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The Catholic Homeschool -- December 2001
Building Blocks for a Catholic Home Library
Resources for building a good Catholic library:
• Hardon, S.J., John. The Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan
• Schall, S.J., James. Another Sort of Learning
• Schall, S.J., James. A Student’s Guide to Liberal Learning
Start with the basics:
• Holy Bible (RSVCE, Haydock, Knox)
• Catechism of the Catholic Church
• Code of Canon Law
• Documents of Vatican II (published by Pauline Books & Media, with introductions to the documents by Doug Bushman
Build with titles from the first list:
• Pieper, Josef. Leisure, the Basis of Culture
• Hahn, Scott. The Lamb’s Supper
• St. Augustine. Confessions
• McInerny, Ralph. A Student’s Guide to Philosophy
• Kreeft, Peter. Catholic Christianity
• Thomas à Kempis. The Imitation of Christ
• John Paul II. Crossing the Threshold of Hope
• Chesterton, G.K. Orthodoxy
• Dubay, Thomas. Faith & Certitude: Can We Be Sure of theThings that Matter Most to Us?
• Howard, Thomas. On Being Catholic
• Hahn, Scott & Mitch, Curtis. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
• John Paul II. Five volumes of Catechesis
• Lewis, C.S. The Four Loves
• St. Therese of Lisieux. Story of a Soul
Round out your library with selections from the second list:
• St. Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica
• Congar, Yves. Tradition & Traditions
• Newman, John Henry Cardinal. Essay on the Development of Doctrine
• Nichols, Aidan. The Shape of Catholic Theology: An Introduction to Its Sources, Principles, and History
• Cessario, OP, Romanus. Christian Faith and the Theological Life
• Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo. Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Meditations on the Gospel According to Matthew
• Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal. The Spirit of the Liturgy
• St. Irenaeus. Against the Heresies (The Scandal of the Incarnation-Irenaeus ed. by von Balthasar)
• Marmion, OSB, Abbot. Christ, the Life of the Soul
• Belloc. The Path to Rome
This book list was compiled by Henry Stachyra of Loome’s Theological Booksellers, the largest secondhand dealer of theological and philosophical books in the world. Visit them at www.loomebooks.com/theological/booksellers.html
Science Affirming Faith
by Laurie Gill
Although we have chosen a high school biology textbook written from a Christian perspective (Apologia Biology), I was not happy with the book’s treatment of creationism. I wanted to be sure that subject was taught from the dimension of the fullness of the Catholic faith. Several resources have helped me very much in this. First, Kolbe Academy publishes a helpful study guide for Humani Generis, the relevant encyclical letter, written by Pope Pius XII. This pamphlet is aimed at producing an understanding of the text of the encyclical, and thus it is a very helpful starting point. Along with The Catechism of the Catholic Church (279-354), and the Holy Father’s 1996 Message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, you can get a very good picture of exactly where the Church stands on creation.
But the resource we have enjoyed most is a booklet published by a South Dakota Catholic homeschooler, Mary Daly, called Creator and Creation. Mrs. Daly lays out the two common errors one encounters on this topic: Evolutionism, which contorts the evidence to deny the existence of the Creator, and Creationism, which contorts the evidence to fit a particular and very narrow interpretation of the Scriptures. I think it is important that our children be educated about the problems with both of those errors.
Creator and Creation gives a very clear explanation of Church teaching on this topic, the teaching of Scripture, the scientific and philosophical issues. The arguments are stated clearly, with loving reverence toward our Father and Creator and toward His Holy Church. Above all, Mary Daly communicates a calm confidence that truth is one, and there can be no fundamental conflict between the discoveries of science and the truths of the Faith. She includes a helpful bibliography and the full text of the Holy Father’s 1996 address to the Pontifical Academy.
When my daughter finished reading this book, she said, “This is exactly what I be-lieve and now I can put it into words.” There is no better expression of my goals as a teacher than that my child finish every course both understanding and em-bracing the teachings of the Catholic Church as they pertain to that topic and to life.
Creator and Creation, by Mary O. Daly, is available from Ye Hedge School, 24934 478 Ave., Garretson, SD 57030. $12 plus $3 shipping and handling.
Laurie Gill is a writer and homeschooling mother of six.
The Extracurricular Dilemma – PART 2
In this second part of our series, we present three distinct ways to handle the “extracurricular dilemma.” How do you deal with outside activities for your children? What is your family philosophy regarding extracurricular activities? Do you have any specific questions regarding extracurricular participation? Send us your approach or your questions for the next installment of The Extracurricular Dilemma.
The Benoist Family: We try to only do extracurricular activities that will not put too much strain on our family. By this, I mean everyone being pulled in different directions. At one time, we had the kids in sports leagues through the CYC program, but everyone had different practice times and different game schedules. We now participate in our parish choir. Our parish offers a children’s choir and a youth group section for high schoolers. Practice is at the same time, so it is less complicated. This also lets our children mix with children in the parish. We have been fortunate enough to be invited to sing at the new Cathedral, and this past summer at the Eucharistic Congress. Our parish also puts on a Christmas concert with a play, so the children get to do some drama. Our older children volunteer at the parish for serving and cantoring duties. You might be surprised at what your parish has available for you. Check them out!
The Gill Family: My husband and I have placed a fair amount of importance on extracurricular activities, for a number of reasons, but mostly for these two: First, we believe they can serve as an important adjunct to homeschooling, compensating for our weaknesses and helping to make certain that our children are not held back because of our limitations. Most of our outside activities have been in the arts and physical fitness, two areas that are important to us but difficult for me to teach in the family. Second, we think it is a positive benefit to have our children relating to other instructors and interacting with both homeschooled and non-homeschooled peers. This becomes a forum for them to develop in the social virtues, something that by definition cannot be accomplished at home.
