Michigan Catholic Home-Educator's Scholarship Fund is named in honor of the late Fr. John Hardon, S.J. Father was a renowned moral theologian, author, consultant to the Vatican, spiritual director of Mother Teresa and the Sisters of Charity, a staunch defender of the Faith, and a loyal friend of Catholic home-educating families. Fr. Hardon believed that home education was essential for the survival of Catholic family life and gave generously of his time in promoting home education.

Eligibility for Awards

Catholic home-educating students in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The family must reside in the state of Michigan.

More than one child in a family may apply.

Families do not need to be a member of Michigan Catholic Home-Educators.

Scholarship awards will be granted based on financial need.

Funds must be used for purchase of curriculum materials, tuition, or other
related educational supplements.

The scholarship application must be submitted by Feb. 28, 2007 for funding for the
2007/2008 academic year

Application Forms

Please read the information below, which includes directions for filling out the application. Print, complete, and mail the forms to the address on the application form

What You Need to Know

Father Hardon was a home education proponent

The late Father John A. Hardon, S.J., (1914-2000) was a priest of profound holiness, kindness, and intelligence. He was deeply devoted to our Lord in the Eucharist and had a strong, visible devotion to Mary. He was a prolific author, driven by his desire to teach the Catholic Faith clearly and precisely. His writings emphasized the family, the indissolubility of marriage, home schooling, and the pro-life viewpoint. Fr. Hardon was a close associate and advisor of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity. He was one of the leading catechists in the world (who highly influenced the Catechism of the Catholic Church) and was also an expert in the field of comparative religion.
Fr. Hardon's life was not without suffering. Growing up without a father, he knew a life of poverty and hardship. A brief biography of his life can be found at http://www.intermirifica.org/hardonbio.htm.
This website was developed by an organization that Fr. Hardon founded to promote the Gospel using modern means of communication and to instruct the faithful in the Catholic catechism.

Funding

Because of his great influence in and guidance of the Catholic home-schooling movement in the 1990's, the Michigan Catholic Home Educators (MCH) scholarship fund was established in his name. The purpose of the Father John A. Hardon Scholarship is to provide financial assistance for tuition or the procurement of curriculum materials for home educating families. Funds are made available from MCH to help families provide an authentically Catholic education in the home, the type of education that Father Hardon believed was critical to the survival of the Catholic Faith in the United States of America. The scholarship fund was established in 2002.
Monies for the scholarship fund are derived from three sources. The first is the MCH allotment that represents the profits from books sold by MCH at the annual two-day conference. The used book sale, instituted this past year, also provides funds. The third source is donations from families and individuals that are sent to MCH for this specific purpose. As books sales have waned, total scholarship funds have not been able to keep pace with the ever-increasing requests for aid. However, it is hoped that the used book sale will be a successful annual source of funds.

New source of funds

A used book sale was held this past June during the hours of the annual It's Great to be Catholic family and education conference in Lansing. The book sale provided the opportunity for families to sell used curriculum to other home educators while helping to produce additional scholarship funds. MCH and other volunteers staffed the area, displaying books and collecting money for each family/vendor. At the end of the conference, MCH returned any unsold books and a check for items sold. A small percentage of all sales was deducted and split between MCH and the volunteers. MCH's portion will be used to boost scholarship monies.

Information

Financial information is crucial to the scholarship application

The recommendation of scholarship awards is made by the MCH Scholarship Committee. It is the job of the scholarship committee to determine how to allocate resources amongst those most in need. Currently, the application requests that parents submit a copy of their tax statements for two years and an explanation of their unique financial situation. Details of the curriculum which the family wishes to purchase for their child or children must also be submitted. MCH must then consider the expenses of the curriculum purchases in relation to the financial needs of the family.
Generally, the familyâs financial situation can be determined from an analysis of the tax returns. However, for the MCH Scholarship Committee to make a fair and equitable decision on all applications, additional financial information may be needed. Some families may have income from other sources that does not appear on the annual tax return but which contributes to the total economic picture. For example, the federal government does not require disclosure on the tax return of non-taxable income such as social security payments, subsistence support made to dependent children, or of certain other sources of income made by government agencies. Or the family may have other relatives living with them who receive government or private pensions that are not reflected on the familyâs tax return but which may be helping to ease the family's financial burden. Sometimes, a familyâs parish may be providing economic support. Families are encouraged, therefore, to provide information on any additional sources of support that are consistent and dependable in order for MCH to see the complete income picture.
The quality of the information provided is of the utmost importance. If the current year's tax return is unavailable, families can provide the current year's W-2 with the previous year's 1040 tax return form and an explanation of any changes from the previous year. Without complete and accurate information, MCH may be unable to draw correct conclusions that are not based on assumption and conjecture. Unfortunately, time limitations do not permit MCH to contact scholarship applicants to request further documentation or clarification.

The importance of additional information

Although tax statements can give MCH a good understanding of a family's situation, a written explanation of their unique circumstances rounds out the picture. It is helpful to know if a family is new to home education or if they are seasoned professionals. It is helpful to know if the financial situation is temporary or sustained and what measures the family takes to stretch its budget. How the family has been coping and their plans to alleviate the financial stress also provide the committee clearer insight. The detailed letters received in past years have told a more compelling story than that seen by analyzing a dozen line items on a federal tax statement. The letters have been pivotal in assisting the scholarship committee in its allocation of funds. Therefore, MCH strongly encourages families to detail their unique family and financial circumstances by way of a brief letter.

The importance of an authentically Catholic home education

The quality of the curriculum information provided on the application must also be stressed. It is important to see both the text and the publisher for all items selected in the curriculum. At MCH, we are ever mindly of Fr. Hardon's constant admonitionsö indeed his mission - that families are to provide "an authentically Catholic education" in the home. This means, as home educators, we are to use materials infused with the Truth and Beauty of the Catholic Faith, materials which are true to the Magisterium of the Church, materials which inspire and uplift us in our practice of the True Faith. We are to support Catholic vendors and Catholic curriculums.
As scholarship applications are reviewed, priority must be given to those which detail a truly Catholic curriculum. And the vast majority of the scholarship applications do, in fact, reflect that parents are choosing a Catholic education for their children. However, occasionally, an application will be received which shows that some materials chosen are not Catholic by nature, or that Christian home school vendors or support groups are providing a disproportionate share of classes or resources. This is a particularly troublesome challenge for MCH who recognizes the familyâs deep desire to educate their children at home, yet wishes to remain true to Fr. Hardonâs mission. And so, families are lovingly encouraged by MCH to follow Fr. Hardonâs directives regarding a Catholic home education, whether the family is applying for financial aid or not. As Father Hardon reminded parents many times, "Only heroic families will survive."

Fr. Hardon Scholarship