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Saint Training
Mary Clare is on the lookout for a miracle. Mary Clare O’Brian is determined to be a saint when she grows up (the halo will help cover her frizzy hair). But lately none of her prayers seem to be working the way she wants them to: her mother is losing her faith, her parents can’t pay all the bills, and her brother receives a draft notice for the war in Vietnam. Mary Clare has a plan to help, but it just doesn’t seem to be working. How is she supposed to become a saint when her world is falling apart? Dear Mother Superior, My name is Mary Clare O'Brian and I am in sixth grade. I would like to join the convent right after 8th grade before I start liking boys too much. I’m already having problems with boys liking me. Gregory in my class throws spitballs at me and told my best friend he likes me. I haven’t told him that I want to be God’s bride yet. Do you think I should?
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 27, 2010
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388 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
June 10, 2021
Catholicism, wow! This book is great. Agree with other readers about the incredible sin of getting your Saint Thereses bungled, but otherwise this is a perfect boomer time capsule. It sounds exactly like my mom's childhood except that Mary Elizabeth lives somewhere between Milwaukee and Janesville, WI, and she is destined to become a saint. She's already a martyr, being the oldest daughter in a gendered household with too many children because her parents are good Catholics too, and they are struggling to afford everything and parochial school. Mary Elizabeth is called into the principal's office and given a note that the funds for her little sister's First Communion supplies are overdue and the parents need to pay them or the kid will do without. Mary Elizabeth decides that, instead of burdening her chain-smoking, pregnant mom and harried dad, she will raise the $10 herself. I loved how this book portrays a human range of religious, from the utterly unsympathetic, principal-of-the-school nun to the young, questioning nun, to the priest who gives Mary Elizabeth everything in his pocket during confession to go towards her sister's Communion fund. Mary Elizabeth then sells her glow-in-the-dark Mary statue to raise funds, which is also the start of her low-key plan to convert the heathen neighbors. I've run across this before, and it seems that glow-in-the-dark religious iconography was trending hard in the late pre-Vatican II era. I'm into it. Meanwhile, Mary Elizabeth's mom wants to get a job, her brother is a conscientious objector, her other brother wants to go to 'Nam, and Mary Elizabeth is corresponding with a Mother Superior who is providing her tempered religious guidance and commentary. It all culminates in a party and a more Vatican II take on being and spirituality. Loved it. Highly recommend. I finished it and immediately bought a copy for my mom.
October 29, 2010
Right off the bat, we need get straight that St. Teresa of Avila wrote Interior Castle and that Interior Castle is not her autobiography. St. Therese the Little Flower's autobiography is Story of a Soul. I cannot believe for one moment that a Mother Superior would make that kind of major mistake (approximately page 40 of the book) and I'm quite surprised neither the author nor the various people mentioned in the author's acknowledgement caught that mistake. For a story around the correspondence between a 6th grade Catholic school girl and a nun, I cannot excuse this mistake.
This book what not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a cute story about a 6th grader who wants to be a saint that would bring back some of my Catholic school memories. Instead it was more of the author's memoir (as she states in her afterward)written as fiction. I thought it seemed more of a commentary of the changes in the Catholic Church and society as a whole in the 1960s and about coming of age during that time. The author mentions changes in the Church that came as a result of Vatican II but makes no mention or acknowledgement of the Vatican II documents themselves. I was expecting to see a reference or citation in the afterwards or acknowledgements but there is none.
After finishing the book, I feel the only audience is women who went to Catholic school in the 1960s. This is not a middle-school or high school book. As a Catholic school girl of the 1980s, I did chuckle at a few things, but not enough to recommend this book.
Thank you Goodreads First Reads for my copy of this book.
This book what not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a cute story about a 6th grader who wants to be a saint that would bring back some of my Catholic school memories. Instead it was more of the author's memoir (as she states in her afterward)written as fiction. I thought it seemed more of a commentary of the changes in the Catholic Church and society as a whole in the 1960s and about coming of age during that time. The author mentions changes in the Church that came as a result of Vatican II but makes no mention or acknowledgement of the Vatican II documents themselves. I was expecting to see a reference or citation in the afterwards or acknowledgements but there is none.
After finishing the book, I feel the only audience is women who went to Catholic school in the 1960s. This is not a middle-school or high school book. As a Catholic school girl of the 1980s, I did chuckle at a few things, but not enough to recommend this book.
Thank you Goodreads First Reads for my copy of this book.
August 30, 2017
It is the spring of 1967. Mary Clare O`Brian, who is in 6th grade in a Catholic school, is the fourth of nine children, and the oldest daughter. Due to her family's financial problems, Mary Clare turns her thoughts to supernatural ways to help out her family. She decides to try to become a saint, in hopes God will help out her parents, if she is intended to be a saint. Mary Clare is a practical girl, though. She does not just rely on prayers to get what she wants. She practices saint-like behavior, and develops a plan where she'll first become a nun, then a mother superior, and then a saint.
Ironically, as Mary Clare begins her journey of learning how to be a submissive , saintly soul, her mother is starting a journey that will end her days of being a "baby making machine". She is making plans that will get her a college education and a job, so their very large family can get out of debt. This leads to a summer where Mary Clare is basically the main cook, cleaner and child caregiver in the family. The males in her family do absolutely no cooking or cleaning, except for cleaning out the garage. Remember, this is the 1960's. Her father, who either works from home or is on the road, does not want his wife to get a job, because it would "orphan" the children, and make him seem incapable of supporting his family. He greatly appreciates Mary Clare taking over for her mother, while her mother goes back to school.
How Mary Clare reacts to the summer of 1967 is what is so important about this book. With her ambitions to be a saint, and her intense desire to help her family, she could have easily decided to become "mommy" to everyone in the family, to out mother her own mother, to never complain, to always be the one who does everything for everyone . . . for the rest of her life. In other words, she could have developed a major martyr complex, secretly felt sorry for herself forever, and even passed down her martyr complex to a future daughter. But Mary Clare does not do this. While she does all the required work, she does sometimes complain and, more importantly, she realizes she does not want to be subservient for the rest of her life.
This is not a harsh story. This is actually a very kindhearted story, and a very intelligent story. The Catholic Church has probably produced more women with martyr complexes than any other organized religion. It also is having to pay millions of dollars in our current times to people who were sexually abused as children by priests. It is martyr type women who allow grown men to behave like children or adolescents, who put up with alcoholic or abusive men, who sometimes turn a blind eye to child molesting. The men of the Catholic Church did not stop the pervert priests; they simply transferred them to other places where they could molest again. Where were the women of the Catholic Church when all of this was going on? Where were the nuns and the mothers of the children? Why did they not see what was going on and stop it? This is not to suggest women are responsible for the action of men, as so many men who do atrocious things like to believe. This is to ponder the question if women were not subservient in the Catholic Church, would there now be dioceses going bankrupt due to pervert priests and their superiors who protected them?
This book does not bash men or the Catholic Church. While showing some of the Church's shortcomings, it also shows things many Catholics were very proud of back in the 1960's, such as priest and nuns joining in on civil rights marches. It quotes a speech by Archbishop Cousins of Milwaukee in August of 1967, where he stated: " . . . permit me to say that it is the scared duty of the faithful, the priests, and the Religious of our time and of our Archdiocese to root out of their hearts and to free their communities of any prejudice that would make men anti-Jewish, anti-Negro, anti-Mexican or anti- anything else that would render them anti-Christian in practice".
