Search
-
July 10, 2025By Caitlin Burm
If you’re a Catholic parent or grandparent to children, or an educator of them, you may find yourself asking: how can I inspire these young children to continue to grow in their faith and love?
Local Catholic children’s book author, Cathy Rodriguez, attempts to answer that question, by creating a bilingual alphabet book that can strengthen the beliefs of young minds in a fun and simple way.
“Catholic Me from A to Z,” weaves together narratives of faith through the alphabet, making it an ideal addition to any child's library. Rodriguez’s book also includes illustrations that bring the stories to life, letting the reading become a delightful experience for children and parents alike. The New Outlook recently connected with Rodriguez to learn more about the inspiration behind her book and which character of faith resonates the most with her.
Rodriguez, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Culture, Language and Reading, shares that she felt moved to create this book for young children, as she believes in the importance of literacy. “Reading is an important part of a child's learning. Incorporating their culture and language helps them relate to the book. I believe there is a great need for high-quality Catholic children's books that reinforce the faith.”
She adds, “In my book, I tried to highlight some of the most important elements of our Catholic faith in a creative and fun way through the ABCs… children are learning about their faith while reinforcing the letters of the alphabet.”
Rodriguez says that she also has “an illustration at the beginning of the book showing Jesus holding hands with two children. I wanted children to see themselves in the book, as if Jesus were taking them on this journey to learn about their faith,” she states. “Since [the word] Catholic means universal, I felt it was beneficial to have a bilingual book in English and Spanish... In this way, I hope children can relate to the story in their native language, especially here in the Southwest.”
The New Outlook asked Rodriguez which character or part of the book resonated with her the most. She shares that, “I especially love the letter M for Mary. On that page, I explain who Mary is and that she gave us the Rosary to pray. This is of special significance for me because I love Mary, and she leads us to her Son, Jesus Christ. Children need to know Mary so that she can help guide them to Jesus. Mary is our mother, and when I read to students at the schools I visit, this is something I share with them.” Rodriguez has been visiting local parishes and schools and reading her book to students within the Diocese, most recently at Our Mother of Sorrows.
She also adds that another of her favorite letters in the book is the letter X for San Xavier Mission.
“I felt it was important to put a little piece of Tucson in the book while highlighting this beautiful and special Catholic Mission, our White Dove of the Desert. I hope that children will want to visit the San Xavier Mission and feel a connection to the story.”
For Catholic parents and educators looking to add to their children’s libraries, Rodriguez says that many Catholic self-published authors and their books are listed online. “Many of these authors are working to help spread the faith and evangelize through literature. As a Catholic author, my goal is to share what is beautiful, good and true through children's literature,” she states. She also adds that plenty of “Catholic children's authors have social media pages or websites that parents can follow and learn more about the author and their work. I would encourage parents to support Catholic authors and share their books with other families.”
Rodriguez's dedication to fostering faith and literacy through her bilingual book, "Catholic Me from A to Z," is truly inspiring. She offers a valuable resource for Catholic families and educators, teaching children about their faith and helping them connect with their community and heritage. For more information or to connect with Rodriguez, please visit:- Facebook: Cathy Rodriguez, Author
- Instagram: cathy_rodriguez_author
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/cathyrodriguez/home