A Miracle for St. Cecilia's

By Katherine Valentine

Book Overview

In the New England town of Dorsetville, the citizens are poor in worldly goods but rich in faith and compassion. For generations-long before the last woolen mill closed five years ago-Dorsetvillians have been bound together by the massive St. Cecilia's Catholic Church, slated to close after mass on Easter Sunday. On a bitter cold Ash Wednesday morning, Father James Flaherty despairs of ever turning the parish finances around. What will become of his flock and the beloved, ancient Father Keene, who had planned to live out his days at St. Cecilia's? Delightful and moving, with a cast of endearing and quirky characters, A Miracle for St. Cecilia's warms hearts and enchants readers everywhere.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142003050
• ISBN13: 9780142003053
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Better than Mitford!

This was such a wonderful book. Do not listen to those who accuse the author of copying the Mitford series. I enjoyed the Jan Karon series but I LOVE this one. You will not be disappointed. The uplifting message of faith and hope filled my spirit.

Outstanding story of faith and hope!

I have to agree with another reviewer that this book is much, much better than the Mitford series. The characters come alive on the pages of this wonderful story of faith and hope in a small New England town. The miracles that happen to several of the parishoners are an added bonus and crackle with spiritual electricity. The author's afterward relating events from her own life blew me away. If you're in need of a little hope or just a boost to a flagging faith, then this book is for you. I plan to buy copies for both of my daughters to read.

Wonderful!

I am at a loss for words. This book is one in a million. It has been compared to Mitford, and that would be accurate! I recommend this book to everyone. Your faith will strengthen and be reaffirmed over and over. This book reminds us, that we are NOT on our time, but the Lord's. Don't hesitate to pick this read up and add it to your library!

Five Plus Stars for this Wonderful Book!!

As a fiction lover and fan of inspirational books such as the Mitford series, I was overjoyed when I heard about the publication of A Miracle for St. Cecilia's. Why? Because in today's world, there is always a need for books emphasizing the theme of Hope - hope in times of despair when it seems that the odds are stacked so staggeringly against us. Katherine Valentine manages to spread the good news that there is good cause to believe in Hope, and she manages to tell a great story while sharing this good news.Set in the charming but declining mill town of Dorsetville, A Miracle for St. Cecilia's unites a cast of characters who, while engaged in their own personal struggles, come together to fight for a cause close to their hearts. Their beloved Catholic church, the focal point of their spiritual lives and social structure, and a source of financial and emotional support for their decaying community, is about to close. The book brings together an unlikely band of heroes: a dad with a deadly disease, a troubled young computer genious, three aging retirees (one of whom is Jewish, but a good friend to the church), a retired hunting dog, an elderly Irish priest, and the Pastor of St. Cecilia's who has great intentions but just can't seem to pull his parish out of the red ink.The story moves along nicely and pulls the reader in quickly. I fell in love with the people of Dorsetville and found myself thinking about the many communities across our country who find themselvs facing these same troubling circumstances in their own places of worship.As a Catholic, I appreciated this book for its attention to doctrinal and liturgical detail. I feel, however, that its message has broader appeal and that it will touch the hearts and souls of many. Katherine Valentine has created a wonderful book here and I look forward to reading the next in what I hope will be a series of books related to these charming characters. Treat yourself to this book, and buy it for a special friend!

Excellent!

This book holds the reader's interest because it has so many events that overlap. It is so down to earth I felt like I was among the people in the story. It is an excellent read, not only for its story content but the inspiration it sends. Highly recommended reading!