Unfortunately, it's doubtful the archbishop was thinking about women when he said "anti- anything". It is doubtful he was concerned about prejudices against women, especially those in his own church. But Mary Clare was concerned about this matter. Saint Training ends in the fall of 1967, with her addendum for the "Religious Vocational Essay Contest". The Mary Clare who wrote the addendum was not the Mary Clare who wrote the original essay. In her addendum, she states: "I think the people who originally thought God wanted women to be submissive to men were men. They heard what they wanted to hear ."
One imagines Mary Clare did not hear she won the contest. One also imagines a real Mary Clare back in 1967 would not have acquired so much wisdom at such a young age. Nevertheless, Mary Clare is a good role model for girls, Catholic or not. She does not end up taking the road to sainthood, but instead chooses the road to womanhood--an admirable type of womanhood, where women are not martyrs and not subservient to men.
P.S. Above is my original 5-star review for Saint Training. I was one of the book's biggest fans, until I decided to research Archbishop Cousins, who is highly admired in this book, in both the story and in the "author's notes". It turns out Archbishop Cousins protected, aided and abetted Father Lawrence Murphy--one of the worst child molesting priests in the United States. It is estimated Father Murphy may have sexually abused up to 100 children in a Catholic school for deaf children. When Archbishop Cousins found out about this, instead of turning the priest over to the authorities or even kicking him out of the priesthood, he transferred Father Murphy to another diocese, where he would work with and sexually abuse more children.
I find it hard to believe the author of Saint Training did not know this, since she is a Catholic from the Milwaukee area. I find it even harder to believe, that if she indeed did know this, she put Archbishop Cousins in this children's book, and spoke of him in such an admiring way. Did she think his good words about civil rights cancelled out his bad deeds involving Father Murphy? One reason I liked Saint Training so much was because the young protagonist of the story, Mary Clare, appeared to be heading for an adult life where she would never condone the bad behavior of men, including Catholic clergymen. Another reason is because the book appeared to be written by someone who truly loved children. But yet we have the glowing presence of Archbishop Cousins . . . five glowing stars get knocked down to a tarnished one.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)
Ironically, as Mary Clare begins her journey of learning how to be a submissive , saintly soul, her mother is starting a journey that will end her days of being a "baby making machine". She is making plans that will get her a college education and a job, so their very large family can get out of debt. This leads to a summer where Mary Clare is basically the main cook, cleaner and child caregiver in the family. The males in her family do absolutely no cooking or cleaning, except for cleaning out the garage. Remember, this is the 1960's. Her father, who either works from home or is on the road, does not want his wife to get a job, because it would "orphan" the children, and make him seem incapable of supporting his family. He greatly appreciates Mary Clare taking over for her mother, while her mother goes back to school.
How Mary Clare reacts to the summer of 1967 is what is so important about this book. With her ambitions to be a saint, and her intense desire to help her family, she could have easily decided to become "mommy" to everyone in the family, to out mother her own mother, to never complain, to always be the one who does everything for everyone . . . for the rest of her life. In other words, she could have developed a major martyr complex, secretly felt sorry for herself forever, and even passed down her martyr complex to a future daughter. But Mary Clare does not do this. While she does all the required work, she does sometimes complain and, more importantly, she realizes she does not want to be subservient for the rest of her life.
This is not a harsh story. This is actually a very kindhearted story, and a very intelligent story. The Catholic Church has probably produced more women with martyr complexes than any other organized religion. It also is having to pay millions of dollars in our current times to people who were sexually abused as children by priests. It is martyr type women who allow grown men to behave like children or adolescents, who put up with alcoholic or abusive men, who sometimes turn a blind eye to child molesting. The men of the Catholic Church did not stop the pervert priests; they simply transferred them to other places where they could molest again. Where were the women of the Catholic Church when all of this was going on? Where were the nuns and the mothers of the children? Why did they not see what was going on and stop it? This is not to suggest women are responsible for the action of men, as so many men who do atrocious things like to believe. This is to ponder the question if women were not subservient in the Catholic Church, would there now be dioceses going bankrupt due to pervert priests and their superiors who protected them?
This book does not bash men or the Catholic Church. While showing some of the Church's shortcomings, it also shows things many Catholics were very proud of back in the 1960's, such as priest and nuns joining in on civil rights marches. It quotes a speech by Archbishop Cousins of Milwaukee in August of 1967, where he stated: " . . . permit me to say that it is the scared duty of the faithful, the priests, and the Religious of our time and of our Archdiocese to root out of their hearts and to free their communities of any prejudice that would make men anti-Jewish, anti-Negro, anti-Mexican or anti- anything else that would render them anti-Christian in practice".
Unfortunately, it's doubtful the archbishop was thinking about women when he said "anti- anything". It is doubtful he was concerned about prejudices against women, especially those in his own church. But Mary Clare was concerned about this matter. Saint Training ends in the fall of 1967, with her addendum for the "Religious Vocational Essay Contest". The Mary Clare who wrote the addendum was not the Mary Clare who wrote the original essay. In her addendum, she states: "I think the people who originally thought God wanted women to be submissive to men were men. They heard what they wanted to hear ."
One imagines Mary Clare did not hear she won the contest. One also imagines a real Mary Clare back in 1967 would not have acquired so much wisdom at such a young age. Nevertheless, Mary Clare is a good role model for girls, Catholic or not. She does not end up taking the road to sainthood, but instead chooses the road to womanhood--an admirable type of womanhood, where women are not martyrs and not subservient to men.
P.S. Above is my original 5-star review for Saint Training. I was one of the book's biggest fans, until I decided to research Archbishop Cousins, who is highly admired in this book, in both the story and in the "author's notes". It turns out Archbishop Cousins protected, aided and abetted Father Lawrence Murphy--one of the worst child molesting priests in the United States. It is estimated Father Murphy may have sexually abused up to 100 children in a Catholic school for deaf children. When Archbishop Cousins found out about this, instead of turning the priest over to the authorities or even kicking him out of the priesthood, he transferred Father Murphy to another diocese, where he would work with and sexually abuse more children.
I find it hard to believe the author of Saint Training did not know this, since she is a Catholic from the Milwaukee area. I find it even harder to believe, that if she indeed did know this, she put Archbishop Cousins in this children's book, and spoke of him in such an admiring way. Did she think his good words about civil rights cancelled out his bad deeds involving Father Murphy? One reason I liked Saint Training so much was because the young protagonist of the story, Mary Clare, appeared to be heading for an adult life where she would never condone the bad behavior of men, including Catholic clergymen. Another reason is because the book appeared to be written by someone who truly loved children. But yet we have the glowing presence of Archbishop Cousins . . . five glowing stars get knocked down to a tarnished one.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)
November 28, 2011
I read this book as a "pre-read" for a younger teenager. It was cute but since the author states that it is semi - autobiographic, I was bothered by a few details. Most notably, the Mother Superior in the story does not seem to know the difference between St Teresa of Avila and St Therese of Liseaux (The Little Flower) and the books that were written by the saints. This is minor to the story but major to me and my children :-)
May 30, 2025
I picked up this book because it caught my eye at the end of a row while I waited for one of my daughters to find more books at the library. The title made me open the book, and the funny letter which opened the book made me check it out and take it home.
It is set in 1967. The main character is the oldest daughter of a Catholic family, with three older brothers and five younger siblings. Corresponding with a Mother Superior and attending a parochial school, there are definite hints of The Trouble With Angels, the Ramona books, Anne Shirley, and Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.
There are also historical notes with the war in Vietnam and racial tensions in Wisconsin, where the book is set. My own father was a conscientious objector near that time, and I realized I do not know what his family's reaction to his decision was, just that Father Hesburgh had to defend it to the Navy which had given him a scholarship to attend Notre Dame.
