Catholic school but not Catholic? How to address this with school when applying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were not asked why we were looking at O’Connell when we are not Catholic. I don’t think they care, because anyone applying has to understand that it will be a Catholic-based education, they will not change anything for someone who isn’t Catholic, and be ok with that. They assume you know what you are getting into.

Exactly. We were tempted but the hours spent regurgitating some pretty holy stuff wasn’t worth it.

PP, by “regurgitating some pretty holy stuff,” are you actually referring back to a Catholic high school? I toured a number of Catholic elementary, middle and high schools in DC and Maryland, and while I did see rote repetition of dogma at Catholic elementary and middle schools, I did not observe this at the high school level, with the possible exception of prayers or call and response meditations that may precede and conclude certain events, but which the student is not obligated to “regurgitate.” Our kid sits quietly as the others pray or repeat. There was one extracurricular trip that included a worship service, and our son had the option to ask to be excused from attendance, or again, to sit quietly and skip Communion.

[Anonymous]

A very old but very clear Atlantic article. Church is even older and changed little.

Now this has always been the basic educational postulate of the Catholic Church. The school is one of the very important agencies that the Church makes use of in carrying out the mandate of her Divine Founder: ‘Go forth and teach all nations.’ In every age and in every place, regardless of circumstances, under whatever political, social, or economic conditions, the Church labors to assist human beings to attain the end for which they were created — namely, union with God. This end they accomplish by living in and through and by Christ. Through those who believe in Him, Christ exercises His life-giving power, not only within the four walls of the church, but in the factory, in the office, on the golf course, through the wicket in the bank or over the counter in the department store.

[Anonymous]

That sounds pretty good.

[Anonymous]

Ask to see your kids’ religious homework and ask how many hours per week of instruction, homework and church attendance? Ask about the attitude towards teachers with alternative life style choices. Then decide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP,
My family isn’t Catholic and we use Catholic schools. If it comes up on the application or an interview, just respond as you did above. It seems to be a good, honest answer.

There tends to be a large non-Catholic population at Catholic schools. It’s 40% non-Catholic at my kids’ school. They really enjoy the environment, and one really likes religion class. She’s currently learning the value of service. I can quite easily get behind that.

Are you referring to a Catholic school in the DC area? I thought most schools were majority (e.g., 75-80 percent) Catholic and linked to parishes.

Only K-8 parochial schools are affiliated with a parish; the Catholic independent schools are not affiliated with a parish, start at various grades, and most have a philosophy that they are in the world of education because they are Catholic (Catholic intellectual tradition; many religious orders have education as their calling), not because the students are. Examples: Stone Ridge, Visitation, Georgetown Prep, Mater Dei, The Heights, St. Anselm's Abbey, Gonzaga, etc. So yes, some are 40% or more non-Catholic.

This post is filled with statement that are misleading.

Schools like Prep, Mater Dei, Visi, The Heights are heavily Catholic. I'd say 90%-95% (when you factor out International students and URMs)

The reason for this is their Admissions policies. Alumni children, graduates of Catholic K-8's and Catholics all receive admissions "boosts". So a non-Catholic applying is at the end of the line when it comes to preference.

The idea that Catholic schools enroll non-Catholics because the schools are Catholic related to Catholic dioceses keeping inner-city schools open even though the Catholics have departed for the suburbs. It has nothing to do with what Georgetown Prep or Mater Dei decides to do with their student bodies.

Catholic parents who send their children to Catholic schools are looking to have their values and beliefs --- including religious values and beliefs --- reinforced not diluted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What bothers me is demagogy. Here’s verbatim curriculum from a recent week in a Catholic School:

A few things we are learning:
Maps - our place in the world
Friends of Jesus
Printing
Markets around the world
The idea of addition

A few things we will be learning:
Gratitude for being sent to a Catholic School
Groundhog Day
Saints
Printing

Major periods, dates, events and important characters in the first four periods of Old Testament Salvation History.

