Give a Catholic Book for Christmas: My 2025 Gift Guide

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Books to give and books to get: Here are some of my favorite new books for all ages from Catholic authors.

Devotionals

Lisa M. Hendey has written a one-of-a-kind devotional in Jesus Every Day, Jesus Every Way: A Weekly Devotional. Lisa invites you to pray, sharing her thoughts on a Scripture passage and guiding you through a full week of mini-meditations in this comfortable, approachable, and beautifully designed yearly devotional. Start anytime! This book is perfect for the prayer beginner and anyone feeling too busy or overwhelmed to pray. It’s called a weekly devotional, but it’s structured so you can use it a little bit every day. I’ve already given away a copy of this wonderful book, published by Loyola Press.

 

Daily Devotions for Grandmothers is Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle at her gentle, encouraging best. This author is one I’ve followed for a good 20 years. Her earlier books were a great inspiration in the middle of my days of mothering little kids and teenagers. In this book, you’ll find 366 daily entries, each beginning with a Scripture verse or a quote from a saint or the Catechism. The daily entries also include a meditation (“Steep”), call to action, brief prayer, and an observation or affirmation to consider through the day (“Savor”). Bonus content includes the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, other prayers and litanies, and meditations for the Seven Sorrows Chaplet, which one of my own grandmothers used to pray — I now treasure her chaplet. (Review copy received from the publisher, Pauline Books & Media.)

 

New from Melanie Rigney, 12 Unforgettable Men of the Gospels: Reflections and Portraits of the Apostles is a combination Bible study, biographical look, and devotional about the twelve apostles (yes, including Judas: as Melanie comments, we can learn from him too). I’ve taken this book to Adoration with me; the questions to ponder that are found toward the end of each chapter lend themselves well to prayerful journaling. You can read through this book in any order; of course, I flipped stright to the entry for my favorite apostle, Thomas. Melanie offers new perspective on the apostles that’s not an excuse for bad behavior but a charitable explanation for why they might have spoken, reacted, and behaved as they did. Keep a Bible by your side as you read this book; you’ll need it! (Review copy received from the author)

Fiction

Stephanie Landsem’s latest novel, The Fault Between Us, is set in Yellowstone in 1959, when a severe earthquake and flood tore through the national park and surrounding area, leaving residents and visitors in peril (many of whom did not survive). Stephanie tells the story of three sisters, all young women who are already going through their own personal crises when the earthquake endangers them all. The second half of this book — the quake and its aftermath — was so intense that I felt like I was running on the adrenalin the characters must have been feeling as they struggled to live through the disaster. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and readers who enjoy visiting national parks.

 

For Teen Readers

Set in 18th-century Milan, Playing by Heart is a symphony of romance and faith with an undercurrent of social commentary. Will Maria and Emilia’s father sacrifice their futures on the altar of his own ambitions to join the noble class? Carmela Martino’s newly re-released novel for teen readers explores family ties, vocations, and discernment of the best ways to use God-given gifts. This historical novel is based on the lives of two sisters, Maria Gaetana Agnesi and Maria Teresa Agnesi, who were gifted in much the same ways as the characters Maria and Emilia are. In the novel, Maria is deeply religious; her only desire is to enter a convent so she can work to serve the poor. But her father is unwilling to give up the social advantages he believes he can gain by showing off Maria’s abilities in languages and mathematics, as well as her younger sister Emilia’s musical talents. This book is written for a YA audience; I’d recommend it for readers in high school and up, and adult readers as well. The story is intriguing and beautifully told, and really invites the reader into the world of the social climber in 18th-century Milan. This novel is a clean romance, steeped in history.

 

Books for Kids of All Ages

Perfect for middle-schoolers, Amy J. Cattapan’s middle-grade novel, 7 Riddles to Nowhere, centers on a cyber-scavenger hunt reminiscent of The Westing Game but with higher stakes: the survival of a beloved Catholic school. Kam, who suffers from selective mutism, and his friends are challenged by bullies as they make their way through unfamiliar neighborhoods, seeking clues in churches and racing against time to win an inheritance. This suspense-filled story was recently re-released with a brand-new cover design.

 

Are your children fascinated by our new pope? Colleen Pressprich has written OSV Kids Discover: The Pope in the style of those DK books that were all the rage when my kids were in school. The large-size book is packed with fun facts galore: the history of the papacy, how a pope is elected, the pope’s role as a world leader and the leader of the Church, what a pope wears, and more. It’s full of pictures, a new vocabulary word with a definition on every two-page spread, maps, and historical timelines. There’s plenty here to explore; this book will be read again and again! (Review copy received from the publisher)

 

In the new Caitlin and Peter’s Rosary Adventures series, Theresa Linden cleverly integrates some of my favorite characters from her West Brothers series (for teens) in a chapter book for young readers. Sharing the Sorrow is the second book in this series, and it focuses on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Caitlin and Peter return to the Holy Land in the time of Jesus and follow Him and the disciples from the Garden of Gethsemane all the way to Jesus’ Crucifixion. Along the way, they are challenged to ponder the virtue connected to each of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. When they discover the virtue connected to a particular Mystery, they are transported to the scene of the following Mystery, and finally back home where they must apply the lessons they have learned. (Review copy received from the author)