I thought it would be a funny, fun read. It was, but it was also both sweeter and deeper than I had expected.
(But also, p. 147, using "oh" rather than "O" as a vocative always peeves me.)
It is set in 1967. The main character is the oldest daughter of a Catholic family, with three older brothers and five younger siblings. Corresponding with a Mother Superior and attending a parochial school, there are definite hints of The Trouble With Angels, the Ramona books, Anne Shirley, and Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.
There are also historical notes with the war in Vietnam and racial tensions in Wisconsin, where the book is set. My own father was a conscientious objector near that time, and I realized I do not know what his family's reaction to his decision was, just that Father Hesburgh had to defend it to the Navy which had given him a scholarship to attend Notre Dame.
I thought it would be a funny, fun read. It was, but it was also both sweeter and deeper than I had expected.
(But also, p. 147, using "oh" rather than "O" as a vocative always peeves me.)
November 17, 2010
This was a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. Mary Clare is an 11 year old girl in 1967 whose family is going through a really rough time. To combat the problems she sees tearing her family apart, she decides that she needs to become a saint. To do so, she elicits the help of a Mother Superior who runs a nunnery that places the babies of unwed mothers with good, Catholic parents. It's a coming of age story on a different scope of some, like Judy Blume, in that Mary Clare has to reconcile what she has been taught in her Catholic school with what the world is like. She must contend with the "sins" of her own selfishness, the rise of feminism, the emotions of the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the theological debates that rage within her church that threaten to void all that she knows and holds dear. She comes to understand that the world of adults is full of interpretation, and her interpretation is both similar and different--and that that's OK.
November 29, 2010
Mary Clare O'Brian wants to be a nun. Well, REALLY, she wants to be Mother Superior. And if we're being completely honest, she wants to be a saint. This is historical fiction set in the late 1960s and she's full of bargains with God. She'll be the best person ever if things start getting better for her family. But they don't. Her mom starts acting weird and her brother gets drafted and then her mom scandalizes the neighborhood by wanting to get a job outside the home.
I loved this book. Faith is obviously a huge part of the book but not in an obnoxious or overly preachy way. I'm not Catholic but I felt this book did a great job of explaining certain beliefs and rituals without it disrupting the narrative flow.
This book is perfect for middle-grade readers (late elementary school and middle school) and it's also a really interesting look at life in the 1960s. I didn't know, for example, that some dioceses were involved in the civil rights movement (and cheers for the ones that were).
This is an absolutely delightful book and I love Mary Clare O'Brian.
I loved this book. Faith is obviously a huge part of the book but not in an obnoxious or overly preachy way. I'm not Catholic but I felt this book did a great job of explaining certain beliefs and rituals without it disrupting the narrative flow.
This book is perfect for middle-grade readers (late elementary school and middle school) and it's also a really interesting look at life in the 1960s. I didn't know, for example, that some dioceses were involved in the civil rights movement (and cheers for the ones that were).
This is an absolutely delightful book and I love Mary Clare O'Brian.
November 18, 2010
Though I am not at all Catholic, I wanted to read this book about a young, conflicted Catholic girl because my husband is very much an adult, conflicted, Catholic male. The main character in "Saint Training" is a sixth grader who starts the book wanted to become a nun, goes to a Catholic school, and helps take care of her large family. It's a short book, filled with all the heartbreak any kid goes through. I read it in one sitting, and my heart aches for Mary Clare & what she goes through with her family, from her confusion with religion, to liking boys & struggling to help with family responsibilities while trying to be a kid. I think anyone who was raised a Catholic should read this book!
January 3, 2011
Mary Clare is 11 years old and the oldest girl of 9 children in a large Catholic family in 1967. She makes a deal with God that if He will provide their cash-strapped family with more money, she will become a saint...MC strikes up a correspondence with a Mother Superior of a convent in a nearby state and asks her all the tough questions...but in the end finds out that even Mother Superior doesn't have all the answers about God and His ways....and that everyone's beliefs and ways of seeing God are different. I loved Mary Clare and her spunky ways!
November 15, 2010
I've won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I look forward to reading it.
11/10/10 Received it today so I will start reading it in a day or 2. It looks good.
11/15/10 Loved this book. Quite funny in the beginning, but dealt with some very serious subjects of the time (Viet Nam war, civil rights, women's rights) along with spiritual issues and family life. This young lady did quite a bit of growing up over the summer of 1967.
11/10/10 Received it today so I will start reading it in a day or 2. It looks good.
11/15/10 Loved this book. Quite funny in the beginning, but dealt with some very serious subjects of the time (Viet Nam war, civil rights, women's rights) along with spiritual issues and family life. This young lady did quite a bit of growing up over the summer of 1967.
July 20, 2010
A refreshing coming of age novel. I think this has the potential to become a book club favorite if it reaches adults. I don't think it has much teen appeal and would be better suited for women 35 - 70.
August 17, 2010
SUMMER READING CLUB: "A good period book about the Catholic Church and her influence on youth at that time in the 1960s."
January 24, 2020
This book follows the journey of 11-year-old Mary Clare O'Brian as she strives to become a nun, and ultimately a saint. She tries to stop talking back to the nuns at her school, fighting with her eight brothers and sisters, and secretly liking boys in her head. She thinks that if she stops sinning, God will help her family, who is struggling to make ends meet after they find out another baby is on the way. Mary Clare just wants to see her family happy again but unfortunately that means her mother going back to school and taking a job as a teacher. It is unheard of for women to work outside the home in their 1960s small town community, Mrs. O'Brien's feminist view makes her neighbors turn up their noses. More responsibility falls on Mary Clare, who must constantly take care of the house and her siblings, which makes her an outcast with her friends. Meanwhile, the government is drafting young men to serve in Vietnam, and Mary Clare's two older brothers take different sides.
I found the story extremely engaging since I am interested in reading about large Catholic families. As an only child, I always wanted a big family even though it comes with significant challenges. Once can learn a lot about civil rights protests and conscientious objectors to the Vietnam War from this historical fiction tale. I can see how children today may not be interested in a story about Catholicism, but Mary Clare ends up falling away from her faith a little bit. I didn't agree with her conclusion, considering how devout she was throughout the entire book. Still, children will learn the value of serving their family and sticking to one's beliefs despite what society thinks. Mary Clare encourages readers that middle school is a time to question everything and form one's own opinion after learning both sides of an issue. Mary Clare is a likable protagonist and I just wish this book was written in the 1st person.
Also, I must note that "The Interior Castle" is stated in the book to be St. Therese of Lisieux's autobiography, when her autobiography is actually "Story of a Soul." I am sorry that this error was overlooked, but it does not really detract from the plot.
I found the story extremely engaging since I am interested in reading about large Catholic families. As an only child, I always wanted a big family even though it comes with significant challenges. Once can learn a lot about civil rights protests and conscientious objectors to the Vietnam War from this historical fiction tale. I can see how children today may not be interested in a story about Catholicism, but Mary Clare ends up falling away from her faith a little bit. I didn't agree with her conclusion, considering how devout she was throughout the entire book. Still, children will learn the value of serving their family and sticking to one's beliefs despite what society thinks. Mary Clare encourages readers that middle school is a time to question everything and form one's own opinion after learning both sides of an issue. Mary Clare is a likable protagonist and I just wish this book was written in the 1st person.
Also, I must note that "The Interior Castle" is stated in the book to be St. Therese of Lisieux's autobiography, when her autobiography is actually "Story of a Soul." I am sorry that this error was overlooked, but it does not really detract from the plot.
