What are the best [Catholic] towns to raise a family?

[StevusMagnus]

I'd love to teach at St. Mary's college or the Winona seminary and move my family there if I made enough money to support them. Too bad I have no teaching experience and no theology degrees. Sigh.

Oh well.

[Heinrich]

I'd love to teach at St. Mary's college or the Winona seminary and move my family there if I made enough money to support them. Too bad I have no teaching experience and no theology degrees. Sigh.

Oh well.

Have you even applied? You are a lawyer. SO why is teaching history, philosophy, composition, and/or literature out of the realm of possibilities, per you? Enough to support your family? I make 37 grand a year teaching at a charter school, work nights as a cook in a fine dining restaurant and live in Colorado--not a cheap place(but not as expensive as DC, NY, or CA). I hope soon to be in the groove of just working the teaching gig and getting my wife out of watching other peoples' children.

See the story about the Mexican fisherman and the WASP. I think it is in the 'Being Catholic' section.

[ghost_of_gjwalberg]

I'd love to teach at St. Mary's college or the Winona seminary and move my family there if I made enough money to support them. Too bad I have no teaching experience and no theology degrees. Sigh.

Oh well.

St. Mary's is an unaccredited school.  devotednuckles would be qualified to teach Language Arts/Grammar at an unaccredited school, certainly you would be qualified to teach anything there.

I'm with Heinrich.  If you're interested in it, apply.

[Belloc]

Um.... whatever happened to being a leaven to society? The "ghetto mentality" among Catholics isn't a good trend.

True, but also, the society can work on us-it seems of late to make use tired, angry, etc...maybe getting ready to go back into Catholic communities (not ghettos!) may be a solution, much like The Village....

[didishroom]

Living in an anti-Catholic modern society can often have the positive effect of hardening up a positive Catholic attitude by the growing awareness that one is involved in a life and death battle for the Truth.
True. I have became much more defensive since I went away to college.

And when I went to Catholic school(FSSP) every year there were some kids who came into different grades after being home schooled. They tended to be the most disrespectful, academically behind, and biggest bunch of social retards. I'ld say 60% of kids who entered the school after being home schooled eventually left and went back to mommy.

I have no problem with home schooling or living in a Catholic community, but get those kids outside and involved! While they are in class, treat the living room(or wherever you teach) as a classroom and make them raise their hands, wear uniforms and the whole shebang.

Don't turn them into Amish. Catholics shouldn't be of the world but we should live in the world.

[Heinrich]

Living in an anti-Catholic modern society can often have the positive effect of hardening up a positive Catholic attitude by the growing awareness that one is involved in a life and death battle for the Truth.
True. I have became much more defensive since I went away to college.

And when I went to Catholic school(FSSP) every year there were some kids who came into different grades after being home schooled. They tended to be the most disrespectful, academically behind, and biggest bunch of social retards. I'ld say 60% of kids who entered the school after being home schooled eventually left and went back to mommy.

I have no problem with home schooling or living in a Catholic community, but get those kids outside and involved! While they are in class, treat the living room(or wherever you teach) as a classroom and make them raise their hands, wear uniforms and the whole shebang.

Don't turn them into Amish. Catholics shouldn't be of the world but we should live in the world.

I told myself I was going to give commenting a break, but this is worth a point or two.

As a public school teacher and member of a traditional parish where most of the children are home-schooled, I have seen what you've experienced: kids who shy away from any interaction, academic limitations(I have a 20 year old student in an alternative program who is barely able to do 9th grade work), and overall social awkwardness. On the other hand, there are many families who do it right. Many of the children are impressive: mature social graces, academic excellance(Algebra, Latin comprehension, research and composition skills at 10-12 years old; wrestling, karate, soccer, cub/girl scouts, and field trips to fire houses and factories. It is an awesome responsibility to home school.

I am in favor of it until the age of 16. Then it is time to find a PT job and take classes at the local junior college or high school.

[Theresa]

It works  for many families, one of them being ours.  I am more then proud of my children.  The one with whom we have had more problems is the one who  wanted to do regular high school.   My daughter was offered a partial scholarship to Christendom. One son took the entrance exam at the community college, and the councilors were impressed by his near perfect scores in every field.  

 And best of all, they are just plain good, humble kids who don't think they know everything, even though they are very smart and well-read.

I know of someone who used to work at the local university.  His wife told me that there were several homeschoolers enrolled, and that they generally did better academically then the others.


 

[GeorgeT]

There'a a new Traditional Carmelite Monastery in Elysburg PA now. I wonder if that might be a good place to convene. There's lots of cheap rural propery surrounding it. It's not isolated from basic necessities, but rural enough that you can have livestock etc. I live in the surrounding area. It's nice but lonely because of lack of trads. The biggest downside of the Monastery is that they don't have a cry room. Nothing even close. Can't take my kids there because of that.

