Not religious at Catholic School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure this has been addressed before, but I haven't been able to figure out the right combination of search terms to find the threads.

We are not religious but applied to Catholic high schools because those are the ones we can afford (very grateful that there are schools that are within our means) and we don't like our public high school options.

I have read about Catholics being worried about non-Catholics attending and undermining the school's values. That would not be our approach. We are worried about feeling distant from the school community because we aren't Catholic or feeling like there isn't tolerance for non-Catholics.

We are looking at DeMatha, Gonzaga and St. John's.

I am hoping to hear from non-Catholic families if they regret having sent their child to one of these schools or another Catholic school. I would also be interested in hearing about any upsides. Also, I'm not sure if my son will make it onto a sports team. I think if he did that would help with feeling a part of the school community so am hoping to hear about the experiences of non-athletes as well.

I am also hoping to hear from Catholic families about how they would characterize their interactions with non-Catholic families; I expect that many Catholic families see one another at church or other Catholic-based activities so understand that as a non-Catholic those opportunities will not be there. However, are interactions purely dependent on whether their kid happens to befriend a non-Catholic student or are their other factors?

Thanks.

Catholic family here with kids in Catholic high school and in Catholic k-8. I don't think there is that much of a stigma one way or the other. For example, boys going to Gonzaga are coming from everyone so families aren't necessarily going to the same church or same activities, whether Catholic or not. Not sure what "Catholic-based" activities might be as the boys are boys doing all the activities that boys do regardless of their religion.

My experience is that families are more likely to know each other from work, sports, or other social activities than church! And remember all Catholics aren't the same - you can expect cultural Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, and A&P (attending church on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday only) Catholics -- probably more of all those varieties than the devout Catholics. With Gonzaga, in particular, it is a Jesuit school - and if you read up on the Jesuits - they are extremely inclusive and open-minded.

Thank you for saying that. I hope you don’t get tarred as a liar as well

DP: I was going to note the same thing about activities and Church. People live all over the area at our school (from DC, MD VA, and as far away as Germantown, Bowie, Potomac, etc.), and I only know of one other student attends the same parish as us. I echo the inclusiveness of most of the schools I know, Jesuits, and also Benedictines in particular (St. Anselm's Abbey, which is about 50% nonCatholic), who as a Rule are hospitable to all and strive to greet others with an open mind and open heart, and to practice humility.

Thank you; that’s how it is and should be. I honestly don’t recognize these schools based on the non-Catholics must do this or that posters’ accounts here. The experience has been much softer, more accepting and lenient. I wonder if it’s wishful thinking, lament for the times past, or no actual experience of these schools.

Or perhaps it’s that the Dc metro area encompasses a wide range of Catholic schools. Comparing the NOVA parish schools to an independent Catholic school in DC or MD is like apples and oranges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Catholic family at Catholic school…we are friendly with non-Catholic families at the school. That said, I’m glad our school prioritizes parish families and the “Catholic” part of the education is a huge part of why we chose this school. I’d not be happy if non-Catholics chose to attend and then pushed to reduce the amount of time devoted to religion. The mission of Catholic schools is not to be a cheaper alternative to independent private schools.

Nobody is pushing for anything. But people and the schools are increasingly coming to an understanding in the spirit of tolerance. In part this is driven by the recent enrollment crisis. That changed a bit w COVID but the church doesn’t easily forget. That’s why it’s been successful — it’s adaptable. Think about the Jesuits and diplomacy. Good role model, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure this has been addressed before, but I haven't been able to figure out the right combination of search terms to find the threads.

We are not religious but applied to Catholic high schools because those are the ones we can afford (very grateful that there are schools that are within our means) and we don't like our public high school options.

I have read about Catholics being worried about non-Catholics attending and undermining the school's values. That would not be our approach. We are worried about feeling distant from the school community because we aren't Catholic or feeling like there isn't tolerance for non-Catholics.

We are looking at DeMatha, Gonzaga and St. John's.

I am hoping to hear from non-Catholic families if they regret having sent their child to one of these schools or another Catholic school. I would also be interested in hearing about any upsides. Also, I'm not sure if my son will make it onto a sports team. I think if he did that would help with feeling a part of the school community so am hoping to hear about the experiences of non-athletes as well.

I am also hoping to hear from Catholic families about how they would characterize their interactions with non-Catholic families; I expect that many Catholic families see one another at church or other Catholic-based activities so understand that as a non-Catholic those opportunities will not be there. However, are interactions purely dependent on whether their kid happens to befriend a non-Catholic student or are their other factors?

Thanks.

Catholic family here with kids in Catholic high school and in Catholic k-8. I don't think there is that much of a stigma one way or the other. For example, boys going to Gonzaga are coming from everyone so families aren't necessarily going to the same church or same activities, whether Catholic or not. Not sure what "Catholic-based" activities might be as the boys are boys doing all the activities that boys do regardless of their religion.

