Vision Books - Saint's lives

The Cure of Ars
The Priest Who Out-Talked the Devil
by Milton Lomask

This story of the greatly beloved Cure of Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney, a farm boy born during the French Revolution, longed to become a priest. But he could not learn Latin, and it seemed as if the humble, lovable, slow-thinking Jean-Marie would never be ordained. He did at last become a priest, and such a holy one that St. Jean-Marie Vianney is invoked as the patron saint and model of parish priests everywhere. To many he is known, not by name, but simply as "the Cure of Ars," the parish priest who devoted his life to the little village of Ars and so successfully led his people to sanctity that he became a prime target of the devil.

Ages 9-15

Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 148 pages

Hugh O'Flaherty
The Irish Priest Who Resisted the Nazis
by Fiorella De Maria

Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty was working in the Vatican when dictator Benito Mussolini fell from power and Germany invaded Italy in 1943. This courageous Irish priest who resisted the Nazi occupation was made famous by the movie, The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck. The Monsignor O'Flaherty brought to life in this story is as intriguing and exciting as the film version.

Witty, brilliant, and fearless, Monsignor O'Flaherty helped escaped Allied prisoners of war and persecuted Jews to elude capture by the Germans. At great risk to themselves, Monsignor O'Flaherty and his equally brave friends—priests, nuns, and lay men and women, including a few aristocrats—saved thousands of lives. They constantly needed to stay one step ahead of the ever-persistent Nazis until their surrender to the Allies in 1945.

Not just a thrilling adventure story, this book offers a portal into a real-life battle between good and evil. It also tells of the need after a war for forgiveness and redemption.

Paberback, size 8" x 5.25", 196 pages

The Vision Books are one of the most popular and well-written series of saints' lives ever produced for young people. This Teachers' Guide now offers teachers and parents a practical means to stimulate both the spiritual growth and intellectual development of students through an organized, systematic study of seventeen biographies of holy men and women in the Vision Books series. This guide facilitates student interaction with the spiritual insights, moral lessons, and sound academic content found in each book. It is divided into sections, each of which contains an overview of the saint's life and activities that illustrate the person's impact on the Church and his time. These activities are destined to challenge student thinking, to promote the application of spiritual insights to the reader's personal life, and to expand the reader's understanding and appreciation of the holiness of the saints. Teachers can select any combination of activities for individual students, for small groups, or for class-wide discussion. The activities include chapter vocabulary, language in context, time line, outline maps, topics for written reports, biographical sketches, using Scripture and the Catechism, and discussion questions.

Saint Pius X
The Farm Boy who Became Pope
by Fr. Walter Diethelm, O.S.B.

This is a true story of St. Pius X. Young readers will be inspired by the life of this holy man--from his youthful days of hard work and prayer to receive the eduction he needed to his years as country priest, encouraging his people to holiness.

Age: 9-12

Paperback, size 8" x 5.2", 163 pages

Saint Therese and the Roses
by Helen Walker Homan

A beautiful story about the most popular saint of modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux, the "Little Flower." Growing up in Lisieux, France was occasionally painful but usually delightful for Therese and her four sisters. For practical Marie, studious Pauline, hot-tempered Leonie, mischievous Celine, and beautiful, lovable Therese, growing up meant growing closer to God. The Little Flower found her pathway to holiness right in her own back yard.

With their disagreements, secrets, visits to the convent, school adventures, and romances, these five girls are an enjoyable handful for their kindly, widowed father. But Therese, because she loves her family, discovers that one of her sisters might unwittingly prevent her dearest wish from coming true.

Ages: 9-15

Paperback, 149 pages

'This Vision book for youth 9 - 15 years old tells the thrilling story of one of America\'s greatest missionaries who came down from Canada with explorer Louis Joliet to explore the mighty Mississippi River, the "great river" bordered by Indian tribes who killed white men on sight. Of the few who had dared explore this immense waterway, none had lived to return and report where it emptied. If he could travel to the mouth of the "great river," Fr. Marquette hoped to obtain new lands for France and new souls for Jesus Christ. He braved the dangers of tomahawks and tortures to bring the Word of God to the Indians of the New World. Rapids, floods, Indian superstitions, tribal warfare - these are only a few of the obstacles Father Marquette and Louis Joliet encountered in trying to meet their challenge. Illustrated. 139pp'

Francis and Clare
by Helen Walker Homan

A story about St. Francis and St. Clare, captures all the excitement and beauty of the lives of these saints from their childhood growing up together in Assisi to their profound conversion and lifelong influence on the whole world.

Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 190 pages, Illus.

St Louis and the Last Crusade
by Margaret Ann Hubbard

Louis IX of France, who took the throne in 1226, had one aim in life - to be a good king. Guided by the advice of his mother, he ruled well and was beloved by his people. At the age of twenty-eight he took the cross of the crusade and, with his army, set out for Egypt to defeat the Saracens, the most energetic enemies of the Holy Land.Instead, the Saracens charged to victory and imprisoned Louis, whose saintly conduct while in prison shamed his captors. Released, and after another miserable failure in Palestine, he returned to France broken in health but still fired with the desire to liberate the Holy Land.And so again, St. Louis led his men out from France, this time on the last crusade.

Paperback, 165 pages

Hugh O’Flaherty The Irish Priest Who Resisted the Nazis
by Fiorella De Maria

Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty was working in the Vatican when dictator Benito Mussolini fell from power and Germany invaded Italy in 1943. This courageous Irish priest who resisted the Nazi occupation was made famous by the movie, The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck. The Monsignor O'Flaherty brought to life in this story is as intriguing and exciting as the film version.Witty, brilliant, and fearless, Monsignor O'Flaherty helped escaped Allied prisoners of war and persecuted Jews to elude capture by the Germans. At great risk to themselves, Monsignor O'Flaherty and his equally brave friends—priests, nuns, and lay men and women, including a few aristocrats—saved thousands of lives. They constantly needed to stay one step ahead of the ever-persistent Nazis until their surrender to the Allies in 1945.

Not just a thrilling adventure story, this book offers a portal into a real-life battle between good and evil. It also tells of the need after a war for forgiveness and redemption.

Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 196 pages

Saint Dominic and the Rosary
by Catherine Beebe

St. Dominic led a life of excitement and adventure. As a boy he sold his books to feed the poor and offered himself as ransom for a prisoner. His greatest adventures came when he walked from town to town and stood fearlessly in the market to preach.

Ages: 9-15

Paperback, 161 pages

Mother Cabrini
Missionary to the World
by Frances Parkinson Keyes

In 1946, Francesca Cabrine was canonized as the first saint of the United States. This Vision Book tells the exciting story of this missionary from Italy who came to America to spread the Faith and to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

Ages: 10+

Paperback, 165 pages

'Raised in London, the son of a school master, Thomas More became a great scholar, Oxford graduate and lawyer. He served King Henry VIII becoming one of his trusted advisors. Sir Thomas refused to acknowledge Henry VII as the head of the Church in England and was arrested for high treason. He was beheaded and became a Martyr for the Church. [adapted from back cover. 164pp'

'Describes the English Catholic nuns trained by Florence Nightingale to tend to the wounded during the Crimean War, including their struggles to work in poor military hospitals and their dedication to their faith. 158pp'

'For more than a hundred and fifty years the Miraculous Medal has been known and worn by Catholics throughout the world. It has been used and promoted by great saints and Popes as a most powerful sacramental. Less well known is the story of the French Sister to whom the Blessed Virgin manifested the Medal in 1830. This Vision Book for 9 - 16 year olds tells the story of Catherine LabourE, a Burgundy farm girl who, after a prophetic dream of St. Vincent de Paul, became a Sister of Charity in Paris and later in Enghien, where she cooked and mended and cared for the inmates of a home for elderly men. To this obscure Sister the Blessed Virgin appeared, made prophecies, and commissioned the making of the Medal which soon came to be known as "miraculous" because of the favors wrought. St. Catherine LabourE lived a life of prayer and service to the poor, and was canonized in 1947. Illustrated 140pp'

'Presents the story of the saintly Father Damien, who journeyed to the island of Molokai in 1872 to care for the exiled lepers. 168pp'