Win 4 Tickets to King Richard's Faire!

Disclosure: In exchange for this honest promotion of a favorite local escape, our family received complimentary tickets and a family 4-pack to giveaway. We cannot wait to return to King Richard's Faire for this 41st anniversary season!

King Richard's Faire-THE New England Renaissance Faire - is opening its 41st season on September 3rd and running weekends and Monday holidays through October 23rd in the enchanted woods of Carver, Mass.

Escape YOUR reality at King Richard’s Faire, New England’s largest and longest-running Renaissance festival! 

This year, King Richard XI and his lovely bride, Queen Anne are back to rule the realm of Carvershire along with their beautiful princesses and the royal court. 

Carvershire is a magical place, filled with handcrafted artisan wares to include beautiful handspun pottery, fabulous jewelry, and incredible face painting. You can also delight in period clothing, leather, armor, and moccasins,  be amazed by the blacksmith and forged weaponry, and revel in scented oils, perfumes, instruments, and handmade crafts as you make memories to last a lifetime.

In Carvershire, you can also please thy palate with fabulous food and drynk to include giant spit-roasted turkey legs, ringlets of fryes, and boules of chowder or or quench thy thirst with specialty cocktails, champagne, mead, brew, and drinks for the kiddoes, too. Vegan or gluten-free? No problem. There are options for you, too.

At the Faire, eight stages of exciting entertainment for all ages and a host of you will also find exciting rides and skilled games in the Gaming Glen.

At the Faire, you’ll be dazzled by acrobats, aerialists, and jugglers... captivated by minstrels, dancers and puppeteers... enthralled by fire-eaters, magicians and captivating canines.

Indeed, hundreds of talented performers perform non-stop for you throughout the day with the King’s handsome knights battling on horseback as bawdy beggars compete in mud, happy villagers engage you in the lanes, and frolicking faeries dance through the forest.

On the stages, you will find an original Broadway-style musical comedy for all ages; Sir Danny Drake, juggling fire and blade; the iconic El Zappo, real-life father to long-time performer and recent America’s Got Talent performer Jacques Ze Whipper; Pict Pipers (pipe & drums); and a succession of fabulous dog acts Magical Poodles (9/3-25) and Muttsville Comix (10/1-23), and Braveheart Beasts, an amazing horse show (9/24-25, 10/25-26).

Win Free Tickets!

You can enter to win a family-four pack of tickets good for opening weekend - Septemeber 3-5 now through midnight on the evening of the 25ht going into the 26th using the Rafflecopter below.

Please note: Giveaway ends August 25th at 12 AM EST and is open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only who are able to attend the Faire on the dates mentioned. Winner will be randomly selected and notified by email. Winner will have 24 hours to respond or other winners will be selected.  Final winner may request tickets be mailed to them or may choose to come pick up the tickets directly in person one town over from Carver.

The winning tickets are offered free of charge, no purchase necessary. 

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Learn More

The realm of King Richard's Faire can be found at 235 Main Street (Rt. 58) in Carver, MA.

Visit kingrichardsfaire.NET for schedules, ticket sales, special celebration group sales, and much more.

Get social on Instagram/Twitter: @KRFaire #KRFaire and the Book of Faces: Facebook

Win 4 Tickets to King Richard's Faire!

Disclosure: In exchange for this honest promotion, our family received complimetary tickets to the Faire. We cannot wait to return for this 40th anniversary season!

Hear ye, hear ye! Kings and Queens, Lords and Ladies, Children of All Ages, King Richard’s Faire has opened for its 40th anniversary season and YOU have a chance to win a 4-pack of tickets right here (at the bottom of the post)!

 So, step right up (or rather, read right through), to enter for your chance to win a 4-pack of tickets to the 40th anniversary season of the longest running and largest Renaissance Fair in New England, which is open 10:30-6 weekends, September 4th-October 24th, 2021, including Monday, September 6th (Labor Day) and Monday October 11th (Columbus Day). 

