Saints

In A Beautiful Second Act, bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life's second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and "soul sisters" who faced these challenges with courage.

As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation--those balancing the needs of both children and parents--are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. A Beautiful Second Act: Saints and Soul Sisters Who Taught Me to Be a Badass Age with Grace contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process.

Chapter after chapter, these inspiring saints and contemporary changemakers from all over the world will help you, too, embrace your second half and the changes it brings to our health, our personal relationships, our responsibilities, our work, and our faith.

Each chapter offers experiences of female saints and soul sisters as they illuminate different aspects of this season of aging: physical changes in the body, shifts in work and purpose, dealing with aging parents and end-of-life issues, the need for strong spiritual friendships, and the importance of mercy.

Drawing from a diverse range of occupations, races, times, and outcomes, Johnson writes about her own struggle to redefine her second act and what it means to trust God as our lives begin to wind down and our ultimate purpose comes into crystal-clear focus.

The Church in the United States is greatly blessed by the contributions of Black Catholics and the legacy of holiness of so many men and women of color. These men and women lived lives that are worthy of our study and emulation.

In Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood, Michael R. Heinlein provides the first book to explore the lives of the six Black Catholics from the United States whose causes are under formal consideration by the Catholic Church for canonization. Including biographies and personal reflections from diverse contributors, this book shows how these six men and women provide a model of holiness for all Catholics and people of good will. Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Venerable Henriette Delille, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Servant of God Julia Greeley, and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman are sources of inspiration for us all.

As we continue to pray for the advancement of their causes for canonization, all Catholics of every race can learn a great deal from these holy men and women. By their stories of faith and virtue, they show us how to respond to the call to holiness, bringing healing, reconciliation, and peace to our wounded nation and world.

"It is my profound honor to add my voice in support of Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood. This book gives an insightful look at the Black Americans that are on the path to canonized sainthood in the Catholic Church. The book introduces readers to six Black Americans who dealt in their lifetimes with the human denigration and suffering that is manifested by America's Original Sin of racism. Yet they not only persevered, but truly lived as Christian people, which so many Americans claim to be, but whose actions do not support that claim. These Black Americans sought to show love, compassion, and forgiveness to all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or station in life. All of the men and women you will meet in Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood -- through their faith in God and by giving of themselves to God's people, their sisters and brothers -- did what Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman said: 'we must return love, no matter what.' These men and women show us the way forward."

Most Reverend Roy E. Campbell, Jr.,
Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, President of the National Black Catholic Congress

"Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is an inspiring look at six holy Black men and women who mirrored Christ in service to others. All of them persevered, despite the many rejections they encountered, giving Black Catholics today the inspiration to meet the obstacles of racial inequity with equal grace and love, and providing insight to all Catholics, regardless of race, into the effects of systemic racism and the many gifts and talents people of color bring to the Church. The accompanying reflections, written by Catholic laity and religious, provide deeper insight into the lives of the six candidates for Canonization, and how best we can learn from them and emulate their examples in our own lives."

The National Black Catholic Congress

"Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is a great expose on the lives and faith of some of our Black ancestors who responded with both prayer and action to overcome racism. Discovering through this book their life stories, their suffering, and their faith-filled response, one is inspired to seek the conversion of hearts with regard to racism through prayer and action so that we too can aspire to be saints by the manner in which we love one another."

Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre,
Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism

"Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood provides a glimpse into the power of God's grace at work in the lives of men and women who were often treated with disdain. The Archdiocese of Denver has been blessed by the heroic, charitable witness of Julia Greeley on our streets, in our churches, and in our homes. This book extends that blessing to all who are seeking additional examples of courage, perseverance, and determination. As our country and Church work to address racism, may we turn to these holy men and women for their example and intercession."

Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila,
Archbishop of Denver

"Michael Heinlein performs a great service in bringing together engaging reflections on and portraits of Black Catholics who are on the road to sainthood. Their stories differ but they have at least one thing in common: They rose above the racism of their day to the heights of holiness. From their place in eternity, they challenge us to root out racism from our midst. This volume should prompt us to pray and work for the canonization of these worthy witnesses to the Lord's truth and love."

Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archdiocese of Baltimore

"The last three Bishops of Rome have called Christ's Church to a New Evangelization, a renewal of the mandate given at Pentecost: to carry on the mission of the Redeemer. Heinlein's book offers us a glimpse of a central theme of our renewal -- personal witness, the heart of it seen in the cloud of witness of these holy ones. These men and women of color lived their faith life and became living gospels of the Gift: the Passion of the Cross, seen in the evil of racism; the Liberation of the Resurrection, recognized in the courage of the prophets; and the songs of the Kingdom, heard and shared in the joy of the Spirit. They call us to witness."

Most Reverend David P. Talley,
Bishop of Memphis

"'Can anything good come from Nazareth?' was Nathaniel's response in John's gospel to Philip's invitation to meet Jesus. Philip's words in reply echo down the centuries: 'Come and see' (John 1:45-46). Within this book is a cohort of six awe-inspiring disciples who encountered the Lord and proved that, when grasped by Jesus Christ, God can raise up goodness from anywhere. As former slaves and descendants of chattel slavery, they bore fruit a hundred-fold in their time and place and bequeathed to the Church a lasting legacy. I invite all who yearn for racial justice and peace to come and see in this book six black women and men who show us the path to life in this world as they continue on the road to sainthood."

Most Reverend Joseph Kopacz,
Bishop of Jackson

"Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood gives us an opportunity to become better acquainted with six black women and men from the United States and to be inspired by their lives of faith. As we strive for holiness, we are given the privilege to learn more about their journey to canonization and to participate in their process."

Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond,
Archbishop of New Orleans

"Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is essential reading for all Catholics, particularly at this time in our country's history. There is a common thread in the stories of these six holy men and women: a strong faith, love for others, and personal sacrifice. I appreciate OSV raising awareness of the lives of these candidates for sainthood. It is my hope that reading about their lives and struggles will inspire not just devotion but others to follow in their footsteps. The world desperately needs models of holiness and virtue like the ones contained in this short volume. May their testimony of faith help us bring healing and reconciliation to a divided world and inspire us to respond to our own call to holiness."

Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez,
Archbishop of Philadelphia, chairman USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church

"Death has no terrors for a sincere servant of Christ who is laboring to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth."

--Bl. Ramon Llull (c.1232-1315)

Blessed Ramon Llull's ultimate act of final perseverance was not one single decision made by grace, but the culmination of a life spent adhering to the will of God. The Memoirs of Blessed Ramon Llull is a thrilling narrative, reading almost like an action novel. In this autobiographical work, he humbly details his triumphs as well as his own weaknesses and disappointments. Due to rivalries between Catholic leaders, Bl. Ramon's missionary zeal faced indifference from within the Church as well as resistance from without.

This Franciscan tertiary is known as the Doctor Illuminatus because he wrote over 300 works that span dozens of disciplines, not least of which is his Greater Art (Arts Major). TAN's edition of Llull's autobiography also includes substantial extracts from his Booklet about the End. Translated in English for the first time, by Fr. Robert Nixon, OSB, this work gives a detailed outline of his request made to Pope Clement V and the College of Cardinals for the establishment of monastic academies to train future missionaries in foreign languages. Unfortunately, his request was denied. A visionary among his fellow clergymen, Bl. Ramon was alone in recognizing the importance of learning the vernacular of the unconverted nations. Despite this and various additional disappointments he experienced, Bl. Ramon never swayed from the work Christ called him to.

Lisa M. Hendey, founder of the award-winning CatholicMom.com and bestselling author of The Handbook for Catholic Moms and The Grace of Yes shares her passion for the saints by introducing fifty-two holy companions as guides for the amazing vocation of Catholic motherhood.

Guided by the example of the saints, Hendey eloquently links personal stories, scripture, prayer, and soul-strengthening exercises into a spiritually rich and deeply practical resource for Catholic women. This edition includes a new preface and cover and is updated with information about saints canonized since the first edition.

Allow The Book of Saints for Catholic Moms to help you grow in your faith and enrich your heart, mind, body, and soul by spending each week of the year with Lisa M. Hendey and a different saint. This award-winning spiritual guidebook introduces you to popular saints such as Thérèse of Lisieux, Teresa of Calcutta, John Paul II, and Patrick, as well as lesser known but equally inspiring saints such as Gianna Beretta Molla and Damien of Molokai.

