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Author Topic: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?  (Read 1967 times)

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Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
« on: March 26, 2019, 12:43:54 PM »
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  • I for one believe that it's possible to force too much religion down the throats of children, to the point that it becomes distasteful to them.

    I send my kids to a Traditional Catholic school and am seriously thinking about pulling them out.

    Not only do they attend daily Mass every day (a good thing), but ...

    1) they spend probably 90 minutes in various prayers throughout the day (30 minutes in the morning, about 30 minutes at the end of the day, sets of 15 minutes throughout the day) ... on TOP of Mass, and the time before Mass and after Mass saying the pre- and pos- prayers.
    2) teacher for the younger grades has them recite about 3 Rosaries throughout the day, making them be on their knees the whole time
    3) one teacher constantly checks out the kids at Mass and gives them hostile glares if they're tired and sit on their pew even for a few seconds

    During most of their classes, even math and science, the vast majority of discussion revolves around religion.  In fact, they're not getting their subjects even 25% covered because of all the digressions onto religion.

    So I'm detecting in my kids a growing resentment towards religion.

    I just think it's way too much, and it is possible to have too much of anything.

    I myself would be perfectly happy in such an environment (spent time at a seminary), but I also don't believe in forcing my own spiritual inclinations on children.  One size doesn't fit all when it comes to spirituality.

    That one teacher who is constantly glaring at kids in church has had both her own children lose the faith after they got older.  So, was there a lesson there to be learned?

    And the principal is a religious.  But I don't believe he should be trying to make the school into a monastery.

    So I see a real danger of the kids developing a resentment towards prayer and religion in general, and in particular against Traditional Catholicism.

    Even the religious rules, such as that of St. Benedict, forbade monks from doing more than what was prescribed by the rule (without special permission from their spiritual director), recognizing that such excesses in outward zeal could be driven by pride.  I get the impression from many Traditional Catholics that they measure piety and sanctity by how much a person kneels every day.


    Änσnymσus

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #1 on: March 26, 2019, 12:53:15 PM »
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  • Sounds like a school for Catholics.

    Have you ever seen the movie, "The Song of Bernadette"? If not, watch it, particularly the part where the nun asks the students catechism questions and a few related parts after that.


    Änσnymσus

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #2 on: March 26, 2019, 01:01:11 PM »
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  • Quote
    2) teacher for the younger grades has them recite about 3 Rosaries throughout the day, making them be on their knees the whole time
    This sounds extreme, if true.

    Änσnymσus

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #3 on: March 26, 2019, 01:29:11 PM »
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  • Who is teaching?  What group or order?   I see 3 rosaries as too much, but ok as they are older.  I like Mass in the morning for children.  Then prayers for breakfast, followed by schooling.  Angelus and meal, short pray and class begins again.  End day with short prayer.  That is my idea.  I do like catholicism in the curriculum.

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #4 on: March 26, 2019, 01:38:17 PM »
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  • Who is teaching?  What group or order?   I see 3 rosaries as too much, but ok as they are older.  I like Mass in the morning for children.  Then prayers for breakfast, followed by schooling.  Angelus and meal, short pray and class begins again.  End day with short prayer.  That is my idea.  I do like catholicism in the curriculum.

    Not, it's not about the praying but about the QUANTITY.  They're probably praying about 2.5 hours per day on and off.


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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #5 on: March 26, 2019, 02:19:40 PM »
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  • I agree with you, OP. But, do think long and hard about it before pulling them out of the school over this. The grass might not be very green on the other side. Also, some of your children might not have any problem with the more religious environment. Perhaps consider doing so only for the children who are expressing the most resistance to this style of teaching.

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #6 on: March 26, 2019, 02:25:01 PM »
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  • Yes, I am thinking hard about this question, which is why I posted this thread.  I had one child that really took to it for a couple of years, but she's started to turn against it as well.

    Änσnymσus

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #7 on: March 26, 2019, 02:33:19 PM »
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  • You should think that it'd become as routine as anything else for children. It is nothing they should rebel about, maybe to some extent they might get bored with, but comes their adult years, I'd be willing to bet that as adults, they'd thank God for having gone to that school.


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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #8 on: March 26, 2019, 07:15:56 PM »
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  • Maybe the children are rebelling because the parents aren’t living the faith and praying at home.  

    To me it sounds like a good true Catholic school.  Everything should be centered on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  






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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #9 on: March 26, 2019, 07:17:30 PM »
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  • Parents aren’t praying at home and children see this. 

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #10 on: March 26, 2019, 07:29:25 PM »
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  • Stop complaining.  Thank God that you have children.  Thank God that you can afford to send your children to a decent Catholic School.  

    Most Novus ordo schools have ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ clubs and sex Ed., social justice.  Many don’t know basic Catechism.  Our niece went to “Catholic” schools from kindergarten to so called “best”catholic colleges in the country.  She ended up marrying a woman. Instead of working in sports medicine she is some kind of couselor for young people and adults to pursuade them to be sodomites. 


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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #11 on: March 26, 2019, 07:50:32 PM »
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  • Maybe the children are rebelling because the parents aren’t living the faith and praying at home.  

    False.  In fact, when we go to pray the family Rosary, some are annoyed, protesting that they had already prayed 3-4 Rosaries that day.

    Secondly, they're not rebelling but beginning to resent.  And what they're beginning to resent is being on their knees for 45 minutes in a row some mornings.

    And what they (and I) are beginning to resent is their not getting a decent education otherwise, not getting more than 25% through any of their textbooks because of all the digressions of piety.  Students finishing Latin III had not even gotten past the first quarter of the Latin I textbook.

    There's too much Trad Catholic Pharisaical pseudo-piety out there, and you're obviously one of that crowd.

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #12 on: March 26, 2019, 07:52:41 PM »
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  • Let's make 5-year-olds spend an hour on their knees every day; that'll make them holy.

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #13 on: March 26, 2019, 08:04:47 PM »
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  • Mass (45 min) 3 rosaries (60-80 min) then add opening, closing prayers plus Angelous.  Then these children 
    are praying the family rosary at home.  Sorry that's too much at ANY grade level.  These children are in a school not the novitiate.

    60-70 years ago ( and during the time of St. Bernadette)  Mass was before school hours in the church, religion was taught first thing in the morning with references to holy things throughout the day when appropriate.  The only time a rosary was prayed during school hours was in place of a detention or punishment, NEVER by the whole class or school.  And that method produced many priests, nuns and saints.

    Sounds like lay teachers have gone off the deep end.

    Offline Nadir

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    Re: Too Much Religion at a Traditional Catholic School?
    « Reply #14 on: March 26, 2019, 08:11:31 PM »
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  • Have you taken the issue up with the school?
    Have you spoken with other parents?
    Why don't you homeschool? Then you can have just the right balance to suit the family.


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    Who is teaching?  What group or order? 
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