Every month in 2024 Pope Francis has a monthly prayer intention. Every month we will release a book list that will draw your heart and soul deeper into prayer on these topics.
Let us pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick grant the Lord’s strength to those who receive it and to their loved ones, and that it may become for everyone an ever more visible sign of compassion and hope”
Our advice to book clubs & individuals:
- Pick just one of these books to read this month
- Pray this short prayer before or after each time you read, and at the start of your book club meetings.
- During the meetings, make use of the topical discussion guides & videos on the Pope’s website.
- Watch how story transforms your empathy, your prayer life, and your capacity to imagine God with you in any situation.
Mystery
Rachel's Contrition by Michelle Buckman
Brother Wolf by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
For Athene Howard, the only child of renowned cultural anthropologist Charles Howard, life is an unexciting, disillusioned academic project. When she encounters a clairvoyant Dominican postulant, a stern nun, and a recusant English nobleman embarked on a quest for a feral Franciscan werewolf, the strange new world of enchantment and horror intoxicates and delights her—even as it brings to light her father’s complex past and his long-dormant relationship with the Church of Rome. Can Athene and her newfound compatriots battle against the ruthless forces of darkness that howl for the overthrow of civilization and the devouring of so many wounded souls? In this sister novel to A Bloody Habit, the incomparable Father Thomas Edmund Gilroy, O.P. returns to face occult demons, gypsy curses, possessed maidens, and tormented werewolves, accompanying a charming neo-pagan heroine in her earnest search for adventure and meaning.
Children’s Literature
The River of Life by Diana González Tabbaa
Twelve-year-old Anthony is carefree until his beloved father passes away. Questioning suffering and death, Anthony grows distant from God. A heaven-sent friend helps him to see God’s tender providence within the ebb and flow of life, in currents of loss and restoration, and in the living stream of Christ’s Blood. While trying to find the burial site of martyrs and searching for treasures they hid, he finds a hidden treasure that was before him all along: Christ Crucified. Anthony comes to understand what his father meant by his last words to him, that he would always find him in the Heart of Christ, open at the cross. When Anthony pours himself out for God, water springs up from the earth as a personal sign of the pouring out of Christ’s Heart in a great river of life.
Science Fiction
The Rescue Sisters Short Stories by Karina Fabian
As Man ventures into Space, the Church follows. Join the adventures of the sisters of Our Lady of the Rescue, who perform dangerous search and rescue operations in space. Tales of adventure, danger, and deep faith.
Moonboy by Karina Fabian
Cory Taylor was born on the moon – and he was doomed to die there before he turned 20. Frail and coddled since birth, the moonboy decides to run away from home and have adventures before dying and giving his body to science. But when his first adventure leads him on a dangerous trek across the unforgiving moonscape, he may not live to see the next day.
Even worse, the fate of the hermitage depends on his getting help. Can he find rescue for himself and his new friends before it’s too late?
Memoir
Paul's Prayers: A Mother's Account of Raising an Autistic Son by Susan Anderson
Broken Brain; Fortified Faith: Lessons of Hope Through a Child’s Mental Illness by Virginia Pillars
Young Adult
The King's Prey by Susan Peek
An insane king. His fleeing daughter. Estranged brothers, with a scarred past, risking everything to save her from a fate worse than death. Toss in a holy priest and a lovable wolfhound, and get ready for a wild race across Ireland. Will Dymphna escape her deranged father and his sinful desires?
For the first time ever, the story of Saint Dymphna is brought to life in this dramatic novel for adults and older teens. With raw adventure, gripping action, and even humor in the midst of dark mental turmoil, Susan Peek’s newest novel will introduce you to a saint you will love forever! Teenage girls will see that Dymphna was just like them, a real girl, while young men will thrill at the heart-stopping danger and meet heroes they can easily relate to. If ever a Heavenly friend was needed in these times of widespread depression and emotional instability, this forgotten Irish saint is it!
The Boy Who Knew (Carlo Acutis) (Friends in High Places Book 1)
General Fiction
A Life Decision by Laurie M. Lamb
Peyton and Joe Callahan are thrilled to hear they’re expecting their second child…until they learn the baby has the chromosomal disorder, Down Syndrome.
