On Catholic Schools

[Shane R]

My daughter has not been thriving at the public school. She was referred out to counseling with a licensed social worker. Anyhow, her public school has pretty well given up on her.

I went to her last appointment and spoke to the social worker about the local Catholic school. It is widely regarded as the best school in the county. But this social worker was keen to tell me, "They don't just teach the Catholic faith!" I'm sure she thought this would be encouraging to me, as an Anglican priest, but it was not. If I'm sending the girl to a Catholic school, I expect her to receive Catholic teaching. It is my experience that any attempt to teach something you're not is not accurate.

 

[Michie]

My daughter has not been thriving at the public school. She was referred out to counseling with a licensed social worker. Anyhow, her public school has pretty well given up on her.

I went to her last appointment and spoke to the social worker about the local Catholic school. It is widely regarded as the best school in the county. But this social worker was keen to tell me, "They don't just teach the Catholic faith!" I'm sure she thought this would be encouraging to me, as an Anglican priest, but it was not. If I'm sending the girl to a Catholic school, I expect her to receive Catholic teaching. It is my experience that any attempt to teach something you're not is not accurate.

They do teach the Catholic faith. She would be expected to attend Mass with the rest of the children. Whether she is Catholic or not, she would absolutely be taught the faith along with academics.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I went to her last appointment and spoke to the social worker about the local Catholic school. It is widely regarded as the best school in the county. But this social worker was keen to tell me, "They don't just teach the Catholic faith!"

Some Catholic schools are sadly anything but Catholic. My brother went to one such school and gave up being Catholic soon after. I went to a non-religious school and stayed Catholic. Hmmm.

Do yourself a favor and find a Catholic Catholic school. The advantage will be that they will have the anthropology to provide what your daughter needs better than a secularized Catholic in name only school could do.

My children went to a real Catholic high school after going to a real Catholic primary school, and they are still Catholic. My daughter is not sending her children to a CINO school but is hoping a better option develops.

 

[chevyontheriver]

They do teach the Catholic faith. She would be expected to attend Mass with the rest of the children. Whether she is Catholic or not, she would absolutely be taught the faith along with academics.

In SOME Catholic schools, yes. In others, maybe only some lip service. Caveat emptor.

 

[Michie]

Some Catholic schools are sadly anything but Catholic. My brother went to one such school and gave up being Catholic soon after. I went to a non-religious school and stayed Catholic. Hmmm.

Do yourself a favor and find a Catholic Catholic school. The advantage will be that they will have the anthropology to provide what your daughter needs better than a secularized Catholic in name only school could do.

My children went to a real Catholic high school after going to a real Catholic primary school, and they are still Catholic. My daughter is not sending her children to a CINO school but is hoping a better option develops.

Our school is most definitely Catholic. I’ve never had an experience with a CINO school.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Our school is most definitely Catholic. I’ve never had an experience with a CINO school.

Wonderful. It is sad that some really are CINO. Expensive private schools just like some of the CINO colleges. A good school is worthy of support. The bad ones should be closed. The mediocre ones should be given a chance at improvement and closed if they refuse to improve.

 

[RileyG]

It depends on the school. In my diocese, all the nuns wear habits and the priest teach. It really depends on your diocese and school.

 

[chevyontheriver]

It depends on the school. In my diocese, all the nuns wear habits and the priest teach. It really depends on your diocese and school.

A great bishop helps.

 

[Michie]

Wonderful. It is sad that some really are CINO. Expensive private schools just like some of the CINO colleges. A good school is worthy of support. The bad ones should be closed. The mediocre ones should be given a chance at improvement and closed if they refuse to improve.

I guess we are very blessed to have a devotedly Catholic school. Also one of the highest rated academically in the State. I remember being asked to teach an art class project and had to attend Mass before we could start the class.

 

[RileyG]

A great bishop helps.

Yup! 100% true Grateful for Bishop Conley.

 

[Gnarwhal]

My daughter has not been thriving at the public school. She was referred out to counseling with a licensed social worker. Anyhow, her public school has pretty well given up on her.