***

 

New Englanders have never been so eager to go back to a gentler, happier time and escape reality. You can do just that at the Faire’s enchanting 80-acre wooded site (235 Main Street, Carver, Mass. 02330).

During what is sure to be an exciting 40th anniversary season, King Richard’s Faire offers some of the region’s best live entertainment, beloved rides and games of skill, and, my kids'; favorite - jousts!

 As you enjoy a full day of “escaping YOUR reality”, you can be dazzled by acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, fire-eaters, minstrels, dancers and puppeteers and more who perform on eight vibrant stages and stroll throughout the realm.

 

Acts include new performers - “The Captain’s Canines”, a specialty dog act with amazing feats of skill which will tickle the dog bone; The Unicycling Unicorn, a talented juggler who can juggle while sitting 14 feet in up in the air on one wheel; El Zappo, zany circus comedy; Kilted Colin with juggling acrobatics and bagpiping; the Picts Pipers offering Highland Tribal music (9/4-10/3), and the “Unspun Tails” aerial show - as well as returning acts - the joust and Hammyln Hyper Piper, The Sturdy Beggars “The Mud Show”, Jacques Ze Whippeur and his dashing danger and whip stunts, The Torture Show, the Washing Well Wenches, the Wonder Show (magic), Meraki Caravan (10/9-24) and of course, King Richard’s Faire’s own spectacular original musical in two acts on the King’s Stage at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m.

At the Faire, you can also enjoy epicurean pleasures suited for the whole royal family, from giant spit-roasted turkey legs, ringlets of fryes, boules of chowder or stew, onion blossoms and dragon wings, and many more delicious delicacies, including gluten-free, vegetarian and lactose-free options. For sweet treats,you can choose from baked goods to ice cream treats, including Root Beere Floats and Brownie Sundaes, and adults may quench your thirst at any one of eight locations throughout the realm that offer champagne, specialty cocktails, wine, hard cider, mead, or beer.

If you like shopping, you won't be disappointed. Talented artisans offer beautiful handspun pottery, sparkling crystals and jewelry, artistic face painting, period clothing, leather and moccasins, armor, dancing wings, fresh floral garland hair wreaths, hand-carved bows, arrows and quivers.

You can watch as blacksmiths demonstrate the forging of weaponry; revel in scented oils, perfumes and apothecary; and particpate in themed events.

If you win our family 4-pack of tickets, you won't need to hit the box office. If you don't, you're encouraged to skip the box office line - where cash only is accepted - and pre-purchase tickets online at kingrichardsfaire.net.

Please be aware that pet animals are not allowed unless they are legally identified service animals , and no outside food or beverages are allowed into the Fairgrounds.

More Information

Visit King Richard's Faire online for a site map, FAQ's, event schedules, ticket sales, and Visitor Information.

The Faire is at 235 Main Street, Carver MA 02330. 

Parking is free!

Tickets: $37 adult (12+); $35 for seniors ages 65+, $18 for children ages 4-11; and free for children 3 years of age and younger.

Please email info@kingrichardsfaire.net for group discount tickets.

Instagram/Twitter: @KRFaire #KRFaire; Facebook

Win Free Tickets!

You can enter to win two tickets good for September 11, 12, 19, 25 or 26 now through Wednesday, September 8 at 12 p.m. EST using the Rafflecopter below.

Please note: Giveaway ends September 8 at 12 AM EST and is open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only who are able to attend the Faire on the dates mentioned. Winner will be randomly selected and notified by email.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond or other winners will be selected.  Final winner may request tickets be mailed to them or may choose to come pick up the tickets directly in person one town over from Carver.

The winning tickets are offered free of charge, no purchase necessary. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Notes and Disclosure: All fair images are courtesy of and credited to King Richard’s Faire.

I received free tickets for my family as well as the four I am giving away in return for this honest promotion and I am excited that I did. I cannot wait to experience the Faire with my family again this year and feel blessed to give you and yours an opportunity to experience it, too.