May 4, 2022
Sixth grader Mary Claire O'Brien wants to one day become Mother Superior and writes a letter to the local mother superior to explain why. In the sometimes humorous correspondence that develops between the two, she not only wonders about the requirements to become a nun (before she starts liking boys too much), but also about the rapidly changing Catholic church in 1967. As Mary Claire attempts to improve her behavior (she's hoping to also become a saint) she becomes aware of exactly how many times she sins everyday by the weight of pebbles she keeps in her pockets. This could be a problem in her future career, not to mention that she's not sure she could give the vow of obedience. In addition to her saint training, there are other things happening around her that she doesn't understand. For example, two of her brothers are at odds with their father, one because he's not out of high school and wants to enlist in the army to fight in the Vietnam war, and the other because he's trying to receive the conscientious objector status so he won't be drafted and have to fight in that war. As well, the recent riots in Milwaukee concerning unfair housing and segregated public schools force a statement from the local priest Father Gropi concerning his views on civil rights. But her mother's decision to find a job outside the house as the woman's movement takes hold might be the issue with which Mary Claire must grapple the most. How will she handle the ridicule from her friends and their parents, with whom she is already having a shaky relationship? The tumultuous setting forces Mary Claire to learn about herself and to consider her future in a way that might not have been possible prior to the combination of these events. This coming-of-age story is recommended not only for those readers in grades 6-9 who might have a religious interest in the changes occurring in the Catholic Church, but also to those who are interested in fiction based on historical events. There is a brief scene with mention of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
October 15, 2019
"Saint Training" made me laugh and made me cry which, in my estimation, makes it a great book. Mary Clare O'Brian is 11-year-old and determined to be a saint. She writes adorable letters to the Reverend Mother at St. Mary Magdalene Convent in Minneapolis to let her know of her plan to become a nun and asks her for a lot of advice on the best way to do so. The story takes place in the 60's at a time when the Catholic church was making drastic changes after Vatican II, the Civil Rights movement was gearing up, the women's liberation movement was in full force, and the Vietnam war was being protested by many Americans. (Gracious! That was a busy decade. How did I manage to live through it?) All of these issues come up in the book so while some parts are hysterically funny, other parts are heartbreaking and poignant.
This story is targeted toward middle schoolers so the language is clean. The topic can get pretty heavy as Mary Clare's family deals with most every situation going on in the world right in their own home. If you're considering it for your middle schooler, you'll have to decide if it's right for them based on this information.
This story is targeted toward middle schoolers so the language is clean. The topic can get pretty heavy as Mary Clare's family deals with most every situation going on in the world right in their own home. If you're considering it for your middle schooler, you'll have to decide if it's right for them based on this information.
May 18, 2012
REVIEW: Saint Training
Fixmer, E. (2010). Saint Training. Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz.
233 pages.
Appetizer: It's the spring of 1967 and sixth grader Mary Clare O'Brian has begun to write letters to the Mother Superior of a convent asking for advice. Mary Clare has the goal of becoming a saint. But with all the daily complications of having to look after her many brothers and sisters, her mother's fascination with reading The Feminine Mystique and a competition to write an essay on "What a religious vocation means to me...," Mary Clare is having trouble living up to her saintly aspirations.
She starts to realize how complicated life can be. Not only in terms of being good, but also in terms of her own family. Her mom, who is pregnant for the umpteenth time, wants to do other work than caring for her many kids at home and Mary Clare is left to do a lot of the work of caring for her siblings and wondering how her family can afford to care for another child. One of her brothers wants to enlist to go to Vietnam with his best friend, while another older brother wants to get status as a conscientious objector to the war.
The author, Elizabeth Fixmer, does an excellent job of presenting Mary Clare's faith as she goes from blind obedience and making deals with God to questioning aspects of Catholicism, earning "saint points" and beginning to view how complicated issues of faith in the real world can be.
For a reader who might not be very religious, a lot of the Catholicism could be a little overwhelming. I also felt like an older reader or adult would have to explain a bit about feminism for a younger reader to get the book. (In fact, the only aspect of this book that might not have to be discussed, is the historical setting. This book was a little too history--light for my personal tastes. Especially since the opening paragraph is about racial tensions and how Mary Clare imagined herself providing support to a black student she imagined being integrated at her Catholic school. I felt like a promise made early in the story was dropped, allowed to roll under a chair and forgotten until the very end.)
My favorite part of Saint Training was the exchange of letters between Mary Clare and Sister Monica. As the story continued, Mary Clare began to ask a lot of important questions. I found this very engaging.
But toward the end of the book, this also became frustrating, because Mary Clare revealed major plot developments in her letters without them being mentioned in the narration before. I found myself flipping back and forth between pages, wondering if I had missed something.
Overall, I liked that Saint Training took on issues of faith and social justice. I liked Mary Clare's childlike faith and the way that she took on adult concerns and worries over her family. But I did find some of the religion and jumps in the narrative to be a bit overwhelming at times.
Dinner Conversation:
"March 25, 1967
Dear Reverend Mother.
My name is Mary Clare O'Brian. I am in sixth grade and I am writing because I want to become a Good Shepherd nun. I like the Good Shepherd nuns best because you work with unwed mothers and their babies. I love little babies." (p. 7)
"Mary Clare finished her Social Studies test and turned it upside down to wait for the rest of the class. It was easy, mostly easy, and on the subject that Mary Clare had heard a lot about at home around the dinner table: civil rights. She couldn't believe that Negroes had to sit on the back of the bus in the South and even drink from different water fountains. They were fighting for basic rights, especially the right to vote. Mary Clare liked to imagine that a Negro girl entered her very class at Saint Maria Goretti School. She would show her around, become her friend, even hold the drinking fountain on for her.
Now her face scrunched into a yawn she fought to control. She was tired from being up almost all night--first listening to her parents fight, then praying for the perfect plan to make things better for her family. After she came up with the perfect plan, she couldn't sleep at all.
She was going to become a saint." (p. 11)
"Lord, help my family. Please, please give us enough money so Mom and Dad can be happy again.
She stopped. She was sick of this prayer. Why wasn't God answering? HE used to answer her prayers all the time." (p. 15)
"Now she knew the problem: God would only listen to her if her soul was pure. If she was going to make her mother happy again, she would have to be a saint right away.
She made a plan. She would study, she would practice saint-like behavior, and she would become a nun. Many of the girl saints had been nuns before being sainted, so she figured becoming a nun was the perfect stepping stone to her real goal. She'd be so darned good she wouldn't have a thing to confess on Saturdays.
Mary Clare explained the deal to God. If you take care of my family--give them enough money, make my parents happy...I'll become a saint. She repeated it several times in case it was hard for God to hear through all of her sins." (p. 16)
"Don't just tell them what you think they want to hear, Mary Clare. Don't get into the roles everybody expects from a woman--where your identity is what the Church tells you it should be. 'God's servant, and God's bride'...that's all part of the feminine mystique," she said. "Everybody knows what nuns do and the vows they take. Go inside your heart and tell them who you are."
Mary Clare was confused. She didn't know what the feminine mystique was, and she was pretty sure that to win this contest she had to pretty mu
Fixmer, E. (2010). Saint Training. Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz.
233 pages.
Appetizer: It's the spring of 1967 and sixth grader Mary Clare O'Brian has begun to write letters to the Mother Superior of a convent asking for advice. Mary Clare has the goal of becoming a saint. But with all the daily complications of having to look after her many brothers and sisters, her mother's fascination with reading The Feminine Mystique and a competition to write an essay on "What a religious vocation means to me...," Mary Clare is having trouble living up to her saintly aspirations.
