The 2010-11 school year marked my first as a homeschooling mom. For two years our daughters had attended Catholic schools, but this school year was the grand opening of the Hartline Academy for Girls. It's been challenging, rewarding, frustrating at times, a steep hill to climb some days, but a blessing for all of us and we have no regrets.
I was quite dismayed - rather irritated, actually - to read the article in Our Sunday Visitor recently regarding the conflict between homeschool families in Texas and Bishop Joe Vasquez of Austin, as well as Ned Vanders, the Catholic schools superintendent.
It centers on a belief that Catholic parents are obligated to send their children to Catholic schools if there's a school in their area, and parents who do not are guilty of abrogating that obligation. In other words, parents who choose to homeschool are committing a grave offense against Catholic schools.
The Holy Family Homeschoolers Association had invited Bishop Vasquez to celebrate a blessing Mass with them at the beginning of the next school year. Curiously, the response didn't come from the Bishop's office but from Ned Vanders.
He wrote: "Bishop Vasquez received your invitation to celebrate a Eucharistic liturgy for the fall home-schooling blessing Mass. Bishop Vasquez believes Catholic education, and in particular Catholic school education, is an essential part of the life of the Diocese of Austin. As you know, Catholic schools are at the heart of the mission of the Church. Bishop's presence at the homeschooling Mass would convey a contradictory message equating the importance of Catholic school education with Catholic home schooling; therefore, Bishop Vasquez must respectfully decline the invitation. Sincerely in Christ, Ned F. Vanders, E.D."
Respectfully, there was nothing respectful about Mr. Vanders' reply. It was a thinly-veiled attack on the integrity of homeschoolers, the right of parents to make such a choice, and the validity of Catholic homeschooling. It was insulting and dismissive. And it still baffles me why Bishop Vasquez did not respond himself. I sincerely hope the Bishop does not share Vanders's views on Catholic homeschooling.
Read more: http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=41603
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