Enjoy An Illustrated Rosary Book for Kids and Their Families {A Review, Giveaway and Coupon Code!!}

Don't you just love when you find a wonderful faith-based resource and have the opportunity to give one away for someone else to enjoy?

{Some links which follow are affiliate links.}

With thanks to a friend who works for Gracewatch Media, that's exactly what I am getting to do.  At the end of this post, you can enter a giveaway for an individual softcover Joyful Mysteries, Luminous Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries, or Glorious Mysteries Illuminated Rosary book.

First, though, I would like to share with you why I appreciate the Illuminated Rosary books so much.

A Simply Beautiful Tool for Praying the Rosary (and Doing Picture Study!) with Children

It's no secret that praying the Rosary with children can be challenging.  Attention wanes.  Strings of rosary beads morph into fidget toys instead of prayer aids. Antsiness happens.  So it is helpful to have resources that draw your children into praying the Rosary and keep them focused on each mystery prayed.

In the past, I've used everything from cookies and cupcakes, to 3-part cards, to celebrations with friends to entice my children into joining in full Rosaries with prayerful attention. Eventually, such efforts helped us get used to praying the Rosary, and we developed habits of praying one decade or a full Rosary as a car rosary, on a rosary walk, as part of the Children's Rosary prayer group movement, or as a bedtime rosary daily.

Now, you'd think that with such habits in place, praying the Rosary with my children would typically be a peaceful and reflective experience. However, I have to be honest: it can still be challenging, especially when we pray the Rosary before bedtime. There is just something about that time that makes my children lose focus and act out.

Until recently, then, our best strategy for praying the Rosary at bedtime has been to use Youtube videos with beautiful artwork in them, which kept my children's attention focused.

Unfortunately, I don't relish screen time just before bedtime - even if it is prayerful screentime, so I've been looking for another engaging strategy.

Enter The Complete Illuminated Rosary: An Illustrated Rosary Book for Kids and Their Families by Jerry Windley-Daoust at Gracewatch Media.  As soon as I saw digital samples of it, I thought, I know just what I am getting with my birthday money this year!

I was excited to order a hardcover edition of the The Complete Illuminated Rosary at a discount pre-publishing rate and have been happy to use the prayer aid with my children. 

This Rosary resource is perfect for our family at bedtime: It is large enough for each child to see when we cuddle together and allows us to pray while perusing artworks which help us with meditation and attention.

Okay, admittedly, the first time we prayed each decade of the Rosary using The Complete Illuminated Rosary, the artwork almost drew too much of my children's attention, and I found that they kept interrupting our prayers to comment on the images - what they liked, what surprised them, and more. 

Now, though, my children simply examine the artworks while remaining engaged in prayer.  Thus, The Complete Illuminated Rosary has been serving us as an effective alternative of sorts to typical rosary beads, helping my children pray bedtime Rosaries with peace.

Using the book is so simple. 

We just open to the appropriate set of mysteries for the day, then read the prayers, which are printed in an easy-on-the-eyes font while meditating with the large reprints of artworks that accompany each prayer.

These reprints vary in style,

...time period,

...and cultural lens,

...with some classic...

...and some modern...

All artworks, however, are carefully selected to be child-friendly and engaging.

There are also "prayer beads" of a sort include on the bottom of each page.

For each set of mysteries, a large circular detail of an artwork follows the Canticle of Mary, another follows the Creed and Our Father, and three small detail circles accompany the "Hail Mary"s for Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Then, each mystery begins with a brief paraphrased text from the Bible for meditation as well as a prompt to remember your intentions just above another large circular detail.

Then, the "Our Father" page, too, includes a large circular detail of an artwork, acting as a large Rosary bead.

After that, on each "Hail Mary" page, strings of roses act as beads, allowing children to count to keep track of the number of prayers prayed should they wish to do so.

The Complete Illuminated Rosary also contains pages listing art credits and ideas for how to pray the Rosary using the book.

It is truly a well-designed and lovely prayer aid that, in my children and my opinion is only missing one thing: a list of which day to pray which mystery of the Rosary.  (Sure, we should have this memorized, but do not, so we're sliding a bookmark with this information into our book.)