 

Version 1.0.0

Leslea Wahl’s new picture book, Bertie and the Mommy Mix-up, is a fun story for young children who love animals, especially birds. All the birds were invited to a springtime party, but Bertie, who was very busy reading and not expecting any baby birds this spring, didn’t even notice the invitation. Bertie loved reading and learning new things, and her friends didn’t seem to understand. While Bertie did join the party, afterward the eggs (which had been tended by Old Owl) hatched, but the baby birds didn’t seem to be in the right nests. Bertie uses the knowledge she has learned from books to match the baby birds to right mommy birds. Parents will enjoy the side comments from the squirrels who observe all the action, and kids will learn some fun facts about birds. (Review copy received from the author)

 

For the board-book crew, Our Sunday Visitor recently published My Catholic ABC and My Catholic 123, both by Alex DeRose and illustrated by Emma Walton. The items chosen to illustrate each letter and number run the gamut from expected (Aa, ark; Bb, Bible) to surprising (Mm, Miraculous Medal; Nn, Nativity), and there’s a cute nod to Advent with”4 candles.” Some of the numbered items, such as the candles and “9 angels” made sense, but others (8 lambs) seemed to be there to fill the space. This book set is a fun Catholic twist on alphabet and counting books for toddlers. (Review copies received from the publisher)

 

A Cookbook for the Whole Family

Open up a Catholic cookbook your whole family can enjoy together. The Catholic Kids’ Cookbook: Holy Days and Heavenly Food by Haley Stewart and Clare Sheaf, published by Word On Fire, includes 33 recipes to help your family celebrate the liturgical year — and as a bonus, encourages kids to develop their cooking skills. I love that this cookbook enables families to choose age-appropriate ways to introduce cooking skills to children. The book boasts clear instructions, difficulty ratings (easy, moderate, and difficult) for each recipe, and reminders to read the whole recipe first, gather up all ingredients, and clean up any messes. I also love that none of the recipes call for exotic or expensive ingredients. I can find everything I need to make any recipe in this cookbook in my local supermarket, which is not a gourmet supermarket by any stretch of the imagination. Each recipe presented comes with a brief introduction to the feast day or liturgical season to which it’s connected. There is also a two-page liturgical year timeline at the front of the book, so you can help your family learn where we are in the Church year at any given time. Each season is introduced with a brief essay that includes suggestions for activities families can enjoy together to celebrate that season. (Review copy received from the publisher)

Memoir

For years, I enjoyed a radio program on Sirius XM, hosted by Greg Willits and his wife, Jennifer. That was “appointment listening” for me in a time when satellite radio didn’t have an app I could use in the house to listen. Instead, I’d schedule my errand time so I’d be in the car when their show was on. Greg has gone through considerable struggles over the years, and details these in his new memoir, God Doesn’t Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis De Montfort’s Love of Eternal Wisdom. If you (like me) are intimidated by De Montfort, this book will ease you into his spiritual masterpiece, as it is interspersed with Greg’s own story, chapter by chapter, as well as included in the memoir sections. It’s not an easy book, but it’s honest and it’s powerful. (Review copy received from the publisher)

 

Coloring Book

For anyone who loves to relax by coloring and people who appreciate the art of quilting, Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur has put together The Patron Saint Quilt Coloring Book, featuring 22 holy women. This perfect-bound book is designed to lie flat, and images are printed on only one side, so you can remove pages from the book if you wish to display them after you’ve colored. On the left-hand side, you’ll read a brief biography of a saint and be introduced to a quilt-block design relevant to that saint; on the right-hand side, you can color between 6 and 12 separate quilt blocks in that design. In addition to the Blessed Mother, saints include Saint Barbara, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Saint Monica. I’ve already given a copy of this book as a gift.

For Wine Lovers

Emily Stimpson Chapman has written a new hardcover book that’s oversized enough to qualify as a coffee-table book, though it’s not two inches thick. Sacred Wine: The Holy History and Heritage of Catholic Vintners (Marian Press) details a dozen wineries in Italy, France, and Spain that grew from a faith background, many as monasteries. Take an armchair tour of the Southern European wine country and learn more about wines you might already be familiar with, and see photos of the wineries and the winemaking process. The book includes contact information about each winery in case you’d like to plan a visit or explore their websites. (Review copy received from publisher)

 

 

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Canva

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.

Resource for Sunday Mass Prep: Breaking the Bread

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Breaking the Bread: A Biblical Devotional for Catholics (Year A)

By Scott Hahn and Ken Ogorek

Published by Emmaus Road Publishing

 

While 2026 doesn’t begin for another two months, the new liturgical year (year A) starts the weekend of November 29, so now is the time to get your Mass-preparation materials lined up. Whether you’re a musician (like me) or lector and therefore “on duty” during Sunday Mass, pulling parent duty in the pew, or aware that sometimes distractions tear your attention away from the readings and the homily, preparing for Mass ahead of time can help you get much more out of the Liturgy of the Word.

