Catholic Homeschooling (Was dealing with questions)
Nora or Devereaux Cannon
Catholicism emphasizes the role of the parent as first teacher,
but the intersection of religious education and homeschooling is
a bit complicated. I read on a blog yesterday as good an
explanation as is likely to be found. Given that Blogspot's
perma links are notoriously unstable, I have cut and pasted the
whole thing, followed by the "perma link" below - tedious going
unless you are really interested, but as a Catholic I am, LOL:
Homeschooling and Canon Law
I got another email today inquiring about homeschooling, canon
law, diocesan guidelines, the rights of parents, and the ongoing
feud between CHSNA and NACHE/TORCH. Originally, I stayed out of
this debate since I know people on both sides and I also know how
emotional and intense these debates can become. Also, my position
fell somewhere in the middle of that advocated by each group, and
so neither side would have been satisfied with my response. For
the past two years I continued to receive one or two emails or
phone calls a week from average homeschooling parents who are
confused about all the issues involved. As much as I would like
to stay out of it and allow the two groups to work out their own
problems, now that children are being denied the sacraments I
feel I must state something. So I finally sat down, put
everything into writing, and emailed CHSNA and NACHE the results.
I'm not sure if either group will respond, but if any of my
readers are part of a homeschooling group, please feel free to
reproduce and distribute the following. All I ask is that you if
you reprint it in your newsletter, please send me a copy. My
address is over in the column to the right side.....
Homeschooling Guidelines and
Sacramental Preparation
Pete Vere, JCL
It is with a fair amount of trepidation that I wander into this
debate. As both a licensed canonist and a student currently
working towards a Pontifical Diploma in Catechesis, I understand
the need for diocesan guidelines with regards to homeschooling
and catechesis. Yet I am also a Catholic parent, entrusted with
my child's Catholic education. My wife and I both consider
homeschooling a legitimate option. Thus my opinion concerning
this growing dispute will likely draw a fair amount of criticism
from all sides - bishops, catechists, homeschooling parents and
even many canonists. Yet if I have laid aside my initial
hesitation and wandered into the debate, it is because children
are the ones whose rights to the sacraments are threatened, and
someone must defend their rights to the sacraments.
To summarize a rapidly growing situation, many Catholic parents
opt for homeschooling after coming across doctrinal deficiencies
in their children's catechesis. Granted, this is not the only
reason parents homeschool their children, but the reason is not
uncommon either. In response to this growing trend, the
catechetical establishment, concerned with parents using
homeschooling to circumvent the system, pressure bishops and
pastors to impose homeschooling guidelines. In short, the
catechetical establishment wishes to regain control over the
situation, perceiving homeschooling parents as fundamentalists.
Homeschooling parents resist the implementation of such
guidelines, resulting in pastors withholding the sacraments, and
everything simply degenerates from there. Parents assert their
rights as primary educators and pastors assert their right to
govern the faithful. Unfortunately, the rights most likely to
fall by the wayside are those over whom this battle is being
fought, namely homeschooled children. Caught in the middle of
this catechetical dispute, some homeschooled children now
unjustly find themselves functionally excommunicated from the
Church's sacramental life.
Children are victimized because the three fundamental canonical
issues pertaining to this dispute have not clearly been
distinguished from the outset. The first issue concerns the right
of a diocesan Bishop to oversee catechesis within his diocese,
including that of homeschooled children, and impose certain
guidelines if he feels it necessary. The second concerns the
objection of parents to catechetical programs they perceive as
doctrinally deficient. And the third issue is the right of
homeschooled children, like all other Catholic children, to the
administration of the sacraments, particularly the Sacraments of
Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.) I will
treat each issue separately in the order they were raised.
The Bishop's Right to Impose Guidelines
Beginning with the right of the competent ecclesiastical
authority to oversee the catechesis of homeschooled children, as
well as impose certain guidelines, this right is implicit within
Canon 774:
"Canon 774 §1 The care for catechesis, under the direction of
lawful ecclesiastical authority, extends to all members of the
Church, to each according to his or her role.
"§2 Before all others, parents are bound to form their children,
by word and example, in faith and in christian living. The same
obligation binds godparents and those who take the place of
parents."
