Yesterday, we began a family read-aloud of A Heart for Europe (a poignant and heart-rending history of the last Catholic emperor, Emperor Charles and his beloved wife, Empress Zita) to accompany our current studies on World War I. In addition, we will recap the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima (already known well by my own children, since ours is a "Fatima-centric" family), possibly using Warren Carroll's book entitled 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle. This is our teens' second cycle in the study of world history, including the message of Fatima, together with research into the tragic fate of the Romanov's and the mystery of the Grand Duchess Anastasia.
There are many ways to "Keep It Catholic" in our studies; we just need to do a little searching, perhaps paying attention to timelines we can keep in our own minds. Although the following remark could be applied to all history, the years 1900 and onward are so compelling on a spiritual level, because (in addition to all that even secular history teaches) there lived the great saint, Pope Pius X, who - for reasons known only to God - died when human frailty would judge he was most needed as World War I began; in 1917, the apparitions and the all-important message and miracle at Fatima took place, followed by the horrid Bolshevik Revolution, the murder of the Royal Family of Russia, the allegations of England's betrayal in failing to assist the Czar and Czarina - extended members of their own family! Then came end-of-war negotiations and the unjust and overzealous punishment of Germany, which led to WWII (a lesson to victors that injustice eventually returns to those meting out the injustice), and the Great Depression in the US.
In Europe, the "night illuminated by a great unknown light" foretelling war and persecution manifested itself on the eve of WWII (just as Our Lady of Fatima warned); a great evil arose in Europe through the hands of Hitler and Stalin and Lenin; the A-Bomb was invented and detonated, thus ending WWII but causing unbelievable human suffering to the innocent civilians in Japan; in short, the world's pace stepped up considerably from brisk to frantic and chaotic.
And that is why Our Lady of Fatima came to the world in 1917. It was heaven's wish to avert all those tragedies; all heaven needed was our cooperation. Heaven is still waiting for our total cooperation, most especially by the Holy Father and the bishops when they collegially offer the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Only then will this tragic door of history be closed, to be joyfully replaced by an era of peace promised by Our Blessed Mother herself.
Of course, I haven't mentioned other historic happenings of the first four decades of the 20 century, like the sinking of the Titanic or the Lusitania or the Dust Bowl Years, or the evil Nazi attempts to annihilate whole races. Nor have I mentioned Cardinal Mindsentzy, the fate of Hungary, the communist take-over of China, the Truman years, the Bay of Pigs, or the dim memories of my own childhood revolving around the Vietnam War or Watergate. The point is - these things are not really ancient history (though it may seem so to us) but are a continuing line of events in the temporal order, leading to our own time in history. We must never forget the spiritual lessons of that same history. We must not forget the solution that Our Lady of Fatima gave us. It is the wish of heaven, the command of God and His Mother: Consecrate Russia, who has spread her errors throughout the world!
Until then - and even then - we must pray, study and act. In our homes and homeschools, we must pray for perseverance, we must study to acquire (or nurture) our Catholic conscience in history. (Have you read your Belloc lately?)
We must heed the Church's doctrines, especially those in regard to Catholic education. Once we humbly accept our need to "Keep it Catholic", we should seek out more Catholic resources, like the two mentioned above, and others like For Altar and Throne (the historical narrative of the Vendee - that small band of faithful Catholics of the cataclysmic French Revolution), Trianon and Madame Royale (both by Elena Marie Vidal - please don't miss these two!).
As we study history, we will find that we no longer see things with a "Catholic perspective" (which is a false notion) but rather with an informed Catholic conscience that understands history from within the bosom of Christendom, even if the walls of Western civilization are crumbling.
The one over-all truth that Catholic history teaches us is that God is with us, despite ourselves, but also that He also leaves mankind to his own devices when he becomes arrogant. (As the only creatures made in God's likeness and image, and on a whole, we human beings simply do not learn the lessons of history.) History teaches us that we needed a Redeemer and that we will always need Him. God keeps letting us re-learn the lesson.
