CHARLOTTE — The cries of small children rang through the air before the annual Homeschool Mass Aug. 19 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
It was an appropriate sound because the Mass, celebrated by Bishop Michael Martin, was dedicated to homeschooling families, and many of the moms and dads in attendance had multiple babies and small children in tow.
It’s an annual tradition to start the school year that enables homeschool families to get together for worship and fellowship.
A choir made up of homeschool students sang along with the hymns for the day which included “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” “Now Thank We All Our God,” “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” and “For the Beauty of the Earth.”
“I’m so grateful for this chance for homeschooling families to come together at the beginning of the school year for the Eucharist,” Bishop Martin told congregants at the beginning of Mass.
Bishop Martin started his homily by asking all the children to raise their hands and then asked if any of them had on a watch. One boy, Kyle Mancuso, 8, raised his hand.
“What time is it Kyle?” the bishop asked. “12:25,” the boy responded.
Bishop Martin used the telling of time as a launching pad to tell the kids about the importance of time in their daily lives: a time to eat, a time to study, a time go to Mass, a time to pray, etc. He reminded them that there are always going to be specific times when they need to do things even if they might not want to, such as do their chores or go to bed. He reminded them that their parents also have to do things at specific times each day, such as wake up and go to work.
All of those things, he said, mean nothing without relying on Christ, whose love transcends time.
“We’re never ever too late to listen to our parents, and we’re never ever too late to listen to Jesus,” Bishop Martin told the children. “Even if we first say ‘no,’ we can still then say ‘yes’ to whatever Jesus wants us to do.”
He told parents that it might be hard for them to keep to a strict schedule all the time, especially if they have infants or toddlers to manage. Despite the stress, he said, never give up on God.
“You’re on some other schedule that is not of your choosing – simply understand that you can’t schedule a real life,” he said. “Jesus is saying to you to relax. He’s with you all the time. You’re trying to juggle finding children and getting meals together and learning what you need to learn in order to teach your children. Even when you feel like you’re not getting it all done, it’s okay. Turn to Him.”
After Mass, Kyle’s mom Elyse Mancuso stopped on the Cathedral steps with her other four children: Kira, 12; Joshua, 11; Ryan, 6; and Digny, 4. The Mancuso family, who attend St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, has been homeschooling their children for seven years.
“We wanted to homeschool so we could focus on traditional academics, rigorous academics,” she said. “It gives us a chance to do things like read the classics together as a family. I loved the chance to attend this Mass, especially listening to the choir.”
Kelly Hudspeth drove from Winston-Salem with three of her five children to attend the Mass: Cosette, 12; Arthur, 10; and Torin, 7. The other two – Oliver, 5, and Dorothy, 20 months, were home with her husband Caleb. The family attends Holy Family Church in Clemmons and has been homeschooling for 10 years.
“We homeschool because we want to incorporate our faith in everything our children learn, and also as a way to build up our personal relationships as a family,” Hudspeth said.
The entire family called the homeschool Mass “beautiful” and Cosette offered a positive review: “I especially liked the bishop’s homily!”
— Christina Lee Knauss. Photos by Troy C. Hull
