Unshakable Saints Around the World - Meg Hunter-Kilmer and Lindsey Sanders

Unshakable Saints Around the World

Meg Hunter-Kilmer

Lindsey Sanders (illustrator)

Emmaus Road Publishing

ISBN 9781645853831

eISBN 9781645853848

I recently received the 6 volumes in this set to review. This is the fifth that I have read. The volumes are:

Adventurous 

Ordinary 

Royal and Warrior

Talented 

Unshakable 

Young Saints 

These 6 volumes are geared for younger readers. They are a very high quality picture book. The six books are available individually or as a set. There is a volume that was released in 2021 by the same author and illustrator called Saints Around the World, that could be read to the same audience as this volume but it is much more in-depth and has significantly more information on each of the 100 saints covered in the volume. The description of this volume states:

““Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.” Colossians 3:23

In times of danger, doubt, despair, or other difficulties, these holy men and women remind us to never let go of God’s hand.

This hardcover book includes sturdy laminate pages suitable for young hands.

Unshakable Saints Around the World features the stories of:

Saint Josephine Bakhita

Saint John Colobus

Saint Leopold Mandić

Saint Mary MacKillop

Saint Oscar Romero

Blessed Ana of the Angels Monteagudo

Saint Margaret of Castello

Blessed Peter Donders

Saint Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès

Saint Monica

Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung

Saint Columba of Iona

Saint Katharine Drexel

Saint Serapion the Sindonite

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Recommended for ages 4-8.”

About the author we are informed:

“Meg Hunter-Kilmer is a speaker, a writer, and a missionary who has lived out of her car since 2012. Meg loves telling stories, learning about Saints, reading the Bible, and watching the Olympics. She is a proud godmother of ten and aunt of an ever-increasing crew of incredible nieces and nephews.”

About the illustrator  we are informed:

“Lindsey Sanders is the creator of AlmondRod Toys, an online shop that sells Catholic toys designed by Lindsey herself. She has seven kids who she homeschools in Grand Rapids, Michigan.”

There is no table of contents nor even pages numbers which are the only draw backs I see to this book and the 6 in the series. If you wanted to find a specific saint you would need to flip through looking for them. That being said this is an excellent volume and series. We already plan to give a set of them to our Catholic School Library. The physical books are well made, and designed to last a long time and heavy use. Beautiful hardcovers with solid stitching. I bent the book flat to scan a couple sample pages and there is no indication I did so. I believe the artwork is either watercolours or water colour pencils. The artwork is stunning. The artist sells blocks with images from the books, for teaching children, and other resources to support learning about saints. I wish she sold a set of them as prayer cards, I would buy a set for myself and 2 of my teen children who love collecting prayer cards. I would also love prints of a couple of the images to be able to hang in my den.

Each 2 page spread includes:

Name of the Saint or Blessed

Pronunciation Guide to the name

Brief introduction to them

A key point to learn from them

Then the country, dates and feast day.

A world map with a star marker for where they were from.

Wow what a great collection of saints in this volume. About half of the saints in this volume I had never encountered before. They were a few I was familiar with. And a few were long time favourites and friends in heaven. I look forward to tracking down more information about some of those new friends in heaven. 

There were saints in this volume I had never encountered before. They were a few I was familiar with. I look forward to tracking down more information about some of those new friends in heaven. 

I have had the longer version of this book for a few years now, as well as Meg’s volume Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness but after reading just one of these they have jumped way up in my ‘to be read’ pile. I look forward to reading the other 5 volumes in this set as well as Meg’s other works. I can easily recommend this book and series for home, school, and church library. They are excellent for introducing children and even us older folks to a wide range of friends in heaven. A great book and series sure to become a family favourite!

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

Books by Meg Hunter-Kilmer:

Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness

A Year in the Word Catholic Bible Journal

…

Saints Around the World Books:

Saints Around the World

Saints Around the World Map & Sticker Set

…

Saints Around the World For Younger Readers:

Adventurous Saints Around the World

Ordinary Saints Around the World

Royal and Warrior Saints Around the World

Talented Saints Around the World

Unshakable Saints Around the World

Young Saints Around the World

…

Saints Around the World Early Reader Collection

...