Peyton is willing to accept this special child. She worked at a camp for Down Syndrome kids one summer. She found the children sweet and loving. Being a woman of faith, Peyton is certain God will grant her and Joe the strength they need to raise this innocent little gift.
Joe, however, feels differently. He, too, spent a summer with a Down Syndrome child…only his wasn’t camp fun and games. He suffered through the child’s behavioral problems, health issues, and ultimately the child’s death. Not wanting his family to endure the same pain, Joe adamantly insists they end the pregnancy and try again.
Can Peyton convince Joe to trust in God and embrace this child, or will Joe convince Peyton that religious clichés aren’t enough to help them down what he is certain will be a rough road? Can they live with the choice that they do make?
Beneath Wandering Stars by Ashlee Cowles
Lying Awake by Mark Salzman
Historical Fiction
The Journal by C.E. Rivetto
North Pacific by Michael Steffan
Spring 1941. Just months before the start of the War in the Pacific begins, Joseph Vaenko, the son of poor immigrant parents from the distant mountains of Central Europe, falls so deeply in love with a Japanese American woman that it sets in motion events that will forever transform their lives.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest and the vast North Pacific Ocean, Joseph pursues the woman he loves, struggles with his Catholic faith, and attempts to come to terms with his purpose and place in the tumultuous times of the world in which he lives.
Messina: Book 1, The Casa Bella Chronicles By Liz Galvano
Ominous words from the stone-faced physician at the temporary hospital greet her: “Welcome to hell, Miss James.” No description could be more accurate. Earthquake, tsunami, and fire have razed Messina, Sicily. In a single night in 1909, one hundred thousand people never wake up. Physician Lucille James is determined to help despite horrendous conditions, almost non-existent medical supplies, and the opposition of the medical community she worked so hard to join. Giovanni Castello, the man facing her now, stands as her biggest opponent. Surrounded by blood and death and pushed to the edge of exhaustion, Lucille relies on God as her only option. When God gives a gift, after all, a person must use it. Will she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so?
Julia’s Gifts by Ellen Gable
“Outstanding and unforgettable book!” Jean Heimann, author Religious Fiction. As a young girl, Julia began buying gifts for her future spouse, a man whose likeness and personality she has conjured up in her mind, a man she calls her “beloved.” Soon after the United States enters the Great War, Julia impulsively volunteers as a medical aid worker, with no experience or training. Disheartened by the realities of war, will Julia abandon the pursuit of her beloved? Will her naïve ‘gift scheme’ distract her from recognizing her true “Great Love?” From Philadelphia to war-torn France, follow Julia as she transitions from unworldly young woman to compassionate volunteer. “Touching story of faith and devotion that is sure to leave a lasting impression.” Therese Heckenkamp, award-winning author “Filled with fascinating historical detail and a reminder that love never fails and that miracles – great and small – happen all around us.” Carolyn Astfalk, award-winning author “Touched my heart in many ways.” Theresa Linden, award-winning author “A romantic drama that unfolds far from home—but takes us to the heart of home along the way.” A.K. Frailey, author “Outstanding and unforgettable book.” Jean Heimann, author, Fatima: The Apparition that Changed the World
Nonfiction
The Letters of Magdelen Montague by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
When the amoral and cynical “J” takes up his pen to describe Magdalen Montague, he little realizes the dramatic changes that will soon be wrought in his life. His fascination for this mysterious woman catapults him into a harrowing encounter with Catholicism, conversion, and discipleship. Through the letters, intimate portraits of four souls appear: the loquacious letter-writer “J,” his virulently antireligious recipient, “R,” the weird, silent servant Domokos Juhász, and Magdalen Montague herself. Across the turbulence of the first four decades of the twentieth century, including two world wars, the mysterious correspondents in The Letters of Magdalen Montague present a profound portrait of humanity’s quest for God.
Help from Heaven by Andrea Jo Rodgers
Do You Believe in Miracles?