In three short pages per week, Breaking the Bread by Scott Hahn and Ken Ogorek offers background information about what’s happening in the Sunday readings. Knowing the historical and religious context of these readings is a great help in understanding them. Material from the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides even more information and context, and the reflections in this book always bring the reader back to the focus on the Mass, inviting us to consider what they teach us about the Eucharist.

Little extras in this book that make it even more special are full-page pull quotes from Scripture, as well as full-page, full-color sacred art (there’s an index at the back in case you’d like to learn more about each image). The clothbound hardcover book feels sturdy in my hands, and this book is built to last — which is good, because in 2029 it can be used again! With the publication of the Year A volume, this series from Emmaus Road Press is now complete.

 

 

 

As I mentioned in my review of the first book in the three-year liturgical cycle, Breaking the Bread takes Sunday Mass prep to the next level!

Four-Part Weekly Format:

  • a listing of the Mass readings for the Sunday or holy day (have your Bible or Sunday missal handy, or use the USCCB’s online daily readings);
  • a reflection on the readings for the day, tying them all together;
  • further information including quotes from the Catechism; and
  • questions for reflection and a closing prayer.

One Thing I’d Change

It’s important to note that when a solemnity with a fixed date falls on a Sunday (in 2026, that’s November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints; we had quite a few in 2025), you won’t find the readings for the solemnity in this book, but the general liturgical Sunday. I would have liked a section at the back that includes those solemnities. Breaking the Bread does include both Ascension of the Lord and Seventh Sunday of Easter options, so no matter where you live, you’ll have the correct material for that Sunday.

Ask for Breaking the Bread at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Emmaus Road.

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Photos copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

This article contains Amazon affiliate links. Your purchase through these links supports my work at no extra cost to you. I received these books from the publisher for the purposes of my honest review. No other compensation was given.

Be the Reason They Stay

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Earlier this month, my friend Rita Buettner published an article about those small things we do — or don’t do — that cause people to leave a parish. She commented:

There are a thousand things we can do to help make our church a more welcoming one for others.

I’ve been on both ends of that situation. Maybe you have, too. We left a parish (looking back, maybe we didn’t give it enough of a chance) when we first moved to this area and then did a little church shopping before landing in our current parish; we eventually moved into the parish’s zip code and then, once it merged, we were officially living within its territory. In other words, we backed into our parish territory.

We didn’t feel welcome in that original parish. And right now, as I see new families filling our pews, people whose faces are quickly becoming familiar, I want to make sure I’m not the reason someone leaves.

I’m a daily Massgoer, and I often am a musician at two of the weekend Masses. At daily Mass, I serve as a lector a couple of times a week and substitute for the sacristan when she’s not available. And I’m a musician at funerals (my fifth funeral this month is tomorrow). I’m there a lot. So I see a lot — good and bad.

It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head, that celebrates (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1140, emphasis original).

Mass, in other words, is for praying and celebrating as a community. It’s not our private prayer time. There are other people around us, and sometimes they need something. If you were hosting a party and one of your guests needed help, you’d make sure they got that help. Mass is no different.

Rita mentioned parking attendants in her article, and while parking is a perennial problem, we’ve never had the luxury of attendants. We’re a little parish, but I’ve seen many people go out of their way to do little things for someone else that make a world of difference.

Be Aware of the Needs of Others Around You

  • Hold the door for someone using a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
  • Share the pew.
  • Point out the correct page in the hymnal or missal. Share yours if there aren’t enough to go around.
  • Open the cry room door for parents with full hands.

Welcome the Stranger (or the Friend You Haven’t Met)

  • Give a compliment.
  • Encourage the family with kids.
  • Say, “It’s good to see you” to someone.
  • Invite someone arriving alone to join you at the parish picnic or other event.

A Special Note to Parish Volunteers

If someone is interested in volunteering for your ministry, welcome them. Return their call or email. Make sure they have a task to do. Share materials; teach them what they need to know.

Gatekeeping ministries at church is a big reason people leave. (And you don’t get to do that and then complain that nobody helps you with your ministry.)

The Proof Is in the Pew

A couple of years ago I sang at a funeral. The procession from the funeral home to the church was delayed for almost an hour. We musicians wound up standing near the entrances and letting people know there would be a delay. Everyone was nice about it; it was a nice day, so some people went outside to talk with each other in the parking lot, and others stayed in the church to pray. One couple wound up having a long conversation with the other musician after they realized they had a mutual friend. For the past two years, that couple has showed up at Mass at our parish every single week. They sit right up front. Recently, they told us, “We were going to another parish, but not every week. You made us feel so welcome that we started coming here.”