Let us always pray for perseverance, not only for in persevering with our Catholic homeschools, but in learning what we must be and what we must do to persevere unto the end.
(First posted January 13, 2005 to the original blog, Keeping It Catholic - with Marianna Bartold)
Showing posts with label Keeping It Catholic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Keeping It Catholic. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
A Catholic Code of Chivalry
The following article, which comes from Keeping It Catholic's The Return of the King: A Catholic Study Guide, centers on the noble Catholic Code of Chivalry by Syler Womack. (Please Note: The Return of the King Catholic Study Guide is scheduled for republication.)
A Catholic Code of Chivalry
by Syler Womack
"For lo, the kingdom of God is within you."
(Luke XVIII: 20, 21)
“The world is all grown strange…
How shall a man judge what to do
in such times?” asked Eomer.
“As he ever has judged,” said Aragorn.
“Good and ill have not changed since
yesteryear; nor are they one thing
among Elves and Dwarves and
another among Men.
It is a man’s part to discern them,
as much in the Golden Wood
as in his own house.”
-from The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
From the Shire to The Prancing Pony in Bree, from Weathertop to Rivendell, Moria and Lorien, from Helm’s Deep to the horrors of Isengard and Mordor, from Osgiliath and the Pelennor Fields to Minas Tirith, the saga of Middle Earth constitutes an ongoing parable. The epic’s charisma may be the underlying, perhaps unconscious, factor that its heroes and heroines recall the Age of Chivalry, an era possessing a standard and a code by which to live.
Years ago, Syler Womack, mother of five (three sons and two daughters) and a Catholic homeschooling veteran, adapted the following Code of Chivalry from the original work by Mr. Brian Rice, medieval expert.
“I read this to them at least once a week, with fervor,” says Mrs. Womack.” I wanted it committed to their hearts, souls, blood and sinew.”
It is not only a fitting conclusion to a Catholic study of LotR but also a Code, reflecting the Ten Commandments that we might seek to restore in our own day. ~MCB
+Prowess: To seek excellence in all endeavors expected of a knight, martial and otherwise, seeking strength to be used in the service of justice, rather than in personal aggrandizement.
+Justice: Seek always the path of 'right', unencumbered by bias or personal interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by mercy, as God commands. If the 'right' you see rings true to the teachings of the Church, and you seek it out without bending to the temptation for expediency, then you will earn renown beyond measure. Be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil. Destroy Evil in all its monstrous forms. Avenge the wronged.
+Loyalty: Perform scrupulously your feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. Never lie; remain faithful to your pledged word. Remain faithful and true to God and to those to whom you owe fidelity. Obey the laws of Chivalry, and all those of King and country which are not contrary to the laws of God. Never abandon or betray a friend, ally, or worthy cause.
+Defense: Seek always to defend and love your native land, your family, and those whom you believe worthy of loyalty. Defend the weak and innocent. Respect and protect women. Respect all those weaker than yourself, and constitute yourself their defender. Crush the monsters that steal our land and rob our people and defile our women. Defend the young and the old, and have reverence for life.
+Courage: Do not recoil from your enemy. Be prepared to sacrifice all in the service of God and virtue. Fight with prudence, but with courage. Never attack an unarmed foe. Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack. Never attack from behind. Exhibit courage in word and deed. Fight with honor and courage, even in the face of fear. Be Just and Merciful in victory. Do not torture. Die with valor.
+Faith: A knight must be devout in his Faith, for, apart from Salvation, faith roots him and gives hope against the despair that human failings create. He must obey and defend the Holy Catholic Church. Make war against the infidel without cessation and without mercy.
+Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all who call themselves knights.
+Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required. Be a benefactor to the poor, especially widows and orphans. Respect the special grace and dignity of those who strive in poverty through no fault of their own. Remember that stewardship requires you to care for and use with kindness all living creatures.
+Nobility: Live your life so that it is worthy of respect and honour. Do not lie. Do not cheat. Live for Freedom, Justice and all that is good. Exhibit self-control, respect for authority, and love of duty. Do your duty in all things. You can not expect to do more. You should never wish to do less. Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a knight, realizing that the quality of striving towards these ennobles the spirit, and refines it to take its place in Heaven. Nobility influences others and uplifts the weaker man by your example.
