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<\/a><\/p>\nMYTH #1:\u00a0 A Catholic education is only for rich families.<\/strong><\/p>\n Really?!?\u00a0 I\u2019ve never considered myself financially rich.\u00a0 Spiritually, yes, but never financially.\u00a0 The cold, hard truth is we view the tuition payments as a necessary and regular expenditure, much like that of our water bill, our grocery bill and our tithe to the church.\u00a0 For us, it is not a \u201coh, that\u2019s nice to have\u201d but rather a prayerful choice we make every day.<\/p>\n MYTH #2:\u00a0 My kids get the same education in public school or at home.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a tricky one.\u00a0 If you\u2019re just sending your children to Catholic school so you can say they attend a \u201cprivate\u201d school, then you\u2019re doing it for the wrong reasons.\u00a0 For the same reason if you drop your children off at religious education class and place learning the faith solely in the hands of their RE teacher.\u00a0 In a recent letter to the Presidents of Bishops\u2019 Conferences, they had this to say about religious education in schools:<\/p>\n \u201cParents, having given life to their children, are their primary and principal educators<\/strong> (cf. GE<\/a> 3; John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio<\/a><\/em> [FC], 22 November 1981, 36; c. 793 CIC; c. 627 CCEO). For that reason, it is the responsibility of Catholic parents to look after the Christian education of their children<\/strong> (c. 226 CIC; c. 627 CCEO). In this primary task, parents need the subsidiary help of civil society and other institutions. Indeed, \u201cthe family is the primary, but not the only and exclusive educating community<\/strong>\u201d (FC<\/a> 40; cfr GE<\/a> 3).\u201d<\/p>\n [emphasis mine]<\/p>\n Amen, I say! \u00a0We are not an island when it comes to religious education. \u00a0Be an active participant.\u00a0 For us, Catholic school is merely an extension of what they hear on the weekend at Mass and during the week at home.<\/p>\n MYTH #3:\u00a0 Catholic schools are really just a fancy version of a private school.<\/strong><\/p>\n No doubt there are some Catholic schools that fall on the \u201cprivate\u201d end of the spectrum more than the \u201cCatholic\u201d end.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I say: \u00a0choose wisely, just as you would with anything in which you enroll your child.\u00a0 Meet with the principal, observe a classroom setting, ask questions of a current student and family, log on to the school\u2019s website and get a feel for the community, attend a school Mass.\u00a0 Make your decision an informed one.\u00a0 This is your child\u2019s future, your decision should reflect the enormity of that choice.<\/p>\n I can tell you that making the leap to send our children to Catholic school was made long before we ever had children.\u00a0 When they began school, I\u2019ll admit looking at our tax bill and the tuition bill made me a vocal proponent of school vouchers.\u00a0 However, that<\/em> is another blog post!\u00a0 We knew to be fully committed to the school and to a Catholic education, we had to make it a priority.\u00a0 We\u2019ve forgone fancier family vacations, newer cars, eating out on a regular basis and numerous incidentals.\u00a0 The thing is, we haven\u2019t really missed any of those things.\u00a0 We get creative on family outings, our cars get us from point A to point B and eating at home is so much healthier for our pocketbooks and our cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n For those families that say the only thing holding them back is finances, I say, go talk to the principal in person.\u00a0 See if there\u2019s a way to make it work, perhaps spreading out the tuition payments or applying for tuition assistance (there is NO shame in that, folks) could be an option.\u00a0 As a result of\u00a0this past weekend\u2019s Celebrating Catholic Schools event,\u00a0schools in the Diocese of Austin are slated to\u00a0receive approximately\u00a0$70,000 for tuition assistance.<\/p>\n It is our sincere prayer that the daily presence of Christ in the classroom is helping form our whole child\u2014mind, body and spirit.\u00a0 They are being academically challenged, far and above the state-mandated averages.\u00a0 Our class size and smaller school makes that possible.\u00a0 They are challenged physically because every child that tries out is placed on a sports team.\u00a0 We are also vocal proponents of the \u201cPlay Like a Champion\u201d curriculum, created by Notre Dame University, that fosters a Christ-like attitude when coaching, participating and cheering for athletes.\u00a0 Their spirit comes alive in the classroom.\u00a0 The small details of the crucifix hanging in every classroom, priests and sisters walking the hallways and teaching in the classrooms, weekly school Mass and classroom prayer do not go unnoticed.<\/p>\n One story in particular has always touched me.\u00a0 A young elementary student was upset after receiving a low grade on a test.\u00a0 His teacher, seeing his anguish, knelt beside his desk, grasped his hand and prayed with him.\u00a0 Above all other reasons, that is the one that encapsulates our decision to choose Catholic school.\u00a0 For in that moment, Jesus\u2019 compassion entered the classroom and never left.\u00a0 The ultimate Teacher is fully present in our children\u2019s school.\u00a0 That is a precious gift in which no price tag can be placed.<\/p>\n If you’d like to learn more about Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin, log on to\u00a0www.csdatx.org<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"