Conservative Catholic family moving to Austin- Bad idea? (Dallas, Lakeway: home, schools)

[decisions2009]

Hi,

My husband and I want a scenic, waterfront and safe home to move to in Texas. We're currently in Dallas and find it both not pretty and a lack of things to do once we have kids. We fell in love with Austin, it's beautiful and has so many things to do... but we're afraid it might be a bit too liberal for us from what we hear.

I want my kids to be raised in a good community with great family values-not necessarily Catholic, but just with good (more on the conservative side) family values. However, we'd also like to be a part of a nice Catholic community, where families of the same faith get together. Is this doable in Austin? We were looking at Vineyard Bay..any thoughts?

My other question which might seem stupid is: Is Austin headed to be the next San Francisco? There's nothing wrong with SF...just not the type of environment I want my kids to be raised in.

FYI: I'm not a fanatic and I'm not fond of the religious fanatic of any sort. But I am conservative and would like my kids to be raised in such an environment.

Thank you so much for any help!

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by decisions2009

Hi,

My husband and I want a scenic, waterfront and safe home to move to in Texas. We're currently in Dallas and find it both not pretty and a lack of things to do once we have kids. We fell in love with Austin, it's beautiful and has so many things to do... but we're afraid it might be a bit too liberal for us from what we hear.

I want my kids to be raised in a good community with great family values-not necessarily Catholic, but just with good (more on the conservative side) family values. However, we'd also like to be a part of a nice Catholic community, where families of the same faith get together. Is this doable in Austin? We were looking at Vineyard Bay..any thoughts?

My other question which might seem stupid is: Is Austin headed to be the next San Francisco? There's nothing wrong with SF...just not the type of environment I want my kids to be raised in.

FYI: I'm not a fanatic and I'm not fond of the religious fanatic of any sort. But I am conservative and would like my kids to be raised in such an environment.

Thank you so much for any help!

Like any mid sized city, Austin has areas for everyone. Austin isnt even close to being as liberal as SF. I would say the suburbs are generally conservative.

[Exiled Texan]

There are Catholic Churches here. We are every sunday practicing Catholics, but besides going to church every Sunday, we don't do much beyond that. WE are also more reform thinking Catholics (i.e., support gay rights, think women should have a more equal role in the church, etc.)

We've been to St. Austins, St. Theresas and St. Louis. We like St. Louis the best. The priest isn't as liberal as us, but is very dynamic.

[mimimomx3]

If being 'conservative' means 'intolerant', then no- Austin is not for you. Austin has a very relaxed, live and let live kind of feel to it. You might see gay people walking around, or mixed couples, or bohemian types. If that bothers you, then maybe Austin isn't so good for you. There are plenty of Catholic churches and schools, though.

[doctorjef]

Austin doesn't have the conservative mentality that most of Dallas has, thank goodness! If you want to be amongst fellow conservatives, I suggest you locate yourselves out in Williamson County somewhere. You seem very sensitive to so-called liberal and conservative issues, and asking if Austin is on its way to be the next SF is just silly and out of touch IMO. Actually, if you must reside in Travis County and adversely affect the voting patterns there, you will find quite a lot of fellow conservative/Republican types out in the areas of far south Austin (not south-central). You might look at Circle C or Shady Hollow. I know when I lived in the latter that there were a disturbingly large number of Republican campaign signs in people's yards. Circle C would be within St Catherine of Sienna parish if you wanted to go to the local RC church. In any event, Austin has plenty of large, active and vibrant RC parishes and a couple of nonparochial churches operated by religious orders (St Austin's down by UT and Our Lady of Guadalupe over on in East Austin).

[CarnivalGal]

St. Emmaus is a large Catholic church in Lakeway, near Vineyard Bay. And Austin isn't nearly as liberal as it likes to think it is. It's not as conservative as Dallas, generally speaking, but it's no San Francisco either.

But I would like to say that if you don't think there's a lot to do with kids in Dallas, then you're really going to think there's nothing to do in Austin. Dallas has a lot more options IMO.

[ritterbride]

OR, if you would like your family to have strong values, then Austin is the place. They will learn to value everyone regardless of their religion, ethnicity, relationship preference or economic status. They will play outside, in parks, rather than in malls like Dallas. They will value education, nature and their community more than the latest handbag or status symbol of the moment. I am from north Dallas so I have a full understanding of life their vs. Austin, and I think that you will raise much healthier children here by a long shot. If you choose to live here-- outside of Williamson county-- I think you will be much happier, and your children will much higher self esteem and learn to become productive individuals in this environment.

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Austin doesn't have the conservative mentality that most of Dallas has, thank goodness! If you want to be amongst fellow conservatives, I suggest you locate yourselves out in Williamson County somewhere. You seem very sensitive to so-called liberal and conservative issues, and asking if Austin is on its way to be the next SF is just silly and out of touch IMO. Actually, if you must reside in Travis County and adversely affect the voting patterns there, you will find quite a lot of fellow conservative/Republican types out in the areas of far south Austin (not south-central). You might look at Circle C or Shady Hollow. I know when I lived in the latter that there were a disturbingly large number of Republican campaign signs in people's yards. Circle C would be within St Catherine of Sienna parish if you wanted to go to the local RC church. In any event, Austin has plenty of large, active and vibrant RC parishes and a couple of nonparochial churches operated by religious orders (St Austin's down by UT and Our Lady of Guadalupe over on in East Austin).

Ack. I can't believe this post. There are plenty of Catholics, and not just the fake reform thinking ones driving around with Obama bumperstickers. There are lots of devout catholics all around Austin. This posters post is kind of rude, don't think most people in Austin are like that. You are not silly and out of touch by any means.

St. Austin's down by UT is a very LIBERAL catholic church. If you tend to be a by the book catholic, that area is not for you. Circle C and Meridian in SW Austin would be perfect but there are many other great areas in Austin as well for catholics. Welcome, welcome. This city isn't as liberal as many would like you to believe.

[doctorjef]

As you see, the culture wars are alive and well in Austin, though the voting patterns will show that conservatives are on the losing side there. BTW, did I say there weren't a lot of RC parishes in Austin? Quite the opposite. The previous poster seems to have conflated my post with someone else's, although I think we've all said that Austin has a relatively large RC population.

[doctorjef]

Look, let me pose my point about Austin another way: Austin is in Texas -- isn't that conservative enough for you?