Bottom line: It’s not that hard to be welcoming. And the payoff goes both ways.

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2024, 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

The Ascension Planner: A Tool for Catholic Daily Living

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My review of the new small edition of the 2026 Ascension Planner: a beautiful and portable organizing tool.

"Last call" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

Last Call

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For about ten years, there was a post-it note on my music stand:

“Call Rose.”

Every week when the folk group gathered to practice the music for the upcoming Sunday Mass, we’d put the phone on speaker and call one of our friends from church whose health did not permit her to go to Mass.

We all had our reasons for our fondness for Rose. A longtime lector, she sat in the front pew for Sunday Masses and would always expect us to wave during the Sign of Peace. She welcomed some of us to the parish, and she was a Secular Franciscan with me.

“I pray for you every day,” she would say. “Each and every one of you.”

We counted on that. We knew she prayed for us all, by name.

So when Rose couldn’t come to Mass anymore, and our deacon (who brought the Eucharist to her every Sunday) let us know how much she missed the music, we decided to let her eavesdrop on rehearsals.

Rose was always happy to hear from us, and it was good to hear her voice. After some songs, she’d say, “Is that all?” and we’d ask if she had time to listen to more. Over the years, it became more difficult for her to hold the phone up to listen to more than three songs, but we kept calling and she kept listening. We’re not sure which songs were Rose’s favorite, because if we asked whether she’d liked something, she always said she did.

The last time we called Rose was August 13. She thanked us, as she always did. “Thank you for calling and singing to me.”

And we replied, as we always did: “Thank you for listening to our music!”

When Rose said she had to go, we all signed off the way we always did: “We love you, Rose!”

She said, “I love all of you too.”

And that was the last time we heard her voice. The next Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from another Secular Franciscan, Rose’s very dear friend, letting me know that Rose had suffered a terrible stroke.

So instead of calling, we prayed.

Rose passed away a week ago, and we’re waiting to find out the date for the funeral. But her family gave us a beautiful gift. They asked us to play for the funeral, and requested that we choose the music.

I don’t know Rose’s favorites, but I went through the hymnal and sent the music director a list of 23 possibilities. We’ll only get to do 5 or 6 of them, so I’m glad I’m the one who won’t have to make the final choice.

And when we do play and sing at that funeral, we’ll be telling Rose we love her, one last time.

"Last call" by Barb Szyszkiewicz (FranciscanMom.com)

 

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Images: Canva

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An Open Book: What I Read This Summer

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The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. I had a total knee replacement in mid-July, so I’ve had less time to read than I normally do, not to mention less capacity for reading anything heavy (though there are a couple of tougher books in this pile). And I’ll admit there’s been more time spent binge-watching HGTV, specifically Beachfront Bargain Hunt and old Flip or Flop.

Here’s a taste of what I’ve been reading this summer (since I’m seriously behind in participating in Open Book):

Fiction

A new Maddie Evans novel, Hooked on the Heart, dropped last week and, as I told the author, it feels so good to fall into one of her books. If you like your rom-com with plenty of banter and characters you can’t help but like, this book is for you. Chef and restaurant owner Colin moves in downstairs from Natalie, a yarn store owner who insults his restaurant before knowing who he is, then misunderstands his comment about his apartment stove and decides it’s her mission to teach him to cook. Two more books are planned for the series, and I’ve already preordered those!

 

T.I. Lowe’s novel Lulu’s Cafe was not at all a light read, and at times it was difficult. All that said, it was an excellent story with a hopeful ending. On the run from a husband who violently abused her and locked her in a closet for days at a time, Leah winds up in a Southern town and is taken in by Lulu, a cafe owner who gives her a job and a place to stay. But Crowley, a local lawyer, is suspicious about Leah — and attracted to her enough to find out the truth about her past. Trigger warnings: graphic domestic violence.

 

If you like fun stories with lots of banter, I recommend A Very Terrible Text by Elana Johnson. Hillary mistakenly texts the neighbor she doesn’t get along at all with to ask for a date, thinking she’s messaging someone she’s been contacting on a new dating app. And then things snowball and she doesn’t know how to get out of it. This isn’t even a Grumpy/Sunshine story, since both main characters are grumpy! For extra fun, much of the banter is conducted via text message. It’s a hilarious, clean read, and you’re probably going to crave potatoes for a while during your book hangover.

 

I waited quite a while for my library’s copy of Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee, and it was definitely worth the wait. 23-year-old Rena wants to be a writer, but it’s 1936 and there are no jobs of any kind out there, much less writing jobs. A kind newspaper editor lets her know about a new WPA program that was assigning writers to interview former slaves about their life history. Rena meets the 101-year-old Frankie, who tells Rena the story of her life — which includes a horrifying revelation. Highly recommended.