+Chastity: Keep yourself chaste for the sake of her whom you love. Do not choose to love one whom a natural sense of shame forbids you to marry. Be modest, polite and courteous at all times, and seek always to serve and protect women.
+Courtesy: Seek always to be polite, mannerly, respectful, and reverent. Cherish, as far as duty allows, the comfort of all you meet.
+Integrity: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is Right. Do not restrict Chivalry to individual areas of your life, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Strive to become so infused with this code that your every action follows smoothly and naturally and without thought or consideration, so that any deviation from the Code becomes an outrage and an abomination to you. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue.
("A Catholic Code of Chivalry," Copyright Syler Womack with All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprinted with permission herein and in Keeping It Catholic’s "Return of the King Catholic Study Guide," Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The Real Scoop on KIC
From time to time, someone will alert me or one of my Keeping It Catholic (KIC) list moderators to another blog, board or list discussion which only serves to obfuscate others about KIC’s mission or its stance on certain topics. Although I’m made aware of most of these exchanges, I refrain from involvement with them. However, after a decade of hearing of the same old misconceptions, I decided it was best to clear the air – at least once.
The subject was Catholic Homeschooling, discovered on another board, and the very first message introducing the topic also brought up erroneous ideas [stated as fact] about KIC:
What does this [e.g. - Catholic homeschooling] mean to you? All texts being Catholic? Catholicism infused into every subject? God's truth in all things? There is great debate in the Catholic homeschool movement over this. Some (like Keeping it Catholic) state that everything must be Catholic in text and content) and recommend programs such as OLV and Seton. Others say using your own style (and your child's) is fine and take a much more relaxed approach, pulling in books from all sources and making sure to include God's truths in all areas. I know Keeping it Catholic also proclaims things such as Charlotte Mason homeschooling is heretical along with Montessori homeschooling and are to be avoided. What is your take?
A few posts followed – including two from a KIC list moderator who corrected the misconceptions aired about KIC. At that point, I decided it was time that I also enter the discussion.
For future reference, the following clarification was my response:
As the founder of Keeping It Catholic (KIC), I appreciate the opportunity to respond to what appears to be some common but erroneous assumptions in regard to our apologetics on the Christian education of youth.
As the KIC home page at www.keepingitcatholic.org states: “Our general mission is to share and defend the Catholic Church's perennial teachings, especially those in regard to marriage and education. KIC's special focus is Catholic education at home, also known as Catholic homeschooling. Because we are faithful Catholics, our philosophy is the authentic philosophy of the Catholic Church - that is, it is scholastic. KIC imitates the Catholic Action apostolate of old, adopting its motto as our own: Pray. Study. Act.”
With that said, please note that it is not KIC’s intention to share opinions in regard to the noble task of Catholic education. Rather, KIC is guided by, and consistently points to, Divini Illius Magistri (1929), which teaches and expands upon the Church’s doctrine on Christian Education.
In regard to the first entry’s remark about KIC on Charlotte Mason:
One of KIC’s web pages, entitled “ ‘Catholicizing’ Charlotte Mason” features excerpts from one of my books (Keeping It Catholic's Home Education Guide, Vol. 1), in which ten or more pages outline Mason’s errors. To elucidate further, Divini Illius Magistri and other papal teachings collectively make clear various truths as well as condemned errors (e.g., heresies). A great number of the latter form the basis of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy.
Divini Illius Magistri (#18) declares that “every form of instruction, no less than every human action, has a necessary connection with man’s last end, and therefore cannot be withdrawn from the dictates of the divine law, of which the Church is guardian, interpreter and infallible mistress.”
In opposition to this doctrine, Mason claimed her educational methods (which were, in truth, an entire system of child upbringing and education) were based on natural law, which was unfortunately subjected to her personal opinions and interpretations. Mason’s Educational System covered almost everything - how a child should be brought up, how to train children in habit, how to clothe a child, with what materials a child should be clothed, how much free time a child should enjoy, and how to give the child various opportunities.
