St Mary's KS sspx

[Jman123]

I'm noticing that people from smaller sspx chapels are moving to places like St Mary's KS. What do you think of this?
Are there possibly any advantages to raising a family in St Mary's as opposed to a smaller chapel of the SSPX?

[Jacob]

I'm not SSPX.  With that in mind:

1. Living in an actual community of like-minded Catholics.
2. Having access to an proper, sane, rational Catholic school.
3. Easy access to priests, not living near a chapel where the priest is not resident.

[Lynne]

I'm not SSPX.  With that in mind:

1. Living in an actual community of like-minded Catholics.
2. Having access to an proper, sane, rational Catholic school.
3. Easy access to priests, not living near a chapel where the priest is not resident.

Yes, yes, and yes.

[Heinrich]

I was just south of St. Mary's Saturday, in Maple Hill. I was hoping to meet up with our resident Charmmeister, Michael Wilson. Ahead of schedule(not much sleep in MO) and he was at Mass. Driving round Maple Hill, one realizes that this area has grace. While not in St. Mary's, yet close. All those Masses and Rosaries!

[MundaCorMeum]

our resident Charmmeister, Michael Wilson.

I like it! 

[Michael Wilson]

We just missed connecting! Drat!

[Heinrich]

We just missed connecting! Drat!

From Maple Hill/St. Mary's to my home is the most arduous part of the drive from Knoxville. I was terribly tired when we spoke whilst I was at the truck stop and knew the pain was coming. About the state line and I was needing to stop again.

[Miriam_M]

our resident Charmmeister, Michael Wilson.

I can't settle for just thanking Munda.  I must affirm myself how adorable that is.

[ThreeKings]

I'm noticing that people from smaller sspx chapels are moving to places like St Mary's KS. What do you think of this?
Are there possibly any advantages to raising a family in St Mary's as opposed to a smaller chapel of the SSPX?

Avoid the place like the plague.
I have been traditional Catholic 35 years.
St. Mary's is the worst bunch of hypocritical, sunday-only "Catholics " I have ever met.  The cliques are unbelievable.
This is not only my opinion but many of my friends who moved there.  I sent my son to high school there for one year.  He learned bad language, was exposed to the worst bullying, learned the internet and pornography, had absolutely no privacy at all, and was fed moldy food.  Neither the dorm master, teachers, or priests cared a rip to fix anything.

Just because it says "catholic" does not mean it is.

[Heinrich]

I'm noticing that people from smaller sspx chapels are moving to places like St Mary's KS. What do you think of this?
Are there possibly any advantages to raising a family in St Mary's as opposed to a smaller chapel of the SSPX?

Avoid the place like the plague.
I have been traditional Catholic 35 years.
St. Mary's is the worst bunch of hypocritical, sunday-only "Catholics " I have ever met.  The cliques are unbelievable.
This is not only my opinion but many of my friends who moved there.  I sent my son to high school there for one year.  He learned bad language, was exposed to the worst bullying, learned the internet and pornography, had absolutely no privacy at all, and was fed moldy food.  Neither the dorm master, teachers, or priests cared a rip to fix anything.

Just because it says "catholic" does not mean it is.

WHOA! Hello. I don't have a dog in this but if it is so bad how is it able to maintain?

[Michael Wilson]

Re. Horrible place St. Mary's: This isn't the Garden of Eden; there are many good and sincere practicing Catholics who are really doing a wonderful job either as parents, religious, or children. But there are also some that are not so great, who's manner of living isn't very different from what is considered "normal" today. However the wickedness of the few should not blind us to the virtue of the majority. 
The problem with any trad school is that parents who have not done a good job, send their children to the schools, hoping that the school will "straighten out" their child. It doesn't always happen, but the school should not be judged by the 'bad apples' that are always there, and as my parents told me, always have been. 
I also have a niece that has lived most of her life here in St. Marys and who did not have a positive experience from attending the SSPX academy because of the behavior of her fellow students. She is now married and is home schooling her children instead of sending them to the Academy, for that reason. Parents should be aware that there is no "perfect place" to either live or school to send their children to. Basically we all have to endeavor to lead as virtuous lives as possible and as parents, make sure to raise our children in the same manner; and not leave it to others to do so. 

