I’m not a big one for devotions to particular saints. Aside from Sts Joseph and Michael (my patrons), my favourite saints day of the year is All Saints Day. Besides their prayers, and true to my Lutheran heritage, I believe that the greatest gift they can give us is their example of holiness. For this reason I am very interested in the beneficial nature of teaching the lives of the saints to children. My friend, Pastor Fraser Pearce, gave a copy of Amy Welborn’s The Loyola Kids’Book of Saints (see this page for this book and other titles by Amy), and it has been a real favourite with my children. It is aimed at kids at about 10-15 years old is well done, but I have often wished for a simpler book for younger children, complete with good traditional pictures or photos of the saints (kids like to see holiness as well as hear about it). Much that is about is overly churchy, and Amy’s book avoids this.
Today on a Vatican Radio podcast about Venerable Antonietta Meo, a girl who died of bone cancer in 1937, but who is famous for her letters to God, Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The texts of these letters are very simple and would make a wonderful book for children.
I will add it to my list of “ideas for when I retire”…
