Ginny’s Gems

New Website Showcases Seton Students There’s a new way for you to showcase the talents, success stories, and achievements of your Seton students and graduates! The Student Achievement website is ...

by John Clark | Years ago, I inquired of a wise, old friend as to what her favorite religious movie was. Her answered surprised me. She said: “I don’t watch religious movies. The images in them can effect your reading of Scripture for the rest of your life.” Her point was that, after seeing a film, your meditations are influenced by what you have seen. The more I thought about it, the more I realized she had point.

Seton’s next graduation ceremony is rapidly approaching! Students and their families will soon be traveling to Front Royal for our 2014 graduation. This event is eagerly anticipated by our staff ...

by Mitchell Kalpakgian | According to the worldly wise, the end justifies the means. If one achieves his ambitions, he need not be scrupulous or squeamish for doing what most people do—even if they are dishonest.

by Abby Sasscer | Spring is definitely in the air and what better time to declutter and organize our domestic church than during this beautiful season of Lent. Despite the on-again, off-again winter weather we’ve been experiencing here in Virginia, the Great Purge of 2014 is well underway in our little home in the hills.

by Mary Lou Warren | What can we do if we notice that our children are not motivated to learn? As parents and teachers, we want to inspire and encourage our children to learn and live a full and healthy life. What do we do if we start noticing a problem?

by Lorraine Espenhain | A paradox is a statement or situation that seems to contradict itself. For example, it has been said of the ocean: “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink!” Those who take Christ at His Word, and are not afraid to put that Word into practice in their lives, eventually discover what I call the Divine Paradox of Christianity.

The primary role of parents in their children’s education, especially in their religious education, comes from the importance of children in Christian marriage. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says ...

Trying to get homeschooling done before summer break can be stressful. But sometimes, when you think you’re behind, you’re right where you should be.

by Marlicia Fernandez | Lent is flying by and the pink vestments (or the rose, as many a priest has informed many a congregation) have made their appearance during the Mass, for Laetare Sunday. That means we are a little more than half-way through the Lenten season. Most of us find that exciting because we see the light at the end of the Lenten tunnel. Easter is right around the corner!

by Ginny Seuffert | Gatto’s Third Theme is that students must gain insight into major institutional forms including courts, military, and corporations, as well as the ideas that drive them. By truly understanding these institutions, students mature into responsible citizens who will not be persuaded by opinion-makers in the major media, but will be capable of forming intelligent, independent judgments, and then acting on them.

Students and parents often call about the composition assignments, asking for advice about what to look for in reviewing a composition. Seton’s English lesson plans give specific guidance on grading compositions, which can be found in the Introduction and first quarter of each lesson plan.

by Gene McGuirk | For many years, the U.S. military has made it difficult for home-schooled high school students to enlist. They were often considered to be “non-graduates.” Seton has had many calls from families over the years about our graduates whom some branch would not permit to enlist. In recent years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has been running an ongoing test of new homeschooled recruits to see if they could fit in.

by Dave Armstrong | My specialty as an apologist is “biblical arguments for Catholicism.” I enjoy that aspect of my work a lot because the Bible is the great “common ground” that all Christians share (and I strive to be ecumenical). We all reverence Sacred Scripture and believe it is inspired revelation.

by Dr Clark | Many years ago, a group of about forty Catholic homeschool state support group leaders gathered in Chicago for two or three consecutive years, in the month of April, to discuss the growing Catholic homeschooling movement. It was not an easy meeting to attend as we all had children and not much money for such trips.

by Alannah Smithee | I have to go to the dentist. Normally, not a big deal. At least, it isn't when you haven't been stalling. But I have, for quite awhile now, in fact. And I have lain in bed many a long night worrying about it because I just didn't have it in me to call and schedule a date to be tortured.

by Michelle Bosso | I am currently in my third year of homeschooling with Seton Home Study School. This year my preschooler attends a private half-day program. While Brycen is at school, we complete the majority of the work for my 1st, 4th, and 6th graders.

Kids' Corner | Download this ‘St. Joseph’ Word Puzzle! A fun activity to for all ages! Search for these words: Anna, carpenter, David, Egypt, Gabriel, Herod, Joseph, just, Nazareth, Simeon, temple, twelve

by Pope Francis | In the family, faith accompanies every age of life, beginning with childhood: children learn to trust in the love of their parents. This is why it is so important that within their families parents encourage shared expressions of faith which can help children gradually to mature in their own faith.

by John Clark | We’ve all probably been in conversations in which a parent will comment that his child spends too much time on the computer or iPad, as though the parent had no control at all over his children. That’s pretty sad for a number of reasons, beginning with the fact that it alludes to a relationship breakdown.