Book Reviews and More: Stations of the Cross for Young Catholics

Saturday, 14 March 2026

Stations of the Cross for Young Catholics - Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP

Stations of the Cross for Young Catholics

Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP

Pauline Books & Media

ISBN 9780819827654

Stations of the Cross for Young Catholics - Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP

This was one of 2 new Stations of the Cross I picked up to use during Lent in 2026, both by Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP. I try and pray a stations each Friday of the year, and each day through Lent. I was attracted to this and the other based on the artwork, and I had stumbled upon them by chance when researching for a different review.

An online description of this volume states:

“Walk with Jesus to Calvary with this scriptural, age-appropriate presentation of the Stations of the Cross. Perfect for individual, family, or classroom use, this reverently illustrated portrayal of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus immerses children ages 8-12 in the heart of the Gospel while teaching them to pray with Scripture and their imaginations. Includes the fourteen traditional Stations of the Cross and the optional fifteenth station, the Resurrection.”

The back of the book is:

“The Stations of the Cross is a special way of praying that lets us spend time with Jesus during his suffering and death. This booklet, for ages nine and up, guides individuals or groups to imaginatively reflect on the scenes of the fourteen stations and the optional fifteenth station of the Resurrection. By paying attention to Jesus in our hearts, we remember how he died for us, and we open ourselves to the gift of his great love.”

About the author we are informed:

“Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP, has been a Daughter of Saint Paul for over forty years. As a catechetical author and editor for Pauline Books & Media, she has "taught" tens of thousands of children. Her Eucharistic adoration guide for children, Come to Jesus, has been in print for almost ten years. Sister Anne has written for print, digital, and social media as a specialist in the spirituality of the Pauline Family, and she has recorded over two dozen albums with the Daughters of Saint Paul Choir.”

I only highlighted two passaged while reading this volume they are:

“Jesus knows what it's like to face pain, sorrow, failure, betrayal. When you feel these things, you can bring them to Jesus. His rising from the dead is the promise that our suffering will not be the whole story. Saint Paul said that when you were baptized, you were baptized into Christ's death-so his resurrection is already in you, too.”

“For over a thousand years, people have walked the Stations of the Cross with Jesus. It is like making a pilgrimage, a holy time you want.”

A Sample station is:

“Third Station

Leader: Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time

Reader 1: Pray for the victims of violence.

Leader: We adore you, 0 Christ, and we praise you.

All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

IMAGINE (Sit or kneel)

Reader 2:

The crowded streets smell like dust and garbage. Jesus

stumbles along with his heavy cross. Then he falls onto the

dirty street, and the cross comes crashing down on him. He

looks your way. (Pause)

LISTEN

Reader 1:

Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you want to come with

me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow

me" (Matthewl6:24).

RESPOND (Stand)

All:

Please hurry, Lord,

and answer my prayer.

I feel hopeless.

Don't turn away

and leave me here to die (Psalm 143:7 CEV).”

I really enjoyed this volume, I just wish there was an eBook edition so it could always be with me on my Kindle. Over the years I have prayer through and reviewed about 60 different ‘Way of the Cross’ books and booklets. Some I pray once or twice and others I have been praying for decades. I could see this one working its way into the rotation, but know it would be more frequent if there was a digital edition. I enjoyed it enough my son took a copy to school to give to the chaplain.

This is a wonderful little stations. It does not have the Hail Mary, Our Father, or Glory Be at the end of the stations, but those are easily added. It also doe s not have the Stabat Mater either. That being said it is a nice clean crisp Stations and once that could be used with grade school student, Secondary school, or even just with a group of adults.

I can easily recommend this Stations for home, school, or church library and use. So track it down and give it a try.

Side note: It was hard to make a list if books published by Sister Anne as they are published under the following names:

Anne Flanagan

Anne Joan Flanagan

Anne Joan Flanagan, FSP

Sister Anne Flanagan

Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP

Sr. Anne Flanagan

and maybe even more variations.