Tonight, Dave and Mom and I went to a graduation Mass for a homeschooler in our area. It was followed by a lovely reception in his parents' home. Later this month, he's off to the University of North Carolina.
I first met the graduate years ago when he began homeschooling in 4th grade. His mother would bring the four of them [now there are eight!] to Daily Mass as part of their school curriculum, and he and his older brother [also a Tar Heel] would be altar servers. They were polite, handsome, smart, athletic, and musical, but most of all, holy.
Just like when St. Peter gave his Pentecost sermon and people were asking [begging!] him, "what must we do to become Christians?" the life that I saw in this family was such a powerful witness, I asked them, "what is this homeschooling thing? Why are your kids so holy?" By their daily example, I began to see what is possible. We often say "we're not homeschooling so they get into Harvard*, but so they get into Heaven." It is powerful to see these kids grow up in a loving, disciplined family, with academic gifts being placed in God's service. I wish this young graduate only the best and in many ways am grateful to the witness he provided for me when he was just a little boy.
*Not that there's anything wrong with that. Even better: a great school with in-state tuition!
15 years ago
2 comments:
Glad you mentioned schooling because one can have holy kids who go to Catholic school...God bless
Mrs. Parkes:
In many respects, the Catholic homeschooling these kids get is even more "Catholic" than they might get in the increasingly secularized parochial schools. If I had a school like yours [the Oratory] where one is just drenched in the faith, I might have made a different choice. But in this state, the public [government-run and free]school just notified me that they're failing their marks for the third year running; and the Catholic schools are a little too pricey for what they get. There's not daily Mass and there might not even be a majority of students who are even Catholic.
Nonetheless, I believe any child can receive a good education in almost any setting so long as there is support and involvement by one or both parents.
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