Independence native writes book inspired by St. Michael Church
by Laura Straub
After growing up attending St. Michael Catholic Church and School, Independence native James Day was inspired to bring the church namesake’s story to life in the pages of his latest book, “Saint Michael the Archangel.”
Day grew up on Willow Drive with his parents and older brother John, attended grade school and served as an altar boy and eventually an usher at St. Michael. He attended St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University.
He got his masters degree in film production from Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television in Los Angeles, and he works for EWTN Global Catholic Network in Orange County as an operations manager and producer.
In his free time, Day is passionate about writing Catholic-themed books, often inspired by his time at St. Michael.
“I wanted to tell the story of Saint Michael the Archangel through the lens of growing up at St. Michael in Independence,” he said.
Day and his fellow grade school students very much identified with St. Michael, one of the most revered saints in Christianity, he said.
“The figure of St. Michael helped shape how we understood good and evil, right and wrong,” he said. “The epic nature of St. Michael stirred my creative imagination. His ability to overcome all odds truly makes me believe anything is possible.”
Day describes his book as a biography on the figure revered in Jewish and Catholic tradition who, according to the Bible, was responsible for casting the bad angels from heaven.
“It covers the history of devotion to St. Michael throughout the centuries and throughout the world, details shrines and other holy places dedicated to him, as well as various miracles attributed to him,” he said.
Day’s childhood church plays a part in his book, from the first sentence to the photo of the statue of St. Michael at the base of the bell tower, which appears in the book, thanks to parishioner and Independence resident Sue Synek.
Day also drew inspiration from Pope Francis’ call to Catholics to pray the Prayer to St. Michael to help combat scandals and corruption that have been uncovered in the church in recent years.
“I wanted to show that time and again, St. Michael renewed religious faith,” he said.
“Saint Michael the Archangel,” is Day’s third book. He wrote his first, “Father Benedict,” in 2016 about retired Pope Benedict XVI. He dedicated the book to the faculty and staff of St. Michael School.
“Before becoming Pope, Benedict XVI was a professor, and I wanted to pay tribute to the Catholic educators who shaped me as a young boy,” he said. “I credit my teachers at St. Michael for encouraging my writing and visual arts vocation.”
Day’s second book, “A Place for Christ Forever,” was released in 2019. It tells the story of the former Crystal Cathedral transforming into the Christ Cathedral in Orange County, Calif.
The books have all been published through Our Sunday Visitor, one of the oldest and largest Catholic publishers in the U.S. They are available for purchase through Our Sunday Visitor and on Amazon.
Feature image photo caption: James Day
