Books on the Saints

Spiritual Direction from St. Thomas Aquinas.  From a lifetime of studying the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, popular author Peter Kreeft says that his amazement has continually increased not only at Aquinas' theoretical, philosophical brilliance and sanity, but also at his personal, practical wisdom, his "existential bite." Yet this second dimension of St. Thomas has usually been eclipsed by the other. Kreeft wrote this book to help bring that sun out from its eclipse. He provides easily dig...

Introducing the must-have for any theologian or philosopher’s collection – A Shorter Summa, from the renown author, Peter Kreeft. This shortened overview of the iconic Summa Theologica provides an elucidating and persuasive look into one of the greatest philosophical works ever penned. It captures the essential elements of St. Thomas Aquinas’ vast knowledge in a 500 page tome that is easy to understand. Contained within its pages are excerpts, explanations and introductions written by Kreeft ...

A Concise Guide to His Theology, His Letters, and His Life He traveled more than ten thousand miles without an airplane or car and founded fourteen dioceses. When he was blinded on the road to Damascus, St. Paul received his epic calling and was "made new." Although there are numerous books on St. Paul and his letters, none "knock over" the average person. In Understanding St. Paul, Deacon Bob Evans breaks open the wealth of St. Paul's wisdom in brief, understandable chapters through the lens...

For children ages 10 and up, St. Benedict: The Story of the Father of the Western Monks reveals an epic story of a great life and legendary miracles! It tells the tale of St. Benedict—how he founded his ancient order, as well as lesser known anecdotes such as his sister, St. Scholastica and how he changed these ancient mysteries into a set of moral spiritual practices still in existence today. It's filled with extraordinary moments like when he changed poisoned wine into water or how he saved...

An award-winning historian's examination of impossible events at the dawn of modernity and of their enduring significance Accounts of seemingly impossible phenomena abounded in the early modern era--tales of levitation, bilocation, and witchcraft--even as skepticism, atheism, and empirical science were starting to supplant religious belief in the paranormal. In this book, Carlos Eire explores how a culture increasingly devoted to scientific thinking grappled with events deemed impossible by i...

St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617), Patroness of the Americas, is the first canonized saint of the New World. She was the tenth of thirteen children, and her mother experienced no pain at her birth. Though exquisitely beautiful (hence her nickname, Rose), she refused to marry, and while helping support her family by needlework and growing flowers, she practiced heroic charity and lived as a Dominican Tertiary in her parents' home. Rose tenderly cared for the sick, even those with repulsive wounds, ...

Reflections on Society Beatified in Warsaw in 2021, Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński (1901-1981) is widely recognized as one of Poland's greatest heroes of the twentieth century. Exercising the function of Primate of Poland from 1948 until his death, he reminded the Polish people of their Christian heritage and opposed the abuses of the communist regime; his popularity made him the Polish communist's worst nightmare. In this collection, which is bound to become a classic, Cardinal Wyszyński ...

Poems by Saint John of the Cross Regarded by many as one of the finest Spanish poets, the 16th century mystic St. John of the Cross wrote sublime poems that chronicle the soul's purificatory pilgrimage through the dark night of the soul to the joy of mystical union with the Creator. To translate such works, with their passionate, intimate intensity, requires both boldness and delicacy. The translator of poetry faces many challenges. As the late poet Timothy Murphy notes in his introduction, s...

 "Blessed be the Child who today delights Bethlehem. Blessed be the Newborn Who today made the humanity young again. Blessed be the Fruit Who Bowed Himself down for our hunger. Blessed be the Gracious One Who suddenly enriched all of our poverty and filled our need." Ephrem the Syrian (c.306-373) Ephrem was born in the Mesopotamian city of Nisibis toward the end of the third century. An outpost of the Roman Empire, Nisibis and its Christian citizens were to be formed by the reign of Constant...

To help celebrate the fourth centenary of the birth of St. John of the Cross in 1542, Edith Stein received the task of preparing a study of his writings. She uses her skill as a philosopher to enter into an illuminating reflection on the difference between the two symbols of cross and night. Pointing out how entering the night is synonymous with carrying the cross, she provides a condensed presentation of John's thought on the active and passive nights, as discussed in The Ascent of Mount Car...

An Unabridged Edition with The Original Four Parts and All Chapters, Table of Contents: On Selection of Men for The Work of The Church - On the Sort of Life, The Pastor Ought to Live - On the Best Methods of Dealing with The Various Types of People Which Every Pastor Will be Likely to Encounter - On the Necessity That the Pastor Guard Himself Against Egotism and Personal Ambition, with footnotes.

Thomas More (1478-1535) was an English lawyer, philosopher, humanist, and author, most known for his book Utopia (1516) and for his death after refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. The Sadness of Christ is his last book, wrote by the saint before he was executed in London after being imprisoned for standing firm for his faith. His Devotion to the Lord's Passion was familiar to him therefore he wrote about it in this book giving priceless and valuable refle...