Contributed to:

Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible

The Ave Catholic Notetaking

…

Schooled - Gordon Korman

Schooled

Gordon Korman

Scholastic Canada

ISBN 9780545993210

eISBN 9781443124690

ASIN B078H7S3DX

This was the 49th volume I have read from the masterful pen of Gordon Korman. My son who is 16 still loves his books, my daughter in 13 picks and chooses, But I am trying to work my way through his complete catalogue, in my 50’s. 

Most of the titles by Korman I have read, I read over the last 5 year. I had read a few back in 2009 when the 39 Clues first came out. I do not recall reading any when I was young, but with my dual form of dyslexia I did not read many Children’s or Middle Grade books. It was only later I learned to really read. 

My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together five years ago, when he was given one as an end of year gift by his teacher. She gave the whole class the same Scholastic edition and wrote a note to each student in their copy of the book.

When reading Korman books; some he reads to me, some we use adaptive technology and listen to in the car, and some I just read on my own. This one I started listened to in the car with my son on trips to and from his play rehearsals out of town, and to see a production in Stratford. 

The description of this book states:

“Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television. He's never tasted a pizza. Never heard of a wedgie. Since he was little, his only experience has been living on a farm commune and being home-schooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain. But when Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and has to stay in the hospital, Cap is forced to move in with a guidance counselor and her cranky teen daughter and attend the local middle school. 

While Cap knows a lot about tie-dying and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school. Right from the beginning, Cap's weirdness makes him a moving target at Claverage Middle School (dubbed C-Average by the students). He has long, ungroomed hair; wears hemp clothes; and practises tai chi on the lawn. Once Zack Powers, big man on campus, spots Cap, he can't wait to introduce him to the age-old tradition at the biggest nerd is nominated for class president-and wins.”

According to Goodreads there are over 40 editions of this book, as of the writing of this review it lists 41 to be specific, which including a Chech edition. In Canada the original publisher was Scholastic, in the US it looks like Disney-Hyperion and later reprinted by Little Brown. Including a US reprint in 2024 with a new cover for the first time for English editions. Interestingly enough most of the North American editions have the same cover, it is only the latest Little Brown edition that has a new cover. To be honest if I had seen that new cover I might have read it much earlier, just saying (again, I stated that in my review of Born to Rock!

This was one of those Korman stories that has some laughs but also looks deeply into human nature. Society, and how we interact with others. Korman is one of the all-time Masters of the School Story, but his stories also speak to older readers and are a commentary on society as a whole. They is much embedded in his humour and wit. And this is another masterfully executed story!

A hippy showing up in a public school today would definitely rock the boat. And when his impact grows to encompass the whole community, maybe his upbringing on a commune was part of a much bigger plan. For Cap seems to be on a mission to transform the school, families, and even a whole community. Without even intentionally doing so.

This was a really fun story and one I can easily recommend. Another great Middle Grade read from Korman! 

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall  (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish!  (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

         (formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

          (aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)

          (formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)

…

Bugs Potter Series:

Who is Bugs Potter? (1980)

Bugs Potter LIVE at Nickaninny (1983)

…

Jeremy Bloom Series:

The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1992)

The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)

…

Monday Night Football Series:

The Quarterback Exchange (1997)

Running Back Conversion (1997)

Super Bowl Switch (1997)

Heavy Artillery (1997)

Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)

NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)

…

Masterminds Series:

Masterminds (2015)

Masterminds: Criminal Destiny (2016)

Masterminds: Payback (2017)

…

Slapshots Series:

The Stars From Mars (1999)

All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)

The Face-off Phony (2000)

Cup Crazy (2000)

Ouch I got slapped (2023)

…

4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)

…

Nose Pickers Series:

Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)

Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)

Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)

Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)

…

4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)

…

Island Series:

Shipwreck (2001)

Survival (2001)

