I was reading A Miracle for St. Cecilia's, by Katherine Valentine, just before and after the attempted coup by Trump via his fanatical supporters' violent assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Right book, right time, I guess, as the book had been sitting on my to-be-read shelf for over 14 years.

St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Dorsetville, Connecticut, is slated to be closed, due to dwindling membership after the shutdown of the local wool mills, coupled with increased maintenance costs for the aging building. Father James has to prepare his parishioners and his elderly assistant, Father Keene, for the closure and moves. But of course, a miracle happens.

The book is full of realistic, funny characters, and overall doesn't get too serious or preachy. I enjoyed reading a "Christian fiction"/inspirational book that actually featured Catholics (I am one) rather than the Amish or some other sect. Some readers have complained about various blunders or misrepresentations concerning Catholic doctrine and rituals, but the only thing that bothered me was the singing of "How Great Thou Art" on Easter Sunday (page 274). That would not be likely to happen in the Catholic Churches I know!

The charming Early American style cover is by JT Morrow, "best known for his parodies and imitations of the Great Masters," like naïf style painters Grandma Moses and Michel Delacroix

This is the first book of five in the Dorsetville series. I am not a fan of "Christian" fiction, nor inspirational books, but I might be tempted to read another book in this series in a time when I need some hope about the world. ( )

Didn't finish this one. I started it, and I looked to have some potential, but there was some languageinappropriateness, and a lot of Catholicism, which isn't my cup of tea. Disappointing, because I think I would have enjoyed the story. ( )

A gentle kind of novel with a lot of people, most of whom attend a Catholic Church. All of them have their problems... and the church itself is in danger of closing down. Meanwhile, a somewhat nerdy teenager who has been suspended from school for hacking, comes up with a rather unusual idea that gets somewhat out of hand, and an elderly priest goes missing in a snowstorm.

It makes pleasant reading, somewhat in the style of Jan Karon, although there was no main character and I found it very hard to remember who was whom. The storyline was a bit rambling, though, and some of the conclusions felt rather contrived - rather literally 'deus ex machina' in some cases.

Still, it made good reading on a long flight, and parts of it were quite uplifting. Three and a half stars would be fairer. ( )

Father James Flaherty presides over the parish of St. Cecelia's in Dorsetville, Connecticut. The parish consists of a community in economic decline and aging residents. The church itself is in disrepair and in violation of the fire code. There is a lot of need both in the families of the parish and the community at large that will go unmet if the parish is forced to close. Unfortunately the archbishop decides to do just that. The parish will close after Easter unless a miracle transpires. I loved the characters in this book. They are endearing yet real, having their share of problems and flaws. While many others have claimed this book is similar to Jan Karon's Mitford series, I feel that it is more of a cross between Jan Karon and more traditional Christian fiction, while being distinctly Catholic. I would hesitate to recommend this book to many of my Evangelical friends because of the emphasis on the Virgin Mary. If one can get past those doctrinal differences between Protestantism and Catholicism, this would be a great read for fans of the Jan Karon series or of Christian fiction. ( )

A loving community that fills your heart with its warmth and goodness is at the center of this novel perfect for fans of Jan Karon. Dorsetville is the place, St. Cecilia's is the local Catholic church, and the story in this first installment of the series centers around the church's woes and the struggle to save it--which does not happen without a lot of heartache, spiritual struggle, pranks and hijinks, and a miracle or two. Along the way the reader meets many endearing characters who are charming, amusing, and sometimes strangely familiar. This was a ton of fun to listen to at times, and at times it also felt like I was having a devotional time as I experienced the spiritual wranglings of the characters right along with them. An excellent series to read or listen to. ( )