Alternate title:
Some Reading Goals for the Next 20 Years.....
A couple months ago at this point, I had just finished reading Colleen Carroll Campbell's book, My Sisters The Saints. I was inspired and touched by both her personal life story and the way that some of the great Saints had influenced it and had become her friends, her sisters (hence the title!)
(Don't you love that print by Hatchprints?)
And it left me aching, yearning to learn more deeply about the Saints. Now I'm a cradle Catholic and my parents taught us a good bit about the Saints. In fact, growing up I read many a title in Mary Fabyan Windeatt's series by Ignatius Press. She writes books that I felt were perfect for the middle school/high school age level (but great for anyone wanting to get a basic biography and life story of a plethora of Saints, so certainly not limited to any specific age group). Other Saint biography series that have been recommended to me are books by Louis de Wohl. While I'm sharing series of Saints biographies, I am currently reading books from the Encounter the Saints series to my kids. These books are simpler and better for younger readers. When I taught 3rd grade, these were a good reading level for the average student in my class. My oldest is currently a 1st grader and has the ability to read these on her own, but needs guidance still with some of the comprehension and word meanings. All of our girls pick up on the story when I read a chapter (or portion of a chapter) aloud at breakfast or lunch though, so these have been a fun series for us to start on to get a little deeper into some of the stories of Saints we've read about in picture books or the simple lives of the Saints collections for kids.
But back to my adult list.....
I wanted to delve more deeply into the lives of the Saints and become friends with them too. So, of course, I enlisted the help of friends and acquaintances on Facebook and asked what great books on the Saints have touched their lives. And I got a HUGE response, so I guess it's time to share the big long list that I want to slowly work through in the coming years....
Books That Cover a Multitude of Saints:
1. My Life with the Saints by James Martin
2. The 33 Doctors of the Church by Christopher Renger
3. Modern Saints by Ann Ball (there are two books: Part 1 and Part 2)
4. Sisterhood of Saints and Blessed are You (two collections of Saints) by Melanie Rigney
5. Book of Saints for Catholic Moms by Lisa Hendey
(I have this book and though I haven't read it cover to cover, I love to pick it up and use it as a supplement to my spiritual life and for some quick learning and study of the Saints)
6. Saints of Asia by Fr. Vincent O'Malley
Biographies/Autobiographies of Saints:
1. Story of a Soul (autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux)
2. The Long Lonliness (autobiography by Dorothy Day)
4. St. Gianna Molla: Wife, Mother, Doctor by Pietro Molla (her husband)
5. St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton
6. Saint Francis and the Sulton by John V. Tolan
7. The Perfect Joy of St. Francis by Felix Timmermans
8. Witness to Hope by George Weigel (about St. John Paul II)
9. Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Great Loves by Jason Evert
One of my favorite books of all time. This man was incredible and this book was an amazing read about his life. I already want to go back and reread it. Ahhh-mazing!
10. Mother of the Little Flower (there is also a Father of the Little Flower title!) by Celine Martin (about Saint Therese's parents)
11. The Story of a Family (about Saint Therese and the Martin family) by Rev. Fr. Stephane-Joseph Piat
12. The Extraordinary Parents of St. Therese of Lisieux: Louis and Zelie Martin by Helene Mongin
13. St. Thomas Aquinas by G.K. Chesterton
14. The Youngest Prophet by Christopher Renger (about Bl. Jacinta of Fatima)
15. A Man of the Beatitudes by Luciana Frassati (about Bl. Pierre Giorgio Frassati)
16. The Life of St. Isaac Jogues by Francis Talbot
17. A Man for Others: Maximilian Kolbe by Patricia Treece
18. Life Among the Hurons (about St. John de Brebeuf) by Francis X. Talbot
19. Catherine of Siena by Sigrid Unset
20. Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh
21. Joan of Arc by Mark Twain
I had no idea he'd written a book about Joan of Arc. Did you?
22. The Woman in the Cloak (about Bl. Margaret of Castello)
23. Blessed Margaret of Castello by Fr. William Bonniwell
24. St. Martin de Porres: Apostle of Charity by Giuliana Cavallini
25. Bakhita: From Slave to Saint by Roberto Italo Zanini
26. St. Bakhita by Ann M. Brown
27. St. Kateri: Lily of the Mohawks by Matthew and Margaret Bunson
28. Lily of the Mohawks: The Story of St. Kateri by Emily Cavins
29. The Life of St. Gemma Galgani by Fr. Germanus
30. St. Rita of Cascia: Saint of the Impossible by Fr. Joseph Sicardo
31. Blessed Miguel Pro: 20th Century Mexican Martyr by Ann Ball
32. St. Gianna Beretta Molla: Modern Day Hero of Divine Love by Thomas J. McKenna
33. A Woman's Life by Giuliana Pelucchi (about St. Gianna)
Writings of the Saints:
1. Interior Castle (St. Teresa of Avila)
2. The Way of Perfection (St. Teresa of Avila)
3. The Seven Storey Mountain (Thomas Merton)
6. Little Talks with God (St. Catherine of Siena)
7. Meditations from a Simple Path (Mother Teresa)
9. The Imitation of Christ Thomas A'Kempis
10. True Devotion to Christ (Louis de Montfort)
11. An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
12. Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales
13. The Way (Josemaria Escriva)
14. The Furrow (Josemaria Escriva)
15. The Forge (Josemaria Escriva)
Three separate works, but this is a link to all three in one book.
16. Uniformity with God's Will by Alphonsus de Liguori
I've read this, but it's always a good read. Always something new to discover.
17. Essays on Woman (Edith Stein- St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)
18. Divine Mercy in my Soul (St. Faustina Kowalska)
I've read part of this. I find it difficult to read cover to cover. For one thing, it's long. Secondly, it's heavy and deep. But I know people who have devoured it from cover to cover in a matter of days or weeks, so it's not a one size fits all read necessarily. Do what works for you. But read it, it's amazing!
19. Dark Night of the Soul (John of the Cross)
20. Treasure in Clay (Venerable Fulton Sheen)
21. Letters of Sts. Louis and Zelie: A Call to Deeper Love (Louis and Zelie Martin)
This list is by no means a complete one with regards to the lives of the Saints. There are just so many wonderful Saints whose lives are an incredible example to us of faith and who can become dear friends to us along our own journey to heaven and sainthood.
Who are your favorite Saints?
What books would you add to my list?
This list is incredible. Thank you for sharing. I think I will dedicate my Lent to learning about 40 Saints who I do not know already. This list will definitely help.
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