Now canon 774, §2 acknowledges both the natural right and the
natural obligation of parents as primary religious educators of
their children. Nevertheless, in accordance with canon 17,
"Ecclesiastical laws are to be understood in with the proper
meaning of the words considered in their text and context." The
context of canon 774's second paragraph is clear, in that the
first paragraph acknowledges the obligation of the Church's
lawful ecclesiastical authority to direct catechetical efforts.
In short, as Catholics we believe Christ established a visible
hierarchy within His Church, with the power to sanctify, to teach
and to govern in His name. Therefore, the role of the diocesan
Bishop and the parochial pastor, as it pertains to religious
education, can neither be ignored nor completely minimized.
This must be kept in mind by homeschooling parents. In outlining
the rights and obligations of the faithful vis-à-vis home
religious education, one must consider canon 223 §3 which states:
"in the interest of the common good, ecclesiastical authority has
competence to regulate the exercise of the rights, which belong
to the Christian faithful." In short, no right within the Code of
Canon Law is absolute. While parents have the right to choose
catechetical resources approved by the Church, the diocesan
Bishop retains the right to impose certain catechetical
requirements. If parents are the primary catechists, then canon
780 which obliges local Ordinaries "to ensure that catechists are
duly trained to carry out their office properly" applies to
parents as well.
The Parent's Right to Sound Catechesis
With respect to the second issue, I frequently come across
situations where parents express concern over perceived doctrinal
deficiencies in their children's catechesis. In those situations
where I agree with the concerns of the parents, I advise parents
to approach their pastors. As canon 212 §2 maintains, "Christ's
faithful are at liberty to make known their needs, especially
their spiritual needs, and their wishes to the Pastors of the
Church." If Bishops and pastors are slow to respond to the needs
of the parents, or if they outright dismiss the well-founded
concerns of the parents, an injustice ensues.
Canon 213 clearly states: "Christ's faithful have the right to be
assisted by their Pastors from the spiritual riches of the
Church, especially by the word of God and the sacraments." Unless
catechesis is merely something incidental to the Church, in which
case one wonders about the necessity of such strict guidelines,
the demand pastors assist parents in providing children with
doctrinally sound catechesis is not merely something optional
under canon law, but an actual right of the faithful. This right
is further clarified in canon 217 as follows: "Since Christ's
faithful are called by baptism to lead a life in harmony with the
gospel teaching, they have the right to a Christian education,
which genuinely teaches them to strive for the maturity of the
human person and at the same time to know and live the mystery of
salvation." Doctrinally deficient catechesis denies Christ's
faithful their canonical right to a Christian education. Should
this situation persist after notification of the competent
ecclesiastical authority, in accordance with canon 221 §1,
"Christ's faithful may lawfully vindicate and defend the rights
they enjoy in the Church, before the competent ecclesiastical
forum in accordance with the law."
The Child's Right to the Sacraments
Having resolved the issue of catechesis, namely the Bishop's
right to impose diocesan guidelines upon homeschooling parents,
as well as the parents' right to expect doctrinally sound
catechesis for their children from their pastors, let us turn our
attention to the administration of the sacraments. Should the
administration of the sacraments, namely Confirmation and first
Holy Communion, be strictly tied to a child's catechetical
achievement? The answer to this question is no. Christ instituted
the sacraments as the primary means of God's grace, not as some
sort of ecclesiastical graduation certificate after a lengthy and
rigorous catechetical boot-camp. This is not what is intended by
the expression "Church Militant." Consequently, nobody earns the
right to partake of the sacraments, for none of us is worthy.
Rather, we partake of the sacraments through the merits of Jesus
Christ.