 

YA/Children’s

 

Normally I don’t reach for vampire novels (or any other horror books, for that matter), but Pauline Books & Media sent me a beautiful review package for The Curse He Chose by Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP. When a book for kids, tweens, or teens comes my way, I take my responsibility seriously — is the book something I’d have encouraged my own kids to read at that age? There are many vampire novels out there for readers 14 and up, but very few Catholic ones. This book deals with questions of salvation, the presence of evil (and what we do about it), and the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It’s beautifully written, and a compelling story — and I will admit, so intense that I needed to switch to a lighter book after the sun went down! This is Book 1 in the In Aeternum series. If your teens want to read vampire novels, you can hand them this book without worrying about inappropriate content or anything that goes against the teachings of the Church. Bonus: there’s some gentle evangelization happening in there, too, in the novel itself and in the extra content at the end of the book: “Fact or Fiction?”, a prayer section, and a glossary of religious terms a reader might not know.

Nonfiction

Notre Dame football season started last night, and though the game didn’t end the way I’d hoped, it was still great to watch and I have high hopes for the season ahead. Father Nate Wills, C.S.C., chaplain for the team, has written Pray Like a Champion Today: Sacred Stories from the Sidelines of Notre Dame Football. In it, you’ll find prayers and football stories, but more than that, you’ll find testimony to the importance of prayer and presence, no matter what you’re doing. (Netgalley review)

 

Newly released from Pauline Books & Media, Daily Devotions for Grandmothers is Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle at her gentle, encouraging best. This author is one I’ve followed for a good 20 years. Her earlier books were a great inspiration in the middle of my days of mothering little kids and teenagers. In this book, you’ll find 366 daily entries, each beginning with a Scripture verse or a quote from a saint or the Catechism. The daily entries also include a meditation (“Steep”), call to action, brief prayer, and an observation or affirmation to consider through the day (“Savor”). Bonus content includes the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, other prayers and litanies, and meditations for the Seven Sorrows Chaplet (which one of my own grandmothers used to pray — I now treasure her chaplet). This book would make a terrific gift. I’m not a grandmother (but I hope to be one someday) and the publisher kindly sent a review copy.

 

Do you follow Babs on Instagram? (She’s on TikTok too, but I don’t use that app.) Babs is the Fun Grandma who shares cooking, parenting, and household tips with her followers, and she’s all about optimism, encouragement, and prioritizing family time. Every Day with Babs: 101 Family-Friendly Dinners for Every Day of the Week, the second cookbook by Barbara Costello, is packed with terrific recipes, stories, and cooking tips. I love that the recipes come with photos of the finished dish. I borrowed this book from the library and made a list of at least 30 recipes I wanted to try — and that was enough to get me to buy my own copy and one for a friend. The price is great right now, $19 for a large, full-color hardback cookbook.

 

Version 1.0.0

Rose Sweet’s new book, My Type of Holiness, takes a fresh look at the age-old basics of temperament theory and connects it to our quest for sainthood. Our goal is Heaven, and God has given us the gifts to get us there — if only we can get out of our own way. (Review copy received from the publisher.) Read my full review.

 

In Real Moms of Real Saints, Colleen Pressprich takes a look at the real lives of mothers of saints, reassuring modern-day moms that there’s nothing picture-perfect about holiness. This encouraging book does not sugarcoat the struggles these strong women faced and is a refreshing change from books that portray saintly women as wearing halos during their earthly lives. A balm for any woman who’s doing her best to keep it together in challenging circumstances. I’m honored to have been asked to endorse this book.

 

And one I bought over the summer but haven’t read yet …

File this one under “You’ll know your friend is a Church geek when you see this on her coffee table”: Sacred Times: A Guide to the General Roman Calendar and the Table of Liturgical Days by Paul Turner, published by Liturgical Press. I’ve been interested in the liturgical calendar since high school, now that I think about it, so when I saw that this book had won a Catholic Media Award, it seemed only right that I get myself a copy. It’s all about how the liturgical calendar works and what prayers to use on what days. I don’t think I’ll be reading it cover to cover, but I’ve already used it to reference a couple of things.

 

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.

Follow my Goodreads reviews for the full list of what I’ve read recently (even the duds!)

Visit today’s #OpenBook post to join the linkup or just get some great ideas about what to read! You’ll find it at Carolyn Astfalk’s A Scribbler’s Heart and at CatholicMom.com!

 

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Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images copyright 2023 Carolyn Astfalk, all rights reserved, used with permission

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On My Bookshelf: My Type of Holiness

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My Type of Holiness: Striving for Sainthood with the Temperament God Gave Me

By Rose Sweet

Published by Our Sunday Visitor

Rose Sweet’s new book, My Type of Holiness, takes a fresh look at the age-old basics of temperament theory and connects it to our quest for sainthood. Our goal is Heaven, and God has given us the gifts to get us there — if only we can get out of our own way.

From the publisher’s blurb on the back cover:

Properly understood, the love and study of temperaments should be a doorway to holiness. As well as giving you self-knowledge, this book can lead you more deeply into relationship with God.

