Catholic Homeschool Camp 2013 - Only Four Places Left

We warmly extend an invitation to all Australian Catholic Home Educating families to join us for our 13th annual Catholic homeschool camp!!.

When: 9-13th September
Where: The Lismore Diocese.  Camp Drewe, Lennox Head, NSW
Two hours south of Brisbane, nine hours north of Sydney.


Only three more months until our annual Catholic homeschool camp!!  Excitement is building and preparations are gaining monumentum.  Our annual camp is an integral part of our family life and the lives of many of our participating families.  A time to develop and renew friendships, to gain support and to participate in the wider Catholic homeschooling community.

At the core of our week is our shared Catholic Faith, our day begins with Mass (Extraordinary Rite), ends with the Rosary and Benediction and includes Spiritual Talks and the opportunity for Confession. This year Fr Terence Mary Naughtin is Camp Chaplain.

Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett of the Lismore diocese celebrates Mass(Novus Ordo Rite) on Tuesday offering the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion.



The camp is in walking distance to the beach and every day we enjoy swimming at one of the beautiful nearby North Coast's beaches. Activities often enjoyed include icebreaker games, impromptu games of soccer, dancing, a sports day, sand castle building contest, a concert, and on the final night a bonfire.


Each family is accommodated in their own dormitory and meals are fully catered.


Please consider joining us and contact me with any further questions or for a brochure with more details at
aussiethreads@gmail.com

We warmly invite you to join us:) 

North Coast Catholic Homeschool Camp

For many Catholic Home Educating families in Australia homeschool camps are an integral part of our lives.  Lifelong friendships are formed, isolation is eased, support is given. This year our family will be attending (and hosting) the North Coast Catholic Homeschool camp for our 12th year!  Excitement is building in our home, our children are asking, "what activities are we doing this year, who is coming? Will my friends from last year be there, will we have new friends?"

We warmly invite you to consider joining us for our 12th year!:) we still have a few cabins available.  Held on the 10-14th September we are located at  Lennox Head (Lismore Diocese), near the Gold Coast. Two hours south of Brisbane, nine hours north of Sydney.
At the core of our week is our shared Catholic Faith, our day begins with Mass, ends with the Rosary and Benediction and is woven throughout with Spiritual Talks and the opportunity for Confession.
This year Fr John Rizzo (FSSP) will be our Camp Chaplain.



On the Tuesday Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett (Lismore diocese) celebrates Mass offering the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion.

 It will be a wonderful week of making, renewing and building friendships. Impromptu games of soccer, dancing, fun and laughter into the night are our 'stock in trade.'  Icebreaking games at the beginning and a time for parents to share ensures we all get to know one another.


Every day we enjoy swimming at one of the beautiful nearby beaches, we also enjoy a sand castle building contest, 




each year we hold a sports day, 






a concert and on the final night we have a grand finale with a bonfire.


If you are interested please don't hesitate to contact Erin with further questions or for a brochure with more details at
aussiethreads@gmail.com.  We'd love to have you join us:)

An Imperfect Perfect Mother

Written by Sue Elvis


The statue was sitting on a shelf in the St Vincent de Paul shop. It looked so sad with its reduced price tag. Its head had been broken off and then inexpertly fixed, the glue thick and visible. But the statue was still beautiful. It was a statue of Our Lady. I looked at the perfect statues in the display case and then up at the damaged statue.   I knew I had to rescue it and take it home. I didn’t need a perfect statue but I did need Our Lady.

For years, this statue has sat on our family altar to the left of a crucifix. To the right is a statue of the Sacred Heart. Once upon a time, the two statues were a matching pair. But that was before an unfortunate accident. A new Sacred Heart statue has taken the place of the one inadvertently dropped on the floor.

