Homeschooling For Catholic Parents

What happens when you're pouring your heart into raising faithful Catholic children, but your best efforts are met with reviews of "so cringe" and "so buns"?

From an Orlando Philharmonic concert to a ninth-century Viking invasion, Maeve and Mat discover an unexpected lesson in Christian hope through G. K. Chesterton's epic poem The Ballad of the White Horse.

As Catholic homeschool parents, we invest in beautiful literature, meaningful conversations, faith formation, and experiences that cultivate truth, goodness, and beauty. But what happens when our children don't appreciate those efforts? And how do we remain faithful when we cannot guarantee the outcome?

In this episode, we explore:

• The theological virtue of hope and why it isn't the same as optimism.
• Presumption and despair, the two sins against hope, and what they teach us about Catholic parenting.
• King Alfred the Great, his battle against the Vikings, and his encounter with the Blessed Mother in Chesterton's poem.
• Going gaily in the dark: finding the courage to persevere without knowing how our efforts will turn out.
• Why raising faithful Catholic children requires trust in God's providence, not certainty about the future.

Plus, Mat discovers why being "mid" might be more theologically sound than anyone expected. 😂

Resources mentioned:

• G. K. Chesterton, The Ballad of the White Horse
• G. K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles — especially the essay "A Piece of Chalk"
• Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton
• RC History Catholic history curriculum
• The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
• Our previous episode 141 with Rick Grinstead on parenting when your best efforts feel "mid"

Watch and listen:

Find Homeschooling for Catholic Parents on YouTube at @maevejemison, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

If this episode encourages you, subscribe to our YouTube channel and share it with another Catholic homeschool parent who needs a little courage to keep going.

Because Christian hope isn't a guarantee of the earthly outcome we're praying for. It's the courage to remain faithful anyway.

Let's go gaily in the dark.

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

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Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
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Death has a way of waking us up to what matters most. And sometimes, in the wake of tragedy, we begin to see something extraordinary: people returning to church, young people boldly proclaiming their faith, and conversations about God happening in the most unexpected places.

But what about those who have already gone before us? Does our responsibility to love them end at death?

Absolutely not!

As we enter November, the month dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, Maeve revisits a powerful Marian devotion that transformed her family's prayer life: the Flame of Love Rosary.

From an unexpected discovery on a family camping trip to a chalkboard that brought the reality of purgatory to life for her children, Maeve shares how Catholic families can put their faith into action, pray for the faithful departed, and teach their children that love reaches beyond the grave.

Because death may end our earthly lives, but it doesn't end our responsibility to love one another.

Published, Nov. 1, 2026

Show Notes: 

https://flameoflove.us/rosary-meditations/

Promises of the Flame of Love Rosary

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

You planned the Bible study. Bought the snacks. Brought your A-game. And your teenager's review? "It was mid."

Sound familiar?

Catholic youth ministry veteran and father of eight Rick Grinstead returns to Homeschooling for Catholic Parents with more of his trademark wisdom, humor, and hard-earned parenting perspective.

What happens when the children who once begged for our attention suddenly seem to want nothing to do with us? How do we remain relationally relevant when we're no longer the center of their universe? And what if our very best efforts to pass on the faith just aren't impressing anybody?

Rick reminds us that parenting isn't about delivering spectacular experiences or getting immediate results. It's about showing up, loving steadily, and trusting God with the hearts of our children.

This conversation is full of practical encouragement, some hilarious parenting confessions, and a few moments that might just change how you see your role as a parent.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is remember that we are not our children's Savior.

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

What happens when we stop trying to fit our children into an educational mold and start teaching the unique child God placed in front of us?

Former public school teacher, homeschool mom, and Eden Institute founder Camila Johnson joins Maeve for a refreshing conversation about what really helps children thrive--and give us some teaching tips along the way. 

From the surprising power of reading aloud and spending time in God's creation to celebrating mistakes and recognizing our children's unique gifts, this episode challenges the conventional definition of educational success.

You'll laugh, you'll be encouraged, and you might just discover that some of the best learning happens when we put down the lesson plans and let curiosity lead.

