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Catholic Chapter House originated in Ontario, Canada with a reach that expands beyond all borders to meet and inspire Catholic Christians around the world.

The founders of the company felt a stirring in their hearts with God calling them to serve Him and their fellow believers by providing tools needed to live out our lives faithfully and fully by finding Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church on earth.

The Church defines faith as, “the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that He has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because He is truth itself. By faith man freely commits his entire self to God. For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. The righteous shall live by faith. Living faith works through charity.” (CCC 1814, Emphasis added).

Simply believing in God is only a part of the equation for having faith. To believe in God we must know who He is and what He proposes for us. To fully embrace the second half of the virtue of faith we need to learn God’s will, which is found in the teachings of the Catholic Church. From that we can obtain, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the virtue of faith in order for us to live more fully. This is what we at Catholic Chapter House hope to achieve personally and for all of our fellow human beings.

Faith proceeds understanding “fides quaerens intellectum”. We encourage all people who are seeking faith to ask God and He will ensure your prayer is answered (Luke 11:9-10). To live in faith is to live in the power of the resurrection.

We hope to inspire you to gain a deeper understanding of the faith and to be re-energized, to go out and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and the world.

What a 4 Day Vacation can do for the mind and the soul!

We packed up the truck, grabbed the kids, a few friends, and off we went.

It wasn't long and we were in the mountains.

We set up camp.

Cooked some real camping food.

and yes smores.....

Liz was able to get some rest.

I found an adventure or two.

The kids had so much fun.

and we all feel rejuvenated and refreshed....

I bet you can't guess what we did....give you a hint.... 40 foot drop, water, and pure adrenaline....

Father / Daughter Night Out!

I, with a little insight from my beautiful wife, decided that Fathers should periodically take their daughters out on  a date to show them and teach them how they should be treated when they become of appropriate age to date. So we planned a date night for Friday night, just Dad and daughter. I arrived home at 5pm with flowers, teaching her that any man wishing her company should never arrive empty handed. The size and the item doesn't matter, but the gesture sure does.

I changed my clothes, teaching her that making the effort to look nice on a date reflects the importance of making a good impression and also showing her that she is worth cleaning up for.

Men should always open and close doors for ladies, if a man doesn't show this respect, what does that say about him? About how he respects and feels about her?

We arrived at the restaurant and ordered a nice meal. 

I reminded her that a lady should never be expected to pay for anything on a date. She is the guest.

And desserts are important.

We had some free time before the play, so we drove to the sundial bridge for a nice walk.

It was a beautiful evening as the sun began to set and the fishermen were enjoying the peaceful river.

Dad on the bridge.

There are beautiful gardens along the river.

Mackenzie Clare

She said "Enough pictures Dad!"

We arrived at the playhouse just in time to relax for a few minutes before the crowds arrived.

Dad and Daughter

The play was a comedy.

The playhouse is a small but neat community playhouse.

And the play began....

After the play, we stopped off for a little treat.

Frozen Yogurt and you choose the toppings.

I like a little yogurt with all the candy and Chocolate.

Mackenzie had to add some healthy fruit, that is just wrong!

All in all, we had a special and wonderful evening together. We laughed, we visited, we enjoyed each others company, and I was able to show her just how special of a lady she is, and just how a man, any man should treat her.....

Increasing Number Of Parents Opting To Have Children "School-Homed"

Parents of school-homed children say they relish the extra time they are able to spend away from their kids.

As many of you know, we home-school our children for the mere fact that after trying to use a more traditional educational method (i.e. Schools) we found that not only were our children being poorly educated, but in some instances, being brainwashed and receiving propaganda in direct opposition to our beliefs and wishes.  We found that the schools really didn't care what we wanted for our children, they saw themselves as the experts and knew best what was appropriate for our children. Although there are many people who have similar experiences and have chosen to rescue their children by homeschooling, many in society have released their children to the bureaucracy of "Schools." In many ways, they have transferred the responsibility of raising their children to the organization rather than assuming that responsibility themselves. The sad aspect of this situation is that many parents have little desire to raise their children, in fact, often forgo time with them to pursue their own personal interests and goals. I recently heard someone say "If I put God first, my spouse second, my children third, then there is no time left for me, where is the me time."  This might seem a little ridiculous, surly self-centered, but it is far more common than you might realize in our current society. People will say that they love their children, will be the first defend their children, and state that they would do anything for them, but in reality, their actions speak in direct contrast to their profession. As we all know, Actions speak louder than words.