In reality, Mason was expounding on her philosophy, which was rife with various heresies, including – but not limited to - the heresy of rationalism (which is the false belief that reason is sufficient without the truth of the Catholic faith), the heresy of pantheism (which is the belief that God is somehow immanent in Nature and NOT to be sought outside it), the heresy of naturalism (which denies that which is not evident to the senses), the heresy of humanism (the advancement of the human race without need of God.), and, last but not least, the heresy of Romanticism (which denies absolute truth but relies solely on an exaggeration sentimentalism or affectation).
As for an educational system based on naturalism, the Church is also clear:
“Hence every form of pedagogic naturalism which in any way excludes or weakens supernatural Christian formation in the teaching of youth, is false. Every method of education founded, wholly or in part, on the denial or forgetfulness of original sin and of grace, and relying on the sole powers of human nature, is unsound. Such, generally speaking, are those modern systems bearing various names which appeal to a pretended self-government and unrestrained freedom on the part of the child, and which diminish or even suppress the teacher's authority and action, attributing to the child an exclusive primacy of initiative, and an activity independent of any higher law, natural or divine, in the work of his education. (#60, Divini Illus Magistri) In this one paragraph alone, Mason’s entire philosophy of education is revealed as “false” and “unsound.”
Mason’s notions on “mother culture” issues not from the Church’s teachings on the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony, but from Protestant and secular worldviews. (For more on this topic, please see the KIC blog entry entitled “Charlotte Mason – For Whose Sake?”)* In truth, the parental vocation to beget and educate children for God’s sake is attained only by the means of supernatural grace, which come from the Sacraments of the Church, our Mater et Magistra (Mother and Teacher).In other words, those supernatural graces help Catholic mothers and fathers raise their children with supernatural "mother culture"!
But Mason, a Protestant enraptured with Jean Jacques Rousseau and other heretical philosophers, cared nothing for the true Church. In fact, there is compelling evidence that she despised it. Her desire was for a set of her own followers, for she wrote: “No man sets himself up for a following of disciples who does not wish to indoctrinate these with certain principles or, at the least, maxims (rules of life). He who would draw disciples does not trust to force but to these three things: to the attraction of his doctrine, to the persuasion of his presentation, and to the enthusiasm of his disciples.”
Mason knew how to attract and persuade in her own time but, unfortunately, her false doctrines are still met with enthusiasm today. She developed her own maxims, which she called her “18 Articles of Education,” and which our contemporary Protestant adherents call Mason’s “18 Articles of Education Faith” (my emphasis). To provide just one example: In Mason’s 17th Article of Education, she insisted children must be taught that their chief responsibility is the acceptance or rejection of initial ideas. Compare that to the Church’s doctrine that our chief responsibility as Catholics is to accomplish the will of God.
It is no mere coincidence that Charlotte Mason chose words like “disciples,” “indoctrinate” and “doctrine.” She had her own reasons for her educational “doctrine,” but they were not to bring children to God. No, Mason had another god – the god of SCIENCE.
Mason looked to science as the arbiter (e.g. - the final judge) of all truth. In fact, Mason often mentioned what she called “the science of relations.” What she meant by science was mere human reason. In her view, the human mind was the final judge of everything. It could not be corrected by anyone, not even God or the Church, but only by itself. Of course, a person who views science in such a skewed way will never look to the Church in order to submit his opinions to Divine Revelation.
Need I say that Mason’s philosophy neither includes Catholicism nor does it allow any room for it, much less Catholic character training, or an educational curriculum permeated with the Catholic faith and the Catholic conscience of history?
When all is said in regard to the Church’s doctrine and Charlotte Mason (and there is much more that could be said), the question is very simple and straightforward: Which should Catholics choose - the pure, clear source of Divine Revelation, which God entrusted to the Church, or the muddied philosophy of Charlotte Mason, a Protestant whose own philosophy was imbued with those of various heretics?