Show Notes 

Published October 18, 2026

Website: https://edeninstitute.health/homeschool?utm_source=podcast_homeschooling_for_catholic_parents&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_content=website

Free week of the curriculum: https://edeninstitute.health/freebies?utm_source=podcast_homeschooling_for_catholic_parents&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_content=freebies

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edenstablehomeschoolcurriculum/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EdensTableHomeschoolCurriculum

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/TheEdenInstituteBoards

DISCOUNT CODE MAEVE10 — 10% off

MAEVE10 gives your listeners 10% off anything at edeninstitute.health/books, including the printed sets for both Sprouts (K-2) and Seedlings (grades 3-5)

edeninstitute.health

Camila's first podcast episode-Tales and Table Talk 

Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Thank You, Omu! Children's book by Oge Mora

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

Are we raising children who can recognize good and evil—or simply hoping they'll figure it out?

Fresh from a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, Maeve shares a remarkable message from the Blessed Mother that speaks directly to the mission of Catholic parents today.

From Blessed Fulton Sheen's chilling warning about false compassion to the surprising spiritual lessons hiding in our children's favorite books and movies, Maeve and Mat explore what it really means to form a child's conscience in a morally confused world.

Along the way, there's a miraculous fire, a little-known Catholic devotion, some confession comedy, and one unforgettable family story about the spiritual battle we cannot afford to ignore.

Because raising Catholic children isn't just about protecting them from the world. It's about preparing them to face it.

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

How much of the outcome is actually up to us as parents?

After a mother-daughter pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, Maeve came home thinking about that question—especially as children grow, pull away, and begin making choices of their own.

In this episode, Maeve and Mat talk about the changing role of a parent, the temptation to confuse love with control, and some timely wisdom from Blessed Fulton Sheen about what Catholic parents are actually called to do.

Along the way, there’s a surprisingly intense story about St. Maximilian Kolbe’s mother, a very specific prayer for basketball parents, and a reminder for anyone who has ever worried, Am I doing enough?

Because raising faithful children doesn't mean controlling the outcome. Our job is to faithfully do what God has asked of us—and leave room for grace to do what we cannot.

Show Notes: 

Published Oct. 4, 2026

National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion — https://championshrine.org/

Tara Bonna’s episode 132

Real Moms of Real Saints by Colleen Pressprich — https://www.elevatortoheaven.com/

Catechism of the Catholic Church §§2222–2223 —

Blessed Fulton Sheen What Mary Teaches Parents who's Children Have left The Faith.

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

 Mat and Maeve discuss pew wars between brothers, the benefits of weekly church attendance, and homeschooling.  Also, who understands the Feast of the Assumption better, a 50-year-old (Mat) or our 15-year-old daughter? 
We also highlight the value of homeschooling and dispel the number one misbelief of homeschooling...How will you socialize them?

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

Does your homeschool ever look like a complete mess from where you’re standing? The kids seem aimless, the routine isn’t quite there, and you start wondering if you’re doing enough—or doing any of it well.

Maeve found herself in exactly that place at the beginning of another school year. But a recent day of surfing reminded her that sometimes things look very different once you stop standing on the shore and paddle out.

In this episode, Maeve and Mat talk about starting before everything feels organized, trusting the small things you’re doing each day, and recognizing the surprising ways God connects the dots in your children’s education—often long before you can see what He’s doing.

If your homeschool feels a little disheveled right now, this one is for you.

Show Notes: 

Published September 20, 2026

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The First Friday Devotion & Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart (taken from Cathedral of the Sacred Heart's Website)

Mary, Our Lady of Grace, brings people to Christ and his Sacred Heart.

The Twelve Promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary
Our Lord Jesus Christ made these twelve promises to those who honor His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun, whom he called “the Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart” and the Heiress “of all Its treasures”, in the 1670’s. They show us how much he cherishes this devotion.
Considering that the blood that redeemed us at Calvary came from His Sacred Heart and that so much love and light still exude from it, these promises were revealed in one of many private revelations that Jesus gave St. Margaret Mary. Our Lord promised the following:
12 Promises of the Sacred Heart

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their families.
3. I will bless every home in which an image of My Heart is exposed and honored.
4. I will console them in all their difficulties.
5. I will be their refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.
6. I will shed abundant blessing upon all their undertakings.
7. Sinners shall find in My Heart a fountain and boundless ocean of mercy.
8. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
9. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
10. I will give to priests the power of touching the hardest hearts.
11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart never to be blotted out.
12. I promise you, in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all who communicate on the First Friday of the month for nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My displeasure nor without their last Sacraments: “My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.”

