Book Reviews and More: Holy Cards - Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua

Holy Cards

Barbara Calamari

Sandra DiPasqua

ABRAMS

ISBN 9781419702273

eISBN 9781613126080

ASIN B00DS289TG

Holy Cards - Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua

I stumbled upon this volume while searching for prayer cards for the rack at the back of our church. The cover immediately attracted my attention. Not knowing either of the authors, nor having heard about this or any of the many other volumes they co-authored I was hesitant to pick it up. I was blown away by the volume and my 16 year old son read it as soon as I finished.

The description of this volume states:

“A treasury of the devotional art that has comforted and inspired millions of Catholics—portraying a remarkable gallery of saints.

Often used in daily rituals or given out at significant life events such as wakes and funerals, communions and confirmations, the holy card can be appreciated as both a religious tradition and a beautiful work of folk art.

This comprehensive volume offers a richly illustrated overview, organized thematically, along with brief biographies and attributes of prophets and angels, disciples and evangelists, hermits and visionaries, martyrs and mystics—in exquisite depictions that run the gamut from dramatic and disturbing to moving and comforting.

Including detailed explanations of the often-enigmatic symbolism found in these unique keepsakes, Holy Cards is a compendium that will fascinate anyone who enjoys the artistic beauty for which the Roman Catholic Church is renowned.”

The chapters and sections in it are:

Acknowledgements

Introduction

A Brief History

Prophets & Angels

St. John the Baptist

St. Gabriel the Archangel

St. Elias

St. Michael the Archangel

St. Raphael the Archangel

Disciples & Evangelists

St. Andrew

St. Peter

St. Paul

St. James

St. Jude

St. Matthew

St. John

St. Luke

St. Mark

St. Mary Magdalen

St. Bartholomew

Martyrs

St. Fidelis

St. Anthony of Hungary

St. John of Cologne

St. Eugene

St. Ursula Bl. Peter Sanz

St. Agnes

St. Lucy

St. Barbara

St. Cecilia

St. Susanna

St. Laurence

St. Sebastian

St. Liverius

St. Iraeneus

St. Renatus Vitalis

St. George

St. Philoterus

St. Margaret of Antioch

St. Peter of Verona

Hermits

St. Paul

St. Jerome

St. Alexis

Bl. Gundisalvus

Bl. Eve of Liege

St. Cyril

St. Meinrad

Visionaries & Mystics

St. Julienne

St. Rita

St. Rose of Lima

St. Gertrude the Great

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Martin de Porres

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Veronica Giuliani

St. Bernadette

St. Bridget of Sweden

St. Mechtild

St. Gerard Majella

St. Bénézet

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

St. Peter of Alcantara

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

St. Teresa of Avila

Religious Orders

Bl. Frances D’Amboise

Bl. Mary Bartholomea de Bagnesi

St. Gilbert of Neuffontaines

St. Francis de Sales

St. Jeanne Frances de Chantal

St. Alphonse Liguori

St. Angela Merici

St. Walburga

St. Othilia

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Clare

St. Alanus of Rupe

St. Colette

St. Benedict

St. Frances of Rome

St. Camillus

St. Aloysius Gonzaga

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Raymund Pennafort

Missionaries

St. Francis Borgia

St. Patrick

St. Swithbert the Elder

St. Leonardo of Port Maurice Bl. Marie of the Incarnation

St. Francis Xavier

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

St. Hyacinth

Holy People

St. Joan of Arc

St. Monica

St. Liberata

St. Zita

St. Nicholas

St. Anne

St. Sofia

St. Joseph

St. Helena

St. Louis

St. Charles Borromeo

St. Jerome Emiliani

St. Roch

St. Veronica

Jesus Christ

The Virgin Mary

Halos

Significance Lists

Plants, Trees, Flowers & Fruit

Objects

Colors

Birds

Shapes and Numbers

Animals, Fish & Insects

Clothing

Body Parts

Bibliography

Picture Credits

I only highlight a few passages my first time through this volume, they are:

“FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRISTIANITY, saints have inspired the classic works of Western art. They are human representatives of divine grace, and their stories of faith and suffering, and trial and transcendence, have fascinated the secular and comforted, consoled, and encouraged believers. One of the most important and endearing traditions of Catholic iconography is that of the holy card. Offering images of the saints, these portable objects of daily ritual are carried for protection; given as remembrances at communions, confirmations, and funerals; and collected and traded.”

“The saints were human beings with human problems. They had bad marriages, debts, wayward children; they came from all walks of life. Yet through divine grace they were able to overcome their own personal obstacles and transcend the burdens of the material world. To Catholics they are an extended family that serve as a great inspiration in the ability of prayer and faith to change one’s life. They have fascinating stories of suffering, failure, and victory, and many of us implore our favorite saints to pray with us and for us.”

“They are not idols with magical powers, but they are mentors with whom we are able to identify. Since great art, architecture, and music are believed to be divinely inspired, visual art is an important element in Catholic religious expression. Frescoes in churches and stained glass windows traditionally served to instruct those who could not read. Images had to be designed to tell a story using objects, symbols, and colors that had their own significance. Many holy cards, besides being a visual physical portrait, also display the elements of a saint’s story or patronage.”

“Presently, while holy cards are produced in the millions, there is less diversity in style and quality. Many companies still use the paintings of one hundred years ago with their mysterious objects and symbols embedded in them, but modern people are less able to read them. Cards of more recent saints like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Mother Cabrini, or Padre Pio are basic photo-like portraits resembling head shots or publicity stills. It is no longer considered necessary to try and include the mysterious elements that tell a story. In perusing the many pages of artists’ lists it becomes apparent that the average person of a century ago was able to read much more into a picture than people of today.”

And finally:

“Holy cards are extremely important to Catholics. Many still carry them for protection or out of loyalty to a patron saint. They are given as remembrances for communions, confirmations, and most commonly, at wakes and funerals. Prayers are put on the back with the name of the deceased, their birth and death dates. Even the least devout save these cards as a tribute. They are used as bookmarks, kept in drawers, carried in wallets, or openly displayed. They contain images that are comforting, disturbing, and extremely powerful in that they trigger strong emotions. Because they are not considered precious works of art but standard everyday objects, holy cards are a wonderful example of folk art pieces that help expand our spiritual lives.”

The concept of reading Holy Cards was new to me. It is intriguing and moving. My youngest two children each have a prayer corner in their rooms and Holy cards play a key role in their space. They were encouraged by the sacramental prep team as then began their first communion journey to create a prayer space, and the Catholic grade school they attended had a prayer corner in each room and one in the entrance for the whole school. I myself have a small box full of prayer cards going back to my own teen years. And I have a small stand on my desk and pull out a different card each day to pray and spend time with that friend in heaven. Over the last many months I have been working to fill the prayer card rack at the back of our church.

Many years ago I was at church at a mass time I did not normally attend; a family was in front of me. The daughter had a prayer card she used in her missal a painting of Jesus, one I did not recognize but that spoke to me. After mass I asked if I could see it as it caught my attention to try and track down a copy. She gave it to me and for a long time I used it in my prayer book daily. I do not recall ever encountering the family again.

Holy cards are encouraging, inspiring and motivational. They are like photos of friends in heaven. And this volume which is part history part reflections and it has 101 cards as specific sections but there are a few cards in the information prior to that.

Overall I was awed and inspired by this volume. And have picked up the other books by the authors that are available as eBooks. There is 1 older volume I will try and track down in a physical edition. I can easily recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the authors.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!