Mary has a couple of Miraculous Medals around her neck. Each year on Mother’s Day, our parish priest organises a small gift for all the mothers. As we come out of Mass, an altar boy hands a chrysanthemum tied to a Miraculous Medal to every mother. I bring my gift home. My youngest daughter Gemma-Rose hunts out a small glass to hold the flower and then places it on the family altar next to Mary. The medal is hung around the statue’s neck. (I have my own Miraculous Medal.)

Whenever our children want something they always choose Gemma-Rose as their representative. “Go on Gemma-Rose. You ask Mum!” The innocence of the young has a certain appeal and who can say no to a little girl? I think about Mary and how perfect and beautiful she is. How could Jesus refuse the entreaties of His own spotless mother? And so whenever I want something I am sure to send Mary in my place.

I think about Mary’s sorrow when her son Jesus was crucified. And I find great comfort in her tears. When I lost my own son and my heart ached and I was bowled over by the pain, I often felt guilty: If I had true Faith wouldn’t I rejoice that my son was now in the arms of God? If I truly accepted God’s will, wouldn’t I be happy? And I look at Mary bowed down by grief at the foot of the cross. She did God’s will and she trusted Jesus. She knew He had to die for our sins, that He was Our Saviour, that He would rise again. But still she cried. She cried with a mother’s heart which aches when a child suffers, when a child dies, when a child is no longer here.

Sophie puts her arms about me and hugs me tightly. “I love you Mum! I love you so much.” She thinks for a moment and then adds, “But you are only my second best mother.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I love Mary best and then you and then my Godmother.” I don’t mind coming in second place. How can I compete with Our Lady?

Sophie does some more thinking. “I’m really lucky I have three mothers to look after me, aren’t I?”

And I have to agree.

Please share more of my stories on the blog Sue Elvis Writes

The Parting Rosary

This poem might inspire you to say the Rosary with your family, especially before being parted...

Written by John O'Brien (Father Patrick Joseph Hartigan)

They have brought the news, my darlin', that I've waited for so long.
Faith, 'twas little news they brought me; every story, every song
That I've heard since you enlisted seemed to bear the one refrain,
Till the whole world used to tell me that you'd never come again,
They've been cruel times, alannah, since you left us for the fight,
Potterin' dazed-like all the daytime, thinkin', thinkin' through the night;
Yerra, what's the use complainin', when the world is all amiss,
When the hopin' and the strivin' ever come to dust like this.
'Twas the green months when you left me; now the brown, brown months have come,
Stand the ripe crops in the paddocks, but the harvesters are dumb.
There'll be flowers again in plenty, and a carpet o'er the plain-
Oh, it's hard you won't be comin' when the green months come again!
Still, I'm thankful, oh, I'm thankful for one golden memory.
That the last time spent together was to say The Rosary.
Don't you mind it, boy? we said it in my own room there beyond,
Where I have the little altar where your early prayers you conned,
By the statue that I cherish of the Holy Mother fair,
With the blue cloak round her shoulders, and her white hands crossed in prayer.
They were singin' in the parlour, them that came to say good-bye;
And they sang their gay songs to me-och, I knew the reason why!
They are always kind in trouble in this big warmhearted land;
Ah, but their way was’t my way, and they mightn't understand.
So I lit the little candles, and I beckoned you away,
And you came-God bless you for it, boy-the partin' prayer to say.
Ay, the partin' Rosary, darlin'-I can see you kneelin' there,
With your big broad shoulders bendin', and your hands joined on the chair,
And your man's voice like an organ rollin' out its soul apart-
Och, to-night, boy, in my dreamin' it is dronin' in my heart.
Yes, we said it with the music strummin' ragtime songs throughout,
Just our two selves there together, answerin' t'other turn about.
'Tis a quare, quare world, alannah, when the storm can work its stress
On the strong limb, while the withered leaf is left in loneliness.
"Lay your treasure up in Heaven," for there's nothing here below;
Och, we Irish mothers learned it in the old land long ago!
Short life's springtime with its blossom; and it comes not back again,
Only haggard trees in winter stretchin' naked limbs in pain.
Oh, I'm thankin' God, my bouhal,* though the achin's in my breast,
'Twas He took you from me, darlin', and He knoweth what is best:
And His Holy Mother Mary, with her Baby on her knee,
Sure she lost Him in His manhood, for He died at thirty-three.
There's a numbin' in my heart, boy; like a cold, cold hand it grips-
Oh, I'm thankful that we parted with the Rosary on your lips.
It has ever been my refuge; it has been my hope and stay,
Been my hymn of sweet thanksgivin' for what good there came my way.
It has been my only comfort when the heart was sick and sore,
When the bad days past the countin' flung their troubles round my door.
I was taught it by my mother; ay, and when we crossed the sea
For to seek the gold we never found-the old man there and me
(Sure he stood six feet and higher then, and coal-black was his hair-
Och, you'd never know 'twas him at all, that bent old man in there)-
We have said it in the slab hut, strong and clear in flood and drought,
Just our two selves there together "answerin' up and "givin' out."
We have said it by the cradle, we have said it by the cot;
When the babes the angels brought us made us happy in our lot.
When the house was full of childer, and the pride of livin' glowed,
Och, we said it till the neighbours heard us, passin’ on the road.
But ye've gone and left me lonely; one by one, my doves, ye flew;
One by one the circle's dwindled, till the Rosary's said by two-
Said by two old husky voices, old and weak and wearin' out,
Just our two old selves together, answerin' t'other turn about.
Sure it won't be long, alannah, till the troubled sea is calm,
And the beads drop from my fingers and they bind them on my arm.
You would tease me with the "trimmin's" in the dear days that are dead,
There's another trimmin' now, boy, every time the Rosary's said.
But there won't be many Rosaries, for the singin's in my ears
And the Holy Mother's beckonin'-I can see her through my tears.
These old feet have done their journey, better leave them restin', then;
They will bring me to the hill-side ere the green months come again.
Sure I'll tread the House of Glory, where the soul is free from harm,
And you'll know 'tis me, alannah, by the Rosary on my arm. 

