Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV
Compiled by: Shannon Wimp Schmidt, Eileen M. Ponder
Introduction by: Katie Prejean McGrady
Published by Ave Maria Press
I am still fascinated with our new pope, and I love reading anything I can about him! It’s also amazing to see all of the different men who have filled the seat of the papacy, and to reflect on what each of their papacies brought to the church. This book from Ave Maria press – Praying with the Popes – is a fun collection of the last 12 popes. I got to learn a little about each pope from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Leo XIV, and pray and reflect on what they each have to teach us.
The Format of this Book
I found this book to be most useful as a devotional to pick up during prayer time or bring to Adoration. It’s also a nice size to keep in my diaper bag if I am out and about and want something positive, prayerful, and educational to read.
Each pope’s sections includes the following:
- Dates of his pontificate
- A photo
- Papal motto (loved seeing these!)
- Brief biography of the pope
- “Words to enlighten and guide” which could be from:
- the pope’s writings (such as encyclicals)
- excerpts from speeches, addresses, Urbi et Orbi, or homilies
- a short “Reflect and Pray” for each writing
I do wish that there was glossary to find specific topics related to the different speeches and writings. For example, if you are teaching about Reconciliation, it would be helpful to be able to easily locate the reference for Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation on the topic.
The biographies are truly excellent! They really cover the key points and events in each pope’s life in just a few easily digestible pages.
How to Use this Book
As I mentioned above, this is a great little book to keep in my bag or car for Adoration or waiting at the dentist. It was interesting to see the excerpts from their homilies and encyclicals, and it encouraged me to look up the full document or homily to dive deeper.
Some of these popes have been canonized, so it would be great to pull out for their feast days.
You could also use it as an educational devotional in your classroom or homeschool. Choose 1 pope to read about each month. Since there are 12, you could have one for each month of the year!