Religion

Saint Athanasius

Book cover: Saint Athanasius
Author(s): 
F.A. (Frances Alice) Forbes
Number of pages: 
98 pages
Copyright: 
1919
ISBN / ID: 
9780895556233
Publisher: 
TAN Books and Publishers Inc.
Binding: 
Softcover
Sample Pages
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
Early Church
Review: 

This short, and fairly easy to read biography chronicles the life of Saint Athanasius (early 300s) – Patriarch/bishop of Alexandria and Doctor of the Church (and model of perserverance). Athanasius was a defender of the faith in a very critical time in the early Church's history. Even before the Edict of Milan which allowed Christians to practice their faith freely (at least for a time), the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ, was beginning its attack on the Church. Although the heresy was firmly rejected at the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.), the heretics were very powerful and continued to attack the Church – even winning the Emperor Constantine to their side. While the heresy was never embraced by the Pope, the heretics used the Emperor to banish orthodox bishops from their diocese, replacing them with those sympathetic to their rebellious ideas. All through this difficult time, Athanasius led his people (sometimes while in hiding with the desert monks for years at a time) by his writings.

Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
3-13-2000

Saint Benedict

The Story of the Founder of the Western Monks
Book cover: Saint Benedict
Author(s): 
Mary Fabyan Windeatt
Number of pages: 
158 pages
Copyright: 
1943
ISBN / ID: 
9780895554277
Publisher: 
TAN Books and Publishers
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
Early Middle Ages
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
Review: 

St. Benedict (480-543), particularly honored as the Father of Monasticism, is an essential character in understanding Christian Culture as it existed in the Middle Ages because it was heavily influenced by the Monasteries (and the rule of St. Benedict) which helped to preserve Catholicism and classical learning after the fall of the Roman empire. Fortunately, this particular book is very simple and aims at telling the STORY of St. Benedict. The author introduces us to his spirituality, the realm of his influence during his own lifetime, and in a very real and tangible way, how the devil tried to fight the good God did through this holy monk. Like all good saint stories aimed at children, the author provides us with a real, live, interesting person, actively engaging our attention and causing us to want to imitate him. (Make no mistake, even though it's aimed at children, it can have the same effect on their parents too.) The story provides excellent supplemental material to a history program as it also covers some of the major political and social events of the times through the eyes of St. Benedict. Our family found the story and the interest level suitable even for the little ones, although the reading level is harder to determine. Kolbe Academy recommends it for 7th grade (based on length) and Seton Home Study recommends it for 6th grade.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
7-8-2000

Saint Catherine of Siena

Book cover: Saint Catherine of Siena
Author(s): 
F.A. Forbes
(Frances Alice Forbes)
Number of pages: 
103 pages
Copyright: 
1913
ISBN / ID: 
9780895556226
Publisher: 
TAN Books and Publishers Inc.
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Biographies
Saints
Setting: 
High Middle Ages
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 6-8
High School
Adults
Review: 

Catherine was born in the year 1347 of a wealthy family in Siena, Italy. These were troubled times in her native country. The pope was living in Avignon, France, and rival Italian cities and families were constantly at war with one another. The author gives presents a rather interesting story of a rather remarkable little girl who had heavenly visions and was a light of comfort and cheer to all those who came in contact with her. As Catherine grew older she live a very pious and austere life, offering great penances to Our Lord and working to help the poor and convert sinners. One of the most remarkable stories of this time in her life is how she brought a man back to the faith just before he was to be executed – even remaining with him at the time of his execution. But God had even bigger plans for Catherine. To her came the difficult task of convincing the pope to return to Rome and help and encourage him through the hardships involved after he did finally return. Catherine's devout prayer life, her obedience to the will of God and her great humility allowed her to overcome seemingly impossible tasks by the grace of God. Today she is honored as one of the greatest of saints and a Doctor of the Church. The book is suitable for upper grade school and high school, but will be beneficial to adults as well!

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
3-17-2000

Saint Costumes

Subject(s): 
Religion
Grade / Age level: 
Elementary
Resource Type: 
Children's Costumes
Review: 

From Our Coats of Many Colors

Our Coats of Many Colors, a cottage industry run by a mom in Kansas with a team of six seamstresses, has been making beautiful and imaginative dress-up costumes for six years. They have recently added a line of religious costumes for children - priest outfits from three different orders: Jesuit, Benedictine and Franciscan. The costumes are sturdy (my children have been using these for YEARS and they've held up beautifully and wash quite easily), nicely detailed, and feature velcro to make dressing up easy for little ones. Great for All Saints' Day dress-up.

The Jesuit costume (pictured at right), comes in five sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL).

It includes a full-length black cassock and cincture (like a belt) and features a roman collar. A row of buttons hides the easy-open velcro front of the cassock. The cincture also has a velcro-closure. Some great Jesuits include:

  • St. Ignatius Loyola, founder
  • St. Francis Xavier
  • St. Isaac Jogues
  • St. Jean de Brebeuf
  • St. Edmund Campion
  • Pierre de Smet
  • Jaques Marquette
  • St. Robert Bellarmine
  • St. Peter Claver
  • St. Aloysius Gonzaga
  • Fr. Eusebio Kino
  • St. Paul Miki
  • St. Stanislaus Kostka
  • St. Claude de la Colombierre
  • St. Robert Southwell
  • Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Benedictine costume (pictured at right), and comes in five sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL).

