March

Saint John Bosco (1815-1888)
Feast Day: January 31

Saint John Bosco, or "Don Bosco" (Italian), was a man of true compassion and faithfulness. Born in Italy in the 1800s, he was moved by the plight of young boys, aged 12 to 18, whom he saw imprisoned in Turin in his first assignment as a priest. He became determined to help these young boys stay off the streets, and used his childhood fascination with illusions and magic tricks to do thrilling performances that would get their attention—then preached to them! He worked tirelessly in the boys' care, finding them employment and shelter. Eventually, 800 boys were under Don Bosco's stewardship, and out of this grew his method of discipline, based on love rather than punishment, now known as the Salesian Preventive System. Over time, some of these boys discerned a call to the priesthood, and this was the origin of Don Bosco's foundation of the Salesians—The Society of St. Francis De Sales. There are more than 14,000 Salesians today. Don Bosco was also a prolific writer and historian, writing a history of Italy as well as multiple biographies, including a biography of one of his students who became a saint—Dominic Savio. Don Bosco is the patron of juvenile delinquents, apprentices, editors, publishers, schoolchildren, and magicians.

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A Story of St. John Bosco. Brother Ernest, C.S.C. Neumann Press, 2013. Compassion, Faithfulness. (K-2)
Though written in a somewhat old-fashioned style, this book does an excellent job of capturing the fun-loving spirit of John Bosco. Pleasant black-and-white illustrations accompany an engaging story that will entertain and inspire young listeners. 
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John Bosco: Champion for Youth. Liguori Publications, 2014. Compassion, Faithfulness. (K-2) Part of the Saints and Me! series, this book tells the story of St. John Bosco's life in an approachable way with colorful watercolor-and-ink illustrations. A great introduction to the key points of his life and what drove him to his mission of compassion. 

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Saint John Bosco and His Big Gray Dog. Hayley Medeiros. Caritas Press, 2015. Compassion, Faithfulness. (2-4)
John Bosco often had to take dangerous walks alone late at night when returning home—vulnerable to robbers and even assassins. One day, a huge gray dog appeared by his side, and remained his protector. A charmingly-told rendition of a fascinating and mysterious story, though the painted interior illustrations are a weak point of this book. 

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Saint John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio. Catherine Beebe. Ignatius Press, 1992. Compassion, Faithfulness. (5-6) Older children will enjoy this novelistic rendition of the lives of two saints whose lives influenced one another—St. John Bosco and his young pupil St. Dominic Savio, who passed away at the age of 14 and was later canonized partly thanks to St. John Bosco writing his biography. The book includes black-and-white illustrations at the head of each chapter and offers a more in-depth look at two remarkable lives.

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Saint Patrick (c. 400 AD)
Feast Day: March 17

Saint Patrick's feast day is one of the few feast days still celebrated in the secular world, but there's much more to this saint than three-leafed clovers and everything green. In fact, Patrick is a great example for our March virtues of compassion, faithfulness, and mercy.  Born in Britain but captured at age 16 by Irish pirates, he served as a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping back to Britain inspired by a divine voice. 

Later, he heard the same divine voice telling him to go back to Ireland as a missionary. He trained as a priest and went back to Ireland to serve the Christians there and spread the faith. 

St. Patrick was known for incorporating Irish culture into his preaching (including using the three-leafed clover as a symbol for the Trinity) and a legend tells that he expelled all the snakes from Ireland. The exact date of this great saint's life are not known, but he has exercised timeless influence.

Saint Patrick the Forgiver: The History and Legends of Ireland's Bishop. Ned Bustard. IVP Kids, 2023. (1-2) Compassion, Forgiveness, Mercy, Faithfulness. 
The latest book on St. Patrick, this rhymed tale puts the emphasis on Patrick's forgiveness of the Irish who had enslaved him.

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Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland. Tomie dePaola. Holiday House, 1992. (K-3) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
The story of Saint Patrick with Tomie dePaola's characteristic storytelling and winsome illustrations.

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Saint Patrick. Ann Tompert. Boyds Mills Press, 1998. (K-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
A simple, gracefully illustrated rendition of St. Patrick's story.

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The Story of Saint Patrick: A Story of Unselfish Devotion. Brother Francis Books, 2018. (K-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
Part of the Brother Francis series of books on Catholic saints, this book tells the story of St. Patrick's faithfulness to the Irish people.

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BONUS: Patrick's Day. Elizabeth Lee O'Donnell. Illustrated by Jaqueline Rogers. HarperCollins, 1994. (1-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
Not a book about St. Patrick but with a quick nod at his story, this is the tale of a young boy called Patrick who thinks that the St. Patrick's Day parade is for him and so he has responsibilities: "If you're a special person with your own special day, there are certain things you have to do—whether you want to or not." When his family disillusions him (telling some of the story of St. Patrick along the way), he is extremely disappointed and tries on being bad for size. He learns his lesson and eventually his community comes along to support him, too. 

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