Another school year begins. It is strange to see the number of children under my oppressive thumb grow fewer. Elijah began his first semester at Catholic Pacific College (with the help of an amazing group of young men and their dads who built a ramp into and through the college! My gratitude is more than I can say.) It’s very exciting.
Now there are only three children left at home to mould into my liking. Thomas is in Grade 6; he entered a year of the usual Latin, poetry, music appreciation, and math, with the fun introduction of ancient Egypt. For religion he’ll be reading two of the gospels, with discussion, and continuing his catechism: God made me to know, love and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him in heaven. Grammar and editing begin in earnest with prepositions and adverbs galore. Science is fun in Grade 6, as it really isn’t text-based this year: balance beams and electricity! For art we do calligraphy, with some classical music instead of bickering in the background. This is one of those lovely opportunities where I can participate and not just oversee. Thomas loves reading, swimming, and building things of all sorts.
Isaac began Grade 9, which I always say is the hardest year of our curriculum. There are often three essays to write each week for religion and science, with monthly essays for history. His religion course uses Faith and Morality and Chief Truths of the Faith, by Father John Laux, so there are many conversations that go deeper than before. History is North American, which I always enjoy. It is “living books” based, meaning that while the course does use a text, the majority of the time is spent reading novels and biographies. We study the usual adventurers and explorers, much reviled by modern man. I always enjoy reading their own journals and getting an insight into the motives that pushed them, in their own words, and I’m surprised at how often they write of their deep desire to spread the gospel of Christ to whomever they might meet. In fact, they often refer to it as their duty to do so, as taught by Our Lord.
The great missionary saints and the natives who loved them are also included, whom I personally also have a great love for. Their journals are an inspiration and give such an insight into the sacrifices they were willing to make, and ultimately did make, for the sake of the peoples they had come to serve. Their martyrdoms are the makings of movies, if anyone had the courage and money to make them. Grammar is at its most intense in Grade 9, being the last year it is studied. Latin and algebra are tough, and so it makes for a sometimes weary 14-year-old. Isaac enjoys parkour, archery, and sports of any kind, and has been doing some amazing leather work over the summer.
Madalen started Grade 11 and is excited at the idea of how close graduation and college are. She is studying sacraments and apologetics, biology, algebra 2, Latin, and medieval history. Madalen loves hiking, talking about literature and history, and getting up early to a quiet house, making a cup of tea, and getting her harder courses done while the rest of us sleep. (She would love to learn some sewing skills. Let me know if you know a teacher in the Fraser Valley.) It is remarkable the strength of will and self-accountability that is possible in young people.
I enjoy making an account of their progress and new challenges. It reminds me that they have great minds to glean from, and in the process, I get to glean a bit myself.
The pursuit of education is the pursuit of truth. I’ve been thinking a lot about this: Christ’s call to pursue truth (himself) at all costs, and his call to serve truth (himself) at all costs. How are we to do this unless we can discern it? How can we do this when we live in a world, educated, entertained, and governed by people who actively promote lies, who tolerate a boring, castrated, and controlled Christianity, but bully, taunt, and prosecute those who seek to act out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy?
I wonder at the future of any world, or any church, who will not risk everything for the truth. I’m afraid we are seeing some of the consequences already. But there is hope when families remember and work as the primary educators of their children, with the goals of teaching, promoting, discerning, and seeking truth, goodness, and beauty as the ultimate sources of salvation and happiness. When we pray for each other, this is the source of hope.
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