Saint Joan of Arc E-Book

Susan Helen

• Herausgeber: anna ruggieri
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Learn more about this popular saint and her call to fight for her country. Many have been introduced to the story of Saint Joan of Arc through big screen movies and TV. This biography follows her life, illustrating how she heard God's call to fight for her country.

Leseprobe

Saint Joan of Arc

Saint Joan of Arc

God’s Soldier

Written by Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

Illustrated by Ray Morelli

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wallace, Susan Helen, 1940–

Saint Joan of Arc, God’s soldier / written by Susan Helen Wallace; illustrated by Ray Morelli.

p. cm. — (Encounter the saints series; 7)

Summary: A biography of the fifteenth-century peasant girl who led French armies at God’s command, was

burned at the stake as a heretic, and later canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Includes a

prayer and glossary of terms.

ISBN Print: 0-8198-7033-1

ISBN-10 eBook: 0-8198-7155-9

ISBN-13 eBook: 978-0-8198-7155-8

1. Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412–1431—Juvenile literature. 2. Christian women saints—France—Biography— Juvenile literature. [1. Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412–1431. 2. Saints. 3. Women—Biography.] I. Morelli, Ray, ill. II. Title. III. Series.

DC103.5.W35 2000

944’.026’092—dc21

00-008422

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

“P” and PAULINE are registered trademarks of the Daughters of St. Paul

Copyright © 2000, Daughters of St. Paul

Published in the U.S.A. by Pauline Books & Media, 50 Saint Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3491.

www.pauline.org

STJA VSAUSAPEOILL02-10J10-00698 7033-1

Pauline Books & Media is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of women religious serving the Church with the communications media.

Contents

1. A Nightmare Comes True

2. The Voice

3. The Saints

4. Too Incredible!

5. A Second Try

6. The Dauphin

7. “My Good Duke”

8. Sword and Banner

9. On the March

10. Orleans

11. Victory

12. Last Chance…

13. The Battle

14. Coronation Day

15. A Broken Heart

16. Captured!

17. Failed Escape

18. The Trial

19. The Verdict

20. A Mother’s Grief, a Father’s Pain

21. To Heaven

22. Restored Honor

Prayer

Glossary

1

A Nightmare Comes True

“I can trust you with all the other chores, and this is no different, Joan,” the gentle woman with tired eyes coaxed. “It isn’t hard to light the fire. Watch me now so you can do it next time.”

“No…Mother…please!” Joan begged, her own eyes brimming with tears. “I’m afraid of fire!”

“But fire is good. Look, it’s already begun to cook our supper,” her mother replied as she straightened up from the hearth. “We need fire—even to keep warm and healthy. Now the next time you’ll get it going, won’t you?”

“Maybe,” Joan hesitated. “I mean, I want to try. Yes, yes, next time I’ll do it!”

“You’re too soft,” Jacques d’Arc scolded his wife. “She weaves her way around you, Isabelle. That’s no way to discipline a child.”

“Now, Jacques,” Mrs. d’Arc said softly. “Children have these strange fears. Be patient.”

“Patient!” he shouted. “Why, Joan is thirteen years old. It’s time she outgrew this foolish fear of fire. Teach her. You’re her mother. Teach her!”

Life for a country girl in fifteenth-century France was hard. There were no extras. Jacques d’Arc was a peasant who had the good fortune of owning a few animals and a small piece of land that he farmed. Through careful management, Mr. d’Arc eked out a living for himself, his wife and their five children. Still, it took great effort to make ends meet, and many times he came home overtired. But Mrs. d’Arc was very wise and equally patient. She understood her husband, gruff as Jacques was. And she made sure that the children understood him, too.

All the family members had their own jobs. Joan’s included housecleaning and sewing. Sometimes she also worked as a shepherdess, tending their small flock of sheep and watching over their few cows.

The family’s village of Domrémy seemed ordinary enough. But fear hung over the hamlet and gnawed at the minds of everyone old enough to know how to worry.

War was a word that the villagers understood all too well. Domrémy bordered the enemy territory of Lorraine. Its tiny population could never defend itself in the event of an attack. The citizens lived in uneasy expectation.

The people knew that at any time a raid could force them to leave their homes and flee to the next town. When Burgundian bandits overran a town, they sacked, burned and destroyed everything in sight, unless the nobles of the area could pay them enough of a bribe. But would Domrémy even have anything to bargain with?

These worries preoccupied Jacques d’Arc as he stopped his work one evening. His family, his farm, his crops—years of struggle—to think it could all go up in a puff of smoke! As he wiped his damp forehead with the back of his hand, a happy voice broke in on his thoughts.

“Father! Father!” Joan called as she ran up. “Put those heavy tools away now. Supper’s ready.”

“Do you have to be so noisy?” Mr. d’Arc responded roughly.

“I’m sorry,” Joan mumbled. “What’s the matter? You look so worried.”

“It’s nothing,” he said, ruffling her hair. “Come on. Your mother’s waiting.”

That same night, frantic screams split the air. Mr. d’Arc’s worst nightmare had come true.

“It’s the Burgundians! The Burgundians are coming!”

Mrs. d’Arc anxiously gathered the children. “We must get up! We must go! Hurry children, quickly now!” she exclaimed. “Take your woolen capes. I hope you’ll be warm enough.”

“Hurry!” shouted Joan’s father.

“We’re ready, Jacques,” her mother answered.

The family fled from the house, running as fast as possible. The night was very dark, but Mr. d’Arc knew the way. How many times he had planned this escape in his mind, knowing that his family’s safety might depend on it one day.

They walked, then ran, and walked again. It was eight miles to the town of Neufchâteau. But tonight it seemed like eighty. The hours dragged on. A combination of panic and fright made Joan’s legs so wobbly she could hardly walk. She imagined leaping flames devouring the village behind her, and she wanted to close her eyes and pretend it was all just a bad dream. But the frantic, pushing crowd of refugees that surrounded her wouldn’t let her do that. She had to keep going.

“Will we ever go back home again?” Joan asked as hot tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Yes,” her father said firmly. “Yes,” he repeated, squeezing her tightly. “We’ll go back—and very soon!”

The first streaks of dawn appeared as Neufchâteau came into full view. It wasn’t home, but for now it meant safety and rest.

2

The Voice

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

As they finished their morning prayers the next day, Joan leaned toward her mother. “Why, Mama?” she whispered. “Why is there always so much fighting?”

Mrs. d’Arc sighed. It was hard to explain what she couldn’t really understand herself. But she would try….

“For many years two great European nations have been at war. The problems started when you were just a baby, Joan. At that time, King Henry V of England crossed the ocean, took over Normandy, and claimed the crown of Charles VI, our French king.

“Because Charles VI was mentally ill, his son, Charles VII, called the Dauphin, was the real king of France in most people’s minds. But the Dauphin is a very unusual man,” Mrs. d’Arc said, shaking her head. “As time went on, he did almost nothing to try to restore freedom to our country. Our people began to think he was a coward. And facts are facts. Outside of Charles’ great gold and marble palace, where he peacefully sits enjoying dancing, games and expensive food, town after French town is falling into English hands.”