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Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 8:26am | IP Logged
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A few years ago, on a form, having nothing to do with education I think, I was asked to name the children's school. I hastily came up with the name St. Williams Academy because our current parish was St. William the Confessor. I have used that name since then, but am not completely satisfied with it.
First, what if we should ever change parishes?
Second, I don't really feel a "connection" with St. William the Confessor. That sounds silly and petty, but I hope you know what I mean.
Third, our last name is similar to his first name and what if it looks like we are calling ourselves "saints". We are trying to be but aren't there yet!
At our homeschool blessing Mass next week, Fr. has offered to bless a picture or statue of our patron and if we are going to "rename", I would like to make that decision before then.
Those who have named their "schools" or placed them under the patronage of a certain saint, would you mind sharing your story of how you made your decision and why?
Also... suggestions welcomed!
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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Mary G Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 8:36am | IP Logged
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We are St. Athanasius Academy because when dh and I decided to homeschool, we were also in the midst of discerning whether or not Rick should go back to school -- he had to write an entrance essay on St. Athanasius and since the answer was "yes, you should all come to Austria and study for 2 years" we decided to make him our patron.
You might look to a family patron saint -- or someone that is the patron of something you enjoy doing; for instance, St. Rafqa is the unofficial patron of knitters, so that would be a good one to call my school.
Or St. Therese of Lisieux or Little Flowers would be another good name/patron.
If you have Saint books at home -- like Once Upon a Time Saints or More Once Upon a Time Saints -- might have stories that "speak" to you and your family.....
__________________ MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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KackyK Forum All-Star
Joined: May 22 2007 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 8:50am | IP Logged
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We call ourselves Assumption Academy. I came up with that as my dh and I's anniversary is August 15th. When we were first married, I was not Catholic, I converted about 2 years later. When we planned the wedding I didn't know or understand that the 15th was a feast day. Kind of fun now, we go to Mass on our anniversary! So I thought of this name because it marks the beginning of our family.
Anyways, I just wanted to point it out because you can look at when things happen in your family, and what was going on liturgically then too, see what connections you can find there...I don't think that made much sense
Have fun discovering yourselves?!!!
__________________ KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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marihalojen Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 12 2006 Location: Florida
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 8:54am | IP Logged
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Matilda, this thread may be helpful, for ispiration at least!
As I said there, we're Star of the Sea School or Stella Maris Academy and we came to that name several years ago when we moved aboard our sailboat after waffling over several other patrons of sailors (St Nicholas was a close second followed by St Martha, if I remember right, whose feast day is this Sunday!). It really is the perfect fit especially now as we've sailed down to Key West and our beloved parish is the same!
__________________ ~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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Rebecca Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 30 2005 Location: N/A
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 10:50am | IP Logged
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Our school is named St. John Bosco Academy. He is my favorite saint and a great example in educating children. My kids have been devoted to him since my oldest was a preschooler.
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Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 11:45am | IP Logged
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Thank you Jennifer for the link. I had done a search for home school names in All Forums this time and got nothing with a phrase search and 5 pages with an "all words search". I guess I must have missed the one you linked to.
Anyway... I didn't realize that some states require you to have an official name. Woah! That would really add to the pressure.
I don't feel as though we have a family patron saint. Maybe we do and I don't realize it. I have prayed to Padre Pio on many occasions for help when the family needs it, but my he is one of my special friends and I wouldn't want to leave Husband out of the decision. I know we have a family connection with the Salesians, but John Bosco is my son's name saint and I wouldn't want to appear to be "playing favorites". I love the title Mary Help of Christians, but that is DD#1's birthday feast. St. Francis Cabrini was a saint I very much admired and thought about making the patron of our home school, but she is DD#2's birthday saint.
Maybe I am just overly analytical about these things... ahem... or everything!
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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Becky Parker Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Michigan
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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Well, we jumped the gun as far as sainthood goes, but we named our homeschool "John Paul The Great Academy" a few years ago.
__________________ Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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8kids4me Forum Pro
Joined: May 03 2006 Location: New York
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 12:20pm | IP Logged
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We named ours Mary Our Mother homeschool. We are devoted to Our Lady.
