My Name Is Philomena: A Saint's Story
By Fr. Peregrine Fletcher, O.Praem. · Published by TAN Books
Overview
Meet one of the Church's most beloved young saints through a captivating story told in her own voice. My Name Is Philomena: A Saint's Story introduces children to the remarkable life of St. Philomena, the courageous virgin-martyr who chose unwavering fidelity to Christ over earthly wealth, power, and comfort. Beautifully illustrated and written in accessible language, this inspiring account invites young readers to accompany Philomena from her childhood as a Greek princess to her glorious witness of faith through martyrdom.
As children journey alongside St. Philomena, they discover that true strength is found not in earthly kingdoms but in complete trust in God. Through her example of purity, courage, and joyful sacrifice, this beautifully crafted book encourages young hearts to embrace holiness, stand firm in the Faith, and grow in confidence that Christ is always worth following.
What This Book Offers:
- A Saint's Story Told Simply: Introduces children to the life of St. Philomena through an engaging first-person narrative.
- Beautiful Illustrations: Vibrant artwork brings the story of this beloved martyr vividly to life.
- Virtue Formation: Highlights the enduring virtues of courage, purity, faith, and perseverance.
- Faith-Building Inspiration: Encourages children to discover their own identity as followers of Christ.
- Meet a Powerful Young Saint: Discover why St. Philomena has inspired countless Catholics through the centuries.
- Learn Through Storytelling: Experience an engaging narrative that makes the life of a saint accessible for young readers.
- Grow in Christian Virtue: Inspire children to imitate St. Philomena's purity, courage, and steadfast faith.
- Encourage Family Conversations: Open meaningful discussions about holiness, sacrifice, and trusting God.
- Build Devotion to the Saints: Help children form lasting friendships with one of Heaven's great intercessors.
From the Saint
"Christ is worth every sacrifice, for His kingdom lasts forever."
Intended Audience
This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for Catholic families, elementary-aged children, homeschoolers, parish classrooms, and catechists seeking engaging stories from the lives of the saints. It is especially suited for introducing young readers to the witness of youthful holiness and courageous fidelity to Christ.
FAQs
Who was St. Philomena?
St. Philomena is a beloved virgin-martyr of the early Church whose heroic witness and powerful intercession have inspired generations of Catholics around the world.
Is this book appropriate for young children?
Yes. The story is written in child-friendly language and accompanied by beautiful illustrations, making it accessible for young readers and enjoyable for family read-aloud time.
What virtues does this book emphasize?
Children will encounter the virtues of courage, purity, perseverance, faithfulness, and complete trust in Christ through St. Philomena's inspiring example.
Key Themes
- Courageous Faith: Remaining faithful to Christ despite suffering and opposition.
- Purity & Innocence: The beauty of youthful holiness dedicated entirely to God.
- The Witness of the Saints: Learning from the lives of those who loved Christ above all else.
- Hope Through Intercession: Growing in friendship with a powerful heavenly patron.
- SKU:
- 3122
- ISBN-13:
- 9781505126822
- Publication Date:
- 08/08/2023
- Pages:
- 48
- Pdf:
- https://tanbooks.com/content/3122_Preview.pdf
- Height:
- 8.50
- Width:
- 11.00
30 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Every home should have this book!
It's rare to find a book that the all of my children enjoy reading, from ages 6 to 15, but this one captivated each child! The illustrations are gorgeous and the rhyming prose allowed the children to slow down and cherish each word, each page. The girl depicted here is of great courage and her story is miraculous! Thank you, Fr. Peregrine for writing something so true, good and beautiful! Every Catholic family should have a copy of this book. I will turn to Philomena much more often as a friend in faith, requesting her prayers and growing as I reflect more on her courage.
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Beautiful!
