This has nothing to do with religion per se but everything to do with convenience. The children in the small town (Theodore) didn't want to suffer through a 30 - 45 minute bus ride everyday to a public school, each way, away from where they live....... Instead they opted to attend a local Catholic school...... Nothing wrong with that - the parents are in agreement ad it's all funded by the same government..... One additional note, these areas are very rural and generally speaking in the middle of nowhere....