CCD/Basketball Conflict

MilitaryWife91 · #1 Nov 15, '06, 6:50 pm

Hi everyone,

Here's my situation: My 12 year-old son, who has waited all year for basketball season to arrive, went to try-outs for a pretty competitive league in our area. During this time, the coaches held any information about practices and games pretty close to their chests. They didn't want to tell us any details "in case the child doesn't make it." Anyway, he made the team, and now we find out that practices are Monday and Wednesday from 6-7pm.

Our CCD program is on Monday or Wednesday night 7-8:15pm. And the church is about 25 mins from the gym. He'd get there 25 mins late if we tried to do both.

We have been letting him go to basketball, and I have been having him read the chapters he has been missing at CCD. I realize our priorities are backwards. Should we make him quit basketball because he needs to be at CCD? Is is possible to put him in CCD at another church (maybe one that has CCD on another night)? I'm hoping someone has a helpful suggestion/advice for me.

Thank you,
MW

Karin · #2 Nov 15, '06, 7:00 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitaryWife91

Hi everyone,

Here's my situation: My 12 year-old son, who has waited all year for basketball season to arrive, went to try-outs for a pretty competitive league in our area. During this time, the coaches held any information about practices and games pretty close to their chests. They didn't want to tell us any details "in case the child doesn't make it." Anyway, he made the team, and now we find out that practices are Monday and Wednesday from 6-7pm.

Our CCD program is on Monday or Wednesday night 7-8:15pm. And the church is about 25 mins from the gym. He'd get there 25 mins late if we tried to do both.

We have been letting him go to basketball, and I have been having him read the chapters he has been missing at CCD. I realize our priorities are backwards. Should we make him quit basketball because he needs to be at CCD? Is is possible to put him in CCD at another church (maybe one that has CCD on another night)? I'm hoping someone has a helpful suggestion/advice for me.

Thank you,
MW

yoou can either put him in CCD at another school, or teach him at home as you are doing...I did this why my eldest son.not becuase of a sport I just did not like the teacher...it is allowed the DRE may not like it though.

Giannawannabe · #3 Nov 16, '06, 5:24 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karin

yoou can either put him in CCD at another school, or teach him at home as you are doing...I did this why my eldest son.not becuase of a sport I just did not like the teacher...it is allowed the DRE may not like it though.

I agree with Karin. You are allowed to "homeschool" religion classes. If it's not a Sacrament year for your son, I doubt anyone would even check up on it. Just be faithful with the lessons, and you'll be fine. Maybe you'll even learn a few things yourself! ( I have!).

**puzzleannie** · #4 Nov 16, '06, 5:34 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitaryWife91

We have been letting him go to basketball, and I have been having him read the chapters he has been missing at CCD. I realize our priorities are backwards. Should we make him quit basketball because he needs to be at CCD? Is is possible to put him in CCD at another church (maybe one that has CCD on another night)? I'm hoping someone has a helpful suggestion/advice for me.

Thank you,
MW

one option you have not mentioned is offering to teach a class in his grade at another session on another time and day. You are faced with the same choice as all other families, between obeying the promise you made at your child's baptism to educate him in the faith, and relying on the parish RE program to help you in that task--OR--putting other activities on higher priority, whether tutoring, sports etc.

the parish RE schedule is not your only option.
top choice of course is Catholic school, not available in all areas, or not affordable in some families. Believe me it is worth any financial sacrifice if you can swing it.

the next ranking choice in my opinion (as a parish DRE) is home-schooling, because this best meets the goal of the parents being involved and directing the child's faith formation within the family, where faith is first lived out. Just ask your DRE for a used textbook or buy one, or use one of the on-line programs such as catechismclass.com if you make him take the tests and save them, and meet with the DRE periodically for a review session with your son, most reasonable parishes will "count" this.

Next is parish RE, and the more parents who become involved the more volunteers we can rely on and the more flexible we can be in our schedules.

kage_ar · #5 Nov 16, '06, 6:28 am

As most non-Catholic Evangelical Christians have Wed night services, and it seems your Catholic Parish has Wed evening commitments - perhaps the parents can speak to the coach about moving the Wed night practice to another night. In our area, Wed night sports practices are a rare thing, everyone knows that is a church night.

mommyaprilj · #6 Nov 16, '06, 6:54 pm

This is why I enjoy CCD on Sunday.

We extend our fellowship with my students, they've just left Mass, no excuse to miss, and no one holds basketball practice on Sunday morning.

**puzzleannie** · #7 Nov 17, '06, 3:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilitaryWife91

Hi everyone,

." Anyway, he made the team, and now we find out that practices are Monday and Wednesday from 6-7pm.

Our CCD program is on Monday or Wednesday night 7-8:15pm. And the church is about 25 mins from the gym. He'd get there 25 mins late if we tried to do both.
MW

most school districts have a policy of "church night" usually Wed, so that htere is no homework, and practices and other activities end at 6 just for this reason. is this a school sponsored team? find out what the school board policy is, and if it is being violated. also find out if the youth organization sponsoring the teams, if not school, have a policy, what it is, if it is being followed, and enlist the help of other like-minded parents in changing it. Bear in mind also the organizers have lots of other pressures, usually the needs of other families, kids need to time for homework etc. and the schedules of the volunteers themselves.

CuriousInIL · #8 Nov 17, '06, 8:18 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by puzzleannie

most school districts have a policy of "church night" usually Wed, so that htere is no homework, and practices and other activities end at 6 just for this reason.

I wish that this was true. It may be common there, but it is not true here. Indeed, the very concept here has been labelled by some as a violation of the separation of Church and state.

Corki · #9 Nov 17, '06, 8:51 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by puzzleannie

most school districts have a policy of "church night" usually Wed, so that htere is no homework, and practices and other activities end at 6 just for this reason. is this a school sponsored team? find out what the school board policy is, and if it is being violated. also find out if the youth organization sponsoring the teams, if not school, have a policy, what it is, if it is being followed, and enlist the help of other like-minded parents in changing it. Bear in mind also the organizers have lots of other pressures, usually the needs of other families, kids need to time for homework etc. and the schedules of the volunteers themselves.

Wow, Puzzleannie, you are deeper in the Bible belt than we are.

I am close to Houston and none of the ISDs has that policy here. The kids have plenty of Wed. night homework and the sports teams practice like any other weeknight. The local public school football team even has its JV games on Wed.