The following email interview was initiated by Marianna Bartold of Keeping It Catholic, after the flash alert NACHE Bans Seton was uploaded to the KIC website on June 23, 1999.
Sending the interview request to Mary Hasson (TORCH/NACHE), Mrs. Bartold also sent carbon copies to Mother of Divine Grace, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Victory, Seton Home Study, Roman Catholic Faithful, Catholic Home School Network of America, and Keeping It Catholic's contact list. Mrs. Bartold also faxed a copy to Fr. John Hardon, S.J. (spiritual advisor to NACHE) and attempted to fax Kolbe Academy.
Please Note: Mrs. Bartold's inquiry was professional and forthright; she was clear in alerting NACHE of her own knowledge about Seton's banishment against the advice of Fr. Hardon. Additionally, Mrs. Bartold let the NACHE board know she had already conversed with Fr. Hardon. At the same time, NACHE was offered an opportunity to give their side of the story.
Letter from M. BartoldSaturday
July 3, 1999
Dear Mrs. Hasson:
As I am writing an article on NACHE's ban of Seton Home Study School, contrary to the written wishes of Fr. John Hardon, S.J. in May 1999, I wish to offer you (and the entire NACHE board) an opportunity to publicly comment on this situation.
I tried to reach William Bales today but, unfortunately, he won't be available until this evening. As I am under deadline, and as email is an excellent way to communicate, I am sending this request to you, Mrs.Hasson, as NACHE's secretary. I ask that you distribute it to the entire NACHE board and invite them to offer their own quotes.
To that end, please allow me to present the following questions:
Why did NACHE decide to dismiss Fr. Hardon's explicit request to the board that Dr. Mary Kay Clark and Seton Home Study be allowed at this year's NACHE convention?
It is known that Seton has been consistently referring internal disagreements to Fr. Hardon, NACHE's spiritual advisor. Week long discussions with Fr.Hardon confirmed this information. Also, Fr. Hardon declared Seton's "Authority in the Church" article as "free from error." Does your lay board believe they are correct and Fr. Hardon is not?
It is known that NACHE insisted that Dr. Mary Kay Clark meet with the entire NACHE lay board (sans Fr. Hardon) to explain her and/or Seton's position on the "Authority" article and other issues. It is also known that Dr. Clark requested a one-on-one meeting with William Bales. Could you explain why NACHE refused Seton's request that Dr. Clark, as Seton's director, and William Bales, as NACHE's president, meet privately to discuss any concerns?
With the exclusion of Seton, what other Catholic home study programs will be hosting a table at this year's NACHE convention?
Does NACHE believe they are best serving Catholic homeschoolers by excluding Seton?
What are your main objections to Seton's "Authority in the Church" article?
Do you offer a "litmus test" of sorts to Protestant and other non-Catholic vendors concerning their attitudes toward Catholic Church authority? Why or why not?
Would you provide me with an all-inclusive list of this year's vendors prior to the conference, for the purposes of this article?
In an effort to avoid any misunderstandings, I am sending this email to various parties, including Robert Brindle of Our Lady of the Rosary, Seton Home Study School, Our Lady of Victory, CHSNA, Roman Catholic Faithful, Mother of Divine Grace, and the various Keeping It Catholic state contacts. I will also be sending a hard copy of this "interview" letter to Fr. John Hardon, S.J. and to Kolbe Academy (as I do not have an email address for the latter school).
All carbon copy recipients are also welcome to offer their own public commentary for my article, and I ask that they send their quotes to me (info below).
Thank you for your expeditious response. Please feel free to send your quotes to me in the way most comfortable for you - via return email to this address, via fax (810) 412-3973, or via phone at (810) 412-1959. I must advise you that the phone line is busy lately, and so the first two options are the best. Last but not least, I would appreciate a response no later than Monday, July 5, 1999 by 11 a.m. (eastern daylight time) as I must meet deadline. I hope you find it in the best interests of Catholic homeschoolers nationwide that you do respond to these pertinent questions.
In the love of Christ and His Virgin Mother,
Marianna Bartold
Keeping It Catholic
Mary Hasson of NACHE responded; unfortunately, the answer only confirmed the continuous hostility of the NACHE board. Homeschoolers will also note NACHE chose not to specifically answer questions, especially those centering on their relationship and obedience to Fr. Hardon, or that which asked if NACHE had a "litmus" test for Protestant vendors at the NACHE conference. It was only later that NACHE tried to excuse their dismissal of Fr. Hardon's advice, claiming he didn't have all the pertinent information. They have never answered the "litmus" question to to this day.
See NACHE's Response
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