Escape (2001)

…

3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)

…

Son of the Mob Series:

Son of the Mob (2002)

Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)

…

Everest Series:

The Contest (2002)

The Climb (2002)

The Summit (2002)

…

Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)

Dive Series:

The Discovery (2003)

The Deep (2003)

The Danger (2003)

…

On the Run Series:

Chasing the Falconers (2005)

The Fugitive Factor (2005)

Now You See Them, Now You Don't (2005)

The Stowaway Solution (2005)

Public Enemies (2005)

Hunting the Hunter (2006)

…

Kidnapped Series:

The Abduction (2006)

The Search (2006)

The Rescue (2006)

…

Swindle Series:

Swindle (2008)

Zoobreak (2009)

Framed (2010)

Showoff (2012)

Hideout (2013)

Jackpot (2014)

Unleashed (2015)

Jingle (2016)

…

Titanic Series:

Unsinkable (2011)

Collision Course (2011)

S.O.S (2011)

…

The 39 Clues Series:

One False Note (2008)

The Emperor's Code (2010)

Vespers Rising (2011)

The Medusa Plot (2011)

Flashpoint (2014)

…

Hypnotists Series:

The Hypnotists (2013)

Memory Maze (2014)

The Dragonfly Effect (2015)

…

Ungifted Series:

Ungifted (2012)

Supergifted (2018)

…

Slacker Series:

Slacker (2016)
Level 13 (2019)

...

Non Series Books:

I Want to Go Home! (1981)

Our Man Weston (1982)

No Coins, Please (1984)

Don't Care High (1985)

Son of Interflux (1986)

A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag (1987)

Radio 5th Grade (1989)

Losing Joe's Place (1990)

The Twinkie Squad (1992)

The Toilet Paper Tigers (1993)

Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road (1994)

The Chicken Doesn't Skate (1996)

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire (1997)

The Sixth Grade Nickname Game (1998)

No More Dead Dogs (2000)

Maxx Comedy: The Funniest Kid in America (2003)

Jake, Reinvented (2003)

Born To Rock (2006)

Schooled (2007)

The Juvie Three (2008)

Pop (2009)

Restart (2017)

What's His Face? (2018)

The Unteachables (2019)

Notorious (2019)

War Stories (2020)

Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)

Unplugged (2021)

Linked (2021)

Operation Do-Over (2022)

The Fort (2022)

The Super Teacher Project (2023)

Mixed Up (2023)

Slugfest (2024)

Faker (2024)

Old School (2025)

Snoop (2025)

…

Gordon Korman - Sheelagh Matthews - Remarkable Writers 

...

Ministering the Word of God - Father Allen Morris - CTS Books

Ministering the Word of God

Father Allen Morris

Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781784698065

CTS Booklet LT13

Over the last number of years I have read over 400 volumes from the Catholic Truth Society I have loved the vast majority of them. This is one of a few books that released in 20204 in support of the new Lectionary being released in England and Wales. For that New Lectionary they are switching from the Jerusalem Bible to the Catholic Edition of the English Standard Version (ESV). It has been interesting to watch this process from across the pond. And thought I do not attend a church that will use this new lectionary, being in Canada, I am greatly intrigued by the process. I loved reading Bishop Hugh Gilbert’s volume, Hearing Christ’s Voice A New Lectionary for the Church, and this volume is a great continuation of that.  

The description of this volume states:

“This brief introduction to the liturgical ministry of Reader explains how the Liturgy of the Word works and its place in the life of the Church as well as giving guidelines for Ministers of the Word at Mass and leaders of children’s liturgy and Lectio Divina.

Revised and expanded to mark the introduction of the new Lectionary in England, Scotland and Wales, this brief introduction to the Liturgical Ministry of Reader answers the most important questions for those who proclaim the Word of God to the faithful. Explaining how the Liturgy of the Word works and its place in the life of the Church this booklet includes guidelines for Ministers of the Word at Mass, leaders of Liturgy of the Word with Children and leaders of Divine Prayer and Lectio Divina.

