Today John attended his first morning of summer catechesis (often known, especially in Protestant churches, as vacation Bible school). Yes, we actually signed up our firstborn to be away at school for three hours per morning five days in a row.
John was very nervous, despite my fake casual cheerfulness that this was all going to be great. He was almost in tears a few days ahead of time, thinking he'd be wandering the building alone, not knowing where to go, and what if he didn't like the snack? The night before he informed me that he couldn't go because he had planned to play outside with Daddy all day and he didn't have time to do both. My mama's heart was seriously aching as I kept on faking that smile.
I packed him a little backpack and tucked in it a love note from Mama, which I read to him ahead of time so he would know what it said.
When it came time to drop him off, he was excited. I sucked back my tears.
"All Aboard the Vatican Express" by Growing With the Saints seems like a fairly solid program, which is good because I've seen too many VBS programs used in Catholic parishes to which we would not send our kids. (On the subject, I plan to do Holy Heroes Summer Faith Adventure with our kids one of these weeks--an at-home program in which Mary is old enough to participate also.)
When I picked up John, he greeted me at the top of the stairs shouting, "Mama, I had a great day!" I had brought us a picnic, which we ate in the cafeteria before making our way home.
Bonus Reading: A parishioner at our parish (a homeschooled teenager, actually!) had what I believe is a extremely well-written article published in our diocesan paper. Its subject is the Harry Potter book series and he presents very well the analysis made by Michael O'Brien in "Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture" and the opinion given by Pope Benedict XVI.
THat is so exciting! Congratulations to John! when I sent Leo to Atrium, he had the same reaction...then by day 2, he didn't even want me walking him in anymore!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad John enjoyed it! I was *just* looking at the Holy Heroes Summer Faith Adventure, I'm going to get it. Did you get more than one workbook? I read the article on Harry Potter. Interesting but difficult for me since I love the series.
ReplyDeletePriscilla: I haven't ordered the Holy Heroes Summer Faith Adventure yet. Since they are only $5, I think I would get two workbooks, to support a good company. We already have the music CD (FABULOUS), so then all I'd need to buy is the DVD and leader's handbook.
ReplyDeleteRe: Harry Potter, I used to love the series. I think I read through book 4 or 5 before I approached my priest at the time and he explained some of the problems with it. Stopping at that point was agonizing for me! Then this year I read Michael O'Brien's book about it and feel convinced enough for me.
I've never read the books myself but have seen some of the movies. I can't say the article is all that convincing. Still having a hard time seeing the difference between Lord of the Rings, which Catholics (including myself) adore, and Harry Potter. Fantasy, fiction--- these are allowed. Dunno, like I said I've never actually read the books but I think people are taking the fact that he is called a "wizard" and extrapolating all this stuff. What if he had been called a "good doer" instead? Would there be such uproar? Because ultimately in the story there is a good and evil and they are trying to overthrow evil.
ReplyDeleteI just allowed Liam to read _The Book of Three_, which is the first book in the Chronicles of Prydain (The Black Cauldron is one of the books) and this has wizards and sorceresses and magic and blah blah, and this series is generally accepted by the Christian community. So again, I'm just really confused why Harry Potter is singled out. Anyway, we haven't read them over here yet.
This book seems interesting
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Looking-Harry-Potter-John-Granger/dp/1414300913/ref=pd_sim_b_4
Elaine: Having read LOTR as well as the first five Harry Potter books, plus Michael O'Brien's books on how to analyze literature to determine if it is safe ("Landscape with Dragons" and the Harry Potter book), I find myself quite thoroughly convinced of the dangers of HP. While LOTR is drippingly Catholic, HP distorts Christian truths and symbols, twisting them till they're unrecognizeable and opposites of truth. It is not nearly so simple as "the subject of wizards is evil." Not at all, classic fairy tales have always taught Christian truth, even if they weren't Christian stories.
ReplyDeleteIf you were to allow HP to be read, I'd advise reading the naysayers before you make a decision!
http://www.studiobrien.com/non-fiction_books/preface-to-harry-potter.html
http://www.lifesitenews.com/resources/michael-obrien-responds-to-his-critics-re-harry-potter
https://catholiccourses.benedictpress.com/index.php/CC-Hidden-Meaning-of-Lord-of-Rings