Kristina Schoh guides families on a journey to discover Jesus in the sacraments
When “Seek and You Will Find—A Catholic Sacraments Adventure!” was published in February, it was the culmination of eight years of thought, prayer and research by author Kristina Schoh of Holmen. The journey began when her oldest daughter, Halle, was just 2-years-old and fascinated by Mass every week.
An Idea is Born
“We often encounter darkness in our world,” says Kristina Schoh. “When we see darkness, we must carry the light. I felt called to help other families discover this light through the beauty of our Faith.”
For Kristina and her husband, Jared, passing on the Catholic Faith to their children was a deeply personal mission. Their daughter Halle, fascinated by seek-and-find books, seemed drawn to the wonder and exploration they offered. Kristina began searching for a similar resource to introduce Halle to the richness of the Catholic Faith—but her search came up empty.
“The book I envisioned simply didn’t exist,” Kristina recalls. She turned to prayer, asking for guidance because she felt so unsure at that point of what to do next. In prayer, she wondered: could she create this type of book, not just for Halle, but for other children as well?
As the seeds of inspiration took root, Kristina continued to pray, allowing the vision for her book to gradually take shape. Along the way, the Holy Spirit guided her to two mentors who became instrumental in her journey—Benedictine Sister Bridget Donaldson and Monsignor Delbert J. Malin. “They knew I was called to do this,” said Kristina.
Kristina submitted her idea to several book publishers, but her efforts were met with silence. Life grew busier with the arrival of her second child, and the project was temporarily set aside.
Years later, when her son Grayson turned two and began showing an interest in Mass, Kristina felt a renewed calling to revisit the idea of creating a seek-and-find book. She reached out to publishers once more, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced everything to pause yet again.
Dreams Become a Reality
Kristina accepted the delays, thanks to her strong faith, and in return, God rewarded her faithfulness.
“In 2022, I had my third child, and I felt that the Lord was calling me to write the book during this season of my life,” she says. “I’m a planner, but when you take a step back and allow the Lord’s purpose to reveal itself, it’s truly wonderful.”
At that point, Kristina assumed she would need to self-publish her book and turned to social media for help finding an illustrator. Among the recommendations was Michael LaVoy, the son-in-law of her sixth-grade teacher.
When Kristina met Michael and saw his artwork, she instantly knew he was the perfect fit for her project. “The moment I saw his talent, I knew he had to be the book’s illustrator,” she recalls. The feeling was mutual. Michael was equally inspired by Kristina’s vision and her dedication to the project.
“Kristina was so passionate about teaching young children about the power of the sacraments through this interactive adventure,” Michael says. “It was clear her enthusiasm sprang from her own desire as a parent to teach her children about the beauty of the Catholic Faith in a way that was both fun and meaningful.”
Providentially, Michael wasn’t just an illustrator—he also was a chief commercial officer for a Catholic publishing company—Voyage Comics & Publishing.
The Journey to Publication
The book’s direction and format took distinct shape as the collaboration between Kristina and Voyage Comics & Publishing began. “I knew the book had to feel like an adventure because our faith journey is exactly that—an adventure,” Kristina shares.
“Kristina and I brainstormed the style and approach for this book together,” Michael adds. “We wanted vibrant colors and fun shapes. The characters and the scenes needed to be simple, yet able to hold a child’s attention. The idea to include ‘guides’ along the journey allowed us to connect with the children who read this in a more personal way, so we wanted the guides to be inviting, fun and unique.”
Kristina’s partnership with Voyage Comics in creating “Seek and You Will Find—A Catholic Sacraments Adventure!” opened new doors not only for her but also for the publishing company. Before collaborating with Kristina, Voyage Press specialized primarily in Catholic comic books. However, inspired by her vision, illustrator Michael and Voyage CEO Philip Kosloski launched a new subsidiary called, “Little Voyagers.” This exciting venture is dedicated to producing books that inspire and guide young readers on their faith journey.
“Children are consuming more media than ever before,” Michael explains. “I firmly believe that we become shaped by what we consume. If the majority of the media our children engage with does not nourish their faith, they will spiritually starve. Our goal is to provide resources for Catholic parents to offer wholesome media to their children that inspires them to grow in faith and virtue.”
Once the design work with Voyage Comics was finished, Kristina and Michael knew the next vital step was to ensure that all information about the sacraments was accurate and faithful to Catholic teachings. “I’m just a mom called to faith,” says Kristina. “I knew I needed assistance to fine-tune some of the information.” Kristina enlisted the help of many people across the diocese to join her in fact-checking the content.
Kristina’s dedication to ensuring her book aligned with Church teachings was evident in the thorough review process it underwent, involving several layers of scrutiny and approval from official Catholic authorities. The first layer involved a Censor Liborum—an ecclesiastical authority appointed by the Church to review the publication for doctrinal accuracy. After confirming its adherence to Church teachings, the Censor Liborum grants a nihil obstat, meaning “let nothing stand in the way.” Finally, the diocesan bishop reviews the publication and issues an imprimatur, which means “let it be printed.”
“Seek and You Will Find—A Catholic Sacraments Adventure” passed through each layer of review, and Bishop William Patrick Callahan granted an imprimatur on Feb. 20, 2024.
Remembering Sister Bridget’s influence at the very beginning of Kristina’s journey, Kristina dedicated the book to her. “Sister Bridget passed away in 2021, but I like to think she rallied a heavenly crew to celebrate when we published the book on Feb. 24, complete with pom-poms, noisemakers and a fabulous party!” says Kristina.
Connecting Children with the Holy Spirit
Since publication, Kristina has actively promoted it throughout the diocese. Her experience in brand marketing and communications helped her feel at home as she shared the book with families, schools and parishes.
“This part of the journey fell right into my wheelhouse. I definitely was able to tap into my natural energy and felt comfortable in my element,’” Kristina says.
Visiting schools and interacting with families has been fun for Kristina and her family, who accompany her when possible. “It truly has been magical,” says Kristina. “There’s nothing more rewarding than visiting Catholic schools and seeing the excitement light up the students’ faces.”
When engaging with the students, Kristina takes care to create a tactile experience to help introduce the book and the sacramental adventure it contains. Kristina explains, “When visiting preschool or kindergarten students, I place a baptismal candle and chrism oil in the room. This approach engages multiple senses and provides another opportunity for the Holy Spirit to connect with the children.”
Halle, Grayson and even 3-year-old Scarlett are thrilled about their mother’s book and the path to today and beyond. “They’ve loved seeing the entire process unfold,” Kristina shares. “Having a dream, overcoming challenges, making it a reality and working hard to achieve success has made this experience truly unforgettable for me—and for them.”
Story by Mary Kay McPartlin
Published in the January/February 2025 issue of Catholic Life Magazine