Joseph's Donkey is the heartwarming tale of a noble donkey purchased by St. Joseph shortly before his marriage to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The trusted creature helps Joseph in his carpentry business by hauling wood and stones, but he also plays a key role in all the major events recorded in the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels: he carries Mary to Bethlehem, where she gives birth to Jesus; he takes the Holy Family to Egypt to escape the evil king Herod; and he shuttles the family to Jerusalem...

In this colorful and vibrant graphic novel, St. Thérèse of Lisieux reveals to children the story of her soul and her secret to holiness: "To love is to give everything and to give yourself." Children will come to understand that the "Little Way" of St. Thérèse consists of trust, love, and generosity, and they will learn how to abandon themselves in the arms of Jesus like the Little Flower. Never before has the life and spirituality of St. Thérèse of Lisieux been presented in such a beautiful ...

Devotions to the Patron Saint of Los Angeles The Innocent and Modest Vibiana prayer book invites you to grow in devotion to the hidden patron saint of Los Angeles: St. Vibiana. Saint Vibiana was a virgin martyr who lived and died in third-century Rome. She lived in a time of great persecution, when the strong preyed on the weak, and when many young Christian women were put to death for rejecting the depravity of pagan culture. We can be certain of little about Saint Vibiana's life, except tha...

"O my soul, contemplate the surpassing beauty of these citizens of paradise! They shine like a vast constellation of radiant stars, or even like the sun itself, in the splendid city of God."--St. Aloysius Gonzaga In the history of the Church, there are few saints who wrote with such angelic purity and devotion on the subject of angels as Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Much has been written on this Jesuit novice who died at the young age of twenty-three while caring for plague victims, but little has...

The Passion of Christ Through the Eyes of Mary by St. Anselm offers an in-depth look at the events preceding and following Christ's passion and death. This book brings together St. Anselm, the Magnificent Doctor, and writings attributed to St. Bernard, the Mellifluous Doctor to provide a uniquely detailed presentation of these life-changing events for readers.Readers will be exposed to Our Lady's private revelations from her conversations with her spiritual sons that have enriched many prayer...

How Mark's Gospel Answers Modern Questions In this unusual book on the Gospel of Mark, the brilliant and prolific Peter Kreeft presents 252 contemporary questions that modern man asks about every aspect of the meaning of life, faith, love, suffering, friendship, death, eternity, God, Jesus and more. He then gives an answer to each question taken directly from Mark's Gospel, which are always pointed and often suprising, and makes us ponder more deeply about the meaning of the Scripture passage...

C. Bernard Ruffin's Padre Pio: The True Story is a captivating account of the life of one of the most revered Catholic figures of the 20th century. From his humble beginnings as a Italian farm boy to his years as a beloved spiritual leader, Padre Pio's journey is one of deep faith and miraculous deeds.Ruffin draws on extensive research and interviews with those who knew Padre Pio best to paint a intimate portrait of a man whose intense spirituality and holiness transformed the lives of all wh...

Saints for Every Member of Your Family, Every Profession, Every Ailment, Every Emergency, and Even Every AmusementWho would have guessed that there is a patron saint for astronauts, or zookeepers, or the internet? You know that you can pray to St. Blaise to help protect you from a sore throat, but which saint will protect you from a snakebite or from being struck by lightning?With hundreds of listings of patron saints, you'll find heavenly helpers for just about anything and everything.You'll...

The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta This historic work reveals the inner spiritual life of one of the most beloved and important religious figures in history--Mother Teresa. During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religions; her extraordinary contributions to the care of the sick, the dying, and thousands of others nobody else was prepared to look after has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world....

"Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope" is an intimate biography of Saint Padre Pio, one of the most revered saints of our age. Through this rare look into his life and works, readers will gain a better understanding and appreciation for both his own piety and devotion to God as well as the power of prayer. This updated edition decks with five additional chapters, covering the years preceding his beatification, his miraculous healings through prayer, and Pope John Paul II’s deep devotion to Saint Padr...

Discover the astounding life of Padre Pio in the groundbreaking book, Padre Pio and America. This widely acclaimed publication dives deep into various aspects of this humble Italian Capuchin friar's mysterious and captivating history. With an unparalleled enthusiasm for piety, Padre Pio left an indelible mark on the Catholic Church worldwide for his many unexplained bilocation ability, infused fragrances of supernatural origin, skillful reading of souls and hearts, miraculous healing powers, ...

St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved religious figures in history, celebrated for his connection to nature and inspiring devotion to Christian service. Get an exclusive view into the life of this 13th century saint with Michael de la Bedoyere's book 'Francis of Assisi'. Uncovering mystical events such as his legendary Sermon to the Birds and meeting with a leper, you will be taken on a life-changing journey through St. Francis' unparalleled spiritual journey for sainthood, as back...