Seeking new Saints?

 

We love the Saints around our house. Our eldest  daughter is our go-to Saint person. We often joke that, if there were a Saints Jeopardy, she could fund her college degree. Perhaps that will be true one day. In the meantime, here is a great new book that will help you get your daily dose of Saint stories with an added twist.

Sisterhood of Saints by Melanie Rigney is a great Saint-a-day book that will introduce you to new women of virtue, along with some more familiar names. On March 17th, you will read about Gertrude of Nivelles, from the seventh century. After the death of her father, Gertrude's mother built a monastery and they both joined, with Gertrude serving as abbess. We learn that, after her mother's death Gertrude chose to give up her leadership position in favor of more opportunity for prayer and penance.

The author then provides "Inspiration" through a quote, either from the Bible or the Saint themselves. Lastly, there is a daily "Challenge" which usually centers on some theme of the woman's life. In this instance, we are challenged to think about a group or ministry that we have led for some time that might be ready for new leadership.

I look forward to working through this book each day (if I can keep it away from my daughter!). It is a wonderful gift to learn about these holy women who came before us and who's stories may help us identify potential areas of growth in our own lives.

The author has a reasonably detailed bibliography and states that she used the Vatican website (www.vatican.va) for information on birth and death dates. That being said, there will be Saints assigned to a day that is not, in fact, their traditional feast day. For instance, St. Clare is listed in the book on August 10, not the 11th. It's never stated that the dates correspond with the feast of the saint but, just in case you're a stickler for things like that, you may want to consult additional sources.

Overall, this is a very welcome book on my shelf. It is a great resource for women to learn about these great women of the Church. The coverage of new and unusual Saints makes it even more worthwhile. I highly recommend it for any woman in your life. I know it's going to make a great 9th birthday present in our home!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Sisterhood of Saints. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.