COMPANION ITEM: The Word is Very Near to You, a workbook for the training and formation of Ministers of the Word.

For parishes wanting to help the faithful understand the changes to the Lectionary, we recommend Hearing Christ's Voice instead.”

The chapters in this volume is:

Extract from Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass 

Liturgical Ministry: What is Liturgy?

What is Ministry? 

A Theology of the Mass 

The Theology of the Word 

The Liturgy of the Mass as it Relates to the Ministry of Reader 

Guidelines for Ministers of the Word at Mass, Leaders of Liturgy of the Word with Children, and Leaders of Liturgy of the Word and Lectio Divina 

Order for the Blessing of Readers 

Additional Resources to Support the Ministry of the Word

About the author we are informed:

“Fr Allen Morris is a Parish Priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham and former Secretary of the Department of Christian Life and Worship of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.”

I highlighted numerous passages while reading this volume, some of them are:

“Christ's Word gathers the People of God as one and increases and sustains them. This applies above all to The Liturgy of the Word in the celebration of Mass: there is an inseparable union between the proclamation of the death of the Lord, the response of the people listening, and the offering through which Christ has confirmed the New Covenant in his blood.”

“In the Liturgy of the Word, the congregation of the faithful still today receives from God the Word of his covenant through the faith that comes by hearing. The must respond to that Word in the same faith so that more and more they may become the people of the New Covenant.”

“When they hear the Word of God and reflect deeply on it, the faithful receive the power to respond to it actively with full faith, hope, and charity through prayer and self-giving, and not only during Mass but in their entire Christian life. (Cf. Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass 44-48)”

“Liturgy is the public worship of the Church. It is first and foremost a participation in Christ's worship of the Father, and it is in this worship that the Church is most evidently herself.”

“Liturgy is always something more than just what we happen to do in this place, here and now. It is always a work of the whole Church. It is most fundamentally the participation of the whole Church, the Body of Christ, in the worship offered to God the Father by God the Son, Jesus Christ. It is a work that is visible here on earth but which is, invisible to us, shared in also by saints and angels.”

“The passage reminds us of several things.

• The Mass is firmly established in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus's Passion, death and resurrection.

• The Mass is about the gift of Jesus's Body and Blood, the new covenant offered to us. The Mass is an expression of the Tradition of the Church, handed on through the Church down the ages, and presently entrusted to us.

• Our participation in the Mass - especially in the eating and drinking of the Lord's Body and Blood – is a memorial, an active remembering, of him. And our participation means that we here and now proclaim and witness to our faith in His saving death.”

“The transformative power of the Eucharist however does not depend only on the enthusiasm and personal commitment of those Christians present to celebrate at any particular place or time. Most importantly it depends on the real presence of Christ in, for, and with that community. Our new life, gifted to us in the Eucharist, is His present gift.”

“This real presence of Christ- in all its various modes – is extraordinary. It is a grace of the Paschal Mystery. It is truth that enables all Liturgy to be the occasion of a new personal encounter between the risen Lord and the community of disciples: an encounter as real as those of which we read in the Gospels - and including in it just the same encouragement and challenge.”

“The celebration of the Liturgy of the Word prepares us for the central action of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist: for the prayer of Thanksgiving in which the Sacrifice of Jesus becomes present in the act of consecration, through the ministry of the priest, is re-presented to the Father, and then shared with us in Holy Communion.”

“Thus nourished, thus sustained, in the Concluding Rites the community prays, grateful for what has been shared with it and knowing itself newly called to be the Body of Christ for the World.”

“The Scriptures are part of the Tradition handed on to us. They require interpretation but in interpreting Scripture we need to ensure that we read and interpret in communion with the Church, and guided by the Spirit.”

“Christ is present to us in His Word not simply to be present, but to enable our more faithful living not as disciples only but as missionary disciples.”

“The Scriptures proclaimed at Mass can be seen as nourishment not only for during the Mass but as food we take away with us, to continue listening to and praying with in the days to come.”