She starts to realize how complicated life can be. Not only in terms of being good, but also in terms of her own family. Her mom, who is pregnant for the umpteenth time, wants to do other work than caring for her many kids at home and Mary Clare is left to do a lot of the work of caring for her siblings and wondering how her family can afford to care for another child. One of her brothers wants to enlist to go to Vietnam with his best friend, while another older brother wants to get status as a conscientious objector to the war.
The author, Elizabeth Fixmer, does an excellent job of presenting Mary Clare's faith as she goes from blind obedience and making deals with God to questioning aspects of Catholicism, earning "saint points" and beginning to view how complicated issues of faith in the real world can be.
For a reader who might not be very religious, a lot of the Catholicism could be a little overwhelming. I also felt like an older reader or adult would have to explain a bit about feminism for a younger reader to get the book. (In fact, the only aspect of this book that might not have to be discussed, is the historical setting. This book was a little too history--light for my personal tastes. Especially since the opening paragraph is about racial tensions and how Mary Clare imagined herself providing support to a black student she imagined being integrated at her Catholic school. I felt like a promise made early in the story was dropped, allowed to roll under a chair and forgotten until the very end.)
My favorite part of Saint Training was the exchange of letters between Mary Clare and Sister Monica. As the story continued, Mary Clare began to ask a lot of important questions. I found this very engaging.
But toward the end of the book, this also became frustrating, because Mary Clare revealed major plot developments in her letters without them being mentioned in the narration before. I found myself flipping back and forth between pages, wondering if I had missed something.
Overall, I liked that Saint Training took on issues of faith and social justice. I liked Mary Clare's childlike faith and the way that she took on adult concerns and worries over her family. But I did find some of the religion and jumps in the narrative to be a bit overwhelming at times.
Dinner Conversation:
"March 25, 1967
Dear Reverend Mother.
My name is Mary Clare O'Brian. I am in sixth grade and I am writing because I want to become a Good Shepherd nun. I like the Good Shepherd nuns best because you work with unwed mothers and their babies. I love little babies." (p. 7)
"Mary Clare finished her Social Studies test and turned it upside down to wait for the rest of the class. It was easy, mostly easy, and on the subject that Mary Clare had heard a lot about at home around the dinner table: civil rights. She couldn't believe that Negroes had to sit on the back of the bus in the South and even drink from different water fountains. They were fighting for basic rights, especially the right to vote. Mary Clare liked to imagine that a Negro girl entered her very class at Saint Maria Goretti School. She would show her around, become her friend, even hold the drinking fountain on for her.
Now her face scrunched into a yawn she fought to control. She was tired from being up almost all night--first listening to her parents fight, then praying for the perfect plan to make things better for her family. After she came up with the perfect plan, she couldn't sleep at all.
She was going to become a saint." (p. 11)
"Lord, help my family. Please, please give us enough money so Mom and Dad can be happy again.
She stopped. She was sick of this prayer. Why wasn't God answering? HE used to answer her prayers all the time." (p. 15)
"Now she knew the problem: God would only listen to her if her soul was pure. If she was going to make her mother happy again, she would have to be a saint right away.
She made a plan. She would study, she would practice saint-like behavior, and she would become a nun. Many of the girl saints had been nuns before being sainted, so she figured becoming a nun was the perfect stepping stone to her real goal. She'd be so darned good she wouldn't have a thing to confess on Saturdays.
Mary Clare explained the deal to God. If you take care of my family--give them enough money, make my parents happy...I'll become a saint. She repeated it several times in case it was hard for God to hear through all of her sins." (p. 16)
"Don't just tell them what you think they want to hear, Mary Clare. Don't get into the roles everybody expects from a woman--where your identity is what the Church tells you it should be. 'God's servant, and God's bride'...that's all part of the feminine mystique," she said. "Everybody knows what nuns do and the vows they take. Go inside your heart and tell them who you are."
Mary Clare was confused. She didn't know what the feminine mystique was, and she was pretty sure that to win this contest she had to pretty mu
February 2, 2022
This was okay, but it was a little odd in places.
* This book was mainly about Mary Clare, an 11-year-old girl who wanted to be a nun/saint.
* Mary Clare was obsessed with how many sins she committed each day and eager to try and convert her friends to catholicism.
* She wrote letters to a mother superior telling her how she'd be great as a mother superior and where could she apply? Bit weird!
* I did feel sorry for poor Flicker though
* This book was mainly about Mary Clare, an 11-year-old girl who wanted to be a nun/saint.
* Mary Clare was obsessed with how many sins she committed each day and eager to try and convert her friends to catholicism.
* She wrote letters to a mother superior telling her how she'd be great as a mother superior and where could she apply? Bit weird!
* I did feel sorry for poor Flicker though
April 2, 2022
Parts of this book are charming - in a coming of age manner. The writing feels real and is akin to reading an 11 year old’s diary, yet therein lies the problem. It seems disjointed at times as though the author skipped some days, isn’t really captivating as a wholistic “story”, and ends quite abruptly without the resolution or retrospect the reader is expecting.
May 7, 2016
4.5 stars. This book reminded me a lot of those folks from 19 kids and Counting, whose only less creepy. I've always felt bad for girls in overly religious families growing up, as they had more chores to do than their brothers did, and more responsibilities in general. Double standards were rife! The saying 'boys will be boys' was used often.
So when I saw the blurb of this book, I thought, I wonder if I'm going to relate to this, even though I'm not of the same religion?
I did end up relating to this very well, and I found Mary Clare very a very fiery and insightful character. She was a delight to read!
11 year old Mary Clare is the oldest girl to 8 siblings, with one on the way. She is raised in a religious household, and does a crazy amount of chores for someone her age, from making dinner, to getting all the kids' clothes ready for the day, to looking after the kids!
Her dream at the beginning of the book is to become a nun, and not just a nun, but the Mother of all Nuns. She wants the glory and respect that comes with being a Mother of all nuns. And so, she writes letters to Mother of all Nuns, asking her all sorts of questions on how to make it the top. Some of her letters were simply about her life problems, and how was she going to fix it?
One thing I noticed about Mary Clare is that she really loves fixing problems!
Whether it's her family's money issues or world problems, or the civil war that was currently happening.
I know babies are a gift from god, but if a family already has more kids than they can afford, shouldn't they stop having babies? I overheard Mom and two of her friends saying that the Church won't let them take the new birth control pill. Why not?
Sincerely, Mary O'Brien.
And when Mary Clare tried to compare nuns to priests, she sounded mad because she was mad. Priests got to say Mass, perfrom all the ascraments, touch the host... and they could become pope. The closest nuns could get to the altar was to clean the sacristy and wash and iron the priest's vestments. They could never become cardinals or bishops or the pope.
As hard as Mary tries to be devoted to god, sweet to everyone and never get angry, she's only human. She gets mad at her many siblings. She kicks her Sister/Teacher (by accident, but she doesn't regret kicking the asshole). She loves being the center of attention, which is partially why she wanted to be nun in the first place! I felt bad for her, because I could see why she was so attention-seeking at times; when you have that many siblings, especially if you're one of the oldest, parents will have less time for you, and more time for the younger ones.
This bit made me laugh though:
'Move over,' Mark demanded. 'You're taking up too much space.'
Mary Clare squished over in the seat as much as she could to give him room, but she glared her brother. Fine, she thought, he can just rot in hell.
Mary Clare's mother is just discovering feminism, which was interesting twist on the whole religious family thing going on throughout the book. Mary Clare didn't like it at first, but I think she was more worried about what her father and the community would think.
'Why are you reading that Fredian book?' Mary Clare asked. 'You know Dad doesn't like "women's libbers".'
