Super Girls and Halos

Weaving Theology of the Body and Superheros together may seem like a hard task, but author Maria Morera Johnson makes it seem effortless. Flowing from stories about Wonder Woman as she relates to the feminine genius back into a reflection on the development of DC and Marvel characters, this book will appeal to women looking for culturally relatable ways of translating aspects of the Catholic faith into everyday dialect, without losing its potency. A great text for book clubs, "Super Girls and Halos" elevates the discussion of feminist characters and role models to a higher, more heroic level.

This book juxtaposes heroines from popular culture with canonized saints, one of each for each chapter, using a a theme the four cardinal virtues of justice, fortitude, temperance, and mercy. It's an interesting way to look at both virtue and sanctity and one that will speak to many readers.

Johnson's career as a teacher really shines in this book. For readers unfamiliar with any of the women in this book, whether real or fictional, she provides you with history, biography and insight. If you are familiar with any of the women in the books you never feel overwhelmed by the description, just that you are meeting an old friend in a new context.

While excellent to read as an individual, each section concludes with questions for study groups. The book ends with suggestions for how to apply these lessons to our own lives.

Super Girls and Halos

My Companions on the Quest for Truth, Justice, and Heroic Virtue



by Maria Morera Johnson

Ave Maria Press

Christian , Religion & Spirituality

Pub Date 08 Sep 2017

I am reviewing a copy of Super Girls and Halos through Ava Maria Press and Netgalley:

In this book the author starts out by talking about some fictional heroines and then goes on to talk about how at the age of six her Father sat her down to watch real life hero Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. She goes on to talk about how her love for space drew her into science-fiction stories.

The author goes on to remind us that we need heros and heroines. In this book the author compares Wonder Woman to St. Katharine Drexel. Katharine Drexel entered the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburg Pennsylvania in 1889.

The second chapters compares Star Wars Rey to St Francis of Assisi. St Clare of Assisi was born to a wealthy father and a pious Mother in 1193, a time of turmoil throughout Italy. Clare committed herself to St. Francis vow of poverty. St Clare was canonized in 1255 just two years after her death.

This book goes on to talk about Mary Magdalene as well as St. Theresa of Benedicta, as well as St. Cunegunde who was born in 975 and died around 1040.

I give Super Girls and Halo's five out of five stars!

Happy Reading

What do you get when you cross Wonder Woman & Hermoine Granger with St Katherine Drexel & St Claire of Assisi? An incredible book that provides practical, everyday examples of the cardinal virtues along with saintly ones.
Broken into four parts aka the Cardinal Virtues:- Seeking Justice, Seeking Prudence, Seeking Fortitude and Seeking Temperance. There are a total of 8 chapters and a conclusion. Each chapter throws together a secular, fictional character with a saint who exemplify the virtue in question. I loved this. I now find myself looking for the "Faith Whispers" in a few of my favourite characters. Not all the characters are familiar to me and they may not be familiar to other readers but the perspective, and anecdotes shared by the author draws you in that you can't help but feel like you know them all. I am also able to transfer and seek characters more familiar to me that allow me to see the virtue in action as well. Well written while allowing for the imperfections of being human.
The introduction begins by giving practical advice from Edna Mode of The Incredibles, who I love. How could this book not be awesome?

I love church history but books about saints always seemed a little dull to me. I’m happy to have faithful role models and intercessors, but reading books about them never had much appeal. My curiosity was piqued, however, after my 14 year old daughter came home from seeing this summer’s blockbuster film, “Wonder Woman”, and went on at length about the Catholic themes she felt were prevalent in the movie (notwithstanding the whole backstory involving the Greek gods). I thought maybe Mrs. Johnson was onto something with her new book, and I was right!

The premise is straightforward: many fictional heroines share virtues with real saints, and the book explores many of these characters and saints in great detail. I knew some characters well (such as Hermione Granger), others were “old friends" I hadn’t heard from in a long time (Dana Scully), and others I didn’t know at all (Marvel’s Black Widow), but in the end it didn’t matter. If anything, reading about them made me want to rewatch old episodes of The X-Files and study up on Marvel’s Black Widow and Storm, then circle back around to this book.

As soon as I finished the book, I told my teenage daughter - an aspiring writer and self-proclaimed “nerd” - to read it, and I have also recommended it for the teen ministry at my parish. Super Girls and Halos is a great read in general, but would be an especially good pick for Catholic book clubs, women of all ages, and teen girls, because it emphasizes strong, virtuous and, yes, heroic, women - feminine role models worthy of emulation.

I love the way Johnson's use of fictional characters (those that teens are able to relate to) and how she relates them to saints is done. I am intrigued on how she even came up with the concept. Well done! What a way to empower girls!!!!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.