Saint
Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH
Fostering Stewardship at Home WITH STILLWATER CAT T he seeds of faith, hope, families can find the support they and charity are most need to carry on their apostolate firmly planted in a child’s of Catholic home education in the heart in their own home, and midst of the world. that is why homeschooling is a “Our primary mission is to wonderful setup for learning. be a support group for Catholic “Homeschooling is a life homeschooling families, and choice for us,” says Catie Hanson, especially for homeschooling who serves as a coordinator for mothers, because they are doing The All Saints’ Day celebration Stillwater Catholic Homeschoolers, the teaching,” Catie says. “Over on Nov. 1, 2019 along with Rose Cabeen. the years, we have held monthly “Although homeschooling is get-togethers for homeschooling academically challenging, that moms, during which we talk about aspect is not as important to homeschooling topics, such as how us as the relationship and faith to incorporate Catholic traditions aspects. Homeschooling gives into your homeschooling day. We our children the freedom to build started these meetings because relationships with their siblings, we wanted to provide a way for other homeschooled children, and homeschooling moms to meet each Jesus all day long.” other, share ideas, and support The homeschooling lifestyle each other as teachers.” provides families with unique Furthermore, Stillwater A historic reading lesson at flexibility so that they can foster Catholic Homeschoolers Pleasant Valley School their children’s spiritual lives and organizes a rich variety of nurture their talents in extraordinary ways. social, educational, and faith-based activities for “This morning, I took my boys to adoration homeschooling children as well. with me at 8 a.m. because they weren’t required “After we began meeting as moms, we started to to be anywhere else at that time,” Catie says. think it would be important for our children to come “Homeschooling gives us the ability to plan our together and get to know each other better, so Rose daily schedule around our life of faith. We have started coordinating some field trips,” Catie says. extra time to pray, go to daily Mass, and celebrate The group once toured the Fashion Department the liturgical seasons.” at Oklahoma State University, where they visited However, homeschooling isn’t for the faintlabs for testing fabrics, and saw machines that hearted. Homeschooling parents need to make great make and cut patterns. They have also visited sacrifices to provide an excellent, well-rounded museums, and hope to visit a bald eagle sanctuary education for their children at home — bringing soon. them close to the Heart of Christ, in the heart of Lastly, the group has also been working on their domestic churches. Thanks to groups like the hosting events that enrich the liturgical seasons, Stillwater Catholic Homeschoolers, homeschooling such as an All Saints’ Day party. 4
