and they ran out of room. We couldn't believe it and left the parish. The parish school should be in the business of educating Catholic children and non-Catholic children upon special consideration, i.e., if there is room and if non-Catholics are amendable to the Catholic environment (whatever that may be and everybody should check it out).
[/quote]
WWJD does not apply
bad parish. What on earth were they thinking? That every child is created equal?

[Anonymous]

Good discussion on being a non-Catholic in a Catholic school.

At the Easter Vigil 2010 at St. Augustine Catholic School (www.staug-dc.org) in Washington, D.C., 19 students converted to Catholicism. At the 2011 Easter Vigil, a smaller group converted:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/03/AR2010040303051.html

[Anonymous]

Please help!!! My daughter has attended parochial school almost her entire life. She hasn't had any detentions at the parochial school, hasn't flunked any classes etc, although she struggles with math. She has alot of medical and emotional issues for which she see specialists for. Our school refutes the diagnosis and once we asked for her to be retested by an outside evaluator the school sent us a letter staitng they couldn't meet her educational needs. We had an IEP meeting about 10 days prior to recieving the letter and the Principal and classroom teacher both said everything was fine. My daughter is bipolr. the school was notified that she wasn't stable towards the end of school. She was being bullied and harassed by a boy and she has aspberger's so she thought he was serious. Anyway, he sent some semi-threatening texts. The only thing the principal did was say that they would keep the two of them apart until he graduated. She knew for almost a week before she got a letter from my daughter's doctor about the cyber stalking and threats. It wasn't until she got that notification from hher doctor that she finally decided we were serious. The school has denied even small things like her being able to wear heavy, heavy duty boots to keep her feet wardm. She has a circulatory problem and that is why the doctor sent a letter to the school denying the request.

My husband got ahold of the guy in charge of the Diocese education department. He said that was stricktly up to the indvidual schools. He also said our daughter wasnt invited back because of a lack of "synergy" between us as the principal. Yet I've been upset about some of the studpid things that a combination of bipolar, aspberger's and being a teenager can do. Long story short I want to know is how do I get the parish's attention and the people higher than them. Someone has to address this issue and it may as well be us. The principal and priest have no idea what they did to our daughter. She keeps asking what she did so bad that she got kicked out and why she has to be a bad kid. There were never any warnings given or detensions. Hw can they do that especially since they knew our daughter was unstable at the time? Please help us fight the catholic school!!!

If you have any information that could be useful please send it to my e-mail at [e-mail], Thanks in advance!!

[Anonymous]

1:19, I'm sorry for what you're going through but you need to take a different approach than "help us fight the Catholic school." They will always win. That's the problem with them. If you're in the District or Montgomery County, try reaching out to the principal at St. Bart's on River Road. She's wonderful. If you're on the other side of MD or in VA, call her anyway and see if she has some suggestions for you. Good luck.