Unfortunately, the current catechetical practice in many parts of
North America does not reflect the Church's theology in this
regard. This problem does not uniquely affect homeschooling
children; the problem is common to most Catholic children in the
United States and Canada, where the traditional order for
administering the Sacraments of Initiation is disrupted, and
Confirmation is often deferred by diocesan catechetical
requirements until adolescence. This is done because many within
the catechetical establishment advocate a theology of "mature"
faith, expecting teenagers to fulfill a lengthy and rigorous
catechetical process, complete various service projects, and
generally demonstrate an "adult" faith. While such goals are
worthy within the strict context of catechesis, historically and
theologically they had little to do with preparation for the
Sacrament of Confirmation until the onslaught of Jansenism. The
influence exerted by Jansenism over the catechetical preparation
of children for the Sacraments is well explained by Fr. John
Huels, a noted canonist and liturgical scholar, in his essay "The
Age for Confirmation." The following excerpts are particularly
insightful:
"Early in the twentieth century, Pope Pius X combated the
Jansenistic influence over pastoral practice and religious
education in many countries. This rigoristic spirituality held
that most people were unworthy to receive communion frequently
and that children had to prove themselves worthy for first holy
communion through an extended catechetical program up to the age
of ten, twelve, fourteen or older. The pope responded by
standardizing the age for the reception of first communion and
first penance at seven. Confirmation was still supposed to
precede first communion, but it became impossible everywhere for
the bishop to make it to each parish all the time before children
of seven received their first communion; so confirmation often
was administered out of sequence after the children had already
received the eucharist.
"With the growing frequency of the postponement of confirmation
to after first communion, the spirit of Jansenism resurfaced in
pastoral practice and in religious education in the twentieth
century. It was not eucharist, the sacrament that completes
Christian initiation, but confirmation, the second sacrament,
which was said to require lengthy catechesis, 'mature' faith and
other requirements of parish or catechetical policy before
children or adolescents could demonstrate their worthiness to
receive it.
"All the while, this custom of delaying confirmation was contrary
to canon law; the 1917 code, canon 788, said that confirmation
should be delayed to about the age of seven but it could be given
earlier if an infant were in danger of death or the minister had
just and serious reasons for confirming soon. This contrary
practice of delaying confirmation beyond seven only became an
option in law in 1971, and this came about despite the views of
liturgical experts who had recommended to Pope Paul VI that there
be no change in the law.
"As a result of studies uncovering the history of confirmation,
contemporary theologians have been critical of the
above-mentioned 'spiritual maturity' theology and praxis of
confirmation. They argue not only that it does not correspond to
the origins of the sacrament but also that it ritually and
theologically demands too much of confirmation to the
diminishment of baptism and eucharist."
Regardless of where they otherwise fall on the ideological
spectrum, many canonists, myself included, agree with Fr. Huels'
analysis of the above situation. Admittedly, canon law currently
permits a diocesan Bishop to extend the age at which Confirmation
may be administered, but this is merely a concession owing to
historical circumstance. It does not mean the age of confirmation
should be extended, and Fr. Huels presents strong arguments why
it should not. Furthermore, some catechists will argue Fr. Huels'
s analysis merely concerns a broader issue, namely the overly
demanding catechetical requirements preceding administration of
Confirmation. I will not dispute this as the context in which Fr.
Huels writes. Nevertheless, his insights still apply within the
current homeschooling debate. After all, children do not forfeit
their rights within the Church - especially the right to receive
the sacraments in a timely order - simply because their parents
homeschool them.
Now granted, some homeschooling parents hold a doctrinally
fundamentalist view of the Catholic faith that can become
unhealthy. When this occurs, the Church must remind parents that
obedience to one's lawful ecclesiastical superior is one of the
fundamental tenets of Catholicism. Nevertheless, the fault in
such instances belongs to the parents, and not to the children
who unfortunately bear the brunt of the resulting functional
excommunication from the sacraments. Moreover, the current
catechetical establishment is just as guilty of the charge of
rigorism, although in the area of process rather than doctrine.
For in insisting homeschooled children adhere to strict diocesan
standards before seeking admission to the sacraments, the
catechetical establishment ought to keep in mind the Jansenistic
roots of rigorous sacramental preparation, especially before
labeling homeschooling parents as fundamentalists.
