I took a 7 month hiatus from this blog... I'll be honest, I just didn't feel like writing much throughout the spring and I was so busy this summer it was easy to dismiss. Since the last blog post I have finished a complete year of youth ministry, took my teens on Alive in You and got married! It's been an exciting time, although it still get a little sad when I read the last post.
I decided to write again today because of something so many people have been saying recently. Parents, co-workers, friends, people on the internet... I can't tell you how many times recently I have heard the phrase, "I really wish I could have sent my kids to Catholic School, but I just couldn't." And then they get this horrible guilty face and start explaining, "we had four kids, we lived far away, money was tight..." As if they did some terrible thing to their children for not sending them to private school.
I'll say right now that Catholic school is awesome. I know that from knowing so many people that attended them. I've met and admired so many people from Blessed Trinity, Marist, St. Pius, Pinecrest, Bishop Dunne, Cistercian... etc. etc. etc. I think that the amount of emphasis the Catholic Church puts on education is extraordinary. It's beautiful how much people really care about the youth of the church and their schooling. Catholic School Teachers are outstanding and talking to some at my youth ministry functions really inspire me.
But it's not the end of the world if your kid does not get to experience that. That's why my job exists!
I've been saying so much of my adult life that if I went to Catholic School, I don't think I would be Catholic today. That surprises a lot of people because you know how obsessed I am with being Catholic! But I'm someone who has to be different from everyone else. I wore a water bottle on my head in high school. I made jewelry out of bottle caps and trash. I still haven't read Harry Potter because too many other people have already. It's a curse, I have to be different wherever I go. When I lived in Georgia I clung to being a New England fan and reminding everyone I was born in California. Now that I'm in Texas I cling to all that is Atlanta. I'm not myself unless I'm being unique.
I don't think my faith could have flourished unless I was constantly challenged by my classmates at Northview. I wanted to be the "token Catholic" in all of my classes, especially when in the Religion program at UGA. I don't do well in a place where everyone agrees with me.
I know plenty of diverse Catholic schools and I know I could have had a great experience at one. But I don't know if my peers could have challenged me like my peers at my public high school. I remember wanting to punch someone who was a loud pro-choice voice in one of my classes (sorry to admit it!) I remember not having a topic for my persuasive speech in AP Lang and when I looked at the sign-up sheet I saw someone was speaking about how organized religion was not necessary for a faith life. I immediately wrote my topic down, "Why organized religion is necessary." I remember the look on my Dad's face when he came home and saw I had put 7 pro-life bumper stickers on my car. He came upstairs and said, "since when did the pro-life Gestapo move in?" It propelled me to be that much more active (sorry Daddy!).
Let's be honest- we all know someone who got burnt out from Catholic School and left the church for awhile. My own mom did. But when she came back to the church the best thing she did was sign my sister and me up for CCD. Because I think any Catholic school principal will tell you- belonging to a Church is much more important than belonging to a school. My faith life flourished when my mom taught me as a Catechist on Wednesday nights or for a week in the summer. Seeing HER put the effort into caring for my spirituality and the spirituality of my classmates really made a difference. She helped start CHAMPS for 4th and 5th graders and signed me up for activities all through middle school at the church. YMCA lock-ins and silly dinners told me that the church was an awesome place to hang out and make friends while still learning so much about my faith.
My faith life really exploded when I got into High School Youth Ministry. Everyone there inspired me. I had such a strong example of holy people right at my home parish. These were the people I looked up to. These were the people that motivated me to talk to God, go on retreats, be pro-life, be chaste and start to take a leadership position in my youth group. These were the people that changed my life and kept me Catholic.
That's where I found my religion: my church! I know, minds are blown.
If you live in an area with bad public schools and have the opportunity to send your kids to Catholic school than I say do it. If you were totally changed by your private school experience and want that for your kids I think that's awesome. But no one will judge you if you don't. Or if they do judge you, I don't believe God will.
I believe that God knows what's best for everyone, especially our youth. Some kids need the structure and stability of a religious school. Some kids will rebel from every aspect of it. Do not feel guilty if you didn't send your kids to Catholic School. Faith life 1. Starts at home and 2. Can flourish anywhere in everyday life. You have not failed your family if your child graduates with a secular diploma. I don't know where I would be in life if I didn't have one.
Reflection: If I was forced to wear a uniform I think I would have come to school with crazy jewelry or unusual socks or SOMETHING to make me different. I did wear skirts over jeans my freshman year... maybe I would have rocked that look with my plaid skirt.
Lesson Learned: Wanting to listen to Ludacris is hard when you work at a church...
