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My neighbor and I are really close. She has a 15 year old sophmore in highschool. She sends him to a Catholic school.
This school doesn't contain just Catholic students. There are kids from other relgious backgrounds such as baptist, muslim, etc,etc.
Anyhow, she was telling me how the health teacher there is trying to force the kids to pray.
At the beginning of each class, she starts off with a prayer, which I find great. Yet, she wants them all to pray outloud, some pray to themselves and follow along, others outloud.
Anyhow,she says, you need to pray along and he replies saying "Prayer should be something you want to do, not forced upon" the Teacher replies saying "this is a catholic school"
Despite the fact of it being a catholic school, I think children should be given the option to pray quietly to themselves.
Your opinions?
I believe that most catholic schools have required religion classes and I would expect that students might pray in those. I don't think that praying in an academic class is usually required nor do I think that a health teacher should be forcing the kids to pray in that kind of class, but it would depend upon the school's policies.
In Ontario, one Catholic high school has put in a Muslim prayer space for its Muslim students. I find that odd, but it was done.
KILKENNY, Ireland, MAY 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Teaching prayer in Catholic schools is not an extra feature, but rather an essential part of the institutions, which children have a right to receive, said Cardinal Sean Brady.
Apparently some high schools do pray at the beginning of each class and I would expect this to be a Catholic prayer as it is in a Catholic school. There are traditional catholic prayers taught to students in these schools.
Our family is not Catholic. What expectations does CHS have for non-Catholic students?
Catholic High is respectful of other faith traditions, and asks all students to be respectful of the Catholic faith. All students are encouraged to be contributing members of whatever faith tradition to which they belong. However, all Catholic High School students take a full-credit religion course each year and attend liturgies and retreats.
My neighbor and I are really close. She has a 15 year old sophmore in highschool. She sends him to a Catholic school.
This school doesn't contain just Catholic students. There are kids from other relgious backgrounds such as baptist, muslim, etc,etc.
Anyhow, she was telling me how the health teacher there is trying to force the kids to pray.
At the beginning of each class, she starts off with a prayer, which I find great. Yet, she wants them all to pray outloud, some pray to themselves and follow along, others outloud.
Anyhow,she says, you need to pray along and he replies saying "Prayer should be something you want to do, not forced upon" the Teacher replies saying "this is a catholic school"
Despite the fact of it being a catholic school, I think children should be given the option to pray quietly to themselves.
Your opinions?
People's opinions don't matter. The nature of a religious school is that in terms of the religion, they can do it any way they want and people can deal with it or leave. In this case, it does seem odd (I went to Catholic school), so if I were a parent and didn't like the teacher's religious ideas then I would speak to the administration of the school about it. Usually the administrator is a priest and would have the final say over how questions of religious practice are handled in the school.
As the parent of 4 that went to Catholic schools, and my husband and I also products of the Catholic education system, and I served on our school board at our parish school when my kids were in school. The Catholic religion is a required class in the school system. As a parent you chose the school for your child, and when you get the information upon enrollment it is clearly stated in that info that students will be taught and follow the beliefs of the Catholic faith. Not only do I support the Catholic education system, I sent my children to the schools for not only an excellent education but to also reinforce what we were teaching in our home.
In answer to the OP's question, yes the teacher can force the child to pray when all the other students are praying. And, attending Mass when required during school time the student must attend mass with the rest of the student body.
Not necessarily - I went to Catholic school, and the stated rule was that non-Catholics did not have to pray or take communion, but they did need to attend religious classes, masses, etc., and be quiet and respectful during those activities. So praying out loud would never have been required, but paying attention or sitting quietly would have been. I think forcing someone who is not Catholic to pray out loud if they didn't want to would not be something that all Catholic clergy would support.
I aswell went to a Catholic Highschool. Taking relgion was mandortory. It was also mentioned in the contract and in the handbook. What was not mentioned is a requirement that all kids pray. It's also not required that kids recite prayers in a class that is other than relgion.
Having said that........ I also mentioned that the school has people from other religious denominations and ethnic backgrounds.
Therefore, it should not be forced.
Catholic school or not, does anybody else find it odd and control-freak like to try to force someone to pray?
My neighbor and I are really close. She has a 15 year old sophmore in highschool. She sends him to a Catholic school.
This school doesn't contain just Catholic students. There are kids from other relgious backgrounds such as baptist, muslim, etc,etc.
Anyhow, she was telling me how the health teacher there is trying to force the kids to pray.
At the beginning of each class, she starts off with a prayer, which I find great. Yet, she wants them all to pray outloud, some pray to themselves and follow along, others outloud.
Anyhow,she says, you need to pray along and he replies saying "Prayer should be something you want to do, not forced upon" the Teacher replies saying "this is a catholic school"
Despite the fact of it being a catholic school, I think children should be given the option to pray quietly to themselves.
Your opinions?
Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and atheists should not attend Catholic Schools.
Would one be forced to pray in a Madrasa? I'm betting yes. Would a Catholic or a Jew be welcomed at a Madrasa? I'm guessing "Hell NO!".
Would we expect an atheist to enroll in a Catholic or any parochial school and demand they change to accomodate their beliefs?
WOuld we attend a Muslim school and refuse to face Mecca and follow their traditions?
I aswell went to a Catholic Highschool. Taking relgion was mandortory. It was also mentioned in the contract and in the handbook. What was not mentioned is a requirement that all kids pray. It's also not required that kids recite prayers in a class that is other than relgion.
Having said that........ I also mentioned that the school has people from other religious denominations and ethnic backgrounds.
Therefore, it should not be forced.
Catholic school or not, does anybody else find it odd and control-freak like to try to force someone to pray?
I actually find your statement here a little irritating. Catholic schools are supposed to teach students to live their faith. This does begin and end in religion class. One of the main reasons many families send their kids to Catholic schools is so that their kids can practice their religion in school. This does not need to be in a handbook anymore than the expectation that children be nice to one another. These are just part of being in such an environment.
Also, your mention of ethnic background makes no sense. People of any ethnicity can be Catholic. As for other religious denominations, these families have to understand it is a Catholic school. This would be like entering a synagogue and being annoyed that they are not altering their procedures because someone who is not Jewish decided to attend that day. Catholics often pray aloud together. A number of the prayers actually are used by other Christian religions too, so for them it is not a big deal either.
I actually find your statement here a little irritating. Catholic schools are supposed to teach students to live their faith. This does begin and end in religion class. One of the main reasons many families send their kids to Catholic schools is so that their kids can practice their religion in school. This does not need to be in a handbook anymore than the expectation that children be nice to one another. These are just part of being in such an environment.
Also, your mention of ethnic background makes no sense. People of any ethnicity can be Catholic. As for other religious denominations, these families have to understand it is a Catholic school. This would be like entering a synagogue and being annoyed that they are not altering their procedures because someone who is not Jewish decided to attend that day. Catholics often pray aloud together. A number of the prayers actually are used by other Christian religions too, so for them it is not a big deal either.
Not always true. Alot of parents send their kids to Catholic school because they believe the enviroment and education is better.
Prayer is a coversation between you and God that you iniated willing because you believe you need to talk to God, not someone else telling you to do it.
And that's the way it should be.
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