John O'Brien was the pen name of Patrick Joseph Hartigan, born in 1878 in Yass in New South Wales, Australia. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Goulburn diocese and was appointed inspector of Catholic schools. He later spent 27 years as parish priest for Narrandera. John O'Brien said he wrote his verses for his own amusement and referred to them as mere jingles. But he was too modest: he was a writer of genuine talent. Two volumes of his verse were published: Around the Boree Log and Other Verses (1921) and The Parish of St Mel's in 1954. John O'Brien died in 1952.

From a review by The Age (Melbourne): "Although the beauty of the bush home life and charm of religious faith are almost his exclusive themes, the writer touches a wide range of human emotions. He has proved his title to a worthy place among Australian poets."

John O'Brien's poetry collection, Around the Boree Log is available as a free downloadable ebook

Rosary beads made by Anne at All Beautiful Catholic Beads

Mary's Legacy

Written by Victor S.E. Moubarak

When Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel all those years ago, times were very different.

It would have been a great scandal for an un-married woman to become pregnant. It was even more outrageous to claim He is the Son of God. That would have been blasphemy surely!

Yet despite her fears of shame, rejection and ridicule, not to mention fear for her own safety, Mary trusted God and said "Yes".

She agreed to be the Mother of Jesus.

So, what is her legacy to us?

Obedience and trust.

Obedience and trust in God despite what must have been a very dangerous situation for her, and her family.

Are we that obedient and trusting when God speaks to us?

Victor blogs at Time for Reflections. Please also visit Victor's website for more information about his books including his free ebooks.

Why Bother with Mary?

Written by Victor S.E. Moubarak

The first “Any Questions” session held by Father Ignatius in the church center proved so successful that some members of the congregation asked him to hold another one. They enjoyed asking questions about church matters in general and the Catholic Church’s teachings in particular, and learning from both Father Ignatius and Father Donald answering honestly rather than “toeing the party line”; as one parishioner called it.

