Books

A Book of Saints and Heroes, Heroines, by Joanna Bogle

Reviewed by Val Prendergast

Contents - Oct 2013 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Postscript on the Australian elections - Peter Westmore Pope Francis to consecrate world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World Frassati Australia and the New Evangelisation - Fr Paul Chandler OSCE Conference: The new face of religious intolerance - Bishop Mario Toso The Catholic Church is holy, despite its members' sins - Audrey English Interview: Why science needs faith - Professor Dominique Lambert The priesthood and the Catholic faith - Fr John O'Neill PP Church of Divine Mercy in Singapore: an amazing discovery - Kazimierz Kozlowski Blessed Jacinta Marto: heroine of Fatima - Cedric Wright Letters: Dr Mobbs replies ... - Frank Mobbs Letters: Exaggeration? - Noel Keith Roberts Letters: Humanae Vitae - Ron Graham Letters: Moral failure - John Wynter Letters: Harmful effects - Richard Grant, Willie Chenhall, Maryse Usher Letters: Creator's plan - Clare Ryan Letters: Culture of life needed - Fr Bernard McGrath Letters: Anti-religious bigotry - Peter Kamsma Events: Spiritual Exercises in Bowral, December 2013 Books: A Book of Saints and Heroes, Heroines, by Joanna Bogle - Val Prendergast (reviewer) Books: COURAGE AND CONVICTION, by Joanna Bogle - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: ON THE LEFT BANK OF THE TIBER, by Fr Gerald O'Collins SJ - Frank Mobbs Books: THE FREEDOM OF LOVE, by Rafael de Santiago - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Support: Launch of 2013 Fighting Fund - Peter Westmore Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Bishop Fisher: Young Catholics must be Christ in the world - Bishop Anthony Fisher

A BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROES
A BOOK OF SAINTS AND HEROINES
by Joanna Bogle
(Gracewing/Freedom Publishing, 2013, $19.95 each. ISBN: 978-1-78182-991-2 and 992-9)

It is a blessing that in this Year of Faith, there are so many good books available from Freedom Publishing to help us read about and enrich our faith. And these two offerings on saints and heroes/heroines from Joanna Bogle, a renowned English Catholic author, broadcaster, journalist and Dame of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great, are no exception.

Although each biography is merely a thumbnail sketch of a particular person, the lack of detail isn't an issue for in her usual engaging and erudite fashion, Joanna not only provides the basic biographical facts, but also manages to inspire the reader through these role models who trusted in God and let Him work through them to produce amazing results.

Brevity

Perhaps her brevity is in fact beneficial, because the reader is given a sample of each holy person and will then, like this reviewer, be motivated to read more from other sources.

For example, I would definitely want to investigate the life of St Birgitta of Sweden who, as well as her work with the poor, also had visions of Our Lord. As Joanna writes, her vision of Jesus as a tiny baby surrounded by light, with angels singing and his mother kneeling beside Him, has influenced the artwork on our Christmas cards.

And there are many others: St Thomas More, saint of the English Reformation, the 'other' St Augustine, missionary to Kent in England, along with a large concentration of holy men and women from the 20th and the 21st centuries, such as Blessed John Paul II, Blessed Father Pino who was martyred by the Mafia, and the Blessed Martyrs of Drina, nuns who were martyred because of their refusal to abandon their vows of chastity.

Even our own St Mary MacKillop is presented.

Joanna has divided her biographies between two books: essentially a 'boy' book – A Book of Saints and Heroes and a 'girl' book – A Book of Saints and Heroines.

This distinction would appeal to the young as would the use of the word heroes and heroines: they are thrilling words and these biographies are indeed testaments to the thrilling God-centred lives that should inspire. With this in mind, Joanna puts the question in A Book of Saints and Heroes: "Who will be the saints and heroes of the years to come?"

Joanna was recently brought to Australia by Freedom Publishing and spoke at functions in Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Melbourne and Perth.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 26 No 9 (October 2013), p. 15