Parents' Rights & Responsibilities in Religious Education

This is another in a series of posts which seem necessary in today's world because of the opinions and beliefs of some parents regarding religious education for their children.

In this talk by the late Fr John Hardon, S.J., he discusses parents' rights and responsibilities, particularly as they apply toward the religious education of children.

It is to be understood that parents, while they are the primary educators of their children, will need help in this regard. Additionally, it is to be understood that these others who provide educational assistance are not fundamental, but secondary - assisting the parents.

Parents can fulfill their obligations - the responsibility - by providing their children with the religious training and formation which God expects of them. And this normally means taking advantage of schools or other means.

Fr Hardon reminds us:

It is also the purpose of Catholic schools, CCD programs and allied agencies for giving the young child, the growing pre-adolescent, the adolescent and maturing adult answers to questions about the meaning of joy and sorrow, of work and prayer, of freedom and grace, of life and death, of time and eternity.

He reminds us that we have Catholic schools and other educational entities and programs precisely

to help parents answer the incessant and insatiable whys of their offspring, from pre-kindergarten days through the university.

In this regard, there can be no questions about the Catholic identity of the school or religious education program. This would be gravely problematic if one is uncertain of the Catholicity of the school or the curriculum.

Fr Hardon says:

These institutions and agencies must – this is a divine imperative – must respond to the Catholic faith of the parents who avail themselves of their services.

There is no alternative. Either the school or program responds to what Catholic parents have a right to expect of it, or it is not serving the purpose of its existence and should be treated accordingly...

Before God, parents have received a sacred trust. No one has a higher trust than they. No one has a higher responsibility.

Some of us may have failed in the past, due to ignorance or indifference. Some of us may regret that we did not pay sufficient attention to what our "Catholic" schools were teaching our children, assuming that they would do what we expected - that they would teach the fullnesss of the truth in all its beauty and wonder - and that this truth is Jesus Christ.

Regrettably today, a parent, when he delegates some of the burden of religious education to others, he must, as is his right and responsibility, ensure that those teaching his child, exercise this sacred trust as God wills and protects his child from those things which would rob him of his faith. Our eternity depends on it.

Fr Hardon's article can be read here.