A Catholic Family Rooted in Faith and Home Education

Our family is from Frederick, Maryland. My husband, Oscar Artola Sr., was born in El Salvador and came to the U.S. at age 9. I was born in Baltimore and moved to the suburbs when I was 6. Together, we have three children: Natalie (19), Adrianna (17), and Oscar (11). At the heart of our lives is our Catholic faith, which guides everything we do—from parenting and education to how we give back to our community.

Our Catholic faith is more than a belief system; it is our way of life. We try to teach our children to live their faith daily—through school, sports, friendships, and relationships.

My husband coaches football and wrestling locally, we bring meals to our parish priests, and we donate clothing to local charities serving the homeless. Because of Seton Home Study School, we can focus on these acts of service, knowing our children are receiving a solid Catholic education at home.

Serving Others

One of the ways we serve our parish community is by preparing meals for local priests. Many priests rarely get to enjoy restaurant meals or home-cooked dishes.

We started by calling nearby parishes and offering to help. Secretaries often provide helpful details like allergies or favorite foods. Our children and I prepare and drop off the meals, praying they nourish both body and spirit. It’s a small act but a meaningful one.

We chose to homeschool primarily because of concerns with the values being taught in public schools—values that often clash with our Catholic beliefs. We also worried about school safety. Homeschooling offered us peace of mind, a loving learning environment, and the ability to integrate God into every aspect of our children’s education.

Finding Seton

We first heard about Seton Home Study School through our parish, St. Paul, in Damascus, Maryland. After a disappointing experience with the public school system, we were eager for an alternative that supported our faith. Our parish’s director of faith education had homeschooled her children with Seton, and after researching the program online, we were confident it was the right fit for our family.

Seton’s curriculum is deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and presents history and literature through a Catholic lens. Our children’s understanding and love of the faith have grown through their studies, and even my husband and I find ourselves learning through the books and videos provided. We often say that Seton teaches not just the children—but the parents, too.

One unforgettable moment was when our autistic daughter shared what she learned about the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother. She read about it in her Seton religion book and remembered the story. It was a deeply touching moment for our family, affirming that we had made the right decision to homeschool. She sometimes struggles to express herself, so to hear her share this was truly a blessing.

Our typical school day begins at 7:30 a.m. with prayer, followed by breakfast. By 9:15, we start lessons. Around 11:30, we take a break for exercise—usually a mile walk around our neighborhood—then break for lunch. We resume school at 1:15 p.m. and wrap up around 2:45 or 3:00 p.m. We cover five to six subjects a day and rotate them each semester to keep things fresh and engaging.

The Greatest Blessing

Homeschooling has allowed our children to blossom. Our eldest, once shy, is now confident in conversations. Our youngest now greets people with handshakes—something he was once too shy to do. The growth we’ve witnessed is continuous and heartwarming.

Perhaps the greatest blessing of homeschooling has been the deep bond it has created within our family. We cook together, exercise together, and, most importantly, learn together. Our children enjoy their days, and as parents, we count this as a true gift from God.

Of course, there are challenges. One of the hardest has been finding other homeschooling families who share our strong Catholic values. Many groups keep faith discussions broad and leave deeper teaching to individual families. But we continue to seek and build the community we hope for.

Our dream is for our children to live their faith daily and be equipped to share God’s love through both word and action. We hope they grow to evangelize with confidence and compassion, guided by the example of Christ.

Spiritual Life

A key part of our spiritual life as a family is the daily Rosary. We pray it together each day and even have a prayer room dedicated to celebrating Our Lord and Our Lady.

To other families considering homeschooling: stick with it and make it your own!

Your schedule may not look like another family’s—and that’s okay. Trust yourself, and have fun with the journey. Seton provides all the tools and support a family needs to thrive.

We are so grateful to Seton Home Study School for helping our family grow in both faith and unity. We love Seton!