The Pope’s Cat

Children are drawn to animals and find them fascinating, so it’s no surprise that a number of children’s books focus on animals. The Pope’s Cat written by Jon M. Sweeney and illustrated by Roy DeLeon is a little bit different, however. It tells the story of a very special relationship between a cat named Margaret and the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Although the pope in this story is not identified, he certainly shares a number of traits with the present Pope Francis, including his concern for the homeless and those looked upon with disdain by society.

On an early morning walk outside the Vatican, the pope meets up with a stray cat who is standoffish at first, a trait the pope find refreshing because of all the people who say “yes” to him. The pope names the cat “Margaret,” an appropriate choice considering that St. Margaret of Scotland is the patron saint of the homeless and other outcasts.

The pope’s day is filled with appointments and religious duties. On the day he finds Margaret, he is to have lunch with the Queen of England. Despite his impending meeting with the queen, he is concerned for Margaret who is left alone in his room. Margaret manages to make the pope’s luncheon interesting; you can read the book to find out what happens.

The Pope’s Cat is recommended for ages 6 and up; it would certainly be of interest to those of the Roman Catholic faith but could be enjoyed by anyone. This would be a good book to share in your children’s ministry as St. Francis’ feast day (October 4) approaches and many churches are offering a Blessing of the Animals service. It’s available from the publisher, Paraclete Press, as well as from Amazon. It is the first in a series. The second book in the series is Margaret’s Night in St. Peters: A Christmas Story with a publishing date of October 1, 2018.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.