Saints

Catholic Saints Prayer Book

Moments of Inspiration from Your Favorite Saints
Author(s): 
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Number of pages: 
80 pages
Copyright: 
2008
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Saints
Review: 
Catholic Saints Prayer Book is a small format, handsomely bound in sewn hardcover and printed in high quality, decorated paper. This little treasure will make a great gift any time of the year. Thirty-two saints, from Saint Anne to Saint Thomas More, are described, quoted and invoked in intercessory prayer. The traditional illustrations complement the beauty of this little book. The text reflects the teachings of the Catholic Church and our rich traditions! The prayers are write in colloquial style and yet still reverent and respectful.
Reviewed by: 
Ana Braga-Henebry
First reviewed: 
9-28-2008

Celtic Heritage Saints

Book cover: 'Celtic Heritage Saints'
Author(s): 
Marian Keaney
Number of pages: 
74 pages
Copyright: 
1998
Publisher: 
Veritas Press
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
Ireland
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Review: 
This book offers short, readable biographies of sixteen of Ireland (and Scotland's) greatest saints (covering the years from St. Patrick through 1142). The writing style and illustrations are reminiscent of Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki (Bethlehem Books). Despite the simplicity of the book (approximately a 4th grade reading level) it covers an important and oft-forgotten part of Catholic history. The great monasteries of Ireland fostered learning, culture and faith that eventually spread to all of Europe (through the help of some of the great missionary saints portrayed in this book) and was a major factor in the renewal of the Catholic faith after the fall of the Roman Empire and the conquests of Europe by the barbarians. The stories are of the following saints: St. Patrick, St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, St. Enda of Aran, St. Brendan the Navigator, St. Kilian (Apostle of Franconia), St. Brigid Mary of Gael, St. Columbanus of Bobbio, St. Colmcille Dove of the Church, St. Finian of Clonard, St. Malachy O Morgair, St. Hilda of Whitby, St. Carthage of Lismore, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Dympna of Gheel, St. Kevin of Glendalough, and St. Comgall of Bangor.

My children enjoyed the stories as a read aloud (especially appropriate for celebrating Saint Patrick's day, but it would also make an enjoyable and very worthwhile addition/supplement to a study of this era of history for almost any grade level.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
6-20-01

Citadel of God

A Novel about Saint Benedict
Book cover: 'Citadel of God: A Novel about Saint Benedict'
Author(s): 
Louis de Wohl
Number of pages: 
345 pages
Copyright: 
1959
Publisher: 
Ignatius Press
Binding: 
Sewn Softcover
Subject(s): 
Historical Fiction
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
Early Middle Ages
Grade / Age level: 
Adults
Mature Teens
Review: 
Citadel of God is set in Italy of the early 6th century. The Roman Empire is decaying. An Ostrogoth king, Theodoric, is marching in triumph to occupy Italy. A young boy, ward of the respected Roman scholar Boethius, rushes in to stab the barbarian conquerer with a stylus in defense of Old Rome and is rescued from death by a young scholar from Nursia who is called Benedictus.

Against this backdrop, the novel goes on to tell of the lives of Boethius, who becomes governor for the king in spite of his patriotism for the dying Rome; Peter, the young would-be assassin and patriot, who grows up to become a conflicted Byzantine ambassador; and Benedictus, who becomes appalled by the corruption in Roman society and retreats into the wilderness to become a hermit. Eventually he founds several monasteries and travels to Montecassino. He drives out pagan sorcerers, works miracles and founds a monastery that truly became a "Citadel of God" that stood against paganism and Arianism, while the scholar Boethius is jailed and executed by the increasingly paranoid king, after writing The Consolation of Philosophy.

This book is strongly and vividly written, telling an epic tale of several famous lives intertwined during this unstable and critical time in the history of Christendom. The reading and interest level are suitable for ages 14 and up; however, the emotional maturity level may be somewhat higher. There are a couple of scenes, as when a Roman lady tries to seduce the young Benedictus, or a corrupt Christian priest converses with his mistress, that though not overly graphic might be unsuitable to some young readers.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Willa Ryan
First reviewed: 
3-26-01

Early Women Martyrs of the Church: Coloring book

Book cover: 'Early Women Martyrs of the Church: Coloring book'
Author(s): 
Katie Elizabeth Roll
Subject(s): 
Martyrs
Setting: 
Early Church
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Review: 
Portraits of 12 saints--from St. Philomena to St. Lucy--are portrayed in large ready-to-color illustrations alongside a brief description of the martyr. This 8 1/2" x 11" coloring book has a soft cover and staple binding making it easy to lay open for coloring. The saints are depicted with the common symbols telling about their life and death and the descriptions are simple and short enough that they can be enjoyed by a child as young as 5 or 6 years old. This coloring book would be a nice introduction to the early church and saint symbols for a young child or as a supplement to a history course for children up to age 10 or 12.