“Ministers of the Word will of course need to read and pray their readings before Mass, to discern their meaning and consider how best to proclaim them. However the wider congregation too might be encouraged to familiarise (or re familiarise) itself with the Sunday readings before coming to Mass.”

This was a wonderful book to read. I have only ever served as a reader on a few occasions when Father specifically asked me to. Because of my dyslexia I am always nervous. But reading this little volume that is intended to be a primer for those who do, and for some of the rubrics around it in the UK was fascinating. 

I greatly enjoyed this book and can easily recommend it for anyone who wants to understand the process better. It is an excellent resource from the Catholic Truth Society.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Books by Father Allen Morris:

Ministering Communion

Ministering the Word of God

Celebrating Your Marriage in the Catholic Church

A Prayer book for the Jubilee Year of Mercy

Holy Communion of the Sick

…

Visions of Mary Mother of God - Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua

Visions of Mary: Mother of God

Barbara Calamari

Sandra DiPasqua

ABRAMS

ISBN 9780810955813

ASIN B079NQ9752

I stumbled upon another volume by this writing team and have since reading this first one tracked down all but 1 in digital format. I believe this volume would be even more wonderful as a physical book, but because of a dual form of dyslexia I greatly prefer eBooks. The first volume I read was all about Holy Cards, and it was a fascinating read. Again with this volume the cover immediately attracted my attention. Based on the cover of the edition I read I expected again a greater focus on prayer cards, that was not the case. This one has a much broader approach to the history of Mary, Marian Apparitions, and Mary in art and culture. I absolutely loved this volume and my 16 year old son asked to read it as soon as I finished. 

The description of this volume states:

“The Virgin Mary inspires intense religious devotion throughout the Catholic world. In her 350 official incarnations-among them Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes, and The Mother of Sorrows-Mary brings a feminine face to worship, and serves as a conduit for the redemption of humanity. This beautiful and timeless book by the authors of the Abrams title Holy Cards explores Mary's many visionary appearances throughout history and their significance, and examines the iconography surrounding the most famous of these visions.

Catholics honor the woman they venerate as the Mother of God through special novena prayers. The Marian prayer cards displayed here, along with other examples of vernacular art illustrating Mary's various appearances, form an exquisite but accessible treasury of the many facets of the Holy Mother. With its radiantly illustrated iconography; its eternal theme; and its rare collection of holy cards, Visions of Mary should inspire believers and all those interested in art and religious iconography..”

The chapters and sections in it are:

Introduction Do Whatever He Tells You 

Titles of Mary 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel 

Our Lady of Guadalupe 

Our Lady of Cobre 

Our Lady of Prompt Succor 

The Miraculous Medal 

Our Lady of La Salette 

Our Lady of Lourdes 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

Our Lady of Pompeii 

Portfolio 

Our Lady of Knock 

Our Lady of Fatima 

Our Lady of Light 

Our Lady of Akita 

The Black Madonnas 

     Our Lady of Czestochowa 

     The Virgen del Pilar 

     The Madonna del Tindari 

     Our Lady of Montserrat 

     Our Lady of Einsiedeln 

Our Lady of Sorrows 

The Rosary 

Feast Days of Mary 

Bibliography 

Picture Credits 

I only highlighted a few passages while working through this volume the first time they are:

“The Roman Catholic love and respect for the Virgin Mary divides it from other sects of Christianity. Mary is not only revered as the Mother of God but also as the Mother of all Humanity, and her image continually watches over every aspect in the daily life of Catholic countries. She is credited with working miracles through pictures, statues, and sacred earthly places.”

“As a human being Mary is able to relate directly to the major and minor sufferings of mankind. For this reason she is not prayed to as a goddess, but rather, called on by Catholics to aid them in their prayers. It is thought that she shares her constant flow of grace with those who ask, bringing them closer to God. Thomas Merton wrote, “Mary does not rule us from without, but from within. She does not change us by changing the world around us, but she changes the world around us by first changing our own inner lives.””

