It seems sad that I've only "officially" finished 18 books... There are so many books that I'm the the process of reading, it feels like this list should be much longer .. oh well, that's the life of a SAHM, right?
OK, on to the review.
On the positive side, APPARITIONS OF MODERN SAINTS (by Patricia Treece) gave me a much greater appreciation for the saints, and in particular the ones she mentioned. Like Father Martin's book MY LIFE WITH THE SAINTS, it reminded me that these were true flesh and blood people who experienced heartache, pain, disappointment, and all the other ills we fall prey to. I found it quite encouraging to think that, now that they have entered into eternal life, they can, in turn, encourage those who experience these same trials.
On the (minor) negative side, I had two problems: one, I had trouble following the organization of the book (especially the earlier chapters), so I felt tossed "back and forth" as I read it; and two, while it was encouraging that we have powerful brothers and sisters in Heaven who pray for us, it was hard to read about all the pain and suffering that those around us are experiencing. This second point had nothing to do with either the author or her writing ability -- I simply found that, my emotional state being what it is at the moment, I would have preferred to read less about suffering and more about joy.
In the final analysis, I can see why so many have a special devotion to St. Therese, or Padre Pio, or St. Don Bosco. I feel privileged to have been "introduced" to them in such a way, and plan on reading further about them. [actually, all three of them have been brought to my attention several times over the past couple of months, so I find it rather interesting to have this book in my hands... ]
I've already added more books to my queue!
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