Book Review: “Single & Raising Saints”

Raising children can be challenging. The daily demands and tasks require resources and a lot of energy. Being single and raising children has its special challenges. And, raising children as saints requires you go beyond the normal day-to-day caregiving and devote additional time and effort leading your children in their Catholic faith formation.

“Single & Raising Saints,” written by Jo Holt, appears to be an excellent resource for single parents who face what might seem a daunting challenge. Holt, founder of Raised in Faith (a multi-media platform dedicated to evangelization), has done a great job of using her unique insights and work experience serving as a director, instructor and religious education program leader to write this book.

This 94-page book contains several “tools and resources” for taking on the daily child-raising demands and for “raising the children as saints.” There are nine “lessons,” each with a scripture passage to utilize for meditation (Lectio Divina – Latin for “Divine Reading”), some practical questions for personal reflection, and suggestions for applying the lesson. The list of lesson titles includes: “Achieving Balance,” “Finance and Budgeting” and “Discipline vs. Punishment.” There is even a lesson on “Dangers of Pornography & Technology,” which seem timely for addressing one of the newer challenges parents face.

Holt suggests we view working through this book as a “journey,” but it also is designed as a journal allowing space for the reader to record personal reflections and goals related to each lesson. She adds that “this journey will include discernment in your decisions as a parent and a child of God” and that the destination of the journey will be a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and a discovery of the support we have from our Catholic church community as we strive to raise our children as saints.

Holt also suggests that the journey will challenge the “status, decisions and expectations” of our life. It didn’t take long for me to personally experience just what she suggests as I found it quite challenging to create my own “Family Mission Statement” on Pg. 9 of the book.

Holt provided questions to spark reflection with each lesson. For example: “What is the Holy Spirit telling you to do?” I found these questions to be quite useful for sustaining clear focus on the lesson at hand. I also liked the “journal” design and having space below each question to write my personal responses and goals. 

While Holt states that this book and its lessons “were intended to be read as a book study with a small group,” I believe it can serve as an excellent formation resource for any individual whether you are a parent or not.

John H. Dolezal is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.