Our Holy Father, the Pope: The Papacy from Saint Peter to the Present

by Don R. Caffery, Emmanuel Beaudesson (Illustrator)

Who was the first pope? Who is the pope today? What does he do? And why do we need one anyway? The answers to these questions and more can be found in this beautifully illustrated book for children. Our Holy Father, the Pope takes us back to the time of Jesus so that we can learn about the origins and role of the Papacy. The storybook format begins with the Jesus calling Simon, Jesus renaming him Peter, meaning rock, and giving him the keys to the kingdom, and so on. It follows Peter as Jesus suffers, dies, and rises from the dead for all mankind. The descent of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the Church, and the death of Peter himself for the sake of Jesus also are described. The Church carries on with a new leader to replace Peter, as she has down through the centuries to our own day. As children will learn from this book, although the Church has adapted to the times, the tasks of our modern popes are not that different from those of Peter.The book includes brief biographies of some famous popes, a list of all the popes from Peter to the present, and a bibliography Includes beautiful and inspiring illustrations by renowned French illustrator Emmanuel Beaudesson.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 17, 2013

Reviews

[Julie Gianelloni Gianelloni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Caffery's informative and interesting book for children on the papacy is a wonderful introduction on the history of that institution. He explains how St. Peter was chosen to be the first pope and highlights four other popes. He answers basic questions children will have, such as where the pope lives and what the pope does. Perhaps most relevant in that our current pope is in delicate health, the author explains how new popes are chosen. At the end of the book, a list of all of the popes--from St. Peter to Pope Francis--appears, as well as a guide to scripture and tradition on the papacy. These later two items make this children's book a wonderful reference book for adults too.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Holy Father, the Pope is an illustrated-hardcover book that introduces your children to the papacy and four influential popes (not counting Peter). The first half of the book is dedicated solely to St. Peter. In these sections, your children will learn about who Peter was, how he got his name, and how he became the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. Your children will also read abbreviated Scripture passages in which Peter appears, including him walking on water, him denying Jesus, and him being given the keys to the Kingdom. They will also learn about his martyrdom and being crucified upside down.

The next part of the book focuses highlights four important popes - Clement I, Leo the Great, Pius X, and John Paul II. Each page includes a brief biography of who they were before they became pope, why they were important popes, and their feast days. These were all good choices, and there are dozens that could have been chosen in addition to these four. In fact, I wish they would have highlighted more than four, but there is a limit on how many pages you can put in a book. The last section explains what the pope does, where he lives, and how the new pope is selected. With watercolor-like illustrations on every page and a thorough guide to the papacy, your children will be educated about who the pope is in no time. 5 stars!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good gentle introduction to the papacy. The illustrations have a few hidden gems in them. We learned a lot! Highly recommended.