Know Yourself to Better Love God and Others

Through anecdotes and with gentle good humor, Rose Sweet describes what we can learn about ourselves from classic temperament theory. I found the author’s descriptions clear and enlightening; I’ve read quite a few books about the temperaments, but this is the first one that helped me understand how better to relate to others who are gifted with different temperaments than mine.

The author candidly discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the various temperaments, and true to her own nature, makes sure to keep the focus positive, upbeat, and encouraging. It’s never fun to consider your own weaknesses, but in this book, readers will learn how to leverage the best part of our temperaments into improving our behavior.

What’s Wrong with [Name of Temperament]?
Nothing that grace, wisdom, and experience can’t fix. Our weaknesses are our strengths carried to extremes — and this is true for everyone. Pride and fear are usually at the heart of our sinfulness.

A Very Catholic Look at Temperament Theory

With the focus always on grace, My Type of Holiness is a very Catholic look at temperament theory. There’s a whole section on “Looking to Sainthood,” and it’s refreshing to see our goal of sainthood emphasized so frequently in this book. In that section, you’ll learn about rooting out sin, creating a rule of life, making time for prayer, managing media use, spiritual direction, and more — all with specific advice targeted toward the individual temperaments.

In this book, you’ll also find capsule biographies of saints who exemplify the four temperaments: Melancholic, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Sanguine. While we can never positively identify the temperament of another person, particularly one we do not personally know, there are clues we can use to correlate the qualities of various temperaments to the behavior of others. By doing so, we can learn to understand others better as well as ourselves.

There’s Even a Quiz!

I used to love the quizzes in print magazines, where you’d be asked five questions and your answers would reveal some hidden aspect of your personality. My Type of Holiness offers a 40-question quiz at the back of the book that will help you determine your own temperament — if you haven’t already figured it out from reading the preceding chapters.

Ask for My Type of Holiness at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor.

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Amazon affiliate links included. Your purchase via these links supports my work. Thank you!

Summer Reads for Catholic Kids and Teens

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Summer is a great time to read new books! As a child, whenever I packed for summer vacation, the books were always the first things in my travel bag.

Introduce your children to a new author or a genre this summer with these books your family can enjoy together.

Nonfiction Picks for Summer

If I still had kids in elementary school, I’d hand them a copy of God Made That! Catholic Nature Field Guide by Kathleen M. Hoenke and William A. Jacobs (Pauline Books & Media) and send them out to the backyard. This book helps kids and families explore and learn about the world around them, with discussions of different environments such as deciduous forests, rainforests, grasslands, and deserts and what we can learn from creation. Seamlessly woven in are mini-biographies of saints who made an impact on scientific study and set an example in caring for creation. Readers will learn about the animals, birds, insects, trees, and plants found in various regions and environments, and they’re encouraged to take notes in a nature journal, share what they learn with others, and thank God for the world around them.

 

Children interested in the saints will enjoy Virtues of the Saints: 15 Heavenly Habits for Children by Father Donald Calloway, MIC and Patrick Hearn, illustrated by Adalee Hude (Marian Press). This book boasts beautiful art and introduces young readers to saints including Saint Joseph, Saint Peter, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, and Saint Joan of Arc — and the Blessed Mother as well. Each saint’s story ends with a prayer. This is not a picture book for toddlers; there’s a lot of text on these pages. I’d recommend it for children in grades 2 through 4 for independent reading, or kindergarten and up for read-alouds.

 

Families with small children will enjoy reading The Gospel of Luke for Little Ones, written by Sarah Beth Meyer and illustrated by Allison Hsu (Marian Press). Selected episodes from each chapter of Luke’s Gospel are retold in simple rhymes and illustrated with gentle watercolor depictions. A bonus page shows how Jesus prayed the psalms and offers a few verses to memorize.

 

Another cute picture book for the little ones is Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s I Can Pray Anywhere, illustrated by Jim Starr (OSV Kids). Two young children and their family are shown praying in many ways, including crossing the street on the way to church, before a meal, and even standing on their head! This sweet book encourages children to talk to God throughout their day, in thanksgiving, petition, and expressions of delight.

 

New Summer Fiction for All Ages

Planning a road trip? Leslea Wahl’s latest novel from Perpetual Light Publishing, A Summer to Treasure, tells the story of a three-generation family road trip, complete with a mystery for the three teens to solve! The last thing Luke, Celia, and Austin want is to be cooped up in an RV, far away from friends, fun, and reliable Wi-Fi … but when Grandma drops enough clues for them to believe she’s dying, they agree to re-create the national parks tour Grandma had taken with her own parents when she was young. Along the way, the teens get into some tight spots, but they learn a lot about friendship, helping each other, and staying true to yourself.

 

For middle-schoolers and teenagers, The Saint I Knew: Exciting “Encounters” with Holiness by Kevin Wilson (Marian Press) offers ten short stories in which the narrator meets a saint-to-be at a young age. Get to know saints like Mother Teresa, Padre Pio, Maximilian Kolbe, André Bessette, Carlo Acutis, and five others in a new and interesting way! Bonus information at the end of the book includes brief stories of the miracles that helped to elevate these individuals to canonization. This book would make a great gift for a teen preparing for Confirmation next year.