__________________ Cindy B, mama to 8 great kids, and 5 grandbabies!
http://www.magnolialane.wordpress.com
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DominaCaeli Forum All-Star
Joined: April 24 2007
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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Matilda wrote:
I don't feel as though we have a family patron saint. Maybe we do and I don't realize it. I have prayed to Padre Pio on many occasions for help when the family needs it, but my he is one of my special friends and I wouldn't want to leave Husband out of the decision. I know we have a family connection with the Salesians, but John Bosco is my son's name saint and I wouldn't want to appear to be "playing favorites". I love the title Mary Help of Christians, but that is DD#1's birthday feast. St. Francis Cabrini was a saint I very much admired and thought about making the patron of our home school, but she is DD#2's birthday saint. |
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Matilda,
Since you don't have a special family devotion to a particular saint, maybe you could choose the Holy Family? Or another title of Our Lady (besides Help of Christians)? I consider these stand-bys, since Our Lady and Saint Joseph are truly the protectors of all families.
We're not officially homeschooling yet, but our family is devoted to the Holy Family and the Holy Angels.
__________________ Blessings,
Celeste
Joyous Lessons
Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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Mary Chris Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 2:40pm | IP Logged
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Do you have any birthdays near a favorite feast? My bday is Feast of the Guardian Angels, dd's the Annunciation, ds St. Nicholas and we all love St. Francis. We have not been able to decide on one of the above as our official name.
We have our secular name Woodcock Pocket because we love the Toot and Puddle books.
__________________ Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Essy Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 12 2006
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 2:48pm | IP Logged
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We are just getting started here, but I'm being drawn to 'Our Lady of Fatima Academy'.
__________________ Wife to Roy since Sept 1985
Mom to Sarah(May 2002)and Christian (August 2003)
Praying In the Moment
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juststartn Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007 Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 2:54pm | IP Logged
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We chose 'Hedgerow Academy"--a play on our last name, as well as playing up DHs and my love of history (the hedgerows in France during WWI and WWII...made each field within almost a fortress...trying to take each one was, well, extremely difficult, to say the least...).
Rachel
__________________ Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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msclavel Forum All-Star
Joined: July 26 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 3:21pm | IP Logged
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I have always, rather reflexively put down Our Lady of Guadalupe School. The feast is my birthday, I'm hispanic and I've always felt very close Her. Sometimes I think I don't like it, but then every time I'm asked to name our school, that's all that comes to mind.
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Lorri Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 21 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 3:35pm | IP Logged
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We chose St. Michael the Archangel as our family's patron saint because he so totally rocks. But our school's name is Eagle's Wing Academy from
"But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31
__________________ Lorri
mom to
The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
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Red Cardigan Forum Pro
Joined: June 16 2007 Location: N/A
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
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We went with St. Angela Merici because I deliberately chose her to be our homeschool patroness. I wanted someone connected with education, and since we only have girls so far I liked her role in the education of girls. I did want to chose someone apart from various family favorites, someone who would "just" be our homeschool saint.
Here are some links that might help:
Patrons of educators:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pst00707.htm
Patrons of schools/schoolchildren:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pst00693.htm
__________________ http://www.redcardigan.blogspot.com
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Mary G Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 4:28pm | IP Logged
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Matilda,
An awesome patron would be Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati -- considered THE saint for the youth of the 3rd Millenium!
__________________ MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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CatholicMommy Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2007 Location: Indiana
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Posted: July 27 2007 at 5:46pm | IP Logged
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We needed some kind of earthly father/protector for our family, so we named our school St Joseph Montessori Academy of Hope. St. Michael the Archangel is also equally important to us, so the name was some time in being settled.
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Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
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Posted: July 28 2007 at 11:47am | IP Logged
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I just did some reading about Bl. Pier and felt moved to consider asking for his patronage. It touched my heart when I read that he use to go visit a hospital for the mentally handicapped and would walk through the halls greeting the patients without any sign of revulsion or hesitation. I use to spend my summers volunteering at a school for mentally challenged children and it is very easy for me to imagine this scene from his life.
Husband was interested in him especially because he is a modern saint and that allows for greater opportunity to find out more about him. (History buff... what can I say!)
Thank you for the idea Mary. We also happened to have s few pictures of him that were sent to us by Husband's sister in the convent. I think she picked them up wen they visited Italy.
Tossing around ideas... Pier Academy, Blessed Pier Catholic Home School, Frassati Academy.
I would like to find a statue or maybe a bigger picture of him to frame. Any ideas?
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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ladybugs Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: California
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Posted: July 28 2007 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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I love Frassati Academy - but then again, I'm Italian!
We named our homeschool, John Paul II Academy, after his passing. I just love him!
Ask Blessed Pier to help you find the right icon or statue for your school....
__________________ Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Maria B. Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 16 2006 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 28 2007 at 12:13pm | IP Logged
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Blessed Pier is near and dear to me ... my son chose him as his confirmation saint. I have been praying to him to protect and keep Billy during this difficult plebe summer at the Naval Academy. I have found great consolation in this.
__________________ Maria in VA
Proud Mom to 10 Great kids!
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