Same Wonderful Rosary Resource, Several Formats

The Illuminated Rosary comes in  a number of formats:

• single volume softcover

• single volume hard cover

• individual volume softcovers for each of the mysteries.

Each of these formats measure 8 1/2  x 11", and The Complete Illuminated Rosary, which I purchased in hardcover, has 368 pages.

So, if you like a lighter resource, the softcover individual format might be for you.  We like the all-in-one hardcover ourselves.

Purchase Your Own Illuminated Rosary at a Discount

If you'd like to purchase an Illuminated Rosary book, but are not sure which you would prefer, the following videos might help you decide.

You can purchase  a hardcover copy of  The Complete Illuminated Rosary on Amazon (which, at the time of this writing is 26% off with free shipping!) You can also get the Joyful Mysteries, Luminous Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries, or Glorious Mysteries Illuminated Rosary books and other books by author Jerry Windley-Daoust on Amazon.

Alternately, purchase an Illuminated Rosary book direct from Gracewatch Media between now and December 12 using the coupon code ROSES 25 for a 25% off discount!

Or, while supplies lasts, get an imperfect copy for 50% using the code dents&dings, for as Allison Gingras from Reconciled to You posted on Facebook earlier this month:

We all acquire a few dents and dings along the journey of life, right? Well, so did a shipment of our new Illuminated Rosary books. Grrr.
On the bright side, while these books aren’t perfect enough to sell new, they’re still in “good” condition, with minor flaws or damage: banged-up corners, dented page edges, ink smudges on the last (blank)page, imperfections in the glossy coating on the spine, etc. You can give these less-than-perfect illustrated rosary books for kids a home for 50% off the sale price using coupon code dents&dings at checkout. Quantities are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

BUY YOUR COPY HERE: http://bit.ly/2F9N7kY

We’re so confident that you’ll be satisfied with these books, we’ll honor our usual no-hassle return policy…we’ll send you return postage and a full refund if you don’t like them.

You can also always check the deals page at Gracewatch Media for other deals and discount codes on wonderful faith-related publications. There product line is truly fabulous for families of faith!

Enter the Giveaway!

I am excited to be able to offer one reader a softcover copy of an individual mystery in the Illuminated Rosary series using this giveaway Rafflecopter.

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Solid Catechism through Lego? Yes! {A Catechism of the Seven Sacraments Review and Giveaway}

I am delighted to be sharing a review and giveaway of Catechism of the Seven Sacraments, a gem of a catechism tool with a fresh new approach. 

When I heard that Kevin and Mary O-Neill had created a catechism book using LEGO® scenes which they had built with their children, I thought, Brilliant!  My children love LEGO® and can always use another tool for learning about our faith.

Then, when I was blessed with a copy of Catechism of the Seven Sacraments for review and realized just how solid the presentation of our faith is in it, I thought, Awesome!  This book is even better than I imagined.  

I was 100% impressed with how Catechism of the Seven Sacraments presents solid Catholic teaching in a format that invites readers of many ages to enjoy and learn together.
Bright, detailed, LEGO® scene illustrations draw readers into the almost 300-page comic-book style story and then well-thought comic-book style text clearly teaches about the Sacraments instituted by Christ, parallels between the Old Testament and New Testament, and more.

In fact, as I read Catechism of the Seven Sacraments, I was happily surprised to find that the book includes more than just the usual basics about Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Order, and Anointing of the Sick.  It also touches upon:

• the Rosary
• the Fourth Cup of Passover
• Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy
• a prayer to St. Joseph
• and more!

I appreciate how seamlessly Catechism of the Seven Sacraments weaves together bits about Saints, prayer, morality and more as it tells the story of Salvation History in the context of two children - Fulton and Cynthia - talking about the Sacraments.  The O'Neill family truly did a fantastic job making tenets and traditions of our faith understandable.

Undoubtedly, the content of Catechism of the Seven Sacraments is much meatier than I expected to find in a graphic novel style book. 

