How this Aussie Is Bringing Heaven a Little Bit Closer to Earth

Image: Caroline Khouri on pilgrimage in Spain

Our souls crave Heaven because we were made for it. 

It’s only in Heaven that we’re fully satisfied  - where we enter completely into the life and love of Christ.

But what most people don’t realise is that on earth, we can have a little foretaste of what's to come. We can catch a glimpse of the joy and love we will experience. It's a bit like the entrée before the buffet.

And this week, I had the joy of doing a Q&A with someone who has been helping children and families taste that heavenly joy more deeply—Caroline Khouri.

Caroline is an Australian Religious Education teacher and the founder of Pockets of Heaven. She has created an entire collection of Catholic products and written two books to inspire Aussie's faith.

With a mission to bring the love of God alive - through her classroom, her products, and her passion—Caroline is doing just that.

This is how Caroline Khouri's story of how she brought Heaven a little bit closer to Australia:

 

What inspired you to start Pockets of Heaven and the Biblical ABCs series—and how do you hope it forms young hearts?

As a religious education teacher in the Catholic system, creating resources has always been part of my role. One day, I thought how wonderful it would be to design Saint cards that young children could carry with them - something tangible to help them learn about the virtues and stories of the saints. I jotted the idea down in an Excel spreadsheet back in April 2021, and instantly, the name Pockets of Heaven came to mind. I loved the idea of creating “pocket-sized” items so little ones could carry Jesus, Mary, and the Saints with them (literally and spiritually).

Then, in June 2023, I was at my desk marking assessments when a friend sent me an Instagram REEL of a so-called “woke” ABC book. Right then, something clicked. I grabbed a Post-it note and started writing the alphabet vertically, quickly pairing each letter with a word that reflected something meaningful from Scripture. Before I knew it, I had 25 words down. I was only stuck on the letter X! 

But that moment was the start of the Biblical ABCs - a way to introduce kids to the Bible without overwhelming them. It truly was a team effort, my younger brother connected me to an artist, and once it was in a draft mode, Dr Robert Haddad connected me to Charbel Raish from Parousia Media. I wasn’t sure what would come next, I didn’t even research what biblical ABC books were in the market, I just had my RE teacher hat on, not my business one (I didn’t know I had one).

 

As an RE teacher, how do you pass on the faith to your students effectively with passion and joy?

One of my greatest joys is being in the classroom and teaching my students all about God, Jesus, and all things Kingdom of Heaven. I’m in my 10th year of full-time teaching, and I’ve learnt that authenticity and modelling are the most effective ways to teach. What a blessing to be able, in some way, after our parents, to share the faith and form the minds of our future generation. That notion of an incredible blessing his me with passion to lead the students to what is good, true, and beautiful about our faith. 

Understanding that each young person in front of me is on a different faith journey, and sometimes not even one at all, is always my starting point. Making the faith relatable to them, and sharing my joys, whether it’s my experiences on pilgrimages, which are always profound, sharing life moments when God always showed up, even when I didn’t think He was answering my prayer. 

God has been so good to me in so many ways that I have to share it with my students. My passion is my lived reality in knowing what the Catholic Church teaches, and how I’ve experienced God in my own life is an incredible blessing. I try to let them see that faith isn’t something reserved for Sundays only, it’s for every moment, every joy, every trial.

 

How has studying theology shaped the way you approach both your teaching and your creative work?

Studying theology opened a doorway for me as a teacher and a practising Catholic by the mere fact that our faith is not simply information that is passed on, it’s a living truth, one that’s with us every day, forming who we are and leading us to God always.

Theology has also shaped my creative work with Pockets of Heaven. I don’t just want to make things that are “cute” or educational, don’t get me wrong, that’s exactly the words my customers use about my keyrings, especially, “they are so cute”. Even something as simple as my keyrings, although cute, for instance, my most popular keyring is the Miraculous Medal keyring. It isn’t my own design, it has every detail that the Virgin Mary passed on to St Catherine Laboure. I want them to be theologically sound, meaningful, and reflective of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. For example, within the pages of my Biblical ABC books, in the top right corner of each page is a scripture passage. So as the children get older and they’ve surpassed the letter, the picture, and the sentence, they can then look up the passage to see what it’s all about.  It’s important to me that the words I choose and the designs I create are not only accessible to children but also rooted in solid teaching. 

 

How can we help form children to be devout and deeply rooted in their Catholic identity?