“Are you sure that the hot chocolate drinks and free cakes aren’t the real attraction here?” asked Father Ignatius.

He was assured that this was not the case and it was agreed to hold another meeting at which parishioners could invite guests.

The night in question was well attended with about sixty people packing the church center and sitting cinema style facing the top table. Father Donald was not available and he was replaced by the Reverend Harold Barnstable, the vicar from a neighbouring church. He knew Father Ignatius well as the two priests were members of the Area Ecumenical Council, a body set up to encourage contact and co-operation amongst churches from various denominations. The Reverend had brought a few parishioners from his church to the meeting with him.

After the first few questions about the benefits of church unity and what obstacles lay in the way of such a goal a young man stood up at the back of the room and said:

“Father Ignatius, I do not attend your church. One thing I can’t understand about you Catholics is your devotion to Mary. Granted, she was the Mother of Jesus, but no more than that. Yet you Catholics pray to her all the time and ask her for favours.

"Christ said ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.’ What can be clearer than that? Paul re-iterates this message in his letter to Timothy when he says, ‘there is one God, and there is one mediator who brings God and mankind together, Christ Jesus.’

"I consider devotion to Mary as blasphemy to God. What do you have to say about this?”

The Reverend Barnstable shuffled uneasily in his chair as he recognized the questioner as one of his parishioners. However, he politely looked sideways at Father Ignatius and said nothing.

Father Ignatius smiled and said calmly “I agree …”

This silenced the audience who knew him too well and expected a rebuttal of the points made by the visitor. They were not disappointed. Father Ignatius continued:

“Viewed from you perspective, and considering the Bible quotations you mention, it can be seen as blasphemy to pray to Mary and ask her to mediate for us and present our needs to Jesus, and to God. So let us see your point from a different perspective.

“Let me ask you something first. Have you ever prayed for a sick relative or friend to get better?”

“Well … yes …” hesitated the young man.

“That’s good …” replied Father Ignatius gently, “it shows charitable loving intentions from you towards those people. You didn’t say ‘let them pray for themselves to get better’ but you prayed for them. You mediated on their behalf, or, to put it in more common parlance, you put in a good word for them.

“You said to God ‘Dear Lord … you know my friend is a good chap … please heal him from his illness!’ ”

The audience laughed.

Father Ignatius continued, “By praying for your sick friends you mediated on their behalf. And if it is God’s will, He sometimes answers our prayers.

“In the same way, there’s nothing wrong in my opinion if the Virgin Mary puts in a good word for me with Jesus when I ask her. God knows I need it!”

The audience laughed again.

“You see …” went on the priest, “at the wedding in Cana when the wine ran out, the servants went to Mary for advice and guidance. She was a guest at the wedding, no more. They didn’t go to Jesus direct, or to the bridegroom, or to the best man, if they had such a thing in those days … but they went to Mary.

“She interceded on behalf of the married couple; and Jesus at her request performed His first miracle.

“I believe this to be very significant … is Jesus encouraging us here to ask Mary to mediate for us?

“Some may not agree, but I personally see nothing wrong in asking the Virgin Mary to intercede on my behalf, and I ask her often to do so.

“But let me answer your specific point as to whether my praying to her is blasphemy … as you called it.

“God saw fit to choose this young lady to be the Mother of His only Son. Obviously He holds her in high regards.

“I too … hold her in high regards. This is why I recite the Rosary daily.

“Do you honestly think that when I get to meet God face to face He will punish me for daring to love Mary, the Mother of Jesus? Will God view my honouring her as blasphemy? I think not.

“By praying to her, takes nothing away from my reverence to God and Jesus. Like you, I accept God as my Creator and Jesus as my Saviour; and I also pray to Mary to mediate on my behalf.

“Nothing wrong with that … and certainly no blasphemy intended!”

“I understand …” replied the young man sheepishly.

“It was a good question,” continued Father Ignatius, “but let me get back to your two quotations from the Bible.

