CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Simple Catholic Stories for Children

by Patricia Steiger

The Caterpillar That Came to Church
A Story of the Eucharist
by Irene H. Hooker, Susan Andrews Brindle and Miriam Andrews Lademan; translated into Spanish by Sister Jane Frances Houtman, D.H.S. and Luz Maria Jimenez de Martinez
Our Sunday Visitor
61 pp.
410/398-7394

The Butterfly That Found Her Way Home
A Story of Forgiveness
by Miriam Andrew Lademan and Susan Andrews Brindle
translated into Spanish by Carmen Ana Emmanuelli Klosterman
Precious Life Books, Inc.
51 pp.
410/398-7394

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue
and the Knights of Our Lady
by Joan Andrews Bell, Susan Andrews Bridle, and Miriam Andrew Lademan; translated
into Spanish by Carmen Ana Emmanuelli Klosterman
Precious Life Books, Inc.
57 pp.
410/398-7394


    The authors of The Caterpillar that Came to Church have done a wonderful thing—to explain the Sacrifice of the Mass and the mystery of the Real Presence in a way that children can see with their hearts, what cannot be seen with their eyes. The illustrations are primitive, colorful and simple, yet effective in supporting the text. Full-page illustrations face each page of text, making the book suitable for even very young children. The text is printed in both English and Spanish. Although some of the opening scenes tend to be somewhat silly, once the story really begins it has a warm sincerity and childlike charm.
    The story is told through the life of a caterpillar who has the misadventure to fall from a tree into the purse of a lady going to Mass. The caterpillar, Mariana, having come into the Church by accident tries to find her way safely out again. Just as she is about to make her escape, she notices the altar for the first time. It is here that the story really starts. She sees what many children, and adults, are too preoccupied to see—the priest, the tabernacle and, lastly, the crucifix. When she sees the crucifix, “her little heart is so filled with grief and remorse, and so filled with love for Jesus, that tears came to here eyes and she began to cry.” Then she sees that Jesus is there—alive—and looking at her.
    Jesus picks her up and carries her to the altar, where, together, they watch the priest say the words of the consecration. The consecration is explained simply, clearly and beautifully. The little caterpillar sees our Lord’s face in the Blessed Sacrament, sees His blood from His crown of thorns fall into the chalice and realizes that “when the consecration is completed at every Mass, Our Lord is there, really and truly present on the altar.” As Jesus
holds her in His hands, she kisses His wounds and knows that Jesus has changed her and she will never be the same—and she was not. She was transformed into a butterfly by Jesus who tells her that “Everything is possible through love.”
    In gratitude and love, Mariana promises to always stay with Jesus. Her vision ends and she cannot see Him any longer, yet she knows He is there—in the tabernacle. She flies up to the very front of the church and sets herself on the shoulder of the marble statue of Christ crucified. The butterfly knew “there was no greater love.” Thereafter, Mariana “lived atop the statue of Jesus over the beautiful tabernacle where Jesus in the Eucharist lived.”
    The story of Mariana, the butterfly, continues in the sequel The Butterfly That Found Her Way Home. This story is about the breaking of promises to God, and about God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. This loving sacrament is often the cause of anxiety and misunderstanding for children (and their parents). This story shows that the Sacrament of Penance is a sacrament of love and reconciliation. Again, the words and pictures are simple, and the lesson is lovingly presented.
    Mariana goes outside the Church to tell her other woodland friends about Jesus. Some of these creatures come to live in the Church too—a family of young mice and a skeptical cricket named Victor. They always asked Mariana to go to Jesus in the tabernacle and tell Him things—but they were too afraid to go themselves. However, Mariana tries always to encourage them to go to Jesus themselves and to talk with Him.
    The cricket tells the mice they are too lowly and unworthy to go to Jesus and it is only because Mariana is beautiful that Jesus listens to her words. The mice found Victor’s cynical words easier to believe than Mariana’s encouraging words of truth. The mice were content with their safe, uncomplicated life in the back of the Church.
    The cynical cricket then begins to sow doubt in Mariana’s mind about the usefulness of her staying in the Church, telling her she was selfish and that if she really wanted to do God’s will, she would go out into the world. She decided to travel to the neighboring woods and fields to tell others about Jesus—but promises to return to His house every night. This promise is eventually broken. She becomes absorbed in the “day to day business and quarrels of the forest inhabitants. She began to feel as though everything depended upon her. She talked less and less to Jesus....” She continues to stay away. Winter comes and she is beaten by the winds, she is cold and filled with doubt that Jesus would still love her. She then decides to return to the church.
    Mariana crawls home to the church, she cannot fly because her wings are torn and broken. She collapses outside the church, where the mice find her and carry her to their home under the confessional. There Mariana overhears “the priest whispering softly the words of absolution . . . and listens to the boy’s prayer” — his Act of Contrition. She also hears the priest gently tell the boy the story of the prodigal son and of the lost lamb. Mariana knows she must go to Jesus. She crawls back to the tabernacle, while the cynical cricket watches. Will Jesus love her now that she is not beautiful? Jesus tells her “you left Me, but when you were gone I was never away from you.” She is restored to her beauty and Victor realizes that “Jesus does love us, no matter how lowly or ugly!”
    The authors have also written a third book, Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue. This book is intended for older children, particularly those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The sacrament, however, gets very little attention. This story tells about the power of the Holy Rosary, in light of the history of the church, including St. Dominic’s fight against the heresies of the Albigenses. The main focus, however, is abortion. The aunt of three young children tells them about the crimes against the preborn children and how the Rosary, sacrifice, and prayer can save souls. Abortion is a delicate subject to teach children about. Unfortunately, the authors forget the youth of their audience and use terms such as “abortion mill” and “abortion chamber.” The authors set out to write a book about the Rosary and the Sacrament of Confirmation, but lost sight of their aim in their admirable passion against abortion. A parent wanting to teach their children about abortion may find this book useful; however, they should read it to themselves first and consider the effects of the language and subject matter on their children.    

Patricia Steiger is responsible for art research for The Catholic Faith magazine.

Return to Catholic Faith Sept/Oct 1997 Table of Contents

Return to Catholic Information Center on Internet's Periodicals