Roch, as a small boy, brought home a puppy and, with a promise to his mother of being willing to care for it, she allowed him to keep it. These two friends were companions until his dog passed away. But even later in life he often remembered his friend fondly. After his parents died, when he was around twenty, he gave all his money to the poor and left on a pilgrimage to Rome. It was on this trip that he encountered many sick people that had contracted the plague and he stayed to help them before becoming sick as well.

Reading this story can encourage us to follow in the footsteps of Saint Roch as he realized you don't need riches or honors to be a saint but you do need to do God's Will.

Level 1 books in the Footsteps of the Saints series are about 32 pages each and are written as read-alouds for your beginning readers at about a second grade reading level. The print size is large to make it easier to read for young readers, and there are many wonderful illustrations to give a visual for your younger children who are listening.

Br. Ernest, C.S.C