Saint Biography

This long-awaited translation of Confessions, which Stephen Greenblatt describes as central to the legacy of Adam and Eve, enlivens the beguiling world of late antiquity. No modern, well-versed literature lover can call her education complete without having listened to Augustine’s Confessions. One of the most original works of world literature, it is the first autobiography ever written, influencing writers from Montaigne to Rousseau, Virginia Woolf to Gertrude Stein.

Among all the various figures in 19th century America who left controversial legacies, it is hard to find one as influential as Joseph Smith (1805-1844), the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Mormonism, and the Latter-Day Saint movement. Revered as a prophet on the level of Moses by some, reviled as a perpetrator of large-scale fraud by others, what everyone can agree on is that Joseph Smith founded a religious movement that played a crucial role in the settlement of the West, especially in Utah.

This Boy and His Mother: Healing from Trauma as a Gay Latter-day Saint chronicles Preston Jenkins' journey back to faith and activity in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Speaking with authenticity, Preston offers gospel insights gleaned from his experiences involving same-sex attraction, sexual and emotional abuse, an early return from an LDS mission, mental illness, and the eventual completion of a mission. Hope, faith, and never-failing charity are strikingly displayed. So, too, is the sufficient grace of Jesus Christ to holistically heal all wounds.

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, su verdadero nombre, fue una católica albanesa que radicó durante décadas en la India y fundó las Misioneras de la Caridad en 1950. Por más de cuarenta años sirvió a los pobres, enfermos, huérfanos y moribundos, razones por las que tras su deceso, fue beatificada por el Papa Juan Pablo II en el año 2003.

The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God's plan and the possibility for truly following it in one's life. So often we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints - the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope. Saints were not born; they were made through lives of cooperation with God's grace despite many difficulties, weaknesses, and temptations.

The world needs saints to show it the way to true humanity. The church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling. The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s plan and the possibility for truly following it in one’s life. So often, we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints - the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope.

Pope St. John Paul II was known for many things. In his youth, he had a passion for the theater. He eventually became one of the most charismatic and influential bishops in the Roman Catholic College of Cardinals. During his long pontificate, he was one of the most beloved, but also most controversial, people in the world. Still, in order to understand what motivated his life, it is crucial to understand that he was - above all else - a thoroughly devoted and convicted disciple of Jesus Christ.

More and more people - especially millennials - are turning to religion as a source of comfort and solace in our increasingly chaotic world. But rather than live a cloistered life of seclusion, the Daughters of Saint Paul actively embrace social media, using platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to evangelize, collectively calling themselves the #MediaNuns. In this collective memoir, eight of these Sisters share their own discernment journeys, struggles and crises of faith that they’ve overcome, and episodes from their daily lives.

"Nous étions six – cinq garçons et une fille – insouciants, frivoles, joyeux, dans un été de tous les possibles. Pourquoi a-t-il fallu que l'un d'entre nous disparaisse ?" S'inspirant d'une histoire vécue, Philippe Besson retrace un drame de sa jeunesse, survenu dans l'île de Ré, un soir de juillet, au milieu des années 80.

Of all of the important Catholic men and women who have been venerated over the last 2,000 years, one of the faith's most popular and influential men also lived one of the most unique lives. Like Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) found God about as far away from church as possible; it was during military service that he underwent a remarkable conversion.

In questa biografia dallo stile documentaristico, corredata da fonti storiche, ripercorrerai la vita di uno dei santi più amati. Francesco di Assisi conquista per la sua dolcezza, il suo coraggio, ma soprattutto per il suo essere libero. Un uomo e un santo capace di mettere in discussione il mondo e la società oggi come allora.

In this Christian Encounter Series biography, author Jonathan Rogers explores the life of Saint Patrick: slave, shepherd, and courageous missionary.

My world came crashing down around me in 1997. It was entirely my fault. While it was a devastating experience, followed by equally devastating years of slow rebuilding, I also realize that it was a beautiful act of God's reckless mercy toward me that brought me to such a place.

Ex-priest Stephen H. Donnelly’s memoir, A Saint and a Sinner, is an immersive experience into the world of a Catholic priest and a brutally honest account of Stephen’s journey of sinfulness. At age 42, Stephen was ordained a Roman Catholic priest. As he stood before God, the bishop, and the congregation, he made promises he struggled to keep. Three years into his priesthood, he descended into a world of cocaine and alcohol abuse.

Saint Matthew is an example of God’s love and mercy not just for those who are saints, but also for those who are struggling with sin and feeling disconnected from God. The many layers of Matthew’s story teach us about true love and the powerful and sustaining force God’s love offers to us.

If the saints have never made you laugh or drop your jaw, they will in this book. Best-selling 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 and outrageous personalities and did breathtaking deeds...but they all had epic faith.

Joan of Arc: The Story of the Defender and Patron Saint of France is more than just a history book—it's a journey of discovery. It is a bridge that connects us to the past, allowing us to walk through history, understanding the socio-political dynamics of Joan's time, and how they reverberate even today. It's a mirror that reflects our present, making us ponder upon the role of women, faith, and nationalism in society.

Francesco Forgione might be a name lost to history, but over the course of his life, he became one of Catholicism's most well known figures during the 20th century as Padre Pio. It was a remarkable path for a man who was legendarily afflicted by a series of illnesses and most famously bore the stigmata, very noticeably bearing what appeared to be the crucifixion wounds Jesus's hands suffered. Padre Pio was also known for