If that question does not pinpoint the real problem, please allow me to ask just a few more. Why would Catholics willingly follow a Protestant ideology when we have the rich educational doctrine of the Catholic Church? Would we exchange diamonds for dust, or trade a mess of pottage for our birthright?
To respond to a few other remarks – e.g., that KIC holds “everything must be Catholic in text and content” or, as implied, that we recommend only Seton or OLVS, or that we favor a “workbook” only approach – I will clarify. To those Catholic parents who wish to use the services of a home study program, we do recommend that parents seek only Catholic sources. However, KIC has never insisted that “homeschoolers must use these programs…believing that these methods are the be-all and end all of Catholic education.” Neither is KIC opposed to eclectic homeschooling (e.g. – customizing or designing a Catholic curriculum) but, again, we always recommend first seeking out Catholic sources. (For more information on these topics, please see “How to Keep Your Homeschool Catholic” or “Building Your Own Catholic Curriculum” or our “FAQ” page.
KIC encourages our fellow Catholics to “keep it Catholic” in the homeschool because the Church teaches, “Religion must not be taught to youth only during certain hours, but the entire system of education must be permeated with the sense of Christian piety. If this is lacking, if this holy spirit does not penetrate and inflame the souls of teacher and pupil, small benefit will be derived from any other sort of education; instead damage will be done.” (Militantis Ecclesia, 1897)
On the other side of the same coin, KIC also warns against heavy reliance on heretical sources of programs, books, and ideologies because the Church, in her official capacity, teaches thusly:
“…there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education.” (#7, Divini Illius Magistri)
“…it is necessary that all the teaching and the whole organization of the school, and its teachers, syllabus and textbooks in every branch, be regulated by the Christian spirit, under the direction and maternal supervision of the Church; so that Religion may be in very truth the foundation and crown of the youth’s entire training; and this in every grade of school, not only the elementary, but of the intermediate and higher institutions of learning as well.” (#80, Divini Illius Magistri)
Lastly, the person who initiated this discussion began it with the following question: “What does this [Catholic homeschooling] mean to you?” Truly, this question is the heart of the division within the Catholic homeschooling movement. My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Church doctrine is not a matter of opinion or personal meaning but a matter of loving obedience to God and His Church’s Magisterium. For that reason, I ask my fellow Catholics who wish to know, love and defend the Church’s doctrine on the Christian education of youth to often read and study the Church’s encyclical – Divini Illius Magistri, 1929.
In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,
Marianna Bartold
We’re “Keeping It Catholic” on the Net
at http://www.keepingitcatholic.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++
FYI: Here’s the direct link to the discussion, as it took place then
The subject was Catholic Homeschooling, discovered on another board, and the very first message introducing the topic also brought up erroneous ideas [stated as fact] about KIC:
What does this [e.g. - Catholic homeschooling] mean to you? All texts being Catholic? Catholicism infused into every subject? God's truth in all things? There is great debate in the Catholic homeschool movement over this. Some (like Keeping it Catholic) state that everything must be Catholic in text and content) and recommend programs such as OLV and Seton. Others say using your own style (and your child's) is fine and take a much more relaxed approach, pulling in books from all sources and making sure to include God's truths in all areas. I know Keeping it Catholic also proclaims things such as Charlotte Mason homeschooling is heretical along with Montessori homeschooling and are to be avoided. What is your take?
A few posts followed – including two from a KIC list moderator who corrected the misconceptions aired about KIC. At that point, I decided it was time that I also enter the discussion.
For future reference, the following clarification was my response:
As the founder of Keeping It Catholic (KIC), I appreciate the opportunity to respond to what appears to be some common but erroneous assumptions in regard to our apologetics on the Christian education of youth.
As the KIC home page at www.keepingitcatholic.org states: “Our general mission is to share and defend the Catholic Church's perennial teachings, especially those in regard to marriage and education. KIC's special focus is Catholic education at home, also known as Catholic homeschooling. Because we are faithful Catholics, our philosophy is the authentic philosophy of the Catholic Church - that is, it is scholastic. KIC imitates the Catholic Action apostolate of old, adopting its motto as our own: Pray. Study. Act.”