Here is an article (Below) taken from The Onion that I assume was written as a spoof, but there is a great deal of truth contained in the writing that will surly make you think about the ideals of so many.

WASHINGTON—According to a report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Education, an increasing number of American parents are choosing to have their children raised at school rather than at home.

Deputy Education Secretary Anthony W. Miller said that many parents who school-home find U.S. households to be frightening, overwhelming environments for their children, and feel that they are just not conducive to producing well-rounded members of society.

Thousands of mothers and fathers polled in the study also believe that those running American homes cannot be trusted to keep their kids safe.

"Every year more parents are finding that their homes are not equipped to instill the right values in their children," Miller said. "When it comes to important life skills such as proper nutrition, safe sex, and even basic socialization, a growing number of mothers and fathers think it's better to rely on educators to guide and nurture their kids."

"And really, who can blame them?" Miller continued. "American homes have let down our nation's youth time and again in almost every imaginable respect."

According to the report, children raised at home were less likely to receive individual adult attention, and were often subjected to ineffective and wildly inconsistent disciplinary measures. The study also found that many parents expressed concerns that, when at home, their children were being teased and bullied by those older than themselves.

In addition to providing better supervision and overall direction, school-homing has become popular among mothers and fathers who just want to be less involved in the day-to-day lives of their children.

"Parents are finding creative ways to make this increasingly common child-rearing track work," Miller said. "Whether it's over-relying on after-school programs and extracurricular activities, or simply gross neglect,† school-homing is becoming a widely accepted method of bringing children up."

Despite the trend's growing popularity, Miller said that school programs are often jeopardized or terminated because shortsighted individuals vote against tax increases intended to boost educational spending.

"The terrifying reality we're facing is that the worst-equipped people you could possibly imagine may actually be forced to take care of their children," Miller said.

Parents who have decided to school-home their children have echoed many of Miller's concerns. Most said that an alarming number of legal guardians such as themselves lack the most basic common sense required to give children the type of instruction they need during crucial developmental years.

"It's really a matter of who has more experience in dealing with my child," Cincinnati- resident Kevin Dufrense said of his decision to have his 10-year-old son Jake, who suffers from ADHD and dyslexia, school-homed. "These teachers are dealing with upwards of 40 students in their classrooms at a time, so obviously they know a lot more about children than someone like me, who only has one son and doesn't know where he is half the time anyway."

"Simply put, it's not the job of parents to raise these kids," Dufrense added.

Though school-homing has proven to be an ideal solution for millions of uninvolved parents, increasingly overburdened public schools have recently led to a steady upswing in the number of students being prison-homed.

Our 150 mile Kayak / Canoe Adventure

Sean ( My Son) and I are planning our 150 mile Kayak / Canoe Adventure for this early Summer.

Heading down the magnificent Sacramento River, we will be leaving our Red Bluff, CA on July 4th and arriving near Sacramento on July 9th.

Our Group: My brothers, Myself, Sean, some of his friends, and anyone else who wants to join us.

The River is mildly swift but calm in the beginning.

And then when we leave town and turn into the wilderness,
we are exposed to beautiful caverns, and picturesque scenery. 

It will be a group of Men doing what Men Love to do.

I am looking forward to the adventures that we will meet along the way. Our last trip, much shorter (35 miles) we were blessed with traveling with river otters, paddling below bald eagles soaring above us, and engulfed in God's creation.

There is something about heading off on an adventure where you really don't know what to expect, that makes the adventure such a spiritual experience.

As we travel in the afternoon, we will be looking for a good camp-spot to tie up and set up camp. I am sure we will have an appetite larger than imaginable, and can share some Irish tales as well.

We will pack plenty of food, but we plan to fish along the journey and eat our catch.

We will bond as a group of men on a journey.

 I am sure, that before we know it, the 6 days and 5 nights will be behind us, the 150 miles of river will feel like just a short jaunt.

So this is one of our excursions planned for this summer, I will enjoy sharing it with you come July.

Home-School Girls

Here is my beautiful Daughter Mackenzie (middle) with her friends. They all home-school and gather a few days a week at a private teacher's house for English and History. We are so lucky to be able to raise our kids in a truly Christian environment avoiding the evils often hidden from good-willed parents.

I know that homeschooling isn't an option for some, but it is and was the best decision we have ever made. The benefits will last a life time, at least two life-times (i.e Sean and Mackenzie).
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School Indoctrination - Kicked up a notch!