 

Lindsay Schlegel has taken my very favorite Saint Thérèse quote and built an entire picture book, God’s Little Flowers, around it! This picture book (OSV Kids), with its simple and cheerful illustrations by Joy Laforme, shines a light on the truth we need to share with all the children in our lives: each of us is uniquely gifted by God and has something special to share with the world — and all our gifts are important! Lindsay also stresses that not all gifts are as obvious as skill at a particular sport, art, or music. Share this book with a young girl you know, and help her identify her own gifts and those of the people special to her!

 

 

 

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Images created in Canva

This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to me when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.

On My Bookshelf: Father Drew, What Do You Do?

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Father Drew, What Do You Do?

By Rebecca W. Martin; illustrated by Steliyana Doneva

Publisher: OSV Kids

 

 

 

At this time of year, your diocese is probably about to celebrate priestly ordinations, so now is the perfect time for OSV Kids to launch a new picture book about the daily lives of priests! In Father Drew, What Do You Do?  Rebecca W. Martin, author of Meet Sister Mary Margaret, tells what a parish priest does on a typical day and shows the many ways priests serve God and bring God’s love to the people they encounter. Best of all, it opens the door for young children to start thinking about how they can serve God when they grow up.

 

A Lesson on Vocation, Sacraments, Prayer, and Friendship

In a friendly, approachable tone, the title character introduces himself and explains what a priest does. Steliyana Doneva’s illustrations bring the book to life, showing Father Drew celebrating Mass, preaching a homily, visiting the sick, administering sacraments, and even grocery shopping.

The pages highlighting the sacraments explain the different ways God reaches out to people through each sacrament. The book also mentions that priests pray, both by spending time with Jesus in Adoration and by praying the Liturgy of the Hours (I loved that “you can learn to pray it, too” is emphasized here).

Father Drew is also depicted visiting families at their homes, serving the poor, and enjoying hobbies like cooking or playing musical instruments. Priests from a few religious orders are also mentioned in the book and shown wearing their habits.

Father Drew, What Do You Do?  ends with a prayer for the child to pray, asking God to help them know His will for them; this would be an excellent addition to your family’s morning or bedtime prayer routine. Bonus pages for parents include a note about vocabulary and a brief explanation of why only men can be priests, as well as a beautiful prayer for our children’s vocations (of all kinds). I’d recommend that prayer to every parent of young children!

 

Learning New Words While Learning About Priestly Life

As parents (or teachers, or catechists) read this book with children, they’ll notice that some words are larger and bolder than others. Some of these include ordained, parish, homily, sacraments, and vocation. Those words are explained through context clues and will help children enrich their vocabulary as they learn about the life of a priest.

 

 

Ask for Father Drew, What Do You Do? at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor.

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.
This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to me when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

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An Open Book: March 2025 Reads

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The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. Here’s a taste of what I’ve been reading:

Currently in progress (and highly recommended):

The King’s Curse, historical fiction by Philippa Gregory. From the summary on Amazon: As an heir to the Plantagenets, Margaret is seen by the King’s mother, the Red Queen, as a rival to the Tudor claim to the throne. She is buried in marriage to a Tudor supporter — Sir Richard Pole, governor of Wales—and becomes guardian to Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon. But Margaret’s destiny, as cousin to the White Princess, is not for a life in the shadows. Tragedy throws her into poverty, yet a royal death restores her to her place at young Henry VIII’s court where she becomes chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. There she watches the dominance of the Spanish queen over her husband and her tragic decline.

 

Media FastingMedia Fasting: Six Weeks to Recharge in Christ by Sister Nancy Usselmann, FSP (Pauline Books & Media). I’m just getting started with this book, but I’m already seeing a difference. From the publisher’s summary: Do you ever feel sluggish, anxious, or overwhelmed after too much screen time? Does media leave you feeling disconnected from God? Recharge your spiritual life and find freedom and peace with Media Fasting, a six-week journey to grow closer to God and develop a Christ-centered strategy for your media use. Evaluate your current media habits; create your own media fasting plan; and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ through daily devotional readings, reflection questions, and prayers.

 

Nonfiction:

Beautiful Second ActA Beautiful Second Act: Saints and Soul Sisters Who Taught Me to Be a Badass Age with Grace by Maria Morera Johnson (Ave Maria Press). Women in all stages of life will find encouragement and inspiration in this new book that intersperses the stories of saints and holy women with tales from the author’s own life. You’ll want to binge-read this one, but I encourage you to take it slowly and consider the questions at the end of each chapter for journaling or discussing over coffee with a friend or three. This is a follow-up to My Badass Book of Saints but can be read on its own.