Reviewed by: 
Andrea Chen
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Fabiola, or the Church of the Catacombs

Book cover: 'Fabiola, or the Church of the Catacombs'
Author(s): 
His Eminence Cardinal Wiseman
Number of pages: 
616 pages
Copyright: 
1997
Publisher: 
Lepanto Press
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Sample Pages
Subject(s): 
Martyrs
Setting: 
Early Church
Grade / Age level: 
Adults
Mature Teens
Review: 
Late in the third century, under the rule of the barbarian Diocletian, began the last and one of the most severe persecutions of Christians in early church history. During this time Sts. Sebastian, Agnes, and Tarcisius, among many others, won the martyr's crown. This book gives an account of their witness.

Fabiola is a Roman lady, a "noble pagan" of intelligence, virtue and spirit, who like many Romans of the time has heard nothing but false, vile reports of Christian beliefs and practices. At the same time she can't help contrasting the behavior of her young cousin, Agnes, her friend Sebastian, and her slave Syra with the corrupt brutality so rampant in pagan society. Without knowing that they are Christians, she senses that they are in light while she is still in darkness.

While Fabiola and her journey towards conversion is the focal point of the book, there are as many turns and side passages in the plot as there are in the catacombs. There is a subplot concerning an immature Christian who falls into apostasy and betrays his friends - but repents and is restored to grace. Another subplot concerns a martyr's son who longs to follow in his father's footsteps. A chapter is devoted to explaining the purpose of the catacombs and how the inscriptions came to be written within them. There is a lot to be learned from this book about an important time in Christian history. The descriptions of the martyrs' deaths are realistic, and because of this, and the length and ornate style of the book, it might be best read by teenagers and adults.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

Originally published in the late 19th century, reprinted by Lepanto Press

Reviewed by: 
Willa Ryan
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Fingal's Quest

Author(s): 
Madeleine A. Polland
Number of pages: 
191 pages
Copyright: 
1961
Publisher: 
Savio Books
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Historical Fiction
Saints
Setting: 
Ireland
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Review: 
This work of historical fiction brings to life the stories of the great monasteries of Ireland and their evangelization of Europe (in the 6th Century), which had fallen away from the true faith after the Barbarian invasions. The story focuses on Fingal, a poor, fatherless boy, who becomes a student at Bangor Monastery in Ireland and becomes a stowaway in order to follow his beloved teacher Columban to Gaul. His lengthy quest to find Columban has some interesting parallels to growth in the spiritual life. Younger children will enjoy the story on a simple level for it's own sake (and it's quite a good story without going any further) while older children will discover some profound truths as they dig deeper. One recurring theme which is quite nicely handled involves the differences between human love and divine love and how they can either help or hinder us in our quest for God.

The book is originally from the Clarion series, which also includes: If All the Swords in England, Beorn the Proud, Son of Charlemagne and Augustine Came to Kent.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
6-26-01

God's Little Flower, the Story of St. Therese of Lisieux

Author(s): 
Chris Driscoll
Illustrator(s): 
Patrick Kelley
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Copyright: 
2001
ISBN: 
1929039050
Publisher: 
Ambassador Books
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
19th century
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Review: 
St. Therese of Lisieux is a very popular saint whose life story is easily understood by children. While not full of action and adventure, her life story's simplicity and sweetness are appealing to even the most worldly of children. This lovely picture book, with its carefully chosen vocabulary and sentence structures, is written on a level that will allow a 3rd-grade and up child to read it for himself or herself. The full-page illustrations are attractive, colorful, simple, and modern in style, adding to the story rather than overwhelming it.

God's Little Flower is not so much a biography but an age-appropriate explanation of St. Therese's spirituality. There are no dates or quotations or geography lessons slipped into the text, yet it manages to convey an even more important lesson---that of quiet, loving service to God through our prayers and sufferings.

Reviewed by: 
Susan Kalis
First reviewed: 
9-3-02

Heroes of God's Church

Author(s): 
Father P. Henry Matimiore, S.T.D.
Number of pages: 
286 pages
Copyright: 
1931
Publisher: 
Neumann Press
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Sample Pages
Subject(s): 
Reading Comprehension
Saint Story Collections
Grade / Age level: 
All ages
Review: 
"In writing this volume, the purpose has been to acquaint our children with biographies that will have some particular influence on the development of their characters. Each story has been planned as a real character-training project, not merely as a reading lesson to inspire admiration for faith and religious heroism." (From the Foreword)

I think the author does an admirable job in achieving his purpose. We are shown how the Saints were real people who struggled with things like bad tempers and parents who just didn't understand their religious fervor. Some became great saints by just doing the little everyday things well and out of love while others showed incredible heroism through the most agonizing tortures and martyrdom.