It includes a full-length black cassock, hooded scapular and cincture (belt). All pieces have a velcro-closure. Some great Benedictines include:

  • St. Benedict, founder
  • St. Gregory the Great
  • St. Augustine of Canterbury
  • St. Boniface
  • St. Thomas Becket
  • St. Bede
  • St. Hermannus Contractus
The Franciscan costume (pictured at right), comes in five sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL).

It includes a full-length brown hooded cassock and rope belt. Some great Franciscans include:

  • St. Francis, founder
  • St. Anthony of Padua
  • St. Bonaventure
  • St. Francis Solanus
  • St. Joseph of Cupertino
  • Blessed Junipero Serra
  • St. Padre Pio
  • St. Maximilian Kolbe
Their line has significantly grown over the years and includes many female saints as well.
Additional notes: 

This review was updated in 2008 to reflect additional costume offerings.

Later update: The website apparently no longer exists.

Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
10-19-05

Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism

Book cover: Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism
Author(s): 
Bennet Kelley
Number of pages: 
64 pages
Copyright: 
1963
ISBN / ID: 
9780899422404
Publisher: 
Catholic Book Publishing Company
Binding: 
Stapled Softcover
Subject(s): 
First Communion
Catechisms
First Confession
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Review: 

This beautifully illustrated (in full-color) gem is designed to prepare a child for First Communion and would be appropriate for Kindergarten through second grade. The text follows the Baltimore Catechism, but also includes basic prayers, parts of the Mass and Holy Days of Obligation. In a few places, the explanations given to expand upon the Baltimore Catechism are not as well-written as I'd like them to be, but for the most part they are quite good. For some reason, the text has taken some of the Catechism questions out of order, so that the child learns about sin and its consequences before studying about Our Lord coming to earth to save us. I prefer the original order (which can be done by following the questions in numerical order) so that young children learn about God's love for us before going too deep into the evils of sin and the devil. Many homeschoolers use this as a supplement to other texts (such as the Faith and Life series - partly because the wording of the questions in this text is more succint than the wording in the Faith and Life series) for the purpose of memorizing the Catechism questions and enjoying the pictures.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
5-13-2000

Saint Paul the Apostle

Book cover: Saint Paul the Apostle
Author(s): 
Mary Fabyan Windeatt
Number of pages: 
231 pages
Copyright: 
1949
ISBN / ID: 
9780895554260
Publisher: 
TAN Books and Publishers
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Martyrs
Setting: 
Early Church
Ancient Rome
Holy Land
Grade / Age level: 
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Review: 

Saul was a devout Jew so zealous about the Law that he persecuted the followers of the Nazarene with a vengeance. Through God's miraculous intervention Saul discovers that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and longs to proclaim and exhort that which he has formerly persecuted and abhored. There are many obstacles to overcome. The Christians have a difficult time trusting him and are focused on differences with the Jews, whereas Paul is eager to proclaim the Gospel to everyone. As he travels all over the Mediterranean, he is impeded by shipwreck and many who hate him. He fled communities in secret and on at least once occasion barely escaped with his life.

The short chapters are nice for beginning readers and for busy moms trying to read the story aloud a little at a time.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
First reviewed: 
5-13-2000

Saint Philip Neri

I Prefer Heaven
DVD cover: Saint Philip Neri
Directors / Actors: 
Gigi Proietti
Adriano Braidotti
Francesco Salvi
Roberto Citran
Publisher: 
Ignatius Press
Subject(s): 
Saints
Biographies
Setting: 
Italy
16th century
Resource Type: 
DVD
Review: 

We received it for Christmas and have watched it in installments. Tears streamed from my eyes last night as the beautiful final scene filled the screen. We were all watching it, from my husband and 18 year old senior to the youngest, and we were all delighted in it.

I don't think I knew much about Saint Philip Neri beforehand although his name is so very familiar. He is not a great saint of great accomplishments or great written treaties. He did not travel and his intellect did not shine above others.

What was great about him? His immense charity, his humble love for all who encountered him, poor and rich alike, wealthy merchants or nobles, murderers and pariahs, all were targets of his deep love and charity. He also had the ability to use great humor in all he did--all smiled and laughed around him! He lived in a hard time for the church and his unusual confraternity was investigated by the Curia more than once, only to disarm the pope completely when faced with his deep love for others and total trust in God's Providence.

The film was made for Italian TV and the production is very good. We loved the actors and the costumes. An impressive details is how they managed to gather such similar-looking actors to portrays the child and grown up versions of his followers, it is almost as if they started the film when they were children and waited ten years to continue, so similar they were.

Distributed in the USA by Ignatius Press, available anywhere.

Perspective: 
Judeo-Christian
Additional notes: 

I read the other reviews on Amazon and am very respectful of them and recommend their reading. Perhaps because we had such a wonderful time watching it as a family, and perhaps because we already know real facts are changed in films about saints, I still give it 4 stars. The film does show Christian love in many beautiful ways and we live in a world so thirsty for that. After the film we read a brief account of his life online and were further enriched.

Originally posted on love2learnmovieblog.blogspot.com.

Reviewed by: 
Ana Braga-Henebry
First reviewed: 
01/30/2012

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