'I'm reading it because finally someone is acknowledging that being a housewife and mother are not going to fulfill every woman. Women need to get meaning through things other than their husbands and families. We need to use our minds, our creativity. We need to be more than baby machines.'
Mary Clare had never seen her mother this animated. She seemed like a different person.
'Think about it! Women define themselves through men. If a man is successful, his wife gets to feel successful. If he's not than she's not. And the reason this book - this thinking - is upsets your father so much is that he's scared he'll lose something if I look beyond him to be fulfilled.'
Yes!! You go Mary Clare's mum.
Mary Clare ends up sticking up for her mum in the end, when her mother decides to take a job as school teacher, and the people in her community weren't happy about it.
Mary took a deep breath, stood with as much dignity as she could muster, and looked the nun straight in the eye.
'My mother WANTS to teach. She WANTS a career. And the money she earns from teaching means that I don't have to help with tuition.' She walked out, her chin help up high.
This book was an excellent read! The cover didn't do it justice IMO. I can't believe I was going to skip over this book just because of how it looked... yeah, I admit it, I judge by the cover sometimes. Not proud of it though.
December 6, 2010
This book was not what I expected at all. From reading the blurb, I expected it to be a light-hearted read. It was not. Instead it was a coming of age novel set in the midst of Vietnam, Civil Rights, Vatican II, the women's right movement, and set in a traditional, Catholic family.
The premise of the book is that Mary Clare O'Brian (a girl raised in a large Catholic family, going to Catholic school) wants to become a Mother Superior and a Saint and begins writing a Mother Superior to find out how she can get her job when she grows up. Mary Clare is a "religious" girl - she tries to convert the neighbors, is scandalized when anyone speaks negatively about Priests or Nuns (although it is okay that she calls the principal of her school Sister Agony), etc. Her motivation, however, for becoming a saint is so that her family will stop fighting, and her mom will want the new baby that she doesn't want (the family already has nine kids), and enough money to pay for tuition and her younger sister's first communion (for example). This is an extremely heartfelt portrait of a young girl struggling to come to grips with her reality.
I liked this book very much because you see Mary Clare grow from a girl rigidly following (or trying to follow) the teachings of the Church to one who develops a mind of her own. She lives through her mom going back to school and working outside the home (a huge scandal in the neighborhood), a friend getting killed in Vietnam, her brother protesting the Vietnam War, and violent Civil War protests. In the midst of this turmoil, Mary Clare finds her own voice, her own opinions, and realizes that she doesn't really want to be a nun.
The book clearly showed her pride and confusion of her faith. This is illustrated when she meets the Mother Superior she has been corresponding with throughout the book. The meeting follows a bishop standing up for the Civil Rights movement and calling "The Religious" to take a stand for what is good and right. After hearing this announcement on the radio she feels great pride for her Church. However, when meeting the Mother Superior, she gets a differing opinion when Mother Superior feels that "The Religious" should stay out of politics. This conflict confuses Mary Clare but also illustrates that not everyone has all of the answers (which serves to make her even more confused.)
I was torn between giving this three or four stars. Just when Mary Clare's character started developing into a meaningful character, the book end abruptly. However, I settled on four stars because it is a book that actually had me asking questions about myself and my faith. I am not Catholic, but was raised in a religious household. I saw myself as unbending as Mary Clare when I was in middle school and early high school - seeing everything in black and white, right and wrong. I've grown into my own self with my own opinions, thoughts, ideas...and a few crises of faith along the way. I wanted to see more of THIS development in Mary Clare. This book made me question (more than I already do) dogma and organized religion. See Mary Clare agonize over her sins, and being perfect, and disappointing God, made me question if the church was a place to raise children. But then I see how my brother and I have grown into thoughtful, caring, people....I know that it depends on the family and the people we grow into.
With this much thought in one book - I give it four out of five stars
The premise of the book is that Mary Clare O'Brian (a girl raised in a large Catholic family, going to Catholic school) wants to become a Mother Superior and a Saint and begins writing a Mother Superior to find out how she can get her job when she grows up. Mary Clare is a "religious" girl - she tries to convert the neighbors, is scandalized when anyone speaks negatively about Priests or Nuns (although it is okay that she calls the principal of her school Sister Agony), etc. Her motivation, however, for becoming a saint is so that her family will stop fighting, and her mom will want the new baby that she doesn't want (the family already has nine kids), and enough money to pay for tuition and her younger sister's first communion (for example). This is an extremely heartfelt portrait of a young girl struggling to come to grips with her reality.
I liked this book very much because you see Mary Clare grow from a girl rigidly following (or trying to follow) the teachings of the Church to one who develops a mind of her own. She lives through her mom going back to school and working outside the home (a huge scandal in the neighborhood), a friend getting killed in Vietnam, her brother protesting the Vietnam War, and violent Civil War protests. In the midst of this turmoil, Mary Clare finds her own voice, her own opinions, and realizes that she doesn't really want to be a nun.
The book clearly showed her pride and confusion of her faith. This is illustrated when she meets the Mother Superior she has been corresponding with throughout the book. The meeting follows a bishop standing up for the Civil Rights movement and calling "The Religious" to take a stand for what is good and right. After hearing this announcement on the radio she feels great pride for her Church. However, when meeting the Mother Superior, she gets a differing opinion when Mother Superior feels that "The Religious" should stay out of politics. This conflict confuses Mary Clare but also illustrates that not everyone has all of the answers (which serves to make her even more confused.)
I was torn between giving this three or four stars. Just when Mary Clare's character started developing into a meaningful character, the book end abruptly. However, I settled on four stars because it is a book that actually had me asking questions about myself and my faith. I am not Catholic, but was raised in a religious household. I saw myself as unbending as Mary Clare when I was in middle school and early high school - seeing everything in black and white, right and wrong. I've grown into my own self with my own opinions, thoughts, ideas...and a few crises of faith along the way. I wanted to see more of THIS development in Mary Clare. This book made me question (more than I already do) dogma and organized religion. See Mary Clare agonize over her sins, and being perfect, and disappointing God, made me question if the church was a place to raise children. But then I see how my brother and I have grown into thoughtful, caring, people....I know that it depends on the family and the people we grow into.
With this much thought in one book - I give it four out of five stars
June 10, 2017
Mary Clare is not the most likeable character. Maybe that is because I see too much of myself in her. She is sure that the route to sainthood is through keeping careful track of her sins and confessing them. Not content with becoming a nun, she plans to be the Mother Superior. She even begins a correspondence with the Superior of a convent by asking the requirements for her job. Mary Clares concern with sainthood is humorous, but how many of us focus on obeying the rules more than enjoying Gods grace? The issues are complicated. Living in the grace of God does not mean ignoring his holiness or flaunting his guidelines for godly living. It would have been interesting if the author had contrasted a character going overboard the opposite directionpresuming on Gods grace, which is only touched on in one scene with Mary Claires little sister.
This book is much more Catholic than I have previously seen in Christian fiction. I learned a lot about first communion, confession, saints and other aspects of 1960s Catholicism. It is historical fiction set in the tumultuous period just after Vatican II when civil rights and the Vietnam War loomed large in the culture as a whole. As Mary Clare grows through her experiences, we see her opening herself to the ambiguities of life, accepting that people are different and understand Gods will in different ways. In some ways this struck me as an adult book, almost a memoire of a time that is past. It is hard to imagine modern youth preoccupied with sin and striving for sainthood.
The writing is good; the characters believable. The third person narrative felt a bit more remote than the first person things I have read lately. Definitely worth a read.
