Submitted by Kimberly Souba

As Catholics prepare for the Sept. 24 beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in St. Louis, former Geneseo resident Kimberly Souba is helping introduce a new generation to one of the Church's most beloved evangelists through her latest children's book.

Souba, who served simultaneously as a teacher at St. Malachy School and Director of Religious Education at St. Malachy Catholic Church before relocating to North Dakota, has released The Life of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, a children's story, activity and prayer coloring book designed for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

A native of the Diocese of Peoria, Souba now resides in the Diocese of Fargo. The book has been approved by the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation and is currently in the process of receiving an imprimatur from the Diocese of Fargo.

Although Archbishop Sheen will not officially receive the title "Blessed" until his beatification, the book was intentionally released in anticipation of this historic moment in the life of the Catholic Church.

The book is illustrated by Laila Warner of Davenport, Iowa, a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rock Island. Warner entered the Catholic Church in 2025, while Souba became Catholic in 1997. The pair previously collaborated on Miriam's Heavenly Tea Party and already have several additional Catholic children's books in development.

"As an illustrator and a Catholic convert, I love working with Kimberly because our dearest goals for creating children's books are so very similar," Warner said. "We hope to impart joy, virtue, an enthusiastic love for the Lord and an altruistic impact on our communities."

"For both of us, this project has been much more than creating another children's book," Souba said. "It's an opportunity to introduce children to a man whose life was completely centered on Jesus Christ. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen had an extraordinary gift for making the Catholic faith understandable and exciting, and I wanted to continue that mission for today's children."

Unlike many coloring books that focus primarily on illustrations, The Life of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen combines storytelling with prayer experiences, vocabulary activities, discussion questions and opportunities for reflection.

"I intentionally describe it as a story, activity and prayer coloring book because coloring is only one part of the experience," Souba said. "Children learn in different ways. Some connect through reading, others through art, others through activities or prayer. I wanted this book to engage them in all of those ways so that Archbishop Sheen's witness becomes something they remember long after they close the book."

For Warner, illustrating the book also became an opportunity to grow in her own faith.

"I have had the opportunity to learn so much more about this beautifully holy man than I ever had before," she said. "Experiencing his story through the wondering eyes of children has made this project especially meaningful."

Souba hopes the book will become a resource for Catholic schools, parish religious education programs, homeschooling families and parents seeking to nurture their children's faith.

"My greatest hope is that children won't simply learn facts about Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen," she said. "I hope they'll fall in love with Jesus the way he did. If this book helps even one child realize they are called to holiness and inspires them to pray more deeply or learn more about their Catholic faith, then it has accomplished exactly what I hoped it would."

For Souba, the project carries special significance because of her roots in central Illinois and the years she spent serving the Geneseo community.

"Growing up in the Diocese of Peoria, Archbishop Sheen was always part of the story of our local Church," she said. "When I served at St. Malachy as both a teacher and Director of Religious Education, I loved helping children grow in their faith. This book is a continuation of that mission. My hope is that it helps today's children come to know Jesus more deeply through Archbishop Sheen's inspiring example."

Warner believes Archbishop Sheen's life offers children an example unlike any fictional hero.

"His dedication to learning, his deep love for prayer, his tireless service to those in need and the impact of his faith make him better than any storybook hero," she said.

Souba praised Warner's contributions to the project and looks forward to continuing their collaboration.

"Laila has an incredible gift for creating illustrations that invite children into the story," Souba said. "We've developed a wonderful creative partnership. We share the same desire to create resources that are beautiful, faithful and engaging for children, and I'm excited about the books we'll continue creating together."

Warner said the pair's first collaboration, Miriam's Heavenly Tea Party, was especially meaningful because it combined childhood imagination with giving back to others through support of the Mercer County Family Crisis Center. She said she hopes their future books continue helping children encounter Christ while serving others.

In addition to writing children's books, Souba is the host of the Butterfly Girl podcast and writes a blog featuring reflections on faith, hope, healing and everyday life. Through her writing, speaking and advocacy, she is passionate about helping children and families encounter Christ and grow in their Catholic faith.

As children color the pages and complete the activities, Warner hopes they discover a lifelong example of holiness.

"I can't wait for Archbishop Sheen's story to be shared with a new generation as children bring these pages to life," she said.

"My dream is that children won't simply know who Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was," Souba said. "I hope they'll discover why he loved Jesus so deeply and realize that they, too, are called to become saints. If this book helps plant those seeds of faith in young hearts, then it has accomplished everything I hoped it would."

The Life of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen is available for purchase on Amazon. Readers can learn more about Souba's books, speaking ministry, Butterfly Girl podcast, blog and her mission of creating faith-filled resources for children and families by visiting www.ksouba.com.