I went to her last appointment and spoke to the social worker about the local Catholic school. It is widely regarded as the best school in the county. But this social worker was keen to tell me, "They don't just teach the Catholic faith!" I'm sure she thought this would be encouraging to me, as an Anglican priest, but it was not. If I'm sending the girl to a Catholic school, I expect her to receive Catholic teaching. It is my experience that any attempt to teach something you're not is not accurate.

Unfortunately there are a lot of Catholic schools that are treated like secular prep schools nowadays, like Philips Exeter.

My wife's from Long Island and she said most Catholic schools there are nearly just Catholic In Name Only, they've been overrun by rich irreligious or even Muslim families who want to send their kids to these schools for the pedigree but don't have any vested interest in the faith. Even worse, a lot of the parents object outright to Catholicism being represented much--in Catholic schools! A lot of them work their way onto the PTA/PTO and find ways to snuff it out of the school's culture. The average diocesan school has painted themselves into a corner because the tuition revenue is nice but if they want to keep that gravy train rolling they have to comply with the heathen parents signing the checks.

There is a growing counter movement though. We did a story last fall on an independent Catholic school in Maryland that sticks with a traditional curriculum and is very deliberate in incorporating the true Catholic faith into every aspect of school life. They're happy to turn families away too if the families have any objections to that. The good schools will do that, they'll turn away problem families and in a lot of cases they'll reject any federal or Church funding "to preserve Catholic character and religious liberty."

There's a nationwide system of Catholic schools called Chesterton Schools Network, you might see if there is one within a reasonable commute for you, that might be the best option for your daughter.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Unfortunately there are a lot of Catholic schools that are treated like secular prep schools nowadays, like Philips Exeter.

My wife's from Long Island and she said most Catholic schools there are nearly just Catholic In Name Only, they've been overrun by rich irreligious or even Muslim families who want to send their kids to these schools for the pedigree but don't have any vested interest in the faith. Even worse, a lot of the parents object outright to Catholicism being represented much--in Catholic schools! A lot of them work their way onto the PTA/PTO and find ways to snuff it out of the school's culture. The average diocesan school has painted themselves into a corner because the tuition revenue is nice but if they want to keep that gravy train rolling they have to comply with the heathen parents signing the checks.

There is a growing counter movement though. We did a story last fall on an independent Catholic school in Maryland that sticks with a traditional curriculum and is very deliberate in incorporating the true Catholic faith into every aspect of school life. They're happy to turn families away too if the families have any objections to that. The good schools will do that, they'll turn away problem families and in a lot of cases they'll reject any federal or Church funding "to preserve Catholic character and religious liberty."

There's a nationwide system of Catholic schools called Chesterton Schools Network, you might see if there is one within a reasonable commute for you, that might be the best option for your daughter.

I met Dale Alquist, the prime mover behind the Chesterton Academies when I was trying to start a Catholic high school. And FINALLY after many years of pushing and setbacks and long after my own children grew up there is a Chesterton Academy there and it’s wonderful. My children commuted to an excellent orthodox diocesan Catholic high school instead. They drove by the Catholic high school where my brother lost his faith on the way there. The good news is even that place finally got an actually Catholic chaplain so maybe that place can be rescued. Maybe. The big donors and trustees might object to it being Catholic in any significant way.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I met Dale Alquist, the prime mover behind the Chesterton Academies when I was trying to start a Catholic high school. And FINALLY after many years of pushing and setbacks and long after my own children grew up there is a Chesterton Academy there and it’s wonderful. My children commuted to an excellent orthodox diocesan Catholic high school instead. They drove by the Catholic high school where my brother lost his faith on the way there. The good news is even that place finally got an actually Catholic chaplain so maybe that place can be rescued. Maybe. The big donors and trustees might object to it being Catholic in any significant way.

What kind of obstacles did they encounter trying to get the Chesterton Academy going? I'd like to get one setup here since there's no Catholic high school at all but I'm not sure if anyone would consider it viable since my city, while good size (108k people) is rural and disconnected from other cities, and it's only about 15% Catholic at most.