This book is much more Catholic than I have previously seen in Christian fiction. I learned a lot about first communion, confession, saints and other aspects of 1960s Catholicism. It is historical fiction set in the tumultuous period just after Vatican II when civil rights and the Vietnam War loomed large in the culture as a whole. As Mary Clare grows through her experiences, we see her opening herself to the ambiguities of life, accepting that people are different and understand Gods will in different ways. In some ways this struck me as an adult book, almost a memoire of a time that is past. It is hard to imagine modern youth preoccupied with sin and striving for sainthood.
The writing is good; the characters believable. The third person narrative felt a bit more remote than the first person things I have read lately. Definitely worth a read.
April 26, 2011
I thought this was a very enjoyable read. The heroine, a sixth grade girl named Mary Clare thinks that she will "bargain" with god and become a saint or a Mother Superior if god brings happiness and financial security to her parents..
It had me laughing from the get go. "I would like to join the convent right after eighth grade before I start liking boys too much. I'm already having problems with boys liking me. Gregory in my class, throws spitballs at me and told my best friend he likes me."
As the book continues though, Mary Clare begins to ask questions of her religion for the first time. Issues like birth control, civil rights, and the Vietnam war become hot topics in the Catholic church and in Mary Clare's household.
I love Mary Clare and appreciated the issues the addresses through her. The humor was terrific. I laughed at the bare bottom in church and Mary Clare's "confession"... "I wasn't sure if that counted as one sin or two. I thought it would be safer to get absolution for both."
The book would have gotten a five from me but for one thing: I didn't like Matthew, the draft dodger. Matthew is in the seminary. He's a proud Catholic. I wanted to jump in there and scream at him though.. "You wouldn't even have the freedom to be Catholic or be in the seminary if a war had not been fought!" I didn't appreciate all the hoopla in the book about him avoiding the Vietnam war.
Favorite quote: "...being a housewife and mother are not going to fulfill every woman. Women need to get meaning through things other than their husband and families. We need to use our minds, our creativity. We need to be more than baby machines."
It had me laughing from the get go. "I would like to join the convent right after eighth grade before I start liking boys too much. I'm already having problems with boys liking me. Gregory in my class, throws spitballs at me and told my best friend he likes me."
As the book continues though, Mary Clare begins to ask questions of her religion for the first time. Issues like birth control, civil rights, and the Vietnam war become hot topics in the Catholic church and in Mary Clare's household.
I love Mary Clare and appreciated the issues the addresses through her. The humor was terrific. I laughed at the bare bottom in church and Mary Clare's "confession"... "I wasn't sure if that counted as one sin or two. I thought it would be safer to get absolution for both."
The book would have gotten a five from me but for one thing: I didn't like Matthew, the draft dodger. Matthew is in the seminary. He's a proud Catholic. I wanted to jump in there and scream at him though.. "You wouldn't even have the freedom to be Catholic or be in the seminary if a war had not been fought!" I didn't appreciate all the hoopla in the book about him avoiding the Vietnam war.
Favorite quote: "...being a housewife and mother are not going to fulfill every woman. Women need to get meaning through things other than their husband and families. We need to use our minds, our creativity. We need to be more than baby machines."
March 2, 2011
This book was recommended to me by a Catholic sister who is the librarian in our grade school. She loved the book but said it wasn't appropriate for a grade school library. To be honest, although this is written for kids, I think this is a book that will be most appreciated by the target audience's mothers or even grandmothers.
This is not to say I didn't like the book. I loved it! But most of the kids that I know have never seen a nun in full habit unless they've watched an old movie. They have no idea about the changes brought about by Vatican 2 or the struggles of the emerging feminists.
I think a case could be made to buy it as a historical fiction candidate, but I can't see getting many kids to read it. I hope I'm wrong because I think that many young teens would enjoy the story if they understood the background.
Mary Clare, the sixth grade aspiring Mother Superior, is hilarious. Fixmer does a wonderful job of portraying her angst over her sins and transgressions while also making her a typical tween who is envious of her friends and angry about her numerous chores and responsibilities.
I loved her parents as well. Although her father yelled alot, he was also a loving and caring role model who was being asked to adapt to quite a few changes. Her mother also was far from the stereotypical devoted wife who accepted everything that came her way. She was a strong, independent woman at a time when this "just wasn't done."
If you grew up Catholic or always wanted to peek into the life of those loud, boisterous neighbors with the holy water in their living room this is the book for you.
This is not to say I didn't like the book. I loved it! But most of the kids that I know have never seen a nun in full habit unless they've watched an old movie. They have no idea about the changes brought about by Vatican 2 or the struggles of the emerging feminists.
I think a case could be made to buy it as a historical fiction candidate, but I can't see getting many kids to read it. I hope I'm wrong because I think that many young teens would enjoy the story if they understood the background.
Mary Clare, the sixth grade aspiring Mother Superior, is hilarious. Fixmer does a wonderful job of portraying her angst over her sins and transgressions while also making her a typical tween who is envious of her friends and angry about her numerous chores and responsibilities.
I loved her parents as well. Although her father yelled alot, he was also a loving and caring role model who was being asked to adapt to quite a few changes. Her mother also was far from the stereotypical devoted wife who accepted everything that came her way. She was a strong, independent woman at a time when this "just wasn't done."
If you grew up Catholic or always wanted to peek into the life of those loud, boisterous neighbors with the holy water in their living room this is the book for you.
February 19, 2011
This book is about a 12 year old girl who wants to be a nun when she grows up. More specifically, she wants to be the Mother Superior of the convent. She writes to a convent to tell them what she wants and ask questions.
That is the basic premise of the book, but in reality there is SO MUCH more going on. It is based in the late 60s, a time of a lot of change in the Catholic church. The main character is trying to do good while still trying to decide what is ok and what isn't.
The Vietnam war is going on. She has people she is close to going off to war. She has a brother trying to be a conscientious objector, the same brother who is in the seminary even though he doesn't seem to want to be. There are 9 kids in her family and another one on the way even though her parents both don't want another one and can't afford the ones they have. The main character even talks about the use of birth control (not for herself!) and why the church objects to it. Add to that race riots and womens liberation, and wow, this book is loaded.
Unfortunately, none of these things are really evolved. There is just too much going on to really get into one subject. It might be a good book for a young girl who wants to know more about the catholic church during this time period. But really, how many young girls want to know something that specific? It isn't a bad read at all, but it had a lot more promise and possibilities than what is actually accomplished at the end. Many of the "issues" are resolved in unrealistic manners or without explaining how they instantly got better.
That is the basic premise of the book, but in reality there is SO MUCH more going on. It is based in the late 60s, a time of a lot of change in the Catholic church. The main character is trying to do good while still trying to decide what is ok and what isn't.
The Vietnam war is going on. She has people she is close to going off to war. She has a brother trying to be a conscientious objector, the same brother who is in the seminary even though he doesn't seem to want to be. There are 9 kids in her family and another one on the way even though her parents both don't want another one and can't afford the ones they have. The main character even talks about the use of birth control (not for herself!) and why the church objects to it. Add to that race riots and womens liberation, and wow, this book is loaded.
Unfortunately, none of these things are really evolved. There is just too much going on to really get into one subject. It might be a good book for a young girl who wants to know more about the catholic church during this time period. But really, how many young girls want to know something that specific? It isn't a bad read at all, but it had a lot more promise and possibilities than what is actually accomplished at the end. Many of the "issues" are resolved in unrealistic manners or without explaining how they instantly got better.