We tend to take our extracurriculars seriously, and this means devoting time and money to finding excellent instruction, not to mention the time in the car. This year, with one of our daughters having made a major commitment to ballet and theater lessons, I find myself climbing into the van virtually every afternoon. We use books on tape from the library, which makes the ride a welcome time of rest for my younger children and even for me.
Besides dance and theater (at Dayspring School of the Arts), my children have taken ice skating, guitar, choir, soccer, basketball, martial arts, art, writing, constitutional law and biology. I have a daughter who is involved in our parish youth group, and the whole family is a part of Catholic Kids Net, a club for Catholic kids. My husband and I lead the club in our parish.
I took a year off of most activities recently and it was the most difficult of our homeschooling experience, and very nearly did us in. I think every family is different in its needs and aspirations, but there is one piece of advice I would make so bold as to offer. Be sure to help your homeschooled children to make homeschooled friends, even if they have plenty of other friends. This is easy when they are young but becomes harder as our children mature. The Catholic homeschooling Co-op can be a great help for older students, not only academically, but socially as well.
The McCann Family: The McCanns tend to be homebodies in the homeschool group. When my oldest child was six or seven years old, I went to every social event and field trip the Catholic group sponsored and I wondered why mothers I knew with older children almost never attended. Their explanation, about how disruptive leaving the house in the afternoon can be to the whole day’s schedule, didn’t make sense to me. How do a few hours away from home disrupt the whole day’s schedule? I wondered.
But in time, as my own family and homeschooling responsibilities grew, I discovered that I too had become one of these moms. In fact, one of the main reasons we
homeschool is so our family time together can be longer and richer (i.e. happier and calmer). Little children forced to spend many afternoons in the back seat of a car aren’t generally peaceful and happy.
Over the years I’ve gleaned a few principles from observing and talking to savvy moms that I try to stick to.
Keep playdays to a minimum. If I catered to all my children’s requests, there would be very little free time for our family to be together. When I do plan a playday, I try for a weekday afternoon, as weekends are when Daddy is home and that is family time.
Find tutors/music teachers, et al. who will come to your house. What a wonderful savings in time, gas, and little children’s patience if you can stay home and get the laundry caught up during music lessons.
Plan on one-stop shopping for all your activities. For example, the Co-op: by leaving the house just one day a week, my children get sports, religious formation (and sometimes confession), academic classes, art, music and dance instruction, and violin lessons for the older children. In one long day, all my children’s homeschooling needs are met – social, academic and sports – and we can stay home the rest of the week.
Never go for just one. One large family told me this rule, and the farther you live from activities the more important in gas and time this becomes.
Last, but not least, keep Sunday for family activities. Daddy never works on Sunday, so he can be with his family. The children need to be with their parents, because we are homeschooling for the sake of our family life, not to improve their social life. It is, however, a great day to entertain—just remember to invite the whole family.
A Visit From the Christ Child
by Père Robért
for Maria, Ida, Isabel, Maxine, Crozet & Audrey
Twas the morning of Christmas, when all through the house
All the family was frantic, including my spouse;
For each one of them had one thing only in mind,
To examine the presents St. Nick left behind.
The boxes and wrapping and ribbons and toys
Were strewn on the floor, and the volume of noise
Increased as our children began a big fight
Over who got the video games, who got the bike.
I looked at my watch and I said, slightly nervous,
“Let’s get ready for church, so we won’t miss the service.”
The children protested, “We don’t want to pray:
We’ve just got our presents, and we want to play!”
It dawned on me then that we had gone astray,
In confusing the purpose of this special day;
Our presents were many and very high-priced
But something was missing -- that something was Christ!
I said, “Put the gifts down and let’s gather together,
And I’ll tell you a tale of the greatest gift ever.
“A savior was promised when Adam first sinned,
And the hopes of the world upon Jesus were pinned.
Abraham begat Isaac, who Jacob begat,
And through David the line went to Joseph, whereat
This carpenter married a maiden with child,
Who yet was a virgin, in no way defiled.
“Saying ‘Hail, full of Grace,’ an archangel appeared
To Mary the Blessed, among women revered:
The Lord willed she would bear -- through the Spirit -- a son.
Said Mary to Gabriel, ‘God’s will be done.’
“Now Caesar commanded a tax would be paid,
And all would go home while the census was made;
Thus Joseph and Mary did leave Galilee
For the city of David to pay this new fee.
“Mary’s time had arrived, but the inn had no room,
So she laid in a manger the fruit of her womb;
And both Joseph and Mary admired as He napped
The Light of the World in his swaddling clothes wrapped.
“Three wise men from the East had come looking for news
Of the birth of the Savior, the King of the Jews;
They carried great gifts as they followed a star --
Gold, frankincense, myrrh, which they’d brought from afar.
“As the shepherds watched over their flocks on that night,
The glory of God shone upon them quite bright,
And an angel explained the intent of the birth,
Saying, ‘Glory to God and His peace to the earth.’
“For this was the Messiah whom prophets foretold,
A good shepherd to bring his sheep back to the fold;
He was God become man, He would die on the cross,
He would rise from the dead to restore Adam’s loss.
“Santa Claus, Christmas presents, a brightly lit pine,
Candy canes and spiked eggnog are all very fine;
Let’s have fun celebrating, but leave not a doubt
That Christ is what Christmas is really about!”
The children right then put an end to the noise,
They dressed quickly for church, put away all their toys;
For they knew Jesus loved them and said they were glad
That He’d died for their sins, and to save their dear Dad.
Père Robért, aka Bob Duplantier, is a professional writer and homeschooling father of six.
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