I truly believe that everything begins at home, along with your circle of friends. You become the people you surround yourself with. Children are innocent - waiting to be taught, waiting to be led. It is our role as adults - whether as parents, godparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, or grandparents—to be their role models. We are their first educators. We are their living examples of Christ in the world until they are old enough and formed enough to become their own living examples. We can’t shy away from tradition, from practicing our faith openly, or from ensuring that God is placed first in our homes and lives. If we are devout in our own faith, if we model, teach, guide, and introduce little ones to what it truly means to be Catholic, then we lay a foundation that can carry them through life. A foundation rooted not just in rules or rituals, but in a relationship with Jesus, love for the sacraments, love for one's neighbor, and trust in God’s plan. We are not perfect; it doesn’t mean perfection, it means consistency, presence, and authenticity. It means praying together, going to Mass, celebrating feast days, talking about the saints, reading Scripture, and answering their questions with patience and joy. It means making faith part of daily life, showing children that it’s a beautiful gift that they don’t want to miss out on. 

 

You’re currently on a pilgrimage that was intended to be for the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint. If you had to give advice on forming the next generation of Australian saints, what would it be—and what do you think it will take?

My pilgrimage experience was an absolute blessing and pretty much exactly what my faith needed. This year, my prayer life and faith shifted. My focus has been on trusting God, not praying in a way that was hoping what I want would happen, but leaving it all to God and being able to trust what He has in store for me. My pilgrimage, which I planned in December, solely for Pope Francis’ canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, completely changed the moment I landed. I was not going to a canonization, instead I attended Papa Francesco’s funeral. It hit me a lot more than I thought it would. This was my third time in Rome; the first time was for the Easter Vigil Mass with Pope Francis in 2022, and the second was a part of World Youth Day Lisbon in 2023. It was always to visit Papa Francesco, even though I was just a number in the crowd, I was always excited. God had other plans. 

Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in 1991. He is the first (soon-to-be) Saint to be buried in jeans, an Adidas jacket, and sneakers - a powerful reminder that holiness isn’t about appearance or age. He was an ordinary boy who did extraordinary things in a short life that continues to impact the world.

I, too, was born in 1991, and I've come to see what a blessing this year has been. I'm 33 now - the age Jesus gave everything for us. It’s the age Blessed Carlo will become a saint. It’s the age I pray I can give my all to Christ and lead others to Him. Carlo attended daily Mass. He brought his mother back to the faith. He used his love of computers to build a website cataloguing Eucharistic miracles around the world. He was a gamer, loved soccer, and had a heart on fire for God - just like many young people today. He shows us that holiness is possible in our modern world, right where we are.

I believe that the next generation of Australian saints needs to take to heart the words of St. Catherine of Siena: "Be who God intended you to be, and you will set the world on fire." In a culture that is often defined by materialism and individualism, it is important that young people are inspired to live like Martha, attentive to the presence and teachings of Jesus. To be like the friends of the paralytic man, carrying one another in faith. To be like Christ Himself, who said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” But it's not just about giving to friends. It's about giving to every neighbour. Living lives of sacrifice, courage, and joy - lives that reflect Christ.

 

What’s something you’ve learned that you wish every Catholic woman could know?

Do not be afraid of the life God has planned for you, do not be afraid of answered prayers that look different to what you had in mind and do not be afraid of the season of life that you are in. We are made in the image and likeness of God, you don’t need to be perfect to be used by God, you just need to be joyful, loving and to be a woman who lifts other up. 

 

What’s your favourite Catholic book—and how has it formed your heart or shaped your faith?

I’m not much of a book worm, I’m working on that, but one book which a good friend shared is by St Josemaría Escrivá called “The Way, Furrow, and Forge”. When I first started reading it, I thought it was directed at men then I came across some profound words struck me. 

“Everything that doesn’t lead you to God, is an obstacle”.

“Is the idea of Catholicism old and therefore unacceptable? The sun is older and has not lost its light; water is more ancient and it still quenches the thirst and refreshes us.”

Sometimes in life we go through moments or experiences and it is our natural human instinct to wonder and in hindsight it’s all different, but the notion that things, people or places that dont lead me to God things are obstacles helps to put things into perspective and keep me on the right track when navigating through life. The world can often pull us in so many different directions, but having that unwavering loyalty to Christ and His teachings can truly be a guiding light, keeping us grounded in what's most important.

 

Caroline Khouri is someone who is genuinely making an impact on Australia .If you want to learn more about Pockets of Heaven, you can checkout her Instagram and website here.

God Bless,

Virtue Books and Gifts