This gem of a book is best described in the words of Peter Kwasniewski, who has written the Foreword for our newly reprinted edition:
“Quite simply, it’s the loveliest, most charming, and in many ways most clever introduction to the liturgical calendar I’ve ever come across. It is informed by a deep Catholic love for the seasons of the year, the feasting and fasting, the great holy days, the pageantry of the saints and their stories, the underlying rhythm that connects nature, culture, and sanctity.”
And that is precisely what Enid Chadwick manages to capture: not simply the feasts of the Church's year, but its rhythm and pattern. With remarkably little text, her captivating artwork leads children from Advent through Corpus Christi, while the saints fill the months in between. The result is a parade of Catholic life in which the mysteries of Our Lord, the seasons of the Church, and the lives of the saints all belong together.
Chadwick herself was a High Church Anglican, but the calendar she depicts corresponds remarkably closely to the traditional Catholic calendar. In his foreword, Kwasniewski explains the few differences for Catholic readers, while also drawing attention to the rich liturgical heritage the two traditions share.
Chadwick's illustrations are simple and immediately appealing to young children, yet packed with delightful details and surprisingly rich teaching for those who look more closely—making My Book of the Church's Year a book to pore over again and again.
See photos comparing our newly reprinted edition with the original book here on our blog!
6" x 9.5" Hardcover 52 pages