“The first sighting of Mary after her Assumption occurred in Puy, France in a.d. 47. She has been appearing to humanity ever since, offering unconditional love, healing, moral support, and in the last two centuries, warnings over the fate of mankind.”

Next to The World of Marian Apparitions: Mary's Appearances and Messages from Fatima to Today by Wincenty Laszewski and Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History by Donal Anthony Foley this is one of the best books I have read on the subject. This is an excellent volume. It presents many of the Marian apparitions, and traditions from around the world. It does so in a clear, and engaging manner. It is an easy volume to read and would be great for teens, young adults and adults.

I look forward to reading other volumes from the authors, and can easily recommend this book. 

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

Original Cover

UK edition cover.

Books by Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua:

Novena: The Power of Prayer (1999)

Our Lady of Guadalupe in a Box: A Novena Prayer Kit (2002)

Visions of Mary (2004)

Our Lady of Guadalupe (2004)

Holy Cards (2004)

Saints: Ancient & Modern (2007)

Patron Saints: A Feast of Holy Cards (2007)

Holy Places: Sacred Sites in Catholicism (2015)

…

Novena App

...

Books by Barbara Calamari:

The Bible Companion: The Complete Illustrated Handbook to the Holy Scriptures

…

Prayer of the Day A Litany of St. Michael

A Litany of St. Michael  

Prayer of the Day  

Lord, have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, have mercy. 

Christ, have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, hear us. 

Christ, hear us. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Son, the Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, abundant font of divine wisdom, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, most perfect adorer of the Divine Word, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, whom God crowned with honour and glory, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, most powerful Prince of the heavenly host, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, standard-bearer of the Most Holy Trinity, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, guardian of Paradise, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, guide and consoler of the People of God, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, splendour and fortitude of the Church Militant, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, honour and joy of the Church Triumphant, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, light of the Angels,  

pray for us.

Saint Michael, protection of orthodox people, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, strength of those who fight under the standard of the Cross, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, light and hope of souls near death, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, our most sure aid, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, help in our adversities, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, herald of the everlasting judgment,

pray for us. 

Saint Michael, consoler of souls languishing in purgatory, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, receiver of the souls of the elect after death, 

pray for us.

Saint Michael, our prince,  

pray for us.

Saint Michael, our defender, 

pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 

Spare us O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 

Graciously hear us O Lord. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, 

Have mercy on us. 

Pray for us Saint Michael the Archangel 

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, may your continual blessing sanctify us, and grant us through the intercession of Saint Michael the wisdom that teaches us to lay up our treasure in Heaven and choose eternal goods over those of this world. Thou, who lives and reigns forever. 

Amen  

St. Michael The Archangel: 

History, Lent and Prayers

Maria Alinne Costa

Inspirativa Editora

ASIN B0C8GL23H2

In 2024 I picked up the above volume because Father Mike Schmitz posted a video on St Michael’s Lent. I tried searching up some information about it and this was the only volume in English I could find. I picked two Litanies to pray each day through the Saint Michael's Lent. This one I prayer in the mornings, and the other in the evening. For years this one, Prayer to Saint Michael, has been part of my daily prayers, often prayer throughout the day.

Relates posts and links:

Prayer of the Day Posts

Prayer Book Reviews

My Prayer Notebook. 

My Daily Prayer List April 2024

...

Other posts about Saint Michael:

St. Michael The Archangel: History, Lent and Prayers - Maria Alinne Costa

Nine Days with Saint Michael - Andrew Offer, O.P. and Jonah Teller O.P.

…

Prayer of the Day Prayer to Saint Michael

Prayer of the Day A Litany of St. Michael  

Prayer of the Day Litany in Honour of St. Michael 

St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church Waterloo Ontario - A Photo Essay

...

