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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 07 2009 at 10:01am | IP Logged
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Our family went to breakfast at the rectory after Mass yesterday at our new parish and met the parochial vicar for the first time. He was very excited to hear we are homeschooling. He teaches Latin for a large homeschooling family in another part of town. He is very enthusiastic about supporting homeschoolers and attracting new families to the parish (we're pretty much the only family). The pastor is on board with anything orthodox that isn't a lot of work for him.
Starting from scratch with no other families, what would you do? My first thought is to have the parish sponsor a homeschool group and put it in the bulletin with my phone number even if we're the only members for now.
What does your parish do to support homeschoolers?
What do you wish your parish would do to support homeschoolers?
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Paula in MN
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Our parish really doesn't do anything to support homeschoolers, and they also don't do anything to not support homeschoolers. There are less than 10 families who homeschool, and most of us are in the local Christian homeschooling group. Some of us have talked about forming a Catholic group, but that's as far as we've gotten.
Our current Priest is insistent that homeschooler's must attend Faith Formation every year, not just Sacramental years. This is a new "requirement" of his. So, I've decided to be one of the teachers.
I wish our Priest was willing to do a weekly mass for homeschoolers. Also that we could put announcements in the bulletin. We've tried, but he's never approved them. I seriously think part of the problem is his order.
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 Paula
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mom2mpr
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Our parish has the largest number of homeschool families around. And also has a school. And the pastor is not totally supportive of homeschooling.
But, we meld into the parish. We don't have a specific parish homeschool group, we belong to a larger Catholic group with families from a wide geographical radius and parish attendance.
The homeschool families in our parish have started Conquest, Little Flowers, Womens Recollection, etc. And these groups are open to all,even people from other parishes, and most meetings take place at our parish. We homeschoolers connect through our activities at church(and sometimes the big group) and then, if needed, meet for homeschool type activities--like field trips when the other kids are in school.
Our larger homeschool group extends our "Catholic-ness" and we can find, Latin Mass, First Friday masses, All Saints Day celebrations, news of other parish celebrations, CYO sports, etc.
But parish life is for all. So, try starting something and don't segregate yourself. You will be amazed at what happens.
I just met a woman at mass this week who had a child in the school, found they couldn't afford to send her this year and decided to homeschool. The family is so excited. The mom told me the school came back to them last week and said the child could attend for whatever they could pay. They decided that since the kid was so excited about homeschooling, they would decline that offer. They are looking forward to trying it out! We all are looking forward to supporting and helping this mom.
We homeschoolers are the ones there with all our kids at daily mass, service opportunities, the Right to Life prayer services, rosaries, etc. We decrease the average age incredibly at these activities. :)
All this to say, our parish does nothing to support homeschoolers but supports families and kids and lets the families start activities good for the whole parish.
Anne
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Sept 07 2009 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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mom2mpr wrote:
All this to say, our parish does nothing to support homeschoolers but supports families and kids and lets the families start activities good for the whole parish.
Anne |
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Anne,
This last line of your post really sums up kind of where my thinking leans. Our priest is really enthusiastic about someday having things like formal co-op schools run by the parish and things like that. My feeling is that a parish doesn't have to do all that much to support the actual schooling of the children but can do things to support families that really help. But, to attract families to the parish I'd like to do something. Dh and I have researched many neighborhoods over the last few years connected to our moves or possible moves and often the only thing we have to go on parish-wise is a bulletin we were able to read.
But my family is still new to the formal home schooling endeavor so I wanted to check in here to see if more formal support of homeschooling per se is really valued by moms.
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
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CrunchyMom
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There is a pastor in the area who lost his school the year our homeschool group started. He was very enthusiastic in supporting our group and offered to have a First Friday mass at noon for us (after exposition and confessions) with fellowship after the mass in the hall, and he will work with anyone regarding First Communion and Confirmation without doing the formal prep in the parish.
That is really the extent to which anyone in the group anticipates a priest "supporting" homeschooling. It is only a monthly mass, but everyone really enjoys it.
I would think that his making the space available for meetings and events would be huge. This wouldn't necessarily involve him personally, but his support, if there is a decent facility he can offer, is a big help.
If he was "present" that is nice. It is good to have priests involved in fellowship and willing to engage on spiritual matters as well as just good fun. Inviting him to judge an All Saints costume party or something would probably be a fun way he could show support if his schedule permitted.
I think that the more priests get to know homeschooling families, the more they are willing to work with you regarding CCD and formational programs. That can relieve a huge burden from homeschool families who are likely doing their formation as a part of their curriculum and home life anyway.
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stacykay
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I'm looking at the date on this, and don't know if I am responding a month late! or if there is a fluke in the dating?
Anyhoo, on this 7th day of October, we have been extremely blessed!!!! to have not one, but two!, different parish priests ask to meet with our homeschool group (and others who may not belong,) to see what they can do to help us! We have already had the first meeting, with the pastor and pastoral assistant of a large parish that does have a very active k-8 school! They were Wonderful!
We have set up having our First Friday Masses, in which our homeschool group's children take an active part in playing music, lectoring, altar serving, and taking up the gifts.
They have said we do NOT! have to attend ccd for our children to receive the sacraments. They do ask that we use a diocesan-approved program (they use Faith and Life.)
The priest is holding a special altar-serving class for all the boys who want to serve on Fridays and Sundays.
They are open to just about anything and even said they would hold a baccalaureate/graduation mass for the homeschoolers, if we wanted.
The other parish, the priest has offered to meet with the children, give talks on anything we desire, and has even offered Latin classes.
In reading, over the years, of what others have experienced, and even what we have had to deal with in our own hs'ing journey, I know how incredible these priests are to our children and their faith formation (not to mention ours!)
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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guitarnan
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Our co-op wishes we could offer the children the opportunity for Confession each month and Adoration once per semester. This doesn't always work out, sadly. I think if I could ask for one thing from our parish, monthly Confession would be it.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MaryM
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| Posted: Oct 07 2009 at 11:25am | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
I'm looking at the date on this, and don't know if I am responding a month late! or if there is a fluke in the dating?
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Stacy, sorry for any confusion. You probably came to this thread because yesterday there was a post to the thread that reactivated it so it looks like an active topic. That post seemed to need a separate thread since the focus was different and was asking for specific support. That post was moved here. So since that post is no longer in this thread all the posts are a month old though appears as active. But it is good that you have added your experience and others are joining in so it is active again!  I think this is a good topic - it's great to get a broad perspective on homeschoolers are supported (or not) in the various parishes around the world.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Topic: Parish support of homeschooling
