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There are countless children’s stories out there. Why should we care so much about exposing our kids to the stories of the saints?

Well, I’m going to use St. Philomena (the story, as told by Fr. Peregrine Fletcher) to make a few points:

1. They’re genuinely good stories.
   
   St. Philomena was a Greek princess who was taken prisoner by the Emperor Diocletian when she refused to be his bride. He tortured her for 37 days, then was unsuccessful in attempting to drown her and kill her with flaming arrows. All this time, she stayed faithful to Christ, for whom she had given her heart. Finally, after thinking he was victorious in killing her, she triumphed with Jesus in heaven, becoming His bride. She got the everlasting happy ending!
   
   And, if we’re being honest, so many of the saints’ stories are happy endings BECAUSE of the reality of heaven. Even in the most horrific circumstances on earth – mass persecution, concentration camps, chronic suffering – our Christian hope reminds us that death doesn’t get the final word. Children ought to be reminded of that daily, and the triumph of the saints shares this truth.
   
2. They teach important, perennial lessons to children.
   
   Seek to do what is right? Check. Not give in to pressure, even from earthly powers? Check. Exercise courage, even when the situation is very scary? Check.
   
   Not only is St. Philomena an example of heroic faith and trust, she’s also a model of good character – of perseverance, courage, and resilience. All children should have models of these virtues!
   
3. The diversity of their lives offers opportunities for relatability and exploration.
   
   Our children love hearing stories about children saints, in particular, and they don’t seem to be scared of the fact that many child saints were martyrs.
   
   They also appreciate the uniqueness of the saints. Our 2nd grader, for example, is learning more about geography, and has been connecting the dots on which saints come from which countries. St. Philomena was from Greece, and she traveled with her family to Rome, Italy. Our daughter can locate those countries on the map, see they’re on the same continent, and ask questions about what she wore, what she ate, what she looked like, and what language she spoke, and proceed to act out her life (which she’s really done – rose crown, anchor, arrows, whip, and all!).
   
   Our kids have also been fascinated by the lives of St. Patrick, St. Gianna, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Kateri, St. Ursula, and St. Jose Sanchez del Rio – saints from around the world who share a common faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, and lived their lives for His glory.
   
4. They’re true!
   
   Yes, the saints are REAL, and they are ALIVE in heaven! Even in the case of some saints, like Philomena, whose lives we know little about (or their stories are portrayed as legends), we know that there are innumerable men and women who lived lives of heroic virtue, and who are enjoying eternal paradise in heaven. Even if we don’t know all the details, we rely on the testimonies and the biographical information we do have to inspire our children to similar holiness!

I have to applaud Fr. Peregrine for his gifted work on this book – both the poems and the magnificent illustrations. You can get My Name is Philomena, as well as his BRAND NEW BOOK, The Snail and the King, at ewtnRC.com! You can read my review on the latter here.

All ye holy men and women, pray for us!