Schools, Indoctrination Centers?

Schools are openly indoctrination institutions, designed to inculcate in their students a specific set of values and beliefs.

As Roberts (1981:28) notes:

The school is an agency formally charged by society with the task of socializing the young in particular skills and values. We usually think of the school as being mainly concerned with teaching skills and knowledge. . . But the schools in every society also engage in outright indoctrination in values.

We may find this fact more readily apparent in societies other than our own until we consider the content of. . [our own schools]. The school socializes not only through its formal academic curriculum but also through the "hidden curriculum" implicit in the content of school activities, ranging from regimented classroom schedules to organized sports.

From a Christian view, some of the values and beliefs indoctrinated are positive (a love of learning) but others are negative (the discarding of all absolute values). A major problem is that the anti-Christian side of religious questions are often forcefully and persuasively presented with impunity, but the Christian position is typically censored out of the curriculum Bergman, 1980).

The reason for this one-sided indoctrination is that the anti-Christian position is "secular," and thus can be taught. The Christian side, though, is viewed as "religious," and separation of church and state requirements, it is often successfully but incorrectly argued, prohibits this side from being presented (Whitehead, 1983, 1985).

While teaching content guidelines are often not rigidly enforced, and somewhat up to the discretion of the teacher, a strong pervasive pattern exists for the anti-Christian side to be presented far more often, especially in the larger city and suburban school districts.

Tomorrow, President Obama plans to speak to all the children in the United States at their schools via a TV feed.

You might think what is the big deal, especially after reading his speech (Full text of speech).

But don't forget, there is also Classroom activities developed by the White House for the children.

Again you might say what is the big deal. These people are not stupid, there is an agenda, if not, the same speech could of been given at night to be watched at home on the television with the parents present.

(Lets not forget, the President's approval rating has dropped from 72%, to ONLY 53% currently.) That means, that 1/2 of all parents DON'T approve of the president, at least his current agenda.

I would wager that the approval rating of public school teachers is much greater than 53%, and these teachers will be the force behind, and implementer of the White House developed Classroom Activities questions.

Do you see what is happening, and it is just the beginning.

Have I mentioned that we "Home School" our children?

Have I mentioned that I whole Heatedly agreed with Pope John Paul II and our catholic faith that Parents are the primary educators of their children...... Not society, not public school teachers, not the President!

If evil clearly presented itself, many would reject it immediately, but disguised as something good, or at least benign, it can take root for future growth and development.

Parents...... Christian parents..... Be Alert..... Discern.....

Please Note: I am not an "Obama-Hater," I don't even know the man, just his self proclaimed values and agenda; Nor do I disrespect the Presidency.

If the president was making a personal visit to a classroom, that would be different; to meet in person a United States President, that would be an honor for any student.

But what we are talking about here is much much different.

If you can't see my point - well, in time you will!

You Have Asked For It - More On Courtship.

You would not believe how many e-mails I have received

from Parents and Teens regarding my recent posts about "Courtship."

So many teens have fallen into the trap of dating, premarital sex, and are begging for a way out of the emptiness that has engulfed them.

So many parents feel torn in regards to advising their children, feel lacking with the knowledge of how to raise and guide their children and are begging for direction.

The following is an article from HSLDA

written by Mike Farris that does a great job describing courtship.

The Dangers of Children Playing with Romance

Kids in love—it’s easy to see it as a simple, picture-perfect state. But there’s another angle we need to notice. Divorce, unwed mothers, abortion—all involve a form of romance gone awry. As Mike Farris shares today on Home School Heartbeat, many of these problems started back in childhood and early adolescence.

A federal trial centered around the circumstances that caused a 13-year-old girl to commit suicide after the break-up of a romantic relationship on MySpace. The national response focused on cyber-bullying and harassment—and of course, that needs some attention. But apparently, nobody worries about the potentially dire consequences of 13-year-olds engaging in romantic relationships.

Recent studies have found that teenage pregnancy rates continue to rise in this country. Notably, the highest rates are in traditionally conservative, so-called red states, including the Bible belt. Secular commentators have had a field day discussing the fact that evangelical teens have sex at a younger age and with more partners than non-evangelicals. Researchers focus on sex, but nobody talks about the danger of children playing with romance.

Pro-family conservatives have long preached that young people should practice physical abstinence before marriage. Liberals have labeled such advice as unrealistic. It is unrealistic to expect a teenager who’s been pursuing a romantic relationship since age 12 or so to have only a limited physical relationship for many, many years.

