| Author | |
MommyD
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 15 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 272
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 10:34am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
If you teach in your church's Sunday school, do you still have to pay the fee for your children? Do you consider the fee part of your tithe?
This year, I'm teaching 3rd grade again and I get to pay $120 for both of my kids. That cost seems really high to me. All they get is a workbook. The extra "communittee building" (can you really build communittee with forced outside activities??) parties and trips are all extra $$.
I'm a little miffed right now, I guess. We have a wealthy parish that is always raising money for the school (usually a new ball field, computers, adding on the school building, etc). It seems to me that they could cough up a little dough for religious education for the rest of the kids.
Melissa
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 11:01am | IP Logged
|
|
|
wow.. I can't recall off the top of my head what our cost is but it's pretty minimal.. something like $5-10 each and I think there's a cap for families so that you don't pay more than you would for 4 kids??
The parties are all potluck and the families take turns bringing snacks for the classes.. so the only expenses really are the workbooks and other materials and the other materials are mainly for the younger kids. So the cost is pretty low.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 11:17am | IP Logged
|
|
|
At all the parishes I have been a part of, if you are teaching, your kids are free.
W/o teaching, our current parish is $85 for 1, $120 for 2, and $160 for 3 or more.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 11:19am | IP Logged
|
|
|
adding: And it isn't even Atrium. 
At our last parish, all the RE for primary was Atrium. It isn't even an option anywhere in this diocese.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 12:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I've seen adifferent parishes do it both ways. At a previous parish CCD teachers did not pay for enrollemnt of their chidlren. At the current parish we still do have to pay ($40). I'm trying to decide what to do this year. The DRE asked if I would teach again - it's been several years since I have.
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
K&Rs Mom
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 14 2008
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 58
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 6:27pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My dh teaches CCD, but we still pay. Here it's $50 per child with a cap of $100 per family. There are no textbooks, but they do a lot of crafts & stuff.
__________________
Aubrey
Mom to K (7.5yo) & R (5yo)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 7:33pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I teach 4th grade. They don't require me to pay the fee for my children because I teach.
Our fees are only $15.00 first child/$10.00 second child/$8.00 other children if paid in June.
$20.00 if paid in July.
$25.00 if paid in August.
The fee part is not part of my tithe. The voluntary teaching job is. 
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MacBeth
Forum All-Star
Probably at the beach...
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2518
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 8:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Generally here, if you teach, your kids attend free.
I teach, and I do not pay for my kids, but they do not take the classes (I take care of that), and they assist me in teaching.
ETA: Hey Cay! I teach 4th grade, too!
__________________
God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 8:21pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I taught 2nd grade last year ... and Fr. would have waived the fee of $15/child, but I figured since he went with Faith & Life and I would have used those books anyway for my kids ... well, it was a worthwhile donation (except for JP's class which was really lame and all about "isn't God great, he gave you eyes" "isn't God great, he gave you a nose"  ), not part of my tithe.
This year we're not doing RE as we're pretty committed elsewhere and we're just starting out here ... altho they keep pleading for teachers and dh and I just look at each other .... and try to keep the other from signing up 
__________________
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!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 9:50pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
This is the first year we are charging for anyone. The fee is $15 per child - which is truly for the workbook - with a cap of $30 per family.
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LeeAnn
Forum Pro
Joined: May 25 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 470
|
| Posted: Aug 15 2008 at 10:05pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My parish charges $20 for the first child and $10 per additional preK-5th grade child. Catechists are not required to pay tuition, but many of them do so anyway to offset the cost to the parish for materials. We are a growing parish with a small budget in a rural-suburban lower income area. I try to keep a balanced budget but don't worry about it too much and keep expenses low.
Why some parishes charge more than $40 for CCD/RE I don't know. What are they including in that fee? The mortgage payment? How anyone can afford to send their child to a $100+ per child RE program I don't know. I certainly wouldn't be able to and most of our families in the parish would just not enroll rather than paying those kinds of fees.
On the other hand, I've read that some parishes actually PAY their catechists by the hour! 25 weekly lessons, plus an hour or two per week in preparation (minimum) at $8/hr would certainly help pay for that tuition! How about suggesting that to the DRE?
__________________
my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CatholicMommy
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2007
Location: Indiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1254
|
| Posted: Aug 17 2008 at 10:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
What an interesting discussion - all the numbers all over the place!