“When Jesus said He is the way to God, and when St Paul re-affirmed this, they were referring to Christ as being the Son of God and our Saviour through His sacrifice on the Cross.

“They were not saying that we should not honour the Virgin Mary who holds a high place in Heaven. And no where in the Bible are we told not to pray to her or ask her to mediate on our behalf.

“We’re all sinners, and we need as many friends on the other side as we can muster. I also pray to Saint Ignatius of Loyola after whom I was named.”

Victor blogs at Time for Reflections.


Victor's books Golden Drops, Golden Droplets and Father Ignatius Teaches contain more Father Ignatius stories. They are all available as free downloadable ebooks.

How do you Homeschool while Suffering... Loss?

Written by Mary Therese

A few years ago, our life fell apart. Two children within two months were displaced from our family. The situations were totally unexpected and beyond shocking.

I have had some people say, behind our backs, there was more to the situation: they got what they deserved. Really horrible comments, that although I say them here, I had to let go of. I didn’t want to let the thoughts go, but I did it for my relationship with God, my husband, my welfare and to show an example to our children. Lastly we realised we were gaining His blessings by letting these comments wash over us.

I personally wouldn’t judge a situation unless I have personally been involved and have very intimate knowledge. There is only one judge, God. We will all stand before Him for our own personal judgement.

So how do you homeschool in the suffering, when you are still in shock, when your heart aches so much, when your world is torn apart?

For us, we limped along for a while, but we also knew our other children were deserving of our attention. We concentrated on what we had instead of what we didn’t have. It was very simple.

My initial response was I understand Jesus’ Agony in the garden. I went through each of the sorrowful mysteries and I could easily align myself to each one. It is in this set of mysteries that I discovered The Cross, how I must carry my Cross and how God gave this Cross especially to me and this family. I was to be thankful for this Cross. He chose me. That’s easy to do, isn’t it?

I now understand the saying, the Cross brings you closer to God. Well it certainly does, but you also need to constantly bring yourself back to ‘this Cross is mine’. I will carry it and not just carry it, but carry it with Joy and Happiness. God really helps when you do.

This was my first window of light. Yes, I still fall down and say why... but then I get up and keep walking along the journey. It’s often the interior voice of Mary that soothes me and encourages me.

So years down the track, there is lots of wisdom gained.

There is still hurt and unresolved pain. But there is love and many blessings have been gained.

We moved forward one foot at a time, just gently and with much prayer.

I learnt eventually to say very little to outsiders, because they can misconstrue your words.

I learnt that we were the gossip of the parish.  I / we turned the other cheek.

Forgiveness? This has been interesting. How can you forgive the people surrounding the events of the lives of two adorable children? Well for a long time I tried but couldn’t. I wanted these people punished. I wanted God to take complete control and sweep down with His fire and brimstone. But... the realisation came that in forgiving, God can do so much more. He can begin the process of repair of relationships and reunite us all if we forgive. That took a long time and many, many layers of forgiveness.

So what did we do to homeschool in the agony? After all this rambling, we recognised Jesus’ Agony. I united myself with Mary’s agony. We picked ourselves up and continued to Follow Christ. We got on with life, moving forward, but never forgetting our treasured children.

Like an onion, we forgave in layers. We are still forgiving in layers. Things will crop up and we will need to handle it, and overcome it, and ask Jesus to help us forgive.

We handed our children over spiritually to God every day: 3, 4, 5 times a day.

We all talked and laughed and forged new relationships with each other and God.

Although these children are greatly missed in our family circle, many blessings have flowed from doing God’s will in very difficult times.  

I would say one of the biggest things was to seek good counsel. Speak with a good spiritual director, seek confession and keep your eyes totally fixed on Our Lord.

It’s not important what others think of you. The most important thing is your relationship with God, your husband and your other children. Everything else will flow from there. 

This is how we as a large family are getting through a suffering and remain homeschooling.    