With that said, please note that it is not KIC’s intention to share opinions in regard to the noble task of Catholic education. Rather, KIC is guided by, and consistently points to, Divini Illius Magistri (1929), which teaches and expands upon the Church’s doctrine on Christian Education.
In regard to the first entry’s remark about KIC on Charlotte Mason:
One of KIC’s web pages, entitled “ ‘Catholicizing’ Charlotte Mason” features excerpts from one of my books (Keeping It Catholic's Home Education Guide, Vol. 1), in which ten or more pages outline Mason’s errors. To elucidate further, Divini Illius Magistri and other papal teachings collectively make clear various truths as well as condemned errors (e.g., heresies). A great number of the latter form the basis of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy.
Divini Illius Magistri (#18) declares that “every form of instruction, no less than every human action, has a necessary connection with man’s last end, and therefore cannot be withdrawn from the dictates of the divine law, of which the Church is guardian, interpreter and infallible mistress.”
In opposition to this doctrine, Mason claimed her educational methods (which were, in truth, an entire system of child upbringing and education) were based on natural law, which was unfortunately subjected to her personal opinions and interpretations. Mason’s Educational System covered almost everything - how a child should be brought up, how to train children in habit, how to clothe a child, with what materials a child should be clothed, how much free time a child should enjoy, and how to give the child various opportunities.
In reality, Mason was expounding on her philosophy, which was rife with various heresies, including – but not limited to - the heresy of rationalism (which is the false belief that reason is sufficient without the truth of the Catholic faith), the heresy of pantheism (which is the belief that God is somehow immanent in Nature and NOT to be sought outside it), the heresy of naturalism (which denies that which is not evident to the senses), the heresy of humanism (the advancement of the human race without need of God.), and, last but not least, the heresy of Romanticism (which denies absolute truth but relies solely on an exaggeration sentimentalism or affectation).
As for an educational system based on naturalism, the Church is also clear:
“Hence every form of pedagogic naturalism which in any way excludes or weakens supernatural Christian formation in the teaching of youth, is false. Every method of education founded, wholly or in part, on the denial or forgetfulness of original sin and of grace, and relying on the sole powers of human nature, is unsound. Such, generally speaking, are those modern systems bearing various names which appeal to a pretended self-government and unrestrained freedom on the part of the child, and which diminish or even suppress the teacher's authority and action, attributing to the child an exclusive primacy of initiative, and an activity independent of any higher law, natural or divine, in the work of his education. (#60, Divini Illus Magistri) In this one paragraph alone, Mason’s entire philosophy of education is revealed as “false” and “unsound.”
Mason’s notions on “mother culture” issues not from the Church’s teachings on the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony, but from Protestant and secular worldviews. (For more on this topic, please see the KIC blog entry entitled “Charlotte Mason – For Whose Sake?”)* In truth, the parental vocation to beget and educate children for God’s sake is attained only by the means of supernatural grace, which come from the Sacraments of the Church, our Mater et Magistra (Mother and Teacher).In other words, those supernatural graces help Catholic mothers and fathers raise their children with supernatural "mother culture"!
But Mason, a Protestant enraptured with Jean Jacques Rousseau and other heretical philosophers, cared nothing for the true Church. In fact, there is compelling evidence that she despised it. Her desire was for a set of her own followers, for she wrote: “No man sets himself up for a following of disciples who does not wish to indoctrinate these with certain principles or, at the least, maxims (rules of life). He who would draw disciples does not trust to force but to these three things: to the attraction of his doctrine, to the persuasion of his presentation, and to the enthusiasm of his disciples.”
Mason knew how to attract and persuade in her own time but, unfortunately, her false doctrines are still met with enthusiasm today. She developed her own maxims, which she called her “18 Articles of Education,” and which our contemporary Protestant adherents call Mason’s “18 Articles of Education Faith” (my emphasis). To provide just one example: In Mason’s 17th Article of Education, she insisted children must be taught that their chief responsibility is the acceptance or rejection of initial ideas. Compare that to the Church’s doctrine that our chief responsibility as Catholics is to accomplish the will of God.