The book covers 25 Saint stories, from 6 to 18 pages each, with comprehension questions for each story. We are presented with a variety of Saints of every age with a true diversity of personalities, difficulties to overcome and social classes. The chronological order and selection would also make this a very worthwhile supplement to a study of World History.

The comprehension questions seem suited to mid-grade school (perhaps grades 3-6) but the stories themselves would be appropriate for a wide age range (probably from first grade through adult if care is taken with regard to some of the "scarier" martyr stories for the very young ones).
Quibble:
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
1998-99

Heroes of Virtue

A Timeline-manual of New World Saints and Blessed
Book cover: 'Heroes of Virtue: A Timeline-manual of New World Saints and Blessed'
Author(s): 
Sister Elizabeth Ann
Number of pages: 
115 pages
Copyright: 
1999
Publisher: 
Catholic Heritage Curricula
Binding: 
Stapled Softcover
Sample Pages
Subject(s): 
Saints
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
Elementary
Resource Type: 
General Resource
Review: 
We have enjoyed using this manual in our home for almost a year now and have found that it has added a dimension that was lacking from our homeschool before. The author, a member of the congregation Sisters of Saint Joseph the Worker, has done an outstanding job organizing the saints of the Americas by chronology and geographical area. This manual includes saints from both North and South America. Sister Elizabeth Ann begins her book with reasons for studying these saints along with many ideas for incorporating them into ones ongoing historical or geographical studies. She includes information about the various religious orders and information on "How Saints are Made." Her excellent timeline includes key events and people in the history of the Americas with an astric noting where the saints fit into the overall picture. We have found this timeline to be invaluable. Outline maps, which are provided for each area, are easy for the children to trace and the biographies are long enough to provide important information but short enough that they could easily be woven into any history program. The workbook pages and activity sheets at the back of the book allow the student to spend extra time considering the saint's life and how they impacted history.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Additional notes: 

Many thanks to Catholic Heritage Curricula for donating this book for review.

Reviewed by: 
Andrea Chen
First reviewed: 
3-26-01

If All the Swords in England

Book cover: 'If All the Swords in England'
Author(s): 
Barbara Willard
Number of pages: 
181 pages
Copyright: 
1961
Publisher: 
Bethlehem Books
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Historical Fiction
Saints
Setting: 
High Middle Ages
England
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Review: 
The story of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket (and the last six years of his life) is presented in an intelligent and interesting format by viewing these events through the eyes of twin boys, Simon and Edmund, who are (respectively) in the service of Thomas Becket and King Henry II ( Saint Thomas' friend-turned-enemy). The story begins in the year 1164, while St. Thomas is in exile in France, avoiding the King's wrath for not cooperating with his wishes regarding the King's control over the Church. Edmund has just been admitted into the King's service, but Simon, because of his lame hand, is refused. Simon dreams of entering the Archbishop's service, but is temporarily taken in by some distant relatives of the Archbishop. The King's own commands alter the course of events as Simon is caught up in the forced exile of all of St. Thomas' relatives to join him in France. The tensions and mysteries surrounding the struggles between these two men are well-explained and many truths and lessons are skillfully drawn out by the author. For example, the story provides a very clear lesson on the consequences of not controlling one's temper. This is easy even for young children to understand because the King literally acts like a two-year-old (with the exception of allowing himself further loss of control by the excessive use of alcohol) - allowing himself to get so angry that he yells and screams, falls to the floor and eventually passes out. His temper tantrums lead directly to the death of the Archbishop. Also, the way the story is presented through the eyes of a child gives a sense of the awe of going to confession to and serving Mass for a living saint. Although it is clear from early in the book (even if the reader doesn't know otherwise) that Saint Thomas will be martyred, the subject is handled very thoughtfully and helps children to realize the "sweetness" present in the bitterness of martyrdom. I read this aloud to my children and only found one sentence too much for their ages (my oldest is seven). "He drew his sword and struck at the skull of the dead man, scattering brains and blood on the pavement." (pg. 173). My children and I also found the parallels between St. Thomas' final years and Our Lord's final days rather interesting. (There are parallels to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the scattering of his followers before his death, and even one faithful follower who stuck with him to the end.)
Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
7-7-2000

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