Unschooling: The Little Way

Written by Sue Elvis

I would like to tell you a story of Suzie Andres and St Therese and homeschooling. But first I must start with a tale of grief. Grief? Yes, it was through grief I first met St Therese and her Little Way.

Our son Thomas died as a baby and I grieved for a long time. But one day the pain lifted slightly and I felt pure joy and was glad to be suffering for God. Love overflowed my heart and I suddenly had the urge to suffer anything for God. I wanted to be a saint. And not just a little saint but a big one. I felt I could follow in the footsteps of St Teresa of Avila or St John of the Cross, whose books I was reading at the time. But this worthy thought lasted only a moment. With the next wave of grief came the plea, “I’ve had enough. Please help me, Lord.”

I had a prayer card. I can’t remember exactly what was on it but I knew I was a bit afraid of it. The words said something like “I offer my whole life to suffer greatly for the souls of my family and friends.” Perhaps there was something about how this life on earth is so short and we should suffer as much as possible while here. And there is nothing better we can do than to ask for suffering that will win the eternal souls of our loved ones.

I agreed entirely with the thoughts on the prayer card but I couldn’t pray the words. I’d pick up the card and read the words but I always made sure God knew I wasn’t really praying them. I was frightened. I knew what suffering was. I was right in the middle of it. How could I suffer this for the rest of my life? Some days I just begged God to take away the pain. No, I wasn’t made of the right stuff to be a big saint. However much I wanted to be big, I knew I was really just a little soul. I just wanted God to lift me right up in His arms and take care of me and make things right.

Then I discovered St Therese of Liseaux. Of course, I’d heard about her but I’d been avoiding her. I remember a friend telling me that she’d chosen Teresa of Avila as her patron saint and not Therese of Liseaux. The reason? The friend had always had this idea since childhood that The Little Flower was a sickly sweet saint, a saint without substance. I needed big help from a big inspiring strong saint. So I turned to St Teresa of Avila. I knew she’d suffered greatly. What was that famous quote? Something like “God if this is how You treat Your friends, it’s no wonder You don’t have many of them.” I was going to be one of God’s few friends. So I read The Complete Works of St Teresa of Avila and then went onto The Complete Works of St John of the Cross. And I tried to follow in their footsteps. But it was too difficult.  I wasn’t brave. I didn’t really want to suffer. I wasn’t a saint.

Then somehow I came into contact with St Therese of Liseaux regardless of my belief she couldn’t help me. I read The Story of a Soul, and later, I Believe in Love and I discovered The Little Way. Suddenly I realised that maybe I could still become a saint after all. Not a big saint but a little one, a little one supported by God’s arms. I could be a full little cup instead of a full big cup.  Or perhaps, as Suzie Andres would say, I could become a great saint through the little way of love. I started taking life one day at a time, not asking for suffering, but asking God instead to help me accept and bear whatever came my way.

But what has grief got to do with homeschooling? Just as I wanted to be a big saint so I wanted to be the perfect mother and educator of my children. I made big plans, bought the right resources, did my research. How could I fail? But some days I suffered. There were times when I just wanted to lie down and never get up again. “I can’t do this God. It’s too big a task. I can’t give my children all they need. I don’t have the inner resources to give them the perfect education. I am not enjoying this at all. It was never meant to be this way.” How would I teach my children everything I thought they needed to know? Some days they seemed to learn nothing. Other things got in the way or they were uncooperative, not fitting in with my grand plan. Were my children getting ‘behind’? Was I jeopardizing their futures?

I thought about the alternatives, about sending my children to school and I realised I didn’t have a choice. The educating job was mine and mine alone.

Gradually I changed my style of teaching my children. I stopped making plans we never got around to using. I stopped writing timetables that we were unable to keep up with. I didn’t worry about completing particular curricula. I decided to just enjoy my children and trust that they would learn as we spent our days sharing and doing things together and just being a family. We had discovered unschooling. In public, I called our homeschooling method ‘doing our own thing’. I’d vaguely refer to good books, enjoying our interests, music, writing… But to myself I called it ‘my lazy way’. Yes, there was a bit of guilt. Should we enjoy homeschooling together so much? Shouldn’t homeschooling be a bit more difficult? Perhaps we were just being lazy.  Maybe I’d just given up.

