One of the most beautiful aspects of the Catholic Church, in my opinion, is the communion of saints. These holy men, women, and children are examples of faith, hope, and love in a variety of situations—heroic, tragic, sometimes hidden—in every age, even up to today.
In a time when there is so much in the media vying for our children’s attention, I’m grateful to have found a pair of books that illustrate a sampling of saints to pique children’s interest and inspire them to find their own paths to serve the Lord.
Saints for Girls and Saints for Boys are reprints of simple retellings of popular saints’ lives. Children are likely to recognize some of the names (perhaps as their own!), which helps to make the books engaging. Our parish patron is featured in the boys’ book and one of my nieces’ namesakes is represented in the girls’.
The stories are short, geared toward read alouds or younger children who can read on their own. There isn’t always a great deal of detail, but there is a takeaway appropriate for the audience with each saint; sometimes there is a one-line prayer as well. The illustrations are taken from the original editions some decades ago. I love the simpler vintage feel. It helps make the books good choices for bedtime, quiet prayer time at home, or reflection in church.
Mama needs something to read, too, and 100 Holy Hours for Women is a unique find. The book was written for use within a convent, but has now been published for public use.
Each meditation delves into a verse from Scripture, in light of the Blessed Sacrament. I’ve only used the book at home so far, but even here, it’s powerful. The Eucharist is such a gift, and exploring its mystery is a beautiful way to spend time engaging with the Lord and growing closer in relationship with Him. Each “hour” is only comprised of a few pages, but each is deeply moving. When I do find a moment of quiet time, I sometimes struggle to figure out what to do with it. This book has been a great help in making the most of those moments, and thus the rest of the day. Compact and beautifully bound, this would make a great Mother’s Day gift as well.
There’s plenty of Lent left, so grab these books now!
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Copyright 2018 Lindsay Schlegel This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.
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