OK, give me a slap...

[minko]

My friend and I both had our DCs at Catholic school in the same class. We were both not Catholic. When it came to getting their younger siblings into school the school was oversubscribed.

We chose to move to a new area and enrol in a different school. It has all worked out pretty well.

My friend chose to 'become Catholic'. She attended conversion classes and got her kids baptised. She doesn't actually 'believe', though she says she quite enjoys church and finds it peaceful. So now she has places for both her kids at Catholic school.

And I know it's none of my business but it feels so wrong to me. It makes me angry that this is the 'system' these days, and parents wanting to do what's best for their kids will do it. But it's just so wrong it makes me feel uncomfortable.

It is becoming a bit of a hurdle to our friendship for me. She thinks she has done nothing wrong. I should be happy for her. I'm not even sure why I feel the way I do. Maybe because we went through so much hassle to avoid doing what she did so easily? I dunno, but it is bugging me and I need to get over it.

[NorksAreMessy]

She enjoys church, finds it peaceful and has gone through a lengthy conversion. Why do you think she is not genuine. Yes she does not 'believe' but that is not a pre-requesite for being part of a community, the fact that she is becoming part of something is important to her

[minko]

I thought the whole point of the Catholic community was that they all believed the same thing. And what is actually 'important' - the community or the school place?

[smearedinfood]

Maybe she won't give you her full in view in case she might feel mocked for it. It's her business what her beliefs are

[Floggingmolly]

I'm surprised that the mum's conversion to Catholicism gives her children an instant "in" to the school, unless it's very undersubscribed. Most catholic schools insist on the children being baptised within 6 months of birth, this tends to rule out any 'conversions of convenience' as it were, when the hunt for good schools begins.

[thepeoplesprincess]

Just live and let live. I thin;k a lot of people enjoy the atmosphere of a church, even if they don't believe.

[frecklyspeckly]

my friend made it clear she did not believe in god, church and smirked at my own desire to marry in church when we were younger. I also chose to get both my children baptised. This was done because i wanted to do it. Fair enough, i thought, fine. Fast forward ten or so years; from being the most disbelieving person you could meet she now : 1. Had a church blessing for her wedding, as the church refused to let her get married in church (long private story not fair to post) 2. Got both her children baptised, openly telling us it was to get them into the local faith school 3. goes to church every sunday, despite thinking it is all rubbish (her words) 4. is about to do the alpha course, as has been tipped off it will go down well at the interview. 5.Takes her children to sunday school. IT REALLY WINDS ME UP. She also has no intention of carrying on if/when she finds out if she is in her chosen faith school in this septembers intake. I think this is awful.

[Tryharder]

Why are Catholic schools seen as "good"? Never understood that.

[Bossybritches22]

Because as long as they have lay staff rather than kiddy fiddling priests, they often( not always) have good discipline + educational standards.
As do other faith schools.

[PooPooInMyToes]

I wouldn't want to send my children to a school where they would be taught to believe in a religion which i myself did not believe in. Always seems crazy to me!