The Catholic School Gambit

I grew up in a family that was tethered to a Catholic parish. The 5 kids all went to parochial school, the whole family to church every Sunday, the boys were "servers" (the most dangerous job a boy can have) and my mother was always doing volunteer work at the church. If it weren't for her interest in art, she may never have had any other exposure to the world outside the parish community. At some point in my development, this began to bother me and by my sophomore year in high school, I decided to opt for a public education and to not go to church anymore. My parents wisely accepted this.

It so happens that there are two Catholic households across the street from my home that send their children to parochial school. As I have observed them for many years, I have noticed that their lives appear to be completely immersed in their Catholic world. I decided to investigate what these people have to commit to in order to maintain this protective bubble for their offspring which is essentially what my own parents were burdened with.

A google search shows the Worker Bee family mentioned in a local parish, so I went to the parish website the Church of St. Mark and the St. Marks School. Here is what I found.

Tuition at St. Marks School K-8:

Standard Rate: $4625/child.
Parish Rate: $3600/child.
Materials fee: $100/child
Technology Fee Gr 6-8: $200/child
Family registration fee: $200

These prices look fairly mainstream for a typical Catholic grade school. Of course we are in vited to experience the "St. Marks difference" which is kind of a crock because everything about any Catholic school is all about soul crushing sameness. The "difference" usually means that your little darlings won't have to share their school with poor minorities - especially the black children.

The "parish rate" applies to "each child who is a member of a registered, active parish family."

The requirements state that "after careful consideration, Saint Mark's Parish has determined that families qualify for the Parish Investment by meeting all of the following criteria:

• Registered member at Saint Mark's Church
• Attends Mass regularly
• Volunteers time and talent in parish ministries or activities
• Pledges/honors an annual stewardship commitment

Families who do not qualify for the Parish Investment pay the Standard Tuition Rate."

Meeting these criteria means that the family:

1. Tithes to the minimum 10% of their annual gross income.
2. Attends weekly brain washing sessions.
3. Proselytize.
4. Work for the Vatican syndicate for free.

Let's look at the syndicate burden for the worker bee family.

Say the drone makes $50K a year at the grist mill and his queen makes $15K part time at repetitive task industries. Together they take home $65K/year. They have three of Gods little larvae. They already pay taxes for perfectly good public schools but they won't have any of that.

Extortion money to the Vatican Syndicate (Tithing): $6500
Family registration education fee: $200
Tuition x 3 parish rate: $10,800
Material Fees x 3: $300
Technology fee x 2: $200

Total Catholic financial burden for this famblie: $18,000/year.

That's 1/3 of their gross income and probably 1/2 of their take home pay! Since the breeders are completely committed to raising their brood and working free for the Vatican syndicate, they have no time or opportunity to have experiences and meet people outside the organization. They may never realize that they are being exploited and their kids may not either. They will probably be doomed to follow the same path never discovering some of their hidden talents or uncovering the wealth of mysteries of life because the syndicate has already programmed them to be who they are and their parents saw to it that nothing interfered with this process.

Being a Catholic, like all religions, is like carrying a parasite. You don't really need it, but since it's always been there, you assume it belongs as a part of you. It drains away your energy but won't kill you. It limits and prevents you from making the most of yourself because someone else has told you who you should be. You are essentially a slave to this paradigm by virtue of a centuries old scam that has over time finely crafted effective methods of manipulating whole populations - and it's generational - you never stood a chance.

If one is fortunate enough to be endowed with the skeptical gene, they may break through the Vatican syndicate's imperial conditioning to begin a lifelong journey of deprogramming and discovering the valuable things they missed along the way. They may ultimately end up spending valuable time that would otherwise be spent dusting gaudy statuary, getting to know themselves better and living fuller, happier lives.