Yes. I think this is part and parcel with a lot of what I see in my own diocese- the requirement stays at the lowest common denominator, and those families and parishioners who are faithful and practicing bear the brunt of the requirements and structures- e.g. mandatory baptism classes even if this is your 3rd, 4th, 5th child and the family is active and engaged at the parish, and raising their kids in the faith.
The article made me cringe just a tad bit. I don't like it when our Church gets controlling of families. But I did want to reply to your comment on CCD being a place for children to meet eachother. Yes, that is a fundamental part of theological education. Theology is "reality" and in that sense it is also a "lived experience" ...the more Christians get to know one another and their experiences in the world, the closer we grow to a deeper conversion and understanding of theology. It needs to start at a young age.
In my parish, the public, private, and homeschool kids meet each other after Mass and run around in the woods with sticks (or wander around and talk to each other, or take over picnic tables and eat together). I don't think they're missing out on that part. I suspect that kids that only see each other in CCD classes are, since they're in class, not socializing.
You simply can't teach all of life in an hour a week - and you're not supposed to. You're supposed to teach catechism for an hour a week and let them learn the rest of life by doing life.
I don't think the point of CCD is for children to meet each other. The point is to come to know, love and serve God better.
The quality of CCD teachers is varied at best.
I think your average home school family will do a far superior job teaching the faith and integrating it into a child's daily life.
Yes. I think this is part and parcel with a lot of what I see in my own diocese- the requirement stays at the lowest common denominator, and those families and parishioners who are faithful and practicing bear the brunt of the requirements and structures- e.g. mandatory baptism classes even if this is your 3rd, 4th, 5th child and the family is active and engaged at the parish, and raising their kids in the faith.
The article made me cringe just a tad bit. I don't like it when our Church gets controlling of families. But I did want to reply to your comment on CCD being a place for children to meet eachother. Yes, that is a fundamental part of theological education. Theology is "reality" and in that sense it is also a "lived experience" ...the more Christians get to know one another and their experiences in the world, the closer we grow to a deeper conversion and understanding of theology. It needs to start at a young age.
In my parish, the public, private, and homeschool kids meet each other after Mass and run around in the woods with sticks (or wander around and talk to each other, or take over picnic tables and eat together). I don't think they're missing out on that part. I suspect that kids that only see each other in CCD classes are, since they're in class, not socializing.
You simply can't teach all of life in an hour a week - and you're not supposed to. You're supposed to teach catechism for an hour a week and let them learn the rest of life by doing life.