S&F-Confessions of a Cradle Catholic II: Catholic School

I never got to go to Catholic School.  I was a public school kid and am very proud of it.  However, both of my kids did get the privilege of  being able to attend a catholic school and I realize that it is something that should be taken advantage of if a family is able to do so.

However, this is my series on rants about the church, so you know there is going to be some problem with Catholic School that I have an issue with.  Before you say, what do I know since I never went to a Catholic School?  I submit that I have seen Catholic schooling in my family for over 2 decades and at one time I was on the school advisory council for Our Lady of Grace.

First I want to say the educators and teachers are great at Catholic schools in the area.  I have never heard of an issue with teachers pushing agendas or other inappropriate practices like we tend to see occasionally in public schools.  I do believe the staff and teachers at parochial schools do what is best for the development of their students both socially and scholarly.

That's where I have the problem.  Some of these places have placed the education over the spiritual.  They have become schools that happen to be Catholic rather than Catholic Schools.  I understand that they are private institutions that must have great STEM academics to get high quality students.  I know some of them have to even recruit athletes to highlight their athletic programs.

And that's great and all, but as a Catholic whose money I put in the collection every week is subsidizing these schools I would rather see statistics on the percentage of students who become priests rather than go onto a college scholarship in a sport.  Or number of young women who enter the convent from Catholic Schools as opposed to go to four-year universities.  Yes, its important to educate the students, but its also important to help their spiritual discernment.

I do try in these rants to come up with a solution.  While this is defiantly beyond my level, I think that their should be scholarships at both the elementary school levels and high school levels for altar servers.  They have taken an interest in the church and participating the the mass and should be rewarded for it.  Those individuals are our best chances to find deacons, priests and religious sisters in the future.

This one hits home because we are well into Lent, but by no means should a Catholic School be on spring break for Holy Week, especially Good Friday.  It seems like most of the Catholic schools in the area are taking off Good Friday and then the following week for spring break.  Good Friday is part of the most important triduum of our faith.  What are we teaching the students if we are prioritizing getting a day off to travel over the death of Jesus on the Cross.  At a minimum they should have a morning of prayer and reflection, focused on Stations of the Cross.

It's time to remember that the word "Catholic" comes before the word "School" in every school's name.  Maybe students should go to mass more as part of their school day.  Maybe they should be studying the Bible just as much as their chemistry book.  Maybe they should be spend as much time in prayer as practicing free throws.