The book begins with the New and Everlasting Covenant - the Holy Eucharist, which is the source and summit of our Catholic faith, and, then, continues on through each sacrament, which stem from and point to the Holy Eucharist.

It follows Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's teaching on Theology of Covenant and makes use of typology, a favorite tool of the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in which elements of the Old Testament are shown to prefigure those of the New Testament.

   

Happily, it does all this using memorable building brick illustrations which make understanding how the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New and the New testament revealed in the Old easy.

Further, the Catechism of the Seven Sacraments offers a detailed table of contents, color-coded sections on each Sacrament, and a helpful glossary, all of which make it even more use-friendly.  Plus, there are multiple Scripture and Catechism references sprinkled throughout page margins, so anyone who wants to dig even deeper in the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church can easily do so.

Truly, I cannot say enough about how inspired the O'Neill's were in designing Catechism of the Seven Sacraments!  The books truly is a gem among catechism books - so inviting in its presentation, so deep in its content, so delightful for children and adults to use to learn alongside one another!

Watch a video about the book!

Children Enjoy the Catechism of the Seven Sacraments!

My seven year old said:

"I got Catechism of the Seven Sacraments from my brother for my First Holy Communion*.  He gave it to me early, and we started reading it that night.  I enjoyed it.  

It is Lego!  It is also catechism.  It makes catechism fun. Since then, we've been reading more of it.  

The story has a girl who doesn't know anything about faith and a boy that knows everything.  He teaches her by telling her stories about Jesus, and about the Old and the New Testaments and how the Old Testament pre-represents the new one. 

I would recommend it to people who like Lego and people who want to learn catechism.  

I am glad I have it! 

This is my favorite picture so far, because Jesus dying on the cross.  He died for us so all our sins would be gone.  Then, He rose again to fulfill what He said.  Now, He is in Heaven, in our hearts, and in the tabernacle in the Eucharist."

*I received the book for review, but, since my oldest loves using LEGO® with his siblings gave it to him to gift his little brother.

My oldest said:

"I gave my brother Catechism of the Seven Sacraments as an early First Holy Communion gift.  I thought it was a good gift because it is a catechism and uses building blocks to teach about the faith. 

When we first opened it, I did not like that there are fake Legos in the pictures.  That drives me nuts, because I like real Legos only.  I also did not like the yellow and peach skin tones mixed up.** 

I did like some things though:

• It is Catholic - 100% Catholic.

• It talks about the Sacraments.

• It is written as a conversation.

• It has comparisons between the Old Testament and New Testament.

• The way they did the back in time thing was cool.

• It connects with other things I've done.  For example, our family has been taking an Unpacking the Mass class, and it connected with that.

• The photographs are funny sometimes.

• I like the Rosary part.

• They mention saints.

• They have Bible quotes.

I would recommend this book to people who don't like JUST Legos and who want to learn about the faith.  It teaches the faith solidly."

**Yes, my oldest is a quirky LEGO® purist, so he picked out every brick in the illustrations he thinks is not "a real LEGO®" and did comment a number of times about how he does not like when different-colored flesh tones were used in images.  However, he also thought some of the ways in which real LEGO® were used were quite creative and cool and also appreciated the content of the story and how it teaches about the faith.

My daughter said:

"I really like Catechism of the Seven Sacraments.  Almost everything in it is done with Legos or building blocks - plus faith statues and other stuff. It is fun! 

One of my favorite illustrations is the one of the church.  It has so such detail in it.  We also noticed some photos use Lego pants for water.  That's clever! 

I also like how some of the story takes the Old Testament and pairs it with the New Testament.  It helps me see the importance of both and how they interconnect. 

I also like how it's a conversation of a boy and a girl talking about the faith.  It teaches straight catechism, but does it in a fun way.  The boy explains faith using the Bible and catechism. 

I think this book would be good for:

• First Communicants

• people who like Legos

• people who need to learn the catechism

• Catholic families

• my Mom, because she laughs when she reads it to us.  She thinks the photos are funny.

• and our pastor, because he likes Legos.  

I am really glad we got this book! The author, his wife, and their seven kids must have taken a looooong time to make it.***"

***My daughter got a kick out of the "portrait" of the author' family on the back cover of the book. 

Highly Recommended!

I agree with my daughter.  Catechism of the Seven Sacraments makes a fantastic read for Catholic families.  I would especially recommend it for:

• First Holy Communicants
• Confirmation students
• RCIA candidates
• families with multiple age children
• individuals with dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD
• visual learners
• and LEGO® lovers, of course.

Most certainly, the book is light in its appearance - with its fun LEGO® comic book style.  Yet, it is also quite lever and substantial in its content, with an imprimatur from the Archbishop of Omaha.  Doctrinally sound and delightfully fresh, Catechism of the Seven Sacraments is a wonderful expression of St. John Paul II's New Evangelization!

Learn More

Learn more about the book at StoryTel Foundation. 

Find Storytel Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.

Enter a Giveaway!

StoryTel Foundation has generously offered to share a copy of Catechism of the Seven Sacrament with two lucky Training Happy Hearts readers from the continental Unites States.  Enter below your chance to receive one of these copies!

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Join Us for the Super Girls and Halos Blog Tour {with a Review and Giveaway}

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome visitors new and old.  Today, I am excited to be a part of the Super Girls and Halos Blog Tour, where every day from November 8 through 22, a different Catholic blogger from around the world is sharing thoughts on award-winning author Maria Morera Johnson's thought-provoking new book which explores the Cardinal Virtues of Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude through pairing heroines of science fiction, fantasy, and comic books with inspiring female saints.

Now, if you've been following Training Happy Hearts for any length of time, you're already aware of how much my children and I enjoy learning about and celebrating the saints together.  So, my interest in Super Girls and Halos makes sense. However, if you know me in real life, you also might be aware that I invest little to no time in reading about nor watching pop culture heroines in action, and the closest I ever got to being a true superhero fan was taking my Dad's military hat as a child in the 70's, stuffing my hair into it, and doing Wonder Woman turns with my sisters and the neighborhood girls in our front yard.  (Okay, maybe we had some "bullet-proof" bracelets and a golden lasso, too.) 

But, seriously, science fiction, fantasy, and pop culture have rarely been my thing.  Moreover, the strong feminist push of our culture in recent years - which tends to stray far from the virtues, values, and strengths I believe women are created to embody -repulses me more than it excites me.  Thus, I tend to eschew anything that screams "woman power". So, you might wonder why I would want to read a book where over half the pages delve into analysis of Wonder Woman, Rey, Black Window, Scully, Storm, Hermione Granger, Katniss, and Lt. Uhura - fictional heroines whose stories I have rarely, if ever, read or watched and have had zero interest in getting to know.

Truth be told, when I first cracked open Super Girls and Halos, I had no desire to read about these "super girls".  I simply wanted to learn more about Sts. Katherine Drexel, Clare of Assisi, Mary Magdalene, Marguerite d’Youville, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Cunegunde, Mary MacKillop, and Kateri Tekawitha.  I was also interested to see how Maria Morera Johnson would highlight each of these saints as examples of real life individuals who overcame challenges and flaws through embracing Cardinal Virtues.  

Of course, though, because I was reading Super Girls and Halos for a review and not simply for my own pleasure and edification, I was honor-bound to read every page of it - even the parts about the fictional heroines I cared little about.  So, I did, and guess what?  Instead of being bored or rolling my eyes as Maria examined each female pop culture character, I found myself drawn in, interested in Maria's enthusiastic analysis of how each fictional heroine exhibited human virtue.

