Catholic school Admission:Religion-confusion-urgently need help

[florencesmith]

Hi all,

I urgently need your feedback. We are a catholic family, moved to the UK few years ago.

Before I had my first child, I was more of an atheist, did not attend church every Sunday etc etc but after having my first child, my view towards going to church changed and I became a strong believer, I?m grateful to god for my lill angel. After all those complications I went through, it was only a miracle that I had my baby successfully. Anyways, long story cut short, I am a regular goer to church and take my 2 years old to the church too.

My husband filled our (his, mine and our child?s) membership form to the local UK catholic church. Recently, I was applying to local catholic schools, as DH and I want LO to follow catholic value and all, and there was a section where I had written my religion, but when DH was reviewing the form, he said ,?Oh no?I had put your religion as blank ?cause I didn?t know if you wanted me to put Catholic??I was soo livid, how dare he ? yes before having our baby I may have laughed but that doesn?t mean he should have done that?.

Now I don?t know, what am I supposed to do, he filled our membership form 3 years ago, since then we had our baby, we?ve been going to the church, my child was baptised here, and now that I have to fill the admission form, I don?t know what to write. Ofcourse the local priest knows me, as I am an active member of the church community, and I feel so let down by my husband, that don?t know what am I suppose to write in the school admission form?

In my mind the options and its consequence are:

1. Truthfully, I mention my religion as ?Catholic? in the admission sheet. But I am worried, when the priest goes through our membership form sent 3 years ago and my child?s Baptism record, he would think only my husband and child are catholic, and that I am lying, and he may cancel my childs admission?? Even though our local priest knows me, sees that we attend church every Sunday and I am member of local church group??

1. I leave my religion blank, to be consistent with what my husband had written for my religion in the church membership form 3 years ago. But this would mean my child would not be considered for the school as we don?t meet the entry requirement which is both parents should be catholic.??

1. Talk to priest and tell him my husband?s mistake of leaving my religion as blank, if he asks me why are you informing so late, I will tell him the whole story that I need to mention my religion for my child?s admission and my husband informed me that he hadn?t mentioned my religion. But I am worried, I don?t want priest to think I am lying because I want to get my child?s admission done. It will not be right. I left my country of birth where I was baptised 25 years ago. And I don?t know where my parents have kept my baptism Certificate.

1. I don?t know of any other options, please suggest.

I really really need your help, please let me know. This school is the best in the area and I cannot afford Private school. Any help would be great.

Number 3 sounds like the best option. It's a hassle to get them into religious school, I had similar trouble when I got DS into our local religious school. All sorts of letters of proof from priests, senior church members etc. Eventually I had a long conversation with our priest and explained how very important a religious school would be to my DS and he wrote a letter for the application form. Don't drop it, keep on and on and eventually you'll probably get in.

Thanks TodaysNotAGoodDay, do you think priest would understand me and believe me? I just dont want my child to loose out because of my husband's mistake..gosh i am soo worried..

What are the admission criteria for the school you're applying to? DH is Catholic, our two children are both baptised Catholic but I am atheist. However when applying for Catholic schools where I live, only the status of the children matters. I think it's fine to put Catholic as that is true. I also think it was fine for your DH to leave the form blank last time - people can change after all! Did you consider yourself Catholic at that time or not?

Oh sorry I just read that both parents are supposed to be Catholic. I'm really surprised at that rule. Do you mind telling me which school / area that is?

Thanks lilbreeze. Admission criteria states, one of the parents have to be catholic; but the priority will be given to a child where both parents are catholic. And since this school is best in 20 miles radius, there are loads of catholic family around applying to the school.
A the time when DH applied, well I couldn't care less but after having child it is different story..

Are you baptised a Catholic yourself florencesmith?

Lots of people leave stuff blank because they either didn't see it or meant to fill it in later. It doesn't mean anything on its own.

I wouldn't bring it up unless they do. If you are applying then they might get a reference from your priest and you have all the relevant paperwork, i.e. baptismal certificate and so on to prove that you are actually a catholic and not just pretending.

What they will look for is baptism certificates for the children.
Regular church attendances.
Locality of your home.
Reference from the priest.

If they need to delve further they may ask for both you and your dh's baptism certificates or, if you have lost these, the church where you were baptised so they can contact it for copies.

Leaving an option blank on a form 3 years ago will not affect your childrens acceptance into a catholic school.

If you are baptised and confirmed Catholic from childhood or baptised as an adult then put Catholic, if you are neither then check with the priest.

Will they really check a form from 3 years ago over and above your regular attendance at church every week??

Hi guys, yes I am baptised catholic, was baptised when I was around 6 months old, got my holy communion and all, but I was too small to understand what is going on, and was just following the family tradition, since all my sisters went through the same process.

I honestly dont know if priest will check form from 3 years ago...but i guess they do. I child was baptised here in this church, but i know they are evry strict in admission....

typo I meant, my child was baptised here at the local church and I understand they are very strict in admission.

If you are Catholic - put that you are one! That is the truth, afterall. Highly unlikely that they will check. It is usually the signing in blood of the priest that you are regular attenders (and the desperate hope that there aren't 30 siblings in the class you are applying for) that seals the deal!

You'll be fine - you were baptised, confirmed and attend regularly which ticks all the boxes. Leaving one line blank in a form 3 years ago will have no bearing whatsoever!

So guys shall I talk to Priest about the 'blank' left or just write 'catholic' under my religion.

If the priest knows you & you take communion on Sunday - he is going to be more convinced by that, than any missing line on a form. I wouldn't mention it. Do you really think he is going to refer back to a membership form from 3 years ago? BTW, what are these membership forms - I've never heard of them before?

I really don't think you need to talk to the priest- if you have been baptised a Catholic, you are a Catholic and that's that. Should you ever need to prove it to the school for admission purposes, you would be able to get a copy of your baptism certificate from your old church.

Hello there,

Just to let you know, we've moved this one to 'Education'.

Thanks,
MNHQ

I wouldn't mention it to the priest at all - really no need.

Thanks ladies, the problem, as I mentioned before, I was not a strong believer in faith till I had my child, which is 4 years ago. Though I was born catholic, I had absolutely no believe in it.

My mom had my Baptism Certificate and she cant find it. I dont blame her as its ages ago. I am 42.
So if priest suddenly decide to ask me where is my Baptism Certificate, I would be lost, as I cant find one. I will tell him that but I doubt he will belive me..and may decide to not give admission to my child...this is what i am worried about most, of just writing catholic as religion in the admission..

You are making way too much of this Florence. I've never heard of any parent having to produce their Baptism certificate! I doubt very much I could lay hands on mine & neither could my mother. If you are that worried, write to the church where you were baptised, they will have a record & can re-issue a certificate.

Do you know which church you were baptised in?

In many countries (I don't know if it is universal) it would be normal for them to keep a record of any baptisms...on the two occasions I have needed to produce a baptism certificate (for confirmation and when I married), I wrote to the church were I was baptised and they sent me a copy of the entry in the church register.

Oops...typed to slow...PostBellumBugsy just beat me to it...

I agree, just contact the church where you were baptised. However I really doubt they will ask to see a copy!

You really have nothing to worry about. Plenty of parents apply for faith schools on much weaker grounds than you!