Experience the heart-pounding drama of real-life emergencies. Veteran EMT and physical therapist Andrea Jo Rodgers shares this all-new collection of accounts from her 30-plus years as a volunteer with her town’s local first aid and emergency squad.
Arrive on the scene with Andrea and encounter…
- Lou, a dedicated war veteran who is granted a new tour of duty from God.
- A fearful flock of ducklings that slip down a storm drain during a false alarm.
- Everett, a resilient older man who goes for an unexpected ride on the hood of an intoxicated driver’s car.
- Jenna, a young woman whose dangerous heart condition is both physical and emotional.
- Frank, a husband whose nasty fall down a flight of stairs earns him instant angel status from his devoted wife, Doris.
As you discover these and many more unforgettable stories, you’ll be reminded that miracles do happen, whether it be through the heroic efforts of first responders, the Lord’s divine intervention, or, often, both.
Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers Jeannie Ewing and Eileen Benthal
Grief afflicts everyone’s lives, including caregivers who provide long-term care for one who requires special needs. Yet caregivers are so often left feeling burnt out, aggrieved, and simply lost or emotionally drained.Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers is a unique resource for busy caregivers who are physically and emotionally spent at the end of a long day. Not a typical book, Navigating Deep Waters is divided into short, page-long chapters that act as meditations for the reader. At the end of each chapter, a few reflection questions intended to serve as journaling prompts and a short prayer are offered to close up the concept.We know caregivers are busy, because we are caregivers. Jeannie has two daughters with special needs, one with a rare genetic condition. And Eileen has been a caregiver to her adult daughter, who also has a rare genetic condition, for eighteen years.We know caregivers don’t have a lot of time. And the time we do have is precious. We must be selective with how we use what little time we have to ourselves.Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers is your oasis in the midst of a long, dusty desert. It is refreshment for your mind and food for your soul. It will aid you on your unique journey and call as a caregiver and ultimately lead you to self-discovery, hope, and healing.
Heaven – Sent Miracles & Rescues: True Stories From A First Responder by Andrea Jo Rodgers
Treason by Dena Hunt; A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England
As Stephen Long steps ashore in England one gray dawn in May 1581, he wonders how many more Catholics will have to die to make Queen Elizabeth feel secure. Involuntarily, he trembles at the thought that soon he may be numbered among them.
For in the days ahead, each time Stephen hears confession or celebrates Mass, he commits yet another act of high treason against the British Crown, for which Queen Elizabeth’s swift penalty is gruesome torture and painful death. As Stephen hastens to find shelter away from that open beach, he struggles not only with fear but with doubt, as well: “Is my mission foolish? Am I nothing more than fresh meat for the queen’s butchers?”
In the light of that same gray dawn, just a few miles north, a heartbroken Caroline Wingate lies awake in her unhappy marriage bed, wrestling with thoughts of a different—perhaps crueler—martyrdom.
Although from her earliest years Caroline has known herself to be called to cloistered contemplative life as a nun, some years ago she was forced by her father into a politically “safe” marriage with an upright Protestant, from whom she must hide her Catholicism—and her true vocation—lest she, too, be executed for her faith.
Hanging by the neck is swift martyrdom, but Caroline’s doubts and guilt have pained her daily for years now. An exile in her own soul, in her lonely desolation she confesses, “I don’t love my husband as I should. For safety’s sake, I cannot give myself wholly to him and must deceive him daily. Nor can I give myself to the One I truly love.”
In a few days, circumstances will force Caroline and the young priest together. With death hastening toward both of them, the beautiful fates of these two faithful Catholics confirm what we today too often forget: our faith is the most powerful force in the world—more powerful than politics, wars, or empires. More powerful even than the hard, cold will of Queen Elizabeth.
In this gripping, heartrending tale, Caroline and Stephen show us that it’s not power that writes the true history of the world; it’s faith: faith and the love that faith alone can awaken and sustain.
“Treason is one of the most powerful historical novels I’ve ever read. It brings to vivid and shocking life the age in which Shakespeare lived and in which the English martyrs died.”
Joseph Pearce
Writer-in-Residence, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts
