What to do with your baptism? A short guide for beginners and beginners
♦ For you who have received baptism, by Guillaume-François Saling
Éditions Emmanuel, 200 p., €13
Baptized at adulthood, carried by the enthusiasm of an encounter or a conversion, by preparation for baptism, by “the joy of the sacrament”, certain neophytes nevertheless move away from the Church, affected by a feeling of boredom or solitude. How can we help them maintain their interest in the Christian life?
Written in “you”, like a letter addressed to everyone, this little book first invites you to an “inner pilgrimage”: to discover yourself “in the light of God’s gaze.” Because he knows us better than we know ourselves.” Essential knowledge to discover one’s real vocation, which is the key to happiness.
The second part invites us to know God better, because “this pilgrimage is not a quest for oneself closed in on itself, it is truly an elevation of the soul towards God”. Opening oneself to the presence of God, to the action of the sacraments and to the moral life promotes this interior transformation.
Finally, the author offers some advice “that was useful to me or that I would have liked to have received earlier in my journey”. He urges patience (faith is a marathon), hope in the face of trials, and charity in Christian communities, which are always imperfect.
A former neophyte himself, involved with catechumens, Guillaume-François Saling speaks from experience. Taking his reader by the hand, he offers here a guide which can come “in support” of support in the parish. A simple book of great spiritual depth so that the “treasure” of baptism enriches the entire duration and depth of a life.
A beautiful Gospel for 7-8 year olds
♦ The Gospel of my first communion
Bayard Jeunesse, 100 p., €14.90
This new Gospel from Bayard Jeunesse for 7-8 year olds presents the main events reported by the four evangelists: the Annunciation made to Mary, the birth of Jesus, the adoration of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, his most beautiful encounters (the Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus…), some parables and speeches (the Beatitudes), two miracles… up to his Passion, his death and his resurrection.
Each short chapter presents an extract from the Gospel, rewritten for children. The next page provides answers to questions they might have. The whole is richly illustrated by Marcelino Truong. Only one regret, we would have liked to see the welcome that Jesus reserves for children in the Gospel of Mark included.
Develop your relationship with God
♦ The Children’s Missal
Mame, 96 p., €14.95
To nourish the spiritual life of children (7-10 years old), Mame editions offer three pretty little books. The Children’s Missal unfolds the Sunday mass according to the ordinary rite, with short explanatory paragraphs which allow the child to understand what is happening and to participate.
Two other volumes, Christian Prayers for Children and My Spi Notebook, bring together classic prayers, but also for the moments and emotions of daily life. My spi notebook, with a more personal tone, left blank pages, inviting the child to develop their own prayer. The Missal and the Christian Prayers also give certain texts in Latin, a choice which could be surprising for children, unless it is a question of including in the proposal those who are required, regularly or occasionally, to follow a mass in Latin.
Eight holy ambassadors of the earth in comics
♦ The Great Witnesses in comics, vol. 6. Eight defenders of the earth
Bayard Jeunesse, 100 p., €14.90
In the collection “The Great Witnesses” from Bayard Jeunesse, the recently published 6th volume presents in comics the lives of eight Christians, saints or not, from all eras and all continents, who had a concern for life, animals, and nature.
Famous or less known, they saw in the earth a gift from God to be cared for and protected, they studied it, they fought against deforestation in Africa or the Amazon, reminded men of their duties towards it. Francis of Assisi, Hildegard of Bingen, Dorothy Stang and even Pope Francis, the life of each is treated in around ten drawn pages, opened by a presentation text. An album that could inspire vocations. From 8-10 years old.
The life of Joan of Arc in manga
Joan of Arc, the manga, by Nick Meylaender and Albert Carrères
Mame, 200 p. €13.90
This work reveals the life of Joan of Arc, who left everything to fight for her country at the call of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint Marguerite, and became a model of faith and trust in God, proving that faith moves mountains. A work that can reach young manga fans from the age of 8. The book traces not only the short and intense life of the Maid of Domrémy, but also her place in the collective imagination up to the present day.
A historical novel in the time of the catacombs
In the name of light, the promise of the catacombs, by Clotilde Jannin
Emmanuel Jeunesse, 272 p. €15.50
In Rome, in 303 AD, Emerentienne, a young slave, Agnes, 13 years old, daughter of her masters, and Sixtus, their friend, decide to help Christians in the grip of persecution desired by the Emperor Diocletian. This exciting novel, accessible from 11 years old, immerses young readers in 4th century Rome and takes them on an adventure where friendship and hope mingle with courage and surpassing oneself, provoking reflection on freedom of conscience.
A bible in mind maps
My first Bible in mental maps, by Élisabeth de Lambilly and Mayalen Goust
Bayard Jeunesse, 60 p., €15.90
With this work, Bayard jeunesse editions offer a clear, colorful and beautifully illustrated tool for understanding and retaining the main elements of the Bible, giving an overview of numerous characteristics: the books of the Old and New Testaments, the main characters, the psalms, the parables, the symbols, the country of Jesus… A book to offer from 7 years old, but which can also be very appreciated by adolescents.