This is elementary school curricula. Yes. The OP is considering middle school, not elementary. I visited many Catholic schools. OP, the only Catholic middle school I would suggest you consider is The Woods Academy in Bethesda. The school also incorporates Montessori principles, and a Persian (non Christian) woman first recommended it to me. I looked at St. Jane de Chantal, Our Lady of Lourdes, Stone Ridge, The Oneness School, and St. Anselm’s Abbey and could not support any of them because of their religious dogma at the elementary / middle school level. They are all great schools if you support their faith communities, though. By high school, most Catholic high schools teach religion as Scripture - as a review of Christian, Catholic and eventually other faith traditions. This knowledge is valuable even for non believers because of the prevalence of Catholic imagery and tradition in literature, art, law, and other aspects of American society. Good luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Catholic schooler here, they take all kinds. You are sending the kid for the academics.

You do get a discount if you get the child baptized!

The school will request a copy of your baptism if you want the catholic rate.

[Anonymous]

Visi says it’s faith centered first

Georgetown Visitation, founded in 1799, is a college preparatory school rooted in the Roman Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, committed to educating young women from diverse backgrounds. We are a faith-centered community dedicated to educational excellence, enriched by co-curricular and service programs.

Georgetown Prep says it’s Jesuit.

As a Catholic school, Prep helps young men to grow in their faith and understanding of the teachings of the Church and to learn to put their faith into action in the service of others.

So can we not pretend?

[Anonymous]

We ran from the middle school because it was very on brand Catholic nuts. The school in Derry Girls was a bastion of free thought in comparison. And we came looking for Christian values. But not the saints burnt alive, eyes pecked and other imagery that has nothing to do with our faith

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visi says it’s faith centered first

Georgetown Visitation, founded in 1799, is a college preparatory school rooted in the Roman Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, committed to educating young women from diverse backgrounds. We are a faith-centered community dedicated to educational excellence, enriched by co-curricular and service programs.

Georgetown Prep says it’s Jesuit.

As a Catholic school, Prep helps young men to grow in their faith and understanding of the teachings of the Church and to learn to put their faith into action in the service of others.

So can we not pretend?

It's not pretending to say those schools teach science and are not indoctrinating non-Catholics into a believing a particular religion. The don't do that. They are Catholic and grounded in that faith, which is good, but posters on here don't seem to understand what that means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Visi says it’s faith centered first

Georgetown Visitation, founded in 1799, is a college preparatory school rooted in the Roman Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, committed to educating young women from diverse backgrounds. We are a faith-centered community dedicated to educational excellence, enriched by co-curricular and service programs.

Georgetown Prep says it’s Jesuit.

As a Catholic school, Prep helps young men to grow in their faith and understanding of the teachings of the Church and to learn to put their faith into action in the service of others.

So can we not pretend?

It's not pretending to say those schools teach science and are not indoctrinating non-Catholics into a believing a particular religion. The don't do that. They are Catholic and grounded in that faith, which is good, but posters on here don't seem to understand what that means.

+1

And no, we’re not Catholic. We looked at O’Connell but decided against it, but I had zero concerns that the school would indoctrinate my nonreligious kid.

[Anonymous]

What is there to address?

The Catholic religion is taught in these schools rightfully so. Not like it's not in the name.

Your kid will be taught their principals again rightfully so.

Not sure why this is a question OP by sending your kid you support the Catholic Church full stop.

[Anonymous]

Some schools are an extension of the parish schools, most K8 are tied to a parish, and the Diocesan HSs are tied to the Diocese. Then there are the independent Catholic schools. There are some other schools that are more mission driven like the Cristo Rey inner city schools.

Even as a practicing Catholic, we would discuss how we would consider things differently than the teachers. You can have great conversations about it with DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High behavior standards? The boys I know from catholic school in Arlington are some of the worst behaved I know.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visi says it’s faith centered first

Georgetown Visitation, founded in 1799, is a college preparatory school rooted in the Roman Catholic faith and Salesian tradition, committed to educating young women from diverse backgrounds. We are a faith-centered community dedicated to educational excellence, enriched by co-curricular and service programs.

Georgetown Prep says it’s Jesuit.

As a Catholic school, Prep helps young men to grow in their faith and understanding of the teachings of the Church and to learn to put their faith into action in the service of others.

So can we not pretend?

Prep says, “We believe that diversity makes us stronger, and that all voices deserve to be represented and heard. Because we are rooted in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition, we welcome students from all backgrounds and all religions.”

You aren’t very familiar with the Jesuits, are you?