 

Opening the Holy DoorOpening the Holy Door: Hope-Filled Scripture Reflections from St. Peter’s Basilica by Joan Watson (Ave Maria Press). If you’re looking for a wonderful way to mark the Jubilee of Hope, I highly recommend this book. I knew there was a Holy Door in Rome but was unaware that it’s comprised of a series of bronze images that depict the salvation story. Joan Watson offers guided reflections on 12 of these images. The book includes large photos of each image featured so readers can closely examine it as they read the reflections, delve into Scripture, and then respond in faith. I read this book in the Adoration chapel over a series of weeks. (Review copy received from publisher.)

 

Fiction:

Bennetts BloomThe Bennetts Bloom by Katie Fitzgerald. I’ve been reading this novel in bits and pieces for a couple of years now. The author, Katie Fitzgerald, first presented this book as microfiction on Instagram, and I (and many other readers) were hooked by the story of a fairly oblivious widowed dad of a toddler and his sweet single neighbor. Everyone knows where Fern and Dave’s story is going long before Dave does, and that’s what makes the ride so worth it. Katie eventually compiled all the stories in chronological order into a novel told in moments. This sweet romance is sure to make you smile.

 

Everything's Coming Up RosieEverything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh is a fun read about a young woman who thinks that rerouting her life means she’s giving up her dreams. Rosie wants to be a Broadway star, but several years in, she’s behind on rent and getting nowhere. Desperation leads her to apply for jobs without thoroughly reading the descriptions, and this lands her a summer gig as a theatre director in what turns out to be a luxury retirement community in Wisconsin. Of course there’s a love interest in this clean romance, but the real fun comes with the quirky side characters who help Rosie realize what it means to live your dream, as well as her talented troupe of friends who show just how much they believe in her. This story will make your day. (Netgalley)

 

Book 3 in the Sons of Scandal series is Uneasy Street by Becky Wade. Former best friends and business partners Max and Sloane parted ways four years ago, but they’re thrown together again when Sloane returns to Max’s hometown to care for her teenage niece for a few months. Realizing to her horror that she’d rented an apartment from her nemesis Max, Sloane tries to ignore the sparks (which, of course, her niece delightedly encourages) while Max attempts to pull strings to force her to spend time with him. I’m not the biggest fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope and honestly, I didn’t appreciate Max’s underhanded tactics, but this author does tell a good story. (Netgalley)

 

Young Adult:

Book 3 in Leslea Wahl’s Finding Faith series, In Plain Sight, revolves around a couple of mysteries: what’s up with the secret passages and hidden doorways in an old lodge Emerson’s dad is renovating — and what happened to Em’s mother and sisters? It’s clear that Em has suffered a great loss and that she’s to blame; lonely and bored, she finds herself caught up in figuring out the history behind the old building her father is working on, enjoying the company of a few new friends she can’t completely confide in, and finding out that the lodge owner’s teenage son is as interested in her as she is in him. This story features characters from the other two books in the series but definitely works as a standalone.

 

Bad Influence by Claire Ahn takes a look at the decidedly unglamorous world behind social-media influencer beauty in this story of a Korean-American high-school student who secretly aspires to be an influencer but hides her work from her parents, lying to them about the source of the money she hands over to help the household after her father’s work accident. Charlotte soon learns how quickly online fans can turn against someone when they give in to temptation to represent a brand that’s tainted by rumors of hate, and how much her own hunger to be liked by strangers online has risked her own friendships, family life, and more. Recommended for high-school students. (Netgalley; releases April 29, 2025)

 

Children’s Books:

God's Little FlowersGod’s Little Flowers by Lindsay Schlegel; illustrated by Joy Laforme (Our Sunday Visitor) is a sweet introduction to a beloved saint. I love that Lindsay Schlegel has taken my very favorite Saint Thérèse quote and built an entire storybook around it! This picture book, with its simple and cheerful illustrations, shines a light on the truth we need to share with all the children in our lives: each of us is uniquely gifted by God and has something special to share with the world — and all our gifts are important! Lindsay also stresses that not all gifts are as obvious as skill at a particular sport, art, or music. Share this book with a young girl you know, and help her identify her own gifts and those of the people special to her! (Review copy received from publisher)

 

Theresa Linden’s Jumping into Joy cleverly integrates some of my favorite characters from Theresa’s West Brothers series in a chapter book for young readers. Caitlin encourages her friend Peter to use his imagination during the family Rosary to keep from falling asleep; as she demonstrates this, the children pass through a portal into the ancient town of Nazareth and seek to discover the virtues attached to the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. This book would make a great classroom read-aloud for children in first through third grades.

 

ICYMI: my reviews of Lenten resources

Praying with the Church Through Lent by Father Edward Looney (Sophia Institute Press)

Simply Scripture for Lent and Easter by Colleen Reiss Vermuelen (Ave Maria Press)

 

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!

Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.

 

Visit today’s #OpenBook post to join the linkup or just get some great ideas about what to read! You’ll find it at Carolyn Astfalk’s A Scribbler’s Heart and at CatholicMom.com!

 

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Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved; Carolyn Astfalk, all rights reserved, used with permission