Francis of Assisi by Michael de la Bedoyere

Michael de la Bedoyere tells the tale of St. Francis of Assisi, the man who hugged lepers, embraced simplicity and despised corruption.  A bishop told Francis that his simple lifestyle was unpractical. He replied: “If we had possessions, my lord, we should need arms to protect them.”

In his youth, Francis of Assisi was no angel and fought temptations, although his methods for dealing with them were unorthodox. Even though Francis was eccentric and defied rules and traditions, his loyalty to Christ and the Catholic faith was strong. This brought him attention from the bishops and they supported his work and encouraged his missions.

Francis became strong after being banished from his own family by spending time alone praying. He shared this advice with a crowd for facing their own challenges with people: “You will find some that are true, gentle and gracious. They will gladly accept what you say. But you will find far more who are faithless, proud, and blasphemous. These will mock and oppose you, and you will have to do your best.”

It was fascinating to read more detailed information about his life and personality so that Francis of Assisi became a real man instead of a mythical saint. Michael de la Bedoyere made Francis of Assisi: The Man Behind the Myths (Sophia Institute Press, ISBN: 978-0-918477-89-7, 1999) interesting because it showed how Francis had the same weaknesses as everyone else, overcame them and continues to inspire others to do the same.

Michael de la Bedoyere was a Catholic newspaper editor for several years. He also wrote The Remarkable Life of Francis de Sales and some of his works can be seen in SaintMaker.

Sophia Institute Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book to review.

Review of Trespasses Against Us by Christian M. Frank

Allie is new to John Paul 2 High and her new friends are patient and helpful about explaining the Catholic religion to her. She struggles to adjust and this gives readers the opportunity to learn and do some soul searching about their own morals.

Allie’s new boyfriend George has a best friend named Celia and their relationship is tested as the dynamics are changed. Celia is the principle’s daughter, who is viewed as a perfect Catholic and often feels left out.

A stalker remains an ongoing problem for Allie, causing fear and disagreements amongst the friends on how to handle it. Should they keep it a secret and handle it themselves or call the police?

The Struggle Against Peer Pressure in High School

Catholics are taught to be celibate until marriage as are many other religions and cultures. This Catholic high school's students are portrayed as being less sexually active than the public school, but that’s not necessarily the reality of all Catholic schools. 

The struggle against peer pressure is real however and Trespasses Against Us portrayed that effectively. Other issues touched upon were how to forgive under difficult circumstances and the dangers of being consumed with anger and vengeance.

Trespasses Against Us is a well written suspenseful tale for teens struggling with the pressure to become sexually active. It offers common sense reasons why it’s not a good idea and may help open up dialogue with parents.

Sophia Institute Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book for me to review.