Children in their early teens are simply too young to handle both the physical and the emotional side of a romantic relationship.

Protecting our Children from Destructive Emotional Entanglements

How can parents protect their children from the emotional dangers of engaging in romantic relationships too soon.

Like many homeschooling families, my wife Vickie and I have chosen the courtship model for our children as an alternative to dating. Courtship requires young people to refrain from casual dating and wait until they’re old enough to seriously consider marriage, before entering into any kind of romantic relationship.

In order to successfully follow the courtship model, parents need to begin talking to their kids at an early age about the principles involved in courtship. We began talking to our oldest daughters about the subject of marriage when they were very young girls—7, 8, 9 years old.

All along, I let them know that their mom and dad would be highly involved in their choice of a mate. And as my daughters grew older, I talked to them about romantic relationships and the principles I expected them to follow in more detail. My daughters understood these principles before they were teenagers and far before they were seriously interested in relationships. They never expected to casually date.

If your children are older, it’s not too late to begin following the principles of courtship. However, just as a young child can learn a language more easily than an adult, a young child can also learn a pattern of behavior more easily than a teenager.

An early education in courtship principles will help protect your children from the myriad of problems that accompanies premature romance.

Delaying Romantic Relationships until Ready for Marriage

Courtship—as old-fashioned as the term may sound, many homeschool parents have recognized the practical benefits of guiding their children in the pursuit of healthy and godly relationships.

In high schools, middle schools, and even in today’s elementary schools, dating is an expected activity.

Often kids feel that they must have a boyfriend or girlfriend in order to fit in with their peers. Rather than subject children to the pressures of the dating culture, many homeschooling parents have trained their children in courtship.

The first principle of courtship is this: all romantic relationships are reserved until the season of life when a person’s ready to be married.

In order for a young man to be ready for marriage in a practical sense, he must be able and willing to support a family. And that normally requires him to delay any kind of romantic pairing off until he’s at least in his early 20s—late teens for young women.

When young men and young women reach this age, they’re far more likely to be emotionally and practically prepared for a romantic relationship. By avoiding dating through most of the teenage years and waiting until the season of life when they’re married, young people are free to be friends with members of the opposite sex, without worrying about the pressures of romantic entanglements.

Courtship frees young teens to see each other as potential friends, rather than potential dates.

Casual Dating is Out; Friendship is in

Many homeschooling families have adopted courtship for their children, rather than the practice of dating.

Many young people begin romantic relationships when they’re just too young. Courtship first of all requires young people to wait until they’re old enough to emotionally and practically consider marriage, before entering into any kind of relationship.

The second major operating principle of courtship is that there’s no such thing as casual dating.

Any date is undertaken with the mutual understanding between both the young people and both sets of parents that these young people are engaged in checking each other out with a serious belief that their relationship may lead to marriage.

Four of my grown daughters have gotten married to the only boyfriends they’ve ever had. They have known dozens of guys, because we encourage all kinds of group activities where there is a mixture of both sexes.

But those committed to courtship have been the dominant force in their group activities, and so pairing off has been off limits unless the couple is prepared to declare themselves publicly ready for marriage and headed on that path with each other.

Every bride and groom say to each other, at least implicitly, that they love each other with all their heart. Little pieces of one’s heart are given away each time a romance of any magnitude has blossomed. When each of my daughters walked the aisle, her promise to love her husband with all her heart was literally true.

The third principle of courtship is implicit in the first two.

Parents must be involved in the courtship process.

Parents, particularly fathers, should give their permission before their children enter into any kind of courtship relationship.

Likewise, parents oversee the courtship and set guidelines for the relationship with the couple.

Before a couple decides to get married, both sets of parents should give their consent.

This aspect of courtship is directly related with one of the main reasons families choose to educate their children at home.

Both homeschooling and the courtship model allow parents to responsibly direct the lives of their children.

The benefits of parental involvement in homeschooling are well-documented. I believe that there are similar benefits for children whose parents are involved in their choice of a mate.

First, young adults benefit from the experience their parents possess about marriage and relationships.

Second, young adults benefit from having a close relationship between their parents and their future mate.

If parents have been approving the relationship all along, the chances for family conflict between in-laws are greatly reduced.

Third, God promises to bless children who honor their father and mother. Parental involvement in courtship allows young people to honor their parents and to reap the benefits that this promise brings.

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Thank You Mike Farris for these words of wisdom.