Each week Hendey offers:

This translation of Augustine's most popular work was done by Maria Boulding and is considered "of a different level of excellence from practically anything else on the market" (Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury).

The Confessions of Saint Augustine is considered the all-time number one Christian classic. Augustine undertook his greatest piece of writing with the conviction that God wanted him to make this confession. The Confessions are, in fact, an extended poetic, passionate, intimate prayer. Augustine was probably forty-three when he began this endeavor. He had been a baptized Catholic for ten years, a priest for six, and a bishop for only two. His pre-baptismal life raised questions in the community. Was his conversion genuine? The first hearers were captivated, as many millions have been over the following sixteen centuries. His experience of God speaks to us across time with little need for transpositions. This new translation masterfully captures his experience.

"In the Curé of Ars, we have an incomparable guide. He remains for all an unequalled model both of the carrying out of the ministry and of the holiness of the minister."
-- Pope John Paul II

"This is a very unusual, perhaps even a unique biography. Father Rutler does more than give the "facts" about the life of the Curé of Ars. With bold strokes, like a master Chinese calligrapher, he captures the spirit of the age in which he lived, unveils the sanctity of a humble parish priest, and gets to the heart of what it means to be a priest--not just then, but now and for all time. Along the way Father Rutler brilliantly shows that the Curé of Ars is a priest for all seasons."
-- Kenneth Baker, S.J. Editor, Homiletic and Pastoral Review

A saintly person from her youth and a great mystic and victim soul, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich was privileged by God with nearly a lifetime of ecstatic visions revealing all the events of Our Lord's suffering and death; visions that we understand in hindsight were a great gift from God to the world. Her account of the passion and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful to the Bible, heart-rending, edifying, and surprising because of its intimate detail. The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ recounts with incredible precision the horrendous sufferings undergone by our Savior in His sacrificial act of Redemption. Its illuminative description of Mary's participation in the sufferings of her Son gives the reader a poignant understanding of why Our Lady is often called our "Co-Redemptrix" and "Queen of Martyrs." The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ is a singular book that leaves a lasting impression of the terrible agony of Our Lord, of His infinite love for us that motivated His suffering, and how His passion and death were brought on by each person's sins. Here is a book that gives one a holy conviction just by reading it. Here is a book that will melt a heart of stone!

The saints are not myths or legends, they were people just like us who lived lives of ­epic virtue.

If the saints have never made you laugh or drop your jaw, they will in this book. Bestselling author Shaun McAfee (Reform Yourself!, Filling Our Father's House) and guest writers illustrate how the saints were not just stone-faced old men. Some of them had quirky habits, outrageous personalities, and did breathtaking deeds...but they all had epic faith.

Their lives were filled with events that push our understanding of charity with intrepid virtue, but at certain points, they lacked common sense and were uproariously funny, too.

Discover the time:

- A young man known for his spiritual perfection almost blew himself to bits with a cannon.
- The saint of the Cristero War became a master of disguises to save Christians and hilariously taunt his persecutors.
- Twin saints conjured dragons and tempests just to preserve vocations of novices.
- The founder of the Oratorians joked about his own death, just moments before he died.
- A famous cardinal rejected guaranteed conclave votes to make him pope.
- A magnificent preacher was-- understandably--accused of being insane.

You'll be filled with faith and laughter as you discover that God truly sends the lowly to do his will on earth, but that over time and with God's graces, the lowly are lifted the highest--even if they are a little wild, weird, and epically wonderful.

One chilly November morning in 1927, a slender young priest stood before a firing squad in Mexico City. Five shots cracked through the air, and he fell lifeless on the ground. The man was Miguel Agustin Pro, S.J. His crime? Being a Catholic priest.

As a member of the Society of Jesus, Father Pro had worked hard and patiently to bring bread to the poor and the Holy Eucharist to the faithful. Like all Catholic priests in his day, he was deeply hated and viciously hunted by the secret police and the army of the anti-clerical government of Mexico. After Father Pro eluded them many times with disguises and hiding places, when he was finally captured, he was promptly executed without a trial.

Father Pro's generous love for the poor, the young, the sick, the tempted, and the spiritually weak attracted many hearts to him, and through him to Christ. In addition to his charity, his wit and courage make him a model for all Christians, especially those being persecuted for their faith and young people, who are inspired by his heroism.