This is a beautiful story of St. Philomena told from her point of view. I’m this book we learn about her love of God from an early age. Born a princess, she was raised with wealth and status. The one thing that mattered to her, the only thing, was her love for God. Philomena wanted nothing more than to live for and please our Lord. Through her eyes, we see the attempt to marry her to Diocletian and the results of her refusal. All of this as told through her eyes takes away the more violent aspect we might be more familiar with when it comes to her martyrdom. Fr. Peregrine Fletcher takes a story that would be hard for a child to read and makes it less scary, less violent, and fills it with beautiful illustrations. Children will learn an important story about sacrifice from St. Philomena’s perspective with the goal and focus of the story being on her true love, Jesus Christ. I love this story and the illustrations. To read a book about a saint that we don’t hear about often is such a treat and I am grateful to have received a copy. Thank you to Fr. Peregrine Fletcher and TAN Books for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.
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A Beautiful Way to Learn about Saint Philomena
The illustrations in the book are breathtaking and help to bring Fr. Peregrine’s words to life. My children, myself and even my mother learned a great deal about Saint Philomena and it was a wonderful entertaining way to learn! Loved how the words flowed throughout the book and kept the reader and audience entertained the entire time.
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Philomena: A Saint for our times!
One of our hosts here at Avoiding Babylon named his newest daughter Philomena. We were lucky enough to review the wonderful Fr Peregrine Fletcher on this book. It is a wonderful telling of the story of this wonderworker saint and is a great story for all children in our times.
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A captivating story for the whole family
An inspiring story about a saint my family and I weren’t familiar with. The life of St. Philomena, told through beautiful illustrations and lyrical prose, is a story we love sharing with our children. We would recommend this book to families looking to expand their knowledge of the saints, and find a role model on how faith and prayer can help during difficult times of our lives.
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A Miraculous Book
A story of true delight for both children and adults! What eloquent prose and artistically illustrated pages throughout the book. The reader is transported to these miraculous days as St. Philomena heroically withstands the miracles of God. What a great book for Catholic schools and families. I plan to continue to gift this to friends with children. This is a true work of God through Fr. Peregrine.
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This book truly blessed our family!
This book is such a beautiful explanation of the incredible life of young St. Philomena and such a magnificent tribute to her life. How important for our children to have her as an example of courage, devotion to Jesus and strong unshakable faith. My children loved following along with the gorgeous illustrations while learning her story, and it sparked meaningful Christ-centered conversations. We now have a dear friend in St. Philomena as we now ask for her daily intercession. This book truly blessed our family!
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My son loves this book!
The illustrations in this book are stunning! I didn't know what to expect when I got this book and reading about the life of Philomena in a poetic form was beautiful. My son chooses this book every night because he loves the pictures so much. I love reading the story so for us its a win-win! This is a beautiful story and one that will withstand time on our bookshelf!
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An example of faith
Fr. Peregrine wrote this wonderful book to share St. Philomena with others. St. Philomena's faith, courage, and strength are amazing examples to us. God sustained her through all of her trials and helped her to persevere. My Name is Philomena will help a new generation of readers to know and appreciate not only St. Philomena but understand even more how much God loves and cares for us.
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Excellent for little girls!
My two young girls love this book -- the illustrations and the story are perfect! It is great to see more female saint stories for our kids. A great addition to our Catholic home library.
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Beautiful retelling of a young martyr's story!
St. Philomena's story is powerful, and this picture book brings her biography to the level of a child. Bright and lovely illustrations accompany the true, but gentle, retelling of her martyrdom. This book also does a wonderful job depicting Consecrated Virginity. Happy to add this to my classroom library!
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An enchanting story that inspires readers of all ages to be like St. Philomena
"My Name Is Philomena: A Saint's Story" is a beautifully crafted book that introduces all readers to the inspiring life of St. Philomena. With its engaging storytelling and delightful illustrations, this book captures the hearts and imaginations of all and inspires readers to greater faith, courage, and prayer. The illustrations in the book are enchanting, bringing to life the radiant joy of St. Philomena. Each page is filled with detail and warmth, captivating souls and immersing them in the beauty of her story. It is clearly the fruit of great devotion and love from its author! It shines through the pages. I highly recommend "My Name Is Philomena: A Saint's Story" to religious, fathers, mothers, teachers, and anyone seeking a meaningful and captivating book. It will not only entertain but also inspire you and others to embrace your own faith and aspire to be like St. Philomena, a shining example of love, courage, and devotion to God.