Pete Vere // 12:25 AM
______________________
http://canonlaw.blogspot.com/2002_08_01_canonlaw_archive.html#804
14753
but the intersection of religious education and homeschooling is
a bit complicated. I read on a blog yesterday as good an
explanation as is likely to be found. Given that Blogspot's
perma links are notoriously unstable, I have cut and pasted the
whole thing, followed by the "perma link" below - tedious going
unless you are really interested, but as a Catholic I am, LOL:
Homeschooling and Canon Law
I got another email today inquiring about homeschooling, canon
law, diocesan guidelines, the rights of parents, and the ongoing
feud between CHSNA and NACHE/TORCH. Originally, I stayed out of
this debate since I know people on both sides and I also know how
emotional and intense these debates can become. Also, my position
fell somewhere in the middle of that advocated by each group, and
so neither side would have been satisfied with my response. For
the past two years I continued to receive one or two emails or
phone calls a week from average homeschooling parents who are
confused about all the issues involved. As much as I would like
to stay out of it and allow the two groups to work out their own
problems, now that children are being denied the sacraments I
feel I must state something. So I finally sat down, put
everything into writing, and emailed CHSNA and NACHE the results.
I'm not sure if either group will respond, but if any of my
readers are part of a homeschooling group, please feel free to
reproduce and distribute the following. All I ask is that you if
you reprint it in your newsletter, please send me a copy. My
address is over in the column to the right side.....
Homeschooling Guidelines and
Sacramental Preparation
Pete Vere, JCL
It is with a fair amount of trepidation that I wander into this
debate. As both a licensed canonist and a student currently
working towards a Pontifical Diploma in Catechesis, I understand
the need for diocesan guidelines with regards to homeschooling
and catechesis. Yet I am also a Catholic parent, entrusted with
my child's Catholic education. My wife and I both consider
homeschooling a legitimate option. Thus my opinion concerning
this growing dispute will likely draw a fair amount of criticism
from all sides - bishops, catechists, homeschooling parents and
even many canonists. Yet if I have laid aside my initial
hesitation and wandered into the debate, it is because children
are the ones whose rights to the sacraments are threatened, and
someone must defend their rights to the sacraments.
To summarize a rapidly growing situation, many Catholic parents
opt for homeschooling after coming across doctrinal deficiencies
in their children's catechesis. Granted, this is not the only
reason parents homeschool their children, but the reason is not
uncommon either. In response to this growing trend, the
catechetical establishment, concerned with parents using
homeschooling to circumvent the system, pressure bishops and
pastors to impose homeschooling guidelines. In short, the
catechetical establishment wishes to regain control over the
situation, perceiving homeschooling parents as fundamentalists.
Homeschooling parents resist the implementation of such
guidelines, resulting in pastors withholding the sacraments, and
everything simply degenerates from there. Parents assert their
rights as primary educators and pastors assert their right to
govern the faithful. Unfortunately, the rights most likely to
fall by the wayside are those over whom this battle is being
fought, namely homeschooled children. Caught in the middle of
this catechetical dispute, some homeschooled children now
unjustly find themselves functionally excommunicated from the
Church's sacramental life.
Children are victimized because the three fundamental canonical
issues pertaining to this dispute have not clearly been
distinguished from the outset. The first issue concerns the right
of a diocesan Bishop to oversee catechesis within his diocese,
including that of homeschooled children, and impose certain
guidelines if he feels it necessary. The second concerns the
objection of parents to catechetical programs they perceive as
doctrinally deficient. And the third issue is the right of
homeschooled children, like all other Catholic children, to the
administration of the sacraments, particularly the Sacraments of
Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.) I will
treat each issue separately in the order they were raised.
The Bishop's Right to Impose Guidelines
Beginning with the right of the competent ecclesiastical
authority to oversee the catechesis of homeschooled children, as
well as impose certain guidelines, this right is implicit within
Canon 774:
"Canon 774 §1 The care for catechesis, under the direction of
lawful ecclesiastical authority, extends to all members of the
Church, to each according to his or her role.
"§2 Before all others, parents are bound to form their children,
by word and example, in faith and in christian living. The same
obligation binds godparents and those who take the place of
parents."
Now canon 774, §2 acknowledges both the natural right and the
natural obligation of parents as primary religious educators of
their children. Nevertheless, in accordance with canon 17,
"Ecclesiastical laws are to be understood in with the proper
meaning of the words considered in their text and context." The
context of canon 774's second paragraph is clear, in that the
first paragraph acknowledges the obligation of the Church's
lawful ecclesiastical authority to direct catechetical efforts.
In short, as Catholics we believe Christ established a visible
hierarchy within His Church, with the power to sanctify, to teach
and to govern in His name. Therefore, the role of the diocesan
Bishop and the parochial pastor, as it pertains to religious
education, can neither be ignored nor completely minimized.
This must be kept in mind by homeschooling parents. In outlining
the rights and obligations of the faithful vis-à-vis home
religious education, one must consider canon 223 §3 which states:
"in the interest of the common good, ecclesiastical authority has
competence to regulate the exercise of the rights, which belong
to the Christian faithful." In short, no right within the Code of
Canon Law is absolute. While parents have the right to choose
catechetical resources approved by the Church, the diocesan
Bishop retains the right to impose certain catechetical
requirements. If parents are the primary catechists, then canon
780 which obliges local Ordinaries "to ensure that catechists are
duly trained to carry out their office properly" applies to
parents as well.
The Parent's Right to Sound Catechesis
With respect to the second issue, I frequently come across
situations where parents express concern over perceived doctrinal
deficiencies in their children's catechesis. In those situations
where I agree with the concerns of the parents, I advise parents
to approach their pastors. As canon 212 §2 maintains, "Christ's
faithful are at liberty to make known their needs, especially
their spiritual needs, and their wishes to the Pastors of the
Church." If Bishops and pastors are slow to respond to the needs
of the parents, or if they outright dismiss the well-founded
concerns of the parents, an injustice ensues.
Canon 213 clearly states: "Christ's faithful have the right to be
assisted by their Pastors from the spiritual riches of the
Church, especially by the word of God and the sacraments." Unless
catechesis is merely something incidental to the Church, in which
case one wonders about the necessity of such strict guidelines,
the demand pastors assist parents in providing children with
doctrinally sound catechesis is not merely something optional
under canon law, but an actual right of the faithful. This right
is further clarified in canon 217 as follows: "Since Christ's
faithful are called by baptism to lead a life in harmony with the
gospel teaching, they have the right to a Christian education,
which genuinely teaches them to strive for the maturity of the
human person and at the same time to know and live the mystery of
salvation." Doctrinally deficient catechesis denies Christ's
faithful their canonical right to a Christian education. Should
this situation persist after notification of the competent
ecclesiastical authority, in accordance with canon 221 §1,
"Christ's faithful may lawfully vindicate and defend the rights
they enjoy in the Church, before the competent ecclesiastical
forum in accordance with the law."
The Child's Right to the Sacraments
Having resolved the issue of catechesis, namely the Bishop's
right to impose diocesan guidelines upon homeschooling parents,
as well as the parents' right to expect doctrinally sound
catechesis for their children from their pastors, let us turn our
attention to the administration of the sacraments. Should the
administration of the sacraments, namely Confirmation and first
Holy Communion, be strictly tied to a child's catechetical
achievement? The answer to this question is no. Christ instituted
the sacraments as the primary means of God's grace, not as some
sort of ecclesiastical graduation certificate after a lengthy and
rigorous catechetical boot-camp. This is not what is intended by
the expression "Church Militant." Consequently, nobody earns the
right to partake of the sacraments, for none of us is worthy.
Rather, we partake of the sacraments through the merits of Jesus
Christ.
Unfortunately, the current catechetical practice in many parts of
North America does not reflect the Church's theology in this
regard. This problem does not uniquely affect homeschooling
children; the problem is common to most Catholic children in the
United States and Canada, where the traditional order for
administering the Sacraments of Initiation is disrupted, and
Confirmation is often deferred by diocesan catechetical
requirements until adolescence. This is done because many within
the catechetical establishment advocate a theology of "mature"
faith, expecting teenagers to fulfill a lengthy and rigorous
catechetical process, complete various service projects, and
generally demonstrate an "adult" faith. While such goals are
worthy within the strict context of catechesis, historically and
theologically they had little to do with preparation for the
Sacrament of Confirmation until the onslaught of Jansenism. The
influence exerted by Jansenism over the catechetical preparation
of children for the Sacraments is well explained by Fr. John
Huels, a noted canonist and liturgical scholar, in his essay "The
Age for Confirmation." The following excerpts are particularly
insightful:
"Early in the twentieth century, Pope Pius X combated the
Jansenistic influence over pastoral practice and religious
education in many countries. This rigoristic spirituality held
that most people were unworthy to receive communion frequently
and that children had to prove themselves worthy for first holy
communion through an extended catechetical program up to the age
of ten, twelve, fourteen or older. The pope responded by
standardizing the age for the reception of first communion and
first penance at seven. Confirmation was still supposed to
precede first communion, but it became impossible everywhere for
the bishop to make it to each parish all the time before children
of seven received their first communion; so confirmation often
was administered out of sequence after the children had already
received the eucharist.
"With the growing frequency of the postponement of confirmation
to after first communion, the spirit of Jansenism resurfaced in
pastoral practice and in religious education in the twentieth
century. It was not eucharist, the sacrament that completes
Christian initiation, but confirmation, the second sacrament,
which was said to require lengthy catechesis, 'mature' faith and
other requirements of parish or catechetical policy before
children or adolescents could demonstrate their worthiness to
receive it.
"All the while, this custom of delaying confirmation was contrary
to canon law; the 1917 code, canon 788, said that confirmation
should be delayed to about the age of seven but it could be given
earlier if an infant were in danger of death or the minister had
just and serious reasons for confirming soon. This contrary
practice of delaying confirmation beyond seven only became an
option in law in 1971, and this came about despite the views of
liturgical experts who had recommended to Pope Paul VI that there
be no change in the law.
"As a result of studies uncovering the history of confirmation,
contemporary theologians have been critical of the
above-mentioned 'spiritual maturity' theology and praxis of
confirmation. They argue not only that it does not correspond to
the origins of the sacrament but also that it ritually and
theologically demands too much of confirmation to the
diminishment of baptism and eucharist."
Regardless of where they otherwise fall on the ideological
spectrum, many canonists, myself included, agree with Fr. Huels'
analysis of the above situation. Admittedly, canon law currently
permits a diocesan Bishop to extend the age at which Confirmation
may be administered, but this is merely a concession owing to
historical circumstance. It does not mean the age of confirmation
should be extended, and Fr. Huels presents strong arguments why
it should not. Furthermore, some catechists will argue Fr. Huels'
s analysis merely concerns a broader issue, namely the overly
demanding catechetical requirements preceding administration of
Confirmation. I will not dispute this as the context in which Fr.
Huels writes. Nevertheless, his insights still apply within the
current homeschooling debate. After all, children do not forfeit
their rights within the Church - especially the right to receive
the sacraments in a timely order - simply because their parents
homeschool them.
Now granted, some homeschooling parents hold a doctrinally
fundamentalist view of the Catholic faith that can become
unhealthy. When this occurs, the Church must remind parents that
obedience to one's lawful ecclesiastical superior is one of the
fundamental tenets of Catholicism. Nevertheless, the fault in
such instances belongs to the parents, and not to the children
who unfortunately bear the brunt of the resulting functional
excommunication from the sacraments. Moreover, the current
catechetical establishment is just as guilty of the charge of
rigorism, although in the area of process rather than doctrine.
For in insisting homeschooled children adhere to strict diocesan
standards before seeking admission to the sacraments, the
catechetical establishment ought to keep in mind the Jansenistic
roots of rigorous sacramental preparation, especially before
labeling homeschooling parents as fundamentalists.
Pete Vere // 12:25 AM
______________________
http://canonlaw.blogspot.com/2002_08_01_canonlaw_archive.html#804
14753
[email protected]
That's interesting to me mostly because the catechism itself is a memorized
dialog. Why can't a kid memorize it at home? But it went beyond that at
some point, to the lengthy school-style explanations of what each answer
meant.
I've known families to be pressured to pay for parochial school or to work
there in exchange for their kids getting in, and the method of pressure is
that at the baptism they promised before God to see to their children's
religious education. BUT that's when the only option seemed to be public
school. But many people are probably stuck in that mindset because THEY had
to pay for it and their kids were told they should be grateful to go to
Catholic school instead of the dangerous 'other.'
This will be a whole new set of debates for sure!!
Does the Seton curriculum have a catechism unit?
Sandra
dialog. Why can't a kid memorize it at home? But it went beyond that at
some point, to the lengthy school-style explanations of what each answer
meant.
I've known families to be pressured to pay for parochial school or to work
there in exchange for their kids getting in, and the method of pressure is
that at the baptism they promised before God to see to their children's
religious education. BUT that's when the only option seemed to be public
school. But many people are probably stuck in that mindset because THEY had
to pay for it and their kids were told they should be grateful to go to
Catholic school instead of the dangerous 'other.'
This will be a whole new set of debates for sure!!
Does the Seton curriculum have a catechism unit?
Sandra
Fetteroll
Ned invites anyone who would like to come discuss Homeschooling Freedoms to
the list at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HomeschoolFreedom
To join, send an email to:
[email protected]
Or write to me and I can add you. (But to make it even faster and more
efficient, write to me and instead of addressing it to me address it to
[email protected] :-)
It's the same purpose as the other list I announced, just a different name.
(The other one will be taken down soon, so don't sign on there!)
Joyce
the list at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HomeschoolFreedom
To join, send an email to:
[email protected]
Or write to me and I can add you. (But to make it even faster and more
efficient, write to me and instead of addressing it to me address it to
[email protected] :-)
It's the same purpose as the other list I announced, just a different name.
(The other one will be taken down soon, so don't sign on there!)
Joyce
Nora or Devereaux Cannon
The Catechism is just one very small part of catechesis - as you
allude to when you say "it went beyond that at some point". The
nature of Catholicism is that it fully embraces all of our
humanity and experience. As such it is probably a prime example
of what is best taught by unschooling, because to confine it to
CCD and weekly Mass - or CYO or any other "unit" is to deny the
thing that animates it. Then again, about 10% of the kids in our
parish are home school kids (according to the parish secretary)
and they cover the whole range of learning styles, including
probably somebody who is using Seton, though I don't know who.
|
allude to when you say "it went beyond that at some point". The
nature of Catholicism is that it fully embraces all of our
humanity and experience. As such it is probably a prime example
of what is best taught by unschooling, because to confine it to
CCD and weekly Mass - or CYO or any other "unit" is to deny the
thing that animates it. Then again, about 10% of the kids in our
parish are home school kids (according to the parish secretary)
and they cover the whole range of learning styles, including
probably somebody who is using Seton, though I don't know who.
|
Fetteroll
Got the subscribe email address wrong! (Thank you Nora!)
Send an email to:
[email protected]
to subscribe to the list.
Send emails to:
[email protected]
to post to the list.
And I should mention that Ned *is* on the list and is the one who requested
the list name change to better reflect what he'd like to discuss.
Joyce
on 8/30/02 5:59 AM, Fetteroll at fetteroll@... wrote:
Send an email to:
[email protected]
to subscribe to the list.
Send emails to:
[email protected]
to post to the list.
And I should mention that Ned *is* on the list and is the one who requested
the list name change to better reflect what he'd like to discuss.
Joyce
on 8/30/02 5:59 AM, Fetteroll at fetteroll@... wrote:
> Ned invites anyone who would like to come discuss Homeschooling Freedoms to
> the list at:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HomeschoolFreedom
>
> To join, send an email to:
>
> [email protected]
>
> Or write to me and I can add you. (But to make it even faster and more
> efficient, write to me and instead of addressing it to me address it to
> [email protected] :-)
>
> It's the same purpose as the other list I announced, just a different name.
> (The other one will be taken down soon, so don't sign on there!)
>
> Joyce
Gerard Westenberg
<Does the Seton curriculum have a catechism unit?>
Yes, it does - and the programme seems to encourage parents to be catechists rather than having children attend parish programmes...Leonie W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yes, it does - and the programme seems to encourage parents to be catechists rather than having children attend parish programmes...Leonie W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]