Intercede: Saints for Concerning Occasions

by Jennifer Clark

Jennifer Clark’s Saints for Concerning Occasions offers us a fresh perspective on the world of Catholic saints. Here you will find saints both familiar and obscure, canonized and uncanonized, recognized and rejected. Using a combination of original poetry, lively commentary, and exquisite illustrations, Clark relates their stories with insight, pathos, and humor, creating nothing less than a new, down-to-earth calendar of saints, perfect for the present day.

Genres: Catholic

170 pages, Paperback

Published May 6, 2025

Reviews

[Tierney Chabot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up this volume at the PBF, so glad I did. I found this volume of poetry and art to be quite touching. I loved encountering someone else relating, through poetry, to many of the saints I have loved throughout my life. I particularly enjoyed the piece on St Martin de Porres and the accompanying art work.

[TsarinaTyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of poetry based on the lives and works of saints was interesting but a bit difficult to read. Just before the notes section, the author writes, "When I told my mother I was pulling together some notes for this book, she asked, 'Do people have to read these notes?' Then the author responds, "I'll tell you the same thing I told her. No, you don't have to read them. But I hope you do." I think her answer to her mother should have been a resounding, "Yes!" These 'notes' are vital and should have been included either before or after each poem to give insight on each saint instead of being included at the end of all of the poetry. Without this understanding, the poems make little sense and don't have nearly the impact they should, and would, if the notes were adjacent. It seems the author has completed extensive research on the saints and has written some interesting poetry in tribute to them, but reading this (particularly in digital format) was difficult, having to go back and forth to find out the meaning of the poems. Cudos to the author for interesting research, information, and poetry, but not for the format in which it is presented.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting mix of poetry and prose dedicated to the saints. I was raised Catholic, and although I’ve never truly vibed with the religion, and I’m an openly practicing pagan now, I still pray to some saints fairly regularly. (Old habits die hard, I suppose). While I would have appreciated reading the author’s notes alongside the works dedicated to the saints, I also enjoyed getting introduced to them through the author’s eyes first. Clark’s unique way of presenting them, whether through poems or prose, or short anecdotes, gives you a new view of the ones you’re familiar with. For the ones you aren’t, it’s an interesting way to first meet them. If you’re interested in the saints, or just poetry and short literary fiction but don’t mind a religious tint, then you’ll likely enjoy this!