 

[chevyontheriver]

What kind of obstacles did they encounter trying to get the Chesterton Academy going? I'd like to get one setup here since there's no Catholic high school at all but I'm not sure if anyone would consider it viable since my city, while good size (108k people) is rural and disconnected from other cities, and it's only about 15% Catholic at most.

We had a land donor and we had a donor who would put up millions for construction. We tried to get the bishop on board but he was nearing retirement and would not commit to anything. We had other willing donors who first wanted to see that the bishop was on board. Stalemate. Finally the donor willing to put up millions for construction put up millions for a different (worthy Catholic high school. Years later Chesterton Academy came in. That bishop retired and it was a whole new ball game.

We had a population study done that showed it would work. And land. And a lot of money. But a wimpy bishop. Finally years later it worked. Bishops retire, and sometimes that is a very good thing.

 

[Miss Shelby]

They didn't call my Catholic school (which I graduated from) St. Ho's for nothing.

 

[Gnarwhal]

We had a land donor and we had a donor who would put up millions for construction. We tried to get the bishop on board but he was nearing retirement and would not commit to anything. We had other willing donors who first wanted to see that the bishop was on board. Stalemate. Finally the donor willing to put up millions for construction put up millions for a different (worthy Catholic high school. Years later Chesterton Academy came in. That bishop retired and it was a whole new ball game.

We had a population study done that showed it would work. And land. And a lot of money. But a wimpy bishop. Finally years later it worked. Bishops retire, and sometimes that is a very good thing.

That has to be frustrating to have all the other pieces in place but just can't get the bishop to sign off on it.

I think our problem would be the inverse if we tried to open one here. I'm sure my bishop would go for it but we don't have any means right now. No land, no facilities, no money to buy those things with... I had a whisper of hope last year when there were rumors that a public elementary school here was closing, but those were squashed pretty quick.

Who knows, hopefully a solution comes along in the next decade or so. Right now my son's only option in the future is home school, it'd be nice if a Catholic HS was available too.

 

[chevyontheriver]

That has to be frustrating to have all the other pieces in place but just can't get the bishop to sign off on it.

I think our problem would be the inverse if we tried to open one here. I'm sure my bishop would go for it but we don't have any means right now. No land, no facilities, no money to buy those things with... I had a whisper of hope last year when there were rumors that a public elementary school here was closing, but those were squashed pretty quick.

Who knows, hopefully a solution comes along in the next decade or so. Right now my son's only option in the future is home school, it'd be nice if a Catholic HS was available too.

Chesterton model is a low cost model. The model we were using had us spending $15 million, in today’s money more like $25 million. But Chesterton can do it for far less, partially by not building new. Check that out. You still need money, and dioceses don’t really have any to help. You need some big donors. But they DO exist. Have a well formed plan and then ask around. You might be surprised.

 

[RileyG]

Unfortunately there are a lot of Catholic schools that are treated like secular prep schools nowadays, like Philips Exeter.

My wife's from Long Island and she said most Catholic schools there are nearly just Catholic In Name Only, they've been overrun by rich irreligious or even Muslim families who want to send their kids to these schools for the pedigree but don't have any vested interest in the faith. Even worse, a lot of the parents object outright to Catholicism being represented much--in Catholic schools! A lot of them work their way onto the PTA/PTO and find ways to snuff it out of the school's culture. The average diocesan school has painted themselves into a corner because the tuition revenue is nice but if they want to keep that gravy train rolling they have to comply with the heathen parents signing the checks.

There is a growing counter movement though. We did a story last fall on an independent Catholic school in Maryland that sticks with a traditional curriculum and is very deliberate in incorporating the true Catholic faith into every aspect of school life. They're happy to turn families away too if the families have any objections to that. The good schools will do that, they'll turn away problem families and in a lot of cases they'll reject any federal or Church funding "to preserve Catholic character and religious liberty."

There's a nationwide system of Catholic schools called Chesterton Schools Network, you might see if there is one within a reasonable commute for you, that might be the best option for your daughter.

You're absolutely right!