February 10, 2014
Saint Training is Mary Clare O'Brian in her parochial school in 1967 trying to be the saint she knows she should be. When her friend writes her a note inviting her to a chocolate coke after school, Mary Clare realizes she can sin quickly on two counts: 1. writing notes in class is forbidden and therefore a sin 2. Buying chocolate cokes after school when she was told to go straight home is a sin.
"Mary Clare began each morning more determined than the last to be saintly in her thoughts, words, and actions. But ususally she had racked up at least one sin before she even made it to school. Fighting with Mark and Luke (her brothers) was her biggest challenge, but lately she'd become more aware that her thoughts were not always charitable."
If you've ever read Elsie Dinsmore, the Victorian goodie-two-shoes, Mary Clare is the Elsie Dinsmore of the 60's, a little more crosses Mary Clare's mind but she always wants to as saintly as she can.
Mary has eight siblings and another on the way. Her father is mad about it and her mother has red rimmed eyes because of it. Mary Clare prays for the money to make things comfortable and peaceful in their house.
Throughout the book Mary Clare carries on a correspondence with the Mother Superior at Saint Mary Magdalene Convent. Mary Clare wonders about much of the teachings of the church and the Reverend Mother kindly answers her letters.
A sweet, easy to read book about being Catholic in the 60's.
"Mary Clare began each morning more determined than the last to be saintly in her thoughts, words, and actions. But ususally she had racked up at least one sin before she even made it to school. Fighting with Mark and Luke (her brothers) was her biggest challenge, but lately she'd become more aware that her thoughts were not always charitable."
If you've ever read Elsie Dinsmore, the Victorian goodie-two-shoes, Mary Clare is the Elsie Dinsmore of the 60's, a little more crosses Mary Clare's mind but she always wants to as saintly as she can.
Mary has eight siblings and another on the way. Her father is mad about it and her mother has red rimmed eyes because of it. Mary Clare prays for the money to make things comfortable and peaceful in their house.
Throughout the book Mary Clare carries on a correspondence with the Mother Superior at Saint Mary Magdalene Convent. Mary Clare wonders about much of the teachings of the church and the Reverend Mother kindly answers her letters.
A sweet, easy to read book about being Catholic in the 60's.
August 24, 2011
Mary Clare has purposed in her heart to commit her life to serving God and the Catholic church, becoming a mother superior in her quest for perfection. A topic this serious should not be laugh-out-loud funny, but it is. With Saint Training, Elizabeth Fixmer has written a delightful novel for the middle grades that is a funny read for children and adults alike.
Mary Clare is the oldest daughter in a very large family. She takes on the weight of too little money for the family’s needs, too much work to be done around the house, and too many changes in her world and around the world in 1967.
Mary Clare experiences conflicted feelings as she tries to fix everything around her, understand her changing emotions, and practice being a saint, sin-free and serving others. In seeking sinlessness, poor Mary Clare is a failure before she begins, but her dogged determination is admirable.
If you are familiar with Catholic schools or mass, the book will be more meaningful. Even without the background, the book is enjoyable. Not reading this book just might be a sin.
Mary Clare is the oldest daughter in a very large family. She takes on the weight of too little money for the family’s needs, too much work to be done around the house, and too many changes in her world and around the world in 1967.
Mary Clare experiences conflicted feelings as she tries to fix everything around her, understand her changing emotions, and practice being a saint, sin-free and serving others. In seeking sinlessness, poor Mary Clare is a failure before she begins, but her dogged determination is admirable.
If you are familiar with Catholic schools or mass, the book will be more meaningful. Even without the background, the book is enjoyable. Not reading this book just might be a sin.
December 8, 2010
I received this as a first-reads giveaway. When I saw the cover and read the description, I thought I was going to get some sort of cutesy book for young girls. And at the beginning, thats what i expected. But somewhere along the line this turned from a cute story about a young faithful Catholic girl to a historical coming-of-age story. The young girl Mary Clare grows tremendously over the course of the book, even though this story takes place over the course of less than a year. She goes from being a young girl who basically cares a lot about herself, to a young teen who cares about helping others and knowing what is going on in her world. She's more aware of what goes on in the news then I was at her age, and unfortunately, even now that i'm in college. I have to say I was impressed with her by the end of the book.
Anyway, don't judge this one by the cover. Theres a lot more going on in this novel than one would expect, and it was a truly enjoyable read.
Anyway, don't judge this one by the cover. Theres a lot more going on in this novel than one would expect, and it was a truly enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2017
I started a reread in 2017 until I realized I had already read it, LOL.
But some additional notes I took:
p.30 I don't know any mothers who became saints, so why does the Church want married women to have so many babies?
p.43 The Feminine Mystique
p.49 glow in the dark statues--I remember those!
p.91/2 Music worked magic in bringing them together. It was an everyday miracle that was part of their lives long before Mary Clare asked for a miracle. It made her grateful every time.
p.237 conclusion from the author. The 1960s were not only confusing, but frightening. And the call to "question authority" had a profound effect on every kind of authority--from government and police forces to churches, physicians, and teachers. The movement forced us to take greater responsibility for our own thoughts, beliefs and actions. Though many longed for the security of having the world interpreted for them, the overall effect of this change was greater personal power and freedom.
But some additional notes I took:
p.30 I don't know any mothers who became saints, so why does the Church want married women to have so many babies?
p.43 The Feminine Mystique
p.49 glow in the dark statues--I remember those!
p.91/2 Music worked magic in bringing them together. It was an everyday miracle that was part of their lives long before Mary Clare asked for a miracle. It made her grateful every time.
p.237 conclusion from the author. The 1960s were not only confusing, but frightening. And the call to "question authority" had a profound effect on every kind of authority--from government and police forces to churches, physicians, and teachers. The movement forced us to take greater responsibility for our own thoughts, beliefs and actions. Though many longed for the security of having the world interpreted for them, the overall effect of this change was greater personal power and freedom.
April 12, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book mostly because I really liked Mary Clare's character- maybe because it reminds me of my life growing up the oldest of a large Catholic family.
Sixth-grader Mary Clare is the oldest girl in a large poor Catholic family. There are so many problems and issues happening in her life that she decides that if she is very good she can make bargains with God and help her family out. Her father is working away from home most of the time trying to pay the bills for the large family. Her pregnant mother is losing her faith. Her oldest brother receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War. The story is touching and funny. It is 1967 and much is going on in the world around her -Civil Rights and Women's Liberation Movements.
Are there too many issues brought up? Possibly, but it didn't bother me
Has it a narrow audience because of the Catholicism? again possibly but not sure
Sixth-grader Mary Clare is the oldest girl in a large poor Catholic family. There are so many problems and issues happening in her life that she decides that if she is very good she can make bargains with God and help her family out. Her father is working away from home most of the time trying to pay the bills for the large family. Her pregnant mother is losing her faith. Her oldest brother receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War. The story is touching and funny. It is 1967 and much is going on in the world around her -Civil Rights and Women's Liberation Movements.
Are there too many issues brought up? Possibly, but it didn't bother me
Has it a narrow audience because of the Catholicism? again possibly but not sure
January 9, 2014
I downloaded this book on my kindle app ages ago and quickly forgot about it. But I've been stuck in bed sick for several days so I decided to read it. I expected a funny story about a girl who is trying to perfect to please God and become a saint to help her family with its money trouble. And while if was that, there was more to it as well. Mary Clare asked a lot of questions throughout the book that faced Catholics in the 1960s. I will confess that I don't know a lot about Catholic doctrine nor was I alive in the 1960s but I can still appreciate where the questions were coming from. It is the idea that just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean that is the right way to do it. The book was good and I found myself wondering what was going to happen next. I was actually sad when it ended as I would love to know what became of Mary Clare and her family as the modernized.
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