[Traditionallyruralmom]

Re. Horrible place St. Mary's: This isn't the Garden of Eden; there are many good and sincere practicing Catholics who are really doing a wonderful job either as parents, religious, or children. But there are also some that are not so great, who's manner of living isn't very different from what is considered "normal" today. However the wickedness of the few should not blind us to the virtue of the majority. 
The problem with any trad school is that parents who have not done a good job, send their children to the schools, hoping that the school will "straighten out" their child. It doesn't always happen, but the school should not be judged by the 'bad apples' that are always there, and as my parents told me, always have been. 
I also have a niece that has lived most of her life here in St. Marys and who did not have a positive experience from attending the SSPX academy because of the behavior of her fellow students. She is now married and is home schooling her children instead of sending them to the Academy, for that reason. Parents should be aware that there is no "perfect place" to either live or school to send their children to. Basically we all have to endeavor to lead as virtuous lives as possible and as parents, make sure to raise our children in the same manner; and not leave it to others to do so.

I find your comment interesting, and convicts me in my thoughts that home education is still the best option.  An SSPX priest wrote in Catholic Family News this month about education and said there will be a part 2 addressing "Homeschooling" (in quotation marks) and a parents duty to send their child to a Catholic school if they have the option.  They really toot the horn of the schools.    I cant help but think that in todays world of craziness we live in, its even hard for traddy Catholics to keep a reign on their children's affections and habits if they are gone 8 plus hours a day even at a traddy school. Not to mention that among traddy Catholics the standards of what is acceptable is all over the board.

I guess thats a long winded way to say that even if I lived in Traddy Town USA I would probably still homeschool

[Michael Wilson]

I agree with you TRM. If at all possible Home School.

[Gardener]

I think people need to keep in mind fallen human nature.

How many people read the writings of saints like St. Alphonsous Liguori and he's lambasting bad morals, bad company, bad culture? Well, those were Catholics doing those things in a culture which only had Catholics in them, for the most part.

We must, must, must be careful of utopianism.

Don't get me wrong... a Catholic culture full of Catholics, even nominal or bad ones, is better than the creepy, Willy Wonka-like hell-in-a-handbasket horror ride we so often experience in a culture that has devolved beyond our grandparents' recognition. But the reality remains the same: mankind is fallen.

Growing up as a Protestant, I went to a private Christian school for 9th and 10th grade. It was, at least once, internationally famous as a place that missionaries sent their children. The man who ran the school was an alumni. The staff was really doing their best. But ya know what? I witnessed the following during my time there:

extremely foul language

sexual activity (in class!!!!!) between a boyfriend/girlfriend while the teacher had her back turned; sexual activity by students as spoken about in contexts outside of class

plenty of freely spoken doubts about the Bible, God, the reality of morality as taught in the Scriptures, milquetoast defense of things -- all by students and teachers alike.

toleration by staff of dissenting opinions that led not a few of those students to essentially maintain only an external Christianity

inclusive admittance of at least one self-proclaimed Wiccan witch as a student and she was allowed to wear jewelry which was decidedly pagan in nature

etc.

And this was at a school where the theological opinion was Fundamentalist Protestant! Imagine what SuperHappyRockbandFun Church schools are like!

Now, you might say, "Ah, but not in St. Mary's!" Oh yeah, I guarantee they're there, cus those things have NOTHING to do with Protestants or Catholics, but the reality of fallen man.

If you want to control what your kids see, learn, etc., you really need to homeschool if at all possible. You cannot guarantee that a good environment is actually good. Appearances are deceiving, and it's myopic to think that if one just lifts the veil they will only see Angelus recitations and family rosaries. Porn, spousal abuse, horrible language, etc. Guarantee it's there.

Don't be fooled: people suck.

But, Michael Wilson is there, so it's got that going for it. But he sucks too. (just less than I do)

[MundaCorMeum]

I agree, Gardener.  While I think homeschooling certainly does stack the deck in our favor, for my own family, it is definitely NOT. A magic bullet.  For my children or anyone else's.  I pray that I don't ruin all these tiny humans every.single.day.  it's something I lose lots of sleep over.  I beg for God's grace, pray for their purity, and form them as best I can (as does my husband).  At the end of the day, whether we outsource our children's education or keep it in house, if our children remain with their Faith intact through out their lives, it'll be in spite of me; not because of me.  It's frightening.  Many days I wish I could just throw in the towel, because I know I am utterly sub-par for this monumental task.  But, this is the task God gave me, and no one else can do it but me (under the guidance of my husband).  All I can do is give my five loaves and two fish and beg God to bless and multiply them.

Also, these are my top two rules of parenting:
1) never seek affirmation from your children
2) never put anything past your  children....yes, they are capable... even your precious little angel

(Bonus rules 3 and 4:. Don't argue with toddlers; never wake a sleeping baby or a pregnant woman  )

ETA:. I think Michael said it best when he said, "This isn't the Garden of Eden". Excellent reminder!