It is no mere coincidence that Charlotte Mason chose words like “disciples,” “indoctrinate” and “doctrine.” She had her own reasons for her educational “doctrine,” but they were not to bring children to God. No, Mason had another god – the god of SCIENCE.
Mason looked to science as the arbiter (e.g. - the final judge) of all truth. In fact, Mason often mentioned what she called “the science of relations.” What she meant by science was mere human reason. In her view, the human mind was the final judge of everything. It could not be corrected by anyone, not even God or the Church, but only by itself. Of course, a person who views science in such a skewed way will never look to the Church in order to submit his opinions to Divine Revelation.
Need I say that Mason’s philosophy neither includes Catholicism nor does it allow any room for it, much less Catholic character training, or an educational curriculum permeated with the Catholic faith and the Catholic conscience of history?
When all is said in regard to the Church’s doctrine and Charlotte Mason (and there is much more that could be said), the question is very simple and straightforward: Which should Catholics choose - the pure, clear source of Divine Revelation, which God entrusted to the Church, or the muddied philosophy of Charlotte Mason, a Protestant whose own philosophy was imbued with those of various heretics?
If that question does not pinpoint the real problem, please allow me to ask just a few more. Why would Catholics willingly follow a Protestant ideology when we have the rich educational doctrine of the Catholic Church? Would we exchange diamonds for dust, or trade a mess of pottage for our birthright?
To respond to a few other remarks – e.g., that KIC holds “everything must be Catholic in text and content” or, as implied, that we recommend only Seton or OLVS, or that we favor a “workbook” only approach – I will clarify. To those Catholic parents who wish to use the services of a home study program, we do recommend that parents seek only Catholic sources. However, KIC has never insisted that “homeschoolers must use these programs…believing that these methods are the be-all and end all of Catholic education.” Neither is KIC opposed to eclectic homeschooling (e.g. – customizing or designing a Catholic curriculum) but, again, we always recommend first seeking out Catholic sources. (For more information on these topics, please see “How to Keep Your Homeschool Catholic” or “Building Your Own Catholic Curriculum” or our “FAQ” page.
KIC encourages our fellow Catholics to “keep it Catholic” in the homeschool because the Church teaches, “Religion must not be taught to youth only during certain hours, but the entire system of education must be permeated with the sense of Christian piety. If this is lacking, if this holy spirit does not penetrate and inflame the souls of teacher and pupil, small benefit will be derived from any other sort of education; instead damage will be done.” (Militantis Ecclesia, 1897)
On the other side of the same coin, KIC also warns against heavy reliance on heretical sources of programs, books, and ideologies because the Church, in her official capacity, teaches thusly:
“…there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education.” (#7, Divini Illius Magistri)
“…it is necessary that all the teaching and the whole organization of the school, and its teachers, syllabus and textbooks in every branch, be regulated by the Christian spirit, under the direction and maternal supervision of the Church; so that Religion may be in very truth the foundation and crown of the youth’s entire training; and this in every grade of school, not only the elementary, but of the intermediate and higher institutions of learning as well.” (#80, Divini Illius Magistri)
Lastly, the person who initiated this discussion began it with the following question: “What does this [Catholic homeschooling] mean to you?” Truly, this question is the heart of the division within the Catholic homeschooling movement. My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Church doctrine is not a matter of opinion or personal meaning but a matter of loving obedience to God and His Church’s Magisterium. For that reason, I ask my fellow Catholics who wish to know, love and defend the Church’s doctrine on the Christian education of youth to often read and study the Church’s encyclical – Divini Illius Magistri, 1929.
In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,
Marianna Bartold
We’re “Keeping It Catholic” on the Net
at http://www.keepingitcatholic.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++
FYI: Here’s the direct link to the discussion, as it took place then
*The previous link to the article, Charlotte Mason: For Whose Sake? which was first posted on the original Keeping It Catholic - with Marianna Bartold blog has been replaced with a new link to the same article, which is also placed on this blog.
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