Not religious at Catholic School

[Anonymous]

Mass isn’t going to be optional. They do not keep staff available to watch kids that don’t go to mass.
That being said, I don’t think most kids really care if their friends are Catholic or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mass isn’t going to be optional. They do not keep staff available to watch kids that don’t go to mass.
That being said, I don’t think most kids really care if their friends are Catholic or not.

Yes, but there will always be this sense of "otherness" and of being in the minority. And the kids care less than the parents, who specifically chose a Catholic school and expect it to be a school attended by and run by Catholics.

Some people are more sensitive to this being in the minority than others.

[Anonymous]

I always love people that want to send their kids to Catholic schools and universities while simultaneously complaining or wishing they were less Catholic.

We are only good for the price tag of a quality education to them. They spend years bashing the religion--until it's time to pick a HS or college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always love people that want to send their kids to Catholic schools and universities while simultaneously complaining or wishing they were less Catholic.

We are only good for the price tag of a quality education to them. They spend years bashing the religion--until it's time to pick a HS or college.

This.

I actually have a friend who is not religious and who has always been outwardly anti-Catholic whose daughter chose to attend a Catholic university. She panicked at the thought of her being evangelized, so she had her family join a nearby protestant church and then had her and her younger brother baptized.

[Anonymous]

My non-Catholic (non-religious) kid is likely attending Catholic high school next year. Of COURSE he will go to mass when it's part of program for the day. It boggles my mind that someone would think it optional.

[Anonymous]

Non-catholic, non religious here with 2 kids in private catholic. It’s been fine. No one cares.
They participate respectfully and observe. They have great friends and also like some of the good things - like service in the community.
They are not converting and it’s been a good learning experience.
We hope the entire dynamic makes them more able to learn and understand others as they get older and encounter people whose beliefs differ from theirs.

[Anonymous]

Canada and UK would really boggle it then! I’m genuinely not sure how long this might stay like that, but even now the schools are giving dispensation rather than deal with lawsuits which makes a ton of sense. I think the Church is dealing with this issue with maturity and adaptability which has seen it survive through the centuries. Inspire, don’t force

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/catholic-schools-cant-force-student-to-attend-mass-court-rules/article_e34006a0-8ed9-5d4e-9e1d-28b775b141af.html

[Anonymous]

Won’t reveal the school in DC, but definitely not mandatory for our kid; no uncertain terms. Reassured us to help us accept the offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always love people that want to send their kids to Catholic schools and universities while simultaneously complaining or wishing they were less Catholic.

We are only good for the price tag of a quality education to them. They spend years bashing the religion--until it's time to pick a HS or college.

You mean you don’t love them, but you should. That’s is the Catholicism the way it is meant to be practiced

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Canada and UK would really boggle it then! I’m genuinely not sure how long this might stay like that, but even now the schools are giving dispensation rather than deal with lawsuits which makes a ton of sense. I think the Church is dealing with this issue with maturity and adaptability which has seen it survive through the centuries. Inspire, don’t force

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/catholic-schools-cant-force-student-to-attend-mass-court-rules/article_e34006a0-8ed9-5d4e-9e1d-28b775b141af.html

That situation is different in that it appears the Catholic schools are publicly funded. Not the case here in the DMV. They are private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, sister. Read up on it.

NP. Yes, everyone is required to attend mass when there is a full school mass. My DD has been at a Catholic school for 5 years, so I know. Like the PP said, everyone attends but non-Catholics would not participate in Communion. They either stay seated or go up with their arms crossed for the blessing.

Like I said, there are exceptions. In DC. You just need to ask

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Canada and UK would really boggle it then! I’m genuinely not sure how long this might stay like that, but even now the schools are giving dispensation rather than deal with lawsuits which makes a ton of sense. I think the Church is dealing with this issue with maturity and adaptability which has seen it survive through the centuries. Inspire, don’t force

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/catholic-schools-cant-force-student-to-attend-mass-court-rules/article_e34006a0-8ed9-5d4e-9e1d-28b775b141af.html

This conversation is about American Catholic schools so not sure why a Canadian legal decision has any relevance. Maybe we should also start looking at what the courts have to say in Saudi Arabia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Won’t reveal the school in DC, but definitely not mandatory for our kid; no uncertain terms. Reassured us to help us accept the offer.

Why won’t you name the school? Probably because it didn’t happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, sister. Read up on it.

NP. Yes, everyone is required to attend mass when there is a full school mass. My DD has been at a Catholic school for 5 years, so I know. Like the PP said, everyone attends but non-Catholics would not participate in Communion. They either stay seated or go up with their arms crossed for the blessing.

Like I said, there are exceptions. In DC. You just need to ask

This is not the case unless you can share the school that does.

[Anonymous]

I will not share the school exactly because just how some of the personal feelings are expressed here. Needless to say it is true. The reason we asked is because one of the parents was raised in the system and did not want certain aspects to be imposed upon the child unless the child (not elementary school) chose it voluntarily. We are far from the only case, and not just in this school.

Catholic schools have an important and meaningful mission they by and large perform well. It is fair for me to say that I don’t think those of you expressing very strong opinions in an unwelcoming manner to the others, especially the subset of you not having kids or recent experience of DMV schools as had been established, is supportive of that mission, particularly in the decision week.