Talented Saints Around the World - Meg Hunter-Kilmer and Lindsey Sanders

Talented Saints Around the World

Meg Hunter-Kilmer

Lindsey Sanders (illustrator)

Emmaus Road Publishing

ISBN 9781645853817

eISBN 9781645853824

I recently received the 6 volumes in this set to review. This is the fourth that I have read. The volumes are:

Adventurous 

Ordinary 

Royal and Warrior

Talented 

Unshakable 

Young Saints 

These 6 volumes are geared for younger readers. They are a very high quality picture book. The six books are available individually or as a set. There is a volume that was released in 2021 by the same author and illustrator called Saints Around the World, that could be read to the same audience as this volume but it is much more in-depth and has significantly more information on each of the 100 saints covered in the volume. The description of this volume states:

““Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” Colossians 3:23

Banish the image of solitary saints hidden in their monasteries: these fifteen saints used their remarkable gifts to spread God’s love in many times and places.

This hardcover book includes sturdy laminate pages suitable for young hands. Talented Saints Around the World features the stories of:

Blessed Denis of the Nativity

Blessed Dina Bélanger

Blessed Benedict Daswa

Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida

Blessed Nicolas Steno

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

Blessed Francisca de Paula de Jesus

Blessed Hermann of Reichenau

Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara

Blessed María Romero Meneses

Saint Martin de Porres

Saint Jerome

Saint Macrina the Younger

Saint Thorlak Thorhallson

Recommended for ages 4-8.”

About the author we are informed:

“Meg Hunter-Kilmer is a speaker, a writer, and a missionary who has lived out of her car since 2012. Meg loves telling stories, learning about Saints, reading the Bible, and watching the Olympics. She is a proud godmother of ten and aunt of an ever-increasing crew of incredible nieces and nephews.”

About the illustrator  we are informed:

“Lindsey Sanders is the creator of AlmondRod Toys, an online shop that sells Catholic toys designed by Lindsey herself. She has seven kids who she homeschools in Grand Rapids, Michigan.”

There is no table of contents nor even pages numbers which are the only draw backs I see to this book and the 6 in the series. If you wanted to find a specific saint you would need to flip through looking for them. That being said this is an excellent volume and series. We have given a set of them to our Catholic School Library. The physical books are well made, and designed to last a long time and for heavy use. They are beautiful hardcovers with solid stitching. I bent the books flat to scan a couple sample pages and there is no indication I did so. I believe the artwork is either watercolours or water colour pencils. The artwork is stunning. The artist sells blocks with images from the books, for teaching children, and other resources to support learning about saints. I wish she sold a set of them as prayer cards, I would buy a set for myself and 2 of my teen children who love collecting prayer cards. I would also love prints of a couple of the images to be able to hang in my den.

Each 2 page spread includes:

Name of the Saint or Blessed

Pronunciation Guide to the name

Brief introduction to them

A key point to learn from them

Then the country, dates and feast day.

A world map with a star marker for where they were from.

There is also available a Saints Around the World Map & Sticker Set that contains stickers for all the saints in the series. The inside cover of each volume shows where the saints for that volume come from. It would be an excellent supplement for home or classroom use. 

There were a number of saints in this volume I had never encountered before. They were a few I was familiar with. And a few were long time favourites and friends in heaven. I look forward to tracking down more information about some of those new friends in heaven. Only 4 of the 15 was I very familiar with prior to reading this volume.

I have had the longer version of this book for a few years now, as well as Meg’s volume Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness but after reading just one of these they have jumped way up in my ‘to be read’ pile. I look forward to reading the other 5 volumes in this set as well as Meg’s other works. I can easily recommend this book and series for home, school, and church library. They are excellent for introducing children and even us older folks to a wide range of friends in heaven. A great book and series sure to become a family favourite!

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

Books by Meg Hunter-Kilmer:

Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness

A Year in the Word Catholic Bible Journal

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Saints Around the World Books:

Saints Around the World

Saints Around the World Map & Sticker Set

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Saints Around the World For Younger Readers:

Adventurous Saints Around the World

Ordinary Saints Around the World

Royal and Warrior Saints Around the World

Talented Saints Around the World

Unshakable Saints Around the World

Young Saints Around the World

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Saints Around the World Early Reader Collection

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Contributed to:

Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible

The Ave Catholic Notetaking

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