 Robert Frost — A Servant to Servants

Episode 131 — Did Homeschooling Work? Our Daughter''s Honest Exit Interview
Episode 133 —Work on Your Marriage
Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy
Emerson Eggerich's Love and Respect — https://www.loveandrespect.com/product/love-respect-book

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

EPISODE SUMMARY 

Dr. Ray Guarendi has 45 years  helping parents stop second-guessing themselves—and in this conversation, he brings his trademark humor, straight talk, Catholic faith, and experience as the father of ten homeschooled children.

Maeve and Dr. Ray talk about his journey back to the Catholic Church, the heartbreak parents can feel when an adult child walks away from the faith, and why even doing “everything right” can never override a child's free will. They dig into discipline and authority in the homeschool, sibling fighting, why some parents feel they “could never homeschool,” and the surprising psychological advantages homeschooling can offer.

They also tackle one of the biggest parenting challenges of our time: smartphones, gaming, pornography, and the level of vigilance required to protect childhood without trying to protect children forever. 

And perhaps most importantly, Dr. Ray reminds good parents to stop catastrophizing every mistake. You don't have to parent perfectly. You need faith, common sense, consistency—and enough humor to survive the whole thing.

Because as Dr. Ray puts it, “The experts have really taken the fun out of parenting.”

SHOW NOTES Published September 13, 2026:

Links & Resources Mentioned

Dr. Ray Guarendi

GRN (Gaudalupe Radio Network) Academy — Dr. Ray’s Seven-Week Parenting Course

• Dr. Ray Guarendi’s Website & Bookstore
• https://www.drray.com/
• Living Right with Dr. Ray on EWTN
• The Doctor Is In on EWTN Radio

Books by Dr. Ray

• Thinking Like Jesus: The Psychology of a Faithful Disciple
• Living Calm: Mastering Anger and Frustration

Mentioned in the Episode

• The Logic of Being Catholic by Dr. Ray Guarendi — Lighthouse Catholic Media
• The Logic of Being Catholic — Watch/Listen on FORMED

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1

How do we raise kids who aren't afraid of hard things?

Maeve sits down with Catholic homeschool mom, entrepreneur, accountant, and Youth CEO Academy creator Sue Campo to talk about the life skills our children develop when they're given room to create, fail, try again, and take ownership of their ideas.

They talk growth mindset, grit, entitlement, entrepreneurship, following through, discovering a child's God-given interests—and why Mom doesn't necessarily need to turn every new passion into another homeschool class.

Plus, Sue shares how even selling can become an act of service, why our children need the freedom to experiment, and the beautiful ways St. Padre Pio seems to keep showing up in her family's life.

Because homeschooling isn't only about raising educated kids. We're raising capable kids who know how to contribute, persevere, discern—and ultimately become saints.

Show Notes: 

Published September 6, 2026

Learn more about Sue and Youth CEO Academy at youthceoacademy.com.

Youth CEO Academy

Book mentioned:

Grit by Angela Duckworth

What happens when we stop protecting our children from every hard thing—and instead teach them that they can figure things out?

In this episode, Maeve talks with Sue Campo, Catholic homeschool mother of three, accountant, entrepreneur, and creator of Youth CEO Academy, about developing an entrepreneurial spirit in our children—even if they never become entrepreneurs.

Maeve and Sue discuss:

• Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset
• Why childhood is the perfect time to do hard things
• Teaching children to see failure as feedback
• The connection between agency and entitlement
• Giving kids freedom to experiment (and make messes!)
• How to encourage interests without turning every passion into a homeschool class
• Why following through develops grit
• Reframing sales as an act of service
• Helping children understand and share their story
• Discernment and discovering where God may be leading them
• Sue's family's special connection to St. Padre Pio

Subscribe and watch on YouTube @maevejemison

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1