I don't yet know what our parishes charge (oh the details I just haven't looked at yet! I start as DRE on Tuesday)... but I am fairly certain that I won't even be "charged" for my son to attend the atrium - with that said, I'm providing half the materials for one of the atriums from what was our home atrium... so I think my portion is covered. :)
I do know that we are charging different rates for the atrium than for the rest of the program (we have many carpenters and sewers in the area, combined with what I had, we're not spending much to set up the two complete atriums). Catechist's children are definitely not charged - with a parent or older sibling putting in that much time, it just doesn't seem right.
At our previous 3 parishes, I never paid for him - and I am fairly certain that none of the parishes I have ever taught at charged for catechist's children... One parish did pay a stipend of $7 per teaching session, which I think most catechists put back into the religious ed fund.
At worst, if we had to charge a LOT (for whatever reason), I'd at least try to offer catechists half off....
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
RamFam
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 21 2008
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 425
|
| Posted: Aug 17 2008 at 11:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Coming from a Protestant background where religious education expenses were completely covered by the church because it was that important to evangelize and teach especially children, I was appalled to pay $130 for CCD last year for my seven year old. I'm wondering if I need to scrape this together again this year or if providing a portfolio from homeschooling is enough? Guess I should get on calling them, like tomorrow!?!
__________________
Leah
RamFaminNOVA
Tom ^i^, Kyle (my Marine), Adeline '00, Wyatt '05, Isaac '07 Philip '08,Michael '10, and John Xavier Feb '13
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Michaela
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2052
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 10:03am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow.
May God forgive me for the bad thoughts I've had about our program. Such a great lesson for me!
There is no charge at our parish and the children are fed a buffet breakfast before class.
I honestly had no idea.
__________________
Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
juststartn
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007
Location: Oklahoma
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1321
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 11:22am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow. That's ridiculous!
I mean, being educated about the faith *is* priceless, but for Pete's sake, I can (and do, and WILL, God willing) do my dc's religious education at home...(don't get me started, I was mentally soapboxing at 3 am vs the RE leader here at our new parish  ).
And I can do it for FAR less than *THAT*!!!!!
Grrrr.
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
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LisaD
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 27 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 526
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 11:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Our program is $75 per child, plus an extra fee (can't remember what it is right now, but I think around $20) for sacramental years. I was pretty disappointed in the materials used the one year my dd participated in our RE program.
I need to meet with our DRE to see if I can prepare my ds for his FHC at home, yet still have him make his FHC with the children in the parish. There has been much opposition to this in the past, and if they tell me I can't do that then he'll make his FHC with our homeschool group at another parish. That would make me sad, as I would like my children to receive their sacraments at our home parish.
__________________
~Lisa
Mama to dd(99), ds(01), ds(03) and ds(06)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
12stars
Forum Pro
Joined: April 25 2008
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 372
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lisa,
I am right there with you. I have to pay $40 per child and have to teach so I can get that rate.
__________________
Claudia in Southern California
Wife to George,
Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CatholicMommy
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2007
Location: Indiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1254
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I checked our rates:$30/year for one child, $40/year for 2 children, and $50/year for 3+ children. And even the rate for ONE child does not cover the books they use, let alone any other portion of the expenses... But hopefully expenses will be lower next year since not all of the books will have to re-purchased - however even then, the charge won't cover costs... I wish there was another way to do it - but if families have a hard time paying, we work something out.
Which all reminds me that I have two messages from homeschooling families who want to homeschool RE this year and need some direction (first time for both of them). I am of course very supportive of it! Wish all DRES were....
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
PDyer
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Ohio
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1043
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 5:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We haven't done PSR for several years, so I had to go look up the fees. One child - $30, two children - $45, three children - $65, four children - $80.
ETA I wonder if they will want me to pay the fee when we prepare Madeline for FHC at home using our own materials. That'll be a question to ask at registration. I was told they want me to register her for homestudy PSR so they can keep track of sacramental records. I wonder how it's all going to pan out...
__________________
Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
pipandpuddy
Forum Rookie
Joined: June 13 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 70
|
| Posted: Aug 18 2008 at 10:25pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
At my parish, religious instruction is free for all children who wish to participate. Karen
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: CCD questions
