LI diocese wants religious classes out of homes

The Diocese of Rockville Centre has revamped its policies on religious education classes that about 11,000 children have been attending in parishioners' homes, saying it now prefers the classes be held on parish grounds so it can ensure a safe environment.

About 10 percent of the 113,000 children enrolled in after-school religious classes from grades 1 to 8 take them in private homes, usually in groups of eight to 10, diocesan spokesman Sean Dolan said.

Church officials want those classes moved to parish properties for several reasons, chiefly the safety and well-being of the children, he said. The classes teach children, who often attend public or independent schools, the basic tenets of the Catholic faith and prepare them for the sacraments such as first Communion and confirmation.

'A different era' now

"In a different era" before the church sex abuse scandal, "that wasn't a problem," Dolan acknowledged. "Obviously, in the era we are living in right now, there's a kind of a new, reasonable expectation as to what a safe environment is. It's really to protect everyone."

Dolan said the diocese is not banning the home classes outright, but strongly encouraging parishes to move them to parish facilities, where they can be better monitored. If a parish continues holding home group classes, it will have to abide by new guidelines governing the classes.

They include having catechists, or religion instructors, interviewed by church officials before classes begin and having the instructors undergo anti-sex abuse training.

Two adults must also be present during the classes, and no food, candy, drinks, pets or visitors are permitted at the time.

Dolan said many parishes have resorted to home classes because there was not enough room at parish facilities. Some parishes may have to build new space for the classes, he said.

At St. Lawrence the Martyr in Sayville, some 35 percent to 40 percent of the 1,200 children enrolled in religious formation classes take them in homes, said Maria Davidson, director of religious education for the parish.

She said the parish is examining options to bring the home-schooled children into parish buildings, including combining home and parish classes into one group. For instance, many of the home and parish classes have just five to eight children, so they could be combined into one class on parish property, she said.

"We are transitioning" to the new model, she said, "but very gradually."

National scope unknown

Nationally, there are no hard statistics on the number of children's faith formation classes held in homes, said Don Clemer, a spokesman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C.

The classes are expected to follow guidelines set by the National Directory for Catechesis, including requiring families to coordinate with their pastor, using only approved texts and screening the parents teaching the classes, he said.