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Voicing their intention to avoid any NACHE (National Association of Catholic Home Educators) events, Catholic homeschoolers of northern Virginia outlined the reasons behind their protest in a June 2000 letter sent to NACHE, its vendors, and speakers. Copies were also sent to Catholic homestudy programs and various Catholic email lists for public distribution.
As the annual NACHE conference is only a few weeks away, the northern Virginia homeschoolers ask other homeschool groups nationwide to place the same concerns before NACHE, its vendors and speakers as soon as possible. NACHE's email address is nache@nache.org
The letter as viewed on this site is published here in its entirety, although color emphasis is provided by Keeping It Catholic.
This latest grass-roots action questioning NACHE's actions originates from Catholic homeschool families living in the general area where NACHE hosts its annual homeschool conference in Manassas, VA.
Subj: letter to NACHEDate: 00-06-12 21:32:06 EDT
From: gmasher@worldnet.att.net (GREGORY ASHER)
To: Various Recipients
NACHE Board:
Having found that Seton is still banned from your conferences and seeing no evidence that NACHE is taking steps to resolve this "difference of opinion" on sacramental guidelines and authority in the Church, we, northern Virginia Catholic homeschoolers, wish these points to be publicly addressed:
-We as baptized Catholic homeschoolers oppose any suggestion which indicates that there is a schism between Catholic homeschoolers and the hierarchy of the Church. NACHE is the only group that we hear purporting this notion. This idea of a schism is an insult to us as Catholic homeschoolers and though it may be NACHE's viewpoint, that does not make it truth.
-We have seen no attempt by NACHE to "fully inform" Fr. Hardon on this issue and NACHE continues to ignore his spiritual guidance in this matter.
- Fr. Hardon and three other priests pre-approved Seton's article on the "Authority in the Church". Fr. Hardon found it to be free of doctrinal error. We have seen no evidence that Mary Hasson or NACHE also sought and followed spiritual guidance on these issues, rather they have ignored the guidance given to them by Father Hardon.
- Mary Hasson has claimed that Seton misrepresented her personal views as well as NACHE and Torch, though Fr. Hardon and the other three priests understood the obvious relationship between Mary Hasson/NACHE/Torch as portrayed in the Seton article. "Seton's absence is a direct result of Dr. Mary Kay Clark's refusal to meet with the NACHE Board in order to discuss several serious and specific grievances." (NACHE's WebPages).
-Who gives NACHE the authority to judge an article, previously stated to be free from doctrinal error, that was written by an internationally recognized Catholic curriculum supplier and then ban the organization from a Catholic conference sponsored by a group whose mission is "to provide spiritual, doctrinal, and practical information..." to Catholic homeschoolers. How does banning Seton, the biggest, oldest, and most complete Catholic curriculum provider, allow you to continue to provide the full spectrum of resources available, especially to new homeschoolers?
- Why is Seton and Dr. Mary Kay Clark, both having been publicly blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1995, still banned, if as Mary Hasson indicates, she has no position in NACHE? Why is her influence so strong if this difference of opinion with Seton is just a personal view? Why, too, have the opinions of other Catholics and Catholic homeschooling authorities and leaders, including Fr. Hardon, your own Spiritual Advisor, been dismissed?
- NACHE is making steps to become the "official" Catholic homeschooling authority by seeking lay association of the faithful status with the Vatican, yet you make no attempt to find a charitable conclusion to these "grievances" with Seton. The erroneous belief that Catholic homeschoolers are separated from the Church and that we need a bridge to the hierarchy is a false premise.
Until NACHE addresses these issues and gives satisfactory answers to them, we do not give NACHE any authority to represent us, nationally or internationally. Furthermore, we will not be participating in any NACHE affiliated conference, workshop, or other program, including subscribing to the NACHE newsletter The Catholic Home Educator and we will encourage other Catholic homeschoolers not to participate either.
Marjorie Asher
a northern Virginia Catholic homeschooler
cc: NACHE conference speakers, vendors, and other Catholic homeschoolers.
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