Then I discovered Suzie Andres’ book A Little Way of Homeschooling. I jumped up and down with excitement. It all made perfect sense. We were following St Therese’s Little Way while we were homeschooling. I’d given up trying to be the big saint, that perfect mother and homeschooling parent. Instead of trying to educate my children on my own, I was listening to God and to my children. I trust they will learn what they need to know. I no longer worry about that endless list of absolutely essential knowledge I thought I should stuff into my children. I am now living each day, one day at a time. I don’t believe God means homeschooling to be difficult. I don’t see homeschooling as a sacrifice and a suffering that I am just meant to endure and offer up. I think God wants us to delight in our children. And to trust in Him.

There are so many wonderful excerpts I could quote from A Little Way of Homeschooling. Here are just a few, written by Suzie, I hope you will enjoy and find helpful.

Therese was a realist, and knew there was work to be done, but she decided to do whatever came here way without fear without worrying about the outcome, without the false notion that it depended on her…

… I think that one of our methods for multiplying worries is telling ourselves that our job in educating our children is to do our best, to pack as much knowledge into them as possible. How much more profitable to us to begin from Therese’s reminder, “It’s only in Heaven that we’ll see the whole truth about everything. This is impossible on earth.”

God will give each of us the time that we need to learn everything He wants us to know; this applies to both ourselves and our children. Why do we expect we must teach it all to our children in our homeschool? And why do we automatically assume that this burden of prospective learning will be painful for them, arduous for us? There is a less frightening way….

… In the spirit of St Therese, we as Catholics ought to realise that Jesus has set us free. If we believe His words, if we strive to believe Him more and more, we will start by living one day at a time, letting tomorrow take care of itself. Already we will have made progress if we refuse to see the whole future of a child contained in today’s accomplishments, successes and failures…

…Spend time listening to Him, and let Him tell you what He desires for your family. It may be unschooling… Whatever it is, you will recognise it by the peace it brings to you and your children. Do not settle for anything else.

Yes, peace.

Eventually I felt peace despite my grief as I started living one day at a time: “I accept how I feel. You allow this grief. But I need You to help me through the day.” I began to trust God. He was looking after me. And peace followed.

In the same way, I know God is looking after our homeschooling family. When I started listening, He led us to unschooling. And I know this is what He desires for us. I can feel it. No longer do I feel guilty. Instead I can feel peace… real peace.

A Little Way of Homeschooling is available both as a paperback book, and an ebook as epub and Kindle editions. I thoroughly recommend Suzie’s book.


Please share more of my posts on my blog Sue Elvis Writes

Taking Children to Mass

By Sue Elvis

There’s a young, slightly dishevelled father who always appears for 7.30 am Mass each Sunday. He has a gorgeous, curly-haired baby who spends the hour wriggling in his arms, pulling on his hair. He also has a lively toddler who likes to balance on the hymn book ledge and swing back and forth over the pew while he sings to himself. Long before Mass is over, the children start making impatient noises and it takes all the young father’s ingenuity to keep them happy for the last minutes. It mustn’t be easy but each week, he returns with his children.

I look along the pew at my own children. I don’t have to think about keeping little ones entertained and babies quiet. I don’t have to remind anyone to sit up straight or pay attention. But it wasn’t always like that. I remember when Gemma-Rose was two, I read an article in our diocesan newsletter called Children at Mass. The article concluded with an invitation to share our own experiences of taking children to Mass. So I wrote:

We have a large family with children ranging in age from eighteen down to two. Although it is not always easy, we have always celebrated Mass together as a family. We have never left our babies or toddlers at home even though there have been times when I have felt very frustrated with the problem of keeping our little ones quiet during Mass. The benefits that come from including our little people in our celebration of Mass are well worth the effort involved. As babies grow into toddlers and beyond, they gradually absorb the beauty and significance of the Mass. They observe our example of reverence and attentiveness and will over time, conform their own behaviour so that it matches ours. They know that they are an important part of our community as they have never been excluded. I have no experience with children who begin attending Mass at an older age and maybe this works out well for some families…

Of course, it is a challenge for any parent to sit with a little person in Mass and having a ‘game-plan’ worked out ahead of time can make the experience less stressful. I have learnt never to enter a pew until Father is ready to begin Mass. I don’t want our toddler’s patience to expire even before Mass has commenced. I try to prepare myself for Mass while I take our youngest on a tour of the Stations of the Cross or statues. We go and say, “I love you, Jesus” to the Sacred Heart statue or I point out Jesus, Mary, John and the soldiers on the Stations.

During Mass, I will whisper in my daughter’s ear explaining what Father is doing. I will point out the candles and the statue of Mary, encourage her to fold her hands or kneel next to me. If you sit at the front of the church, a toddler will have a better view of the altar. However, if you are like me, you may prefer being able to exit quickly from a rear pew. When our toddler’s attention span has been exhausted, (sometimes this happens almost instantly!), I will move onto our own version of the ‘Mass Kit’.

The idea of a ‘Mass Kit’ for little children is wonderful. At times, other parents have told me that they believe children should learn to sit quietly through Mass without the aid of toys or books. They suggest that toys and other distractions will lead to bad habits and children will always expect to be entertained during Mass. Little people are not designed to sit still quietly for long periods of time, and perhaps it is unrealistic to expect them to do so, especially when they do not really understand what is going on. When I am tempted to think I am spoiling my young ones by letting them have a snack or a toy, I just look at my older children. They were once babies themselves but they are no longer demanding crayons or sultanas. They are quietly attending to the Mass and one day, our two year old will reach this stage herself.

If our little people cry or scream, I will remove them from Mass until I have quietened them. Because we are at Mass as a family, my husband or older children are present to keep an eye on the younger ones while I am absent from the pew. (I know that some parents are less fortunate than me, having no one to help them with their other children while they attend to their youngest.) Standing at the back of the church, I often hear comments from other exiled parents such as “Why do I bother? This is just too hard. He won’t behave. I’m getting nothing out of Mass.” Yes, sometimes I feel frustrated myself, especially in winter when I am closed out on the wrong side of the door in the cold with a fretful child. It is easy to envy those without children who can focus on prayer. However, I believe God does not penalise parents for their seeming lack of attentiveness during Mass. We are fulfilling the duties God has given to us by seeing to the needs of our children and He will reward us for the sacrifices we make. By patiently accepting my situation, I like to think that God will bestow many graces upon me.

I try to be considerate of other parishioners. I know that older people have trouble hearing even without the noise from crying children. Being prepared to remove excessively noisy children and apologising to those around me for any disturbances caused by my children, has opened the way for many encouraging comments: “We know what it’s like having children. We’re parents ourselves. You’re doing a fine job. Please don’t feel you have to take your children out of Mass. We like the sound of children’s voices.” Our family is so fortunate: we feel totally accepted by our parish.

Taking children to Mass is difficult but I would encourage parents to persevere. Children grow so quickly. Attending Mass won’t always be such a difficult experience. In the meantime, you will be blessed with much grace and your example will be an encouragement for other young families. We need our families: they are the future of our parish. Let us go out of our way to welcome and support those with little children.

It seems such a long time ago that I wrote that article. Those days of wriggly toddlers, noisy babies, frustrated feelings and exhausted parents are now just a memory. Why did we put ourselves through all that? I look at the young father on his own at Mass, juggling his two beautiful children. Why does he do it? Maybe he, like us, wants his children to grow up in front of the tabernacle, absorbing the beauty and appreciating the great Miracle of the Mass where everyone is welcome, regardless of age.


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