I appreciated how Maria recapped key elements of characterization and storyline so that even those who are not pop culture fans could relate to the super girls she highlighted.  I also loved how Maria wove words from St. John Paul II's apostolic letter, The Dignity and Vocation of Women, into commentary about Wonder Woman, and I discovered a new perspective on Rey, who I had been non-plussed by upon seeing one of the new Star War films when my parents invited our family to it. Likewise, I recalled why I'd liked Scully in the few episodes of the X-Files that I had previously seen and delighted to hear that in later episodes, the Catholic faith actually was brought into the storyline.  I also thought about how, if my children suddenly got into the Avengers, X-men, or Star Trek, I might not cringe and could, instead, now easily point out some virtues in the casts of characters.  Finally, I decided that although I still won't ever encourage my children to read Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, I can find redeeming value in the series should my kids choose to become immersed in them.  Indeed, I found Maria's treatment of modern day super girls clever, thought-provoking, and on-point.  

Better still, I loved how Maria paired the fictional super girls with both both well-known and lesser-known saints, highlighting similarities in the virtues between the super girls and saints, while also honing in on a key difference: the fictional heroines overcome obstacles through superpowers or crafted twists in plots and, sometimes, fall to their flaws, while the saints face challenges and move beyond human failings trough God's face.  By operating from a place of virtue, faith, and grace, the saints made difference in their own lives and in the lives of people they touched while living here on earth - and even still through their examples, legacies, and intercession.  They also challenge us to do the same - to seek a virtuous life, to seek god, to seek God! 

As Maria encapsulates each saints path to holiness, we cannot help but to see how God's grace empowered them to live with virtue despite all too human circumstances.  We see how St. Katherine Drexel quietly used her wealth to benefit marginalized Native and African Americans.  We recall how St. Clare of Assisi put her trust in Jesus Christ, thereby saving others.  We recognize how St. Mary Magdalene remained steadfast in love and faith and also shared about the Resurrection. We learn about how St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross came to Jesus and, then, to offer up her suffering with dignity for the Jewish people.  We hear about how St. Cunegrade moved from being an empress who funded churches and monasteries that still stand hundreds of years after being built to spending her final 20 year in prayerful retreat.  We witness how St. Marguerite d'Youville overcame taunting to build a health network that is lauded even today.  We are inspired by how St. Mary MacKillop stood firm even through temporary excommunication and defended her order while changing the face of Catholic education in Australia.  And, we witness how St. Kateri Tekawitha endured wrongs and isolation as she sought to love and serve Jesus.  In short, we discover how each saint responded to circumstances with love and faith, and we are encouraged to emulate them.

Through Maria' the collection of fictional and real heroines that Maria curated in Super Girls and Halos, we are remind that even in our humanness, we are called to be saints.  When we seek the greater good, when we choose what is morally right, when we stand firm through difficulties as we strive for what is good, when we maintain healthy discretion and self-mastery, and when we take time to ask what step toward Jesus can we make today and then do it, we respond to our calls to sainthood.

Whether you're a pop culture aficionado, a saint enthusiast, or someone seeking a fresh look at how to live the Cardinal Virtues, Super Girls and Halos makes a worthwhile read.  Maria:

• presents strong analysis of fictional characters and saints
• shares persona anecdotes
• defines and gives examples of virtues
• weaves in quotes from fiction
• highlights portions of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
• quotes from popes
• offers periodic questions for reflection
• challenges readers to tap into the supernatural powers God grants each one of us so that we may become saints

She makes pop culture and saint stories accessible to modern reader, presenting edifying examples of virtue.

Truly, I believe that Super Girls and Halos is a refreshingly unique take on how to live with truth, justice, and heroic virtue that any adult - or adolescent - can benefit from reading.  In fact, I am going to recommend it to my parish collaborative to use in youth ministry and have also already recommended to a local friend who is involved with a Catholic book club.

Who Doesn't Love a Giveaway?

In conjunction with the blog tour, Allison at Reconciled to You has put together a great giveaway.  You can enter below.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Who is YOUR Supergirl Saint?

I knew nothing about St. Mary MacKillop before reading Super Girls and Halos and found her story intriguing.  To think of bring excommunicated and still standing firm in faith, and, then, eventually becoming a saint.  Wow!  

Who is YOUR SuperGirl Saint? Please share in a comment!

Disclaimer:  I received a FREE copy of this product from Ave Maria Press in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.