My experience is that families are more likely to know each other from work, sports, or other social activities than church! And remember all Catholics aren't the same - you can expect cultural Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, and A&P (attending church on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday only) Catholics -- probably more of all those varieties than the devout Catholics. With Gonzaga, in particular, it is a Jesuit school - and if you read up on the Jesuits - they are extremely inclusive and open-minded.

Thank you for saying that. I hope you don’t get tarred as a liar as well

DP: I was going to note the same thing about activities and Church. People live all over the area at our school (from DC, MD VA, and as far away as Germantown, Bowie, Potomac, etc.), and I only know of one other student attends the same parish as us. I echo the inclusiveness of most of the schools I know, Jesuits, and also Benedictines in particular (St. Anselm's Abbey, which is about 50% nonCatholic), who as a Rule are hospitable to all and strive to greet others with an open mind and open heart, and to practice humility.

Thank you; that’s how it is and should be. I honestly don’t recognize these schools based on the non-Catholics must do this or that posters’ accounts here. The experience has been much softer, more accepting and lenient. I wonder if it’s wishful thinking, lament for the times past, or no actual experience of these schools.

Or perhaps it’s that the Dc metro area encompasses a wide range of Catholic schools. Comparing the NOVA parish schools to an independent Catholic school in DC or MD is like apples and oranges.

Fair enough. Interestingly, Baltimore is even more lenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Catholic family at Catholic school…we are friendly with non-Catholic families at the school. That said, I’m glad our school prioritizes parish families and the “Catholic” part of the education is a huge part of why we chose this school. I’d not be happy if non-Catholics chose to attend and then pushed to reduce the amount of time devoted to religion. The mission of Catholic schools is not to be a cheaper alternative to independent private schools.

Nobody is pushing for anything. But people and the schools are increasingly coming to an understanding in the spirit of tolerance. In part this is driven by the recent enrollment crisis. That changed a bit w COVID but the church doesn’t easily forget. That’s why it’s been successful — it’s adaptable. Think about the Jesuits and diplomacy. Good role model, no?

It interesting that you would characterize the Catholic Church as adaptable. On the contrary, I would argue that the Church is successful because it has remained true to its core principles despite changing times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is crazy. If the schools weren’t adaptable they wouldn’t have survived. Maybe we were given a special treatment. I don’t know and I don’t care. But I know we aren’t the only ones.

Honestly you’re doing the schools no favor by coming in hot like an LDSer on a polygamist compound. Chill out

They are adaptable in that they welcome non-Catholics to enroll in their schools if their is room. However all must complete four years of religion when in high school. It is part of the core curriculum and they would not graduate without it. This is the case in all the top schools I know of in the DMV area. Why do you keep lying?

I don’t think you’re supposed to call people liars. That’s not what the church thought me. But let me ask, what exact schools in DMV are you DCs in and which grades? Then I’ll ask for some inside information to check if you’re telling the truth.

Also why so hot and bothered? Because people are coming to the catholic schools for value education? I mean? That’s obviously a deliberate strategy, and you can’t see just how against the schools ethos you are going.

Because you are lying. No schools in the DMV (at least the top schools like SR, Gonzaga, Prep, VISI) will give a pass to a student who choses to not take religion for all four years. There is no option to skip those classes and still graduate. There, you have the names of the schools. Now why don't you tell us which school allowed you to opt out of religous studies? Because many of us would want to know so we can avoid that school.

[Anonymous]

What school are your kids in then? All of them?

[Anonymous]

I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

Cause you lie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

Cause you lie.

😂 you might need to hit the confession booth hard

What school are your kids at? That’s right. You don’t have any

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

Cause you lie.

😂 you might need to hit the confession booth hard

What school are your kids at? That’s right. You don’t have any

I don’t do confession but thanks. Yes two kids…both at the two of the four schools shared earlier.

You probably don’t though as we know you are a troll.

[Anonymous]

PP is a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1. And we are the second generation with this dynamic. We love the values taught in our Catholic K-8 (service, community, scholarship, tradition) without actually believing in the religious component. We are respectful of Catholic beliefs and appreciate that our school (unlike some on DCUM) welcomes us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

Cause you lie.

😂 you might need to hit the confession booth hard

What school are your kids at? That’s right. You don’t have any

I don’t do confession but thanks. Yes two kids…both at the two of the four schools shared earlier.

You probably don’t though as we know you are a troll.

Ok. Of course I do. That’s how they got excused.

[Anonymous]

At DeMatha and Gonzaga, you are required to take at least one credit a year of theological studies or religion.

Can’t opt out is it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will definitely not name the school, I don’t need a couple of clearly busybody crows who may or may not have kids at all calling and spoiling the 🥧

Cause you lie.

😂 you might need to hit the confession booth hard

What school are your kids at? That’s right. You don’t have any

I don’t do confession but thanks. Yes two kids…both at the two of the four schools shared earlier.

You probably don’t though as we know you are a troll.

Ok. Of course I do. That’s how they got excused.

This was asked at both Gonzaga and DeMatha info sessions and you can’t opt out of religion classes.

So your kids aren’t at either of those schools at least.