[SearchingCatholic]

<P>

</P><P>Um.... whatever happened to being a leaven to society? The "ghetto mentality" among Catholics isn't a good trend.</P>

Exactly what I was thinking.  I know it is hard to protect one's family from the onslaught of secularism, and corruptive influence, but surrendering to a siege mentality can have negative effects.  The children of such Catholic communities, when they have to encounter wider society, may be ill-prepared for the cultural shock, feel overwhelmed, and possibly succumb to bad influence because of a misguided and exaggerated sense of being perceived as eccentric, and thus try to gain social acceptance.  Living in an anti-Catholic modern society can often have the positive effect of hardening up a positive Catholic attitude by the growing awareness that one is involved in a life and death battle for the Truth.

I would never advocate being as insular as the Amish, but when society beats on you all day, I think it would be nice to have a haven of a community to come home to, encourage and strengthen each other so that we are prepared to go out and be the leaven again.  I know that many days, I feel battle weary and would love to have neighbors and friends close so that I didn't feel so alone, or for some encouragement when I need a little push to keep growing in virtue.

[serviam]

<P>Have you looked into the Batesville/Oldenburg/Brookville, Indiana area?  There is a church there (Ss Philomena & Cecilia Catholic Church - www.spcfssp.org) run entirely by the FSSP.  It's a small country church with about 65 families but we are growing.  All of the families home school and we have a fantastic Catholic community/culture.  We have a very active parish life as well.

Here's an article that may be of interest (Restoration of the Sacred): http://uvcarmel.wordpress.com/category/local-news/

At least two families (and hopefully a third) have decided to make Ss Philomena & Cecilia their home after crossing the US looking for a great place to raise their family.</P>

Finally! I meet somebody from Oak Forrest here. I agree with above statement. I am also a member at this church. It is like something you would find in a dream.

[GeorgeT]

There'a a new Traditional Carmelite Monastery in Elysburg PA now. I wonder if that might be a good place to convene. There's lots of cheap rural propery surrounding it. It's not isolated from basic necessities, but rural enough that you can have livestock etc. I live in the surrounding area. It's nice but lonely because of lack of trads. The biggest downside of the Monastery is that they don't have a cry room. Nothing even close. Can't take my kids there because of that.

Went there for Chistmas. They have something like a cry room now. A vestible. Pretty excited about that. Last time I went they were still doing rennovations. There are actually nice apartments and houses within walking distance of the monastery. Employment in the area is spotty, though. Alot of factories, some of which are closing down. But there is a big hospital (city sized) that pays well. The hospital was the reason we moved here.

[OCLittleFlower]

I'm part of the Orange County, California crowd.  Came here for college, discovered tradition and now I'm so in love with this place that I doubt I'll ever leave.

It isn't insular, though...but there is a strong traditional community if you seek it out. Well, it sort of found me, but still.  There are plenty of traditional mass options, as well as plenty of "real life" around, as well.

[PapaBennySix]

Trust me, St. Mary's, KS is a real bummer of a town.

But may I recommend beautiful Kansas City?  We've got strong FSSP and ICKSP communities, as well as some SSPXers if that's how you roll.

If you love the world and the city life and being around the weeds, St. Mary's wouldn't suit you.  But if you'd like to get away from it all and focus on raising a family with Priests and Sisters around to inspire vocations, having daily access to at least 3 Masses per day and confessions 3 times per week including during Sunday Masses, then St. Mary's would be the place to raise a family. 

As far as the school being accredited, they were only able to get the approval from Catholic Tradition and the curiculum those ol' Saints back in the day used to use.  None of the new "I'm OK, you're OK" books are authorized there.  They really are afraid of offending their God in the slightest when they are in charge of educating children, so they do everything themselves without Gov't funding to intervene.

I'm quite sick of the world all the time everywhere I go, so I would love to move to St. Mary's and be surrounded by the sacraments.  It's takes a specific personality I guess.  You can definitely save your soul there.

[maryskey]

Trust me, St. Mary's, KS is a real bummer of a town.
But may I recommend beautiful Kansas City?  We've got strong FSSP and ICKSP communities, as well as some SSPXers if that's how you roll.

Having just moved here this summer, I would not go so far as to say St Mary's is a "real bummer of a town".  KS life is certainly *different*... a lot more laid back than what we were used to even in small town Maine, but I absolutely LOVE the fact that we can go to "city" functions and see at least HALF the town wearing the Brown Scapular and most are modestly dressed, and not necesarily IN a dress. :-P  And if the SSPX isn't for you (and it's not our first choice either) then the FSSP are only 10 miles away in Maple Hill (twice daily Masses, 3 on Sundays, frequent confessions)... with a small school (I have 9 there currently, making up about 10% of the school, lol).  The community in Maple Hill is our preference but housing possibilities and finances prevent us from living there at the moment... it is, however, our ultimate goal.  The people here are MOST welcoming and just plain nice!  Maple Hill is growing by leaps and bounds! There's a campaign just started to help build a new church (we are bulging at the seams for space) and this summer they've added on to the rectory to expand to allow more room for the priests and seminarians.  The school is also hoping to get the first teaching nuns that the FSSP is trying to get started.
All this aside, no one should ever up and move their family expecting some sort of Trad Utopia. it doesn't exist.

[WhollyRoaminCatholic]

All of these things may be true.  But I still say that St. Mary's is a bummer of a town! 

I'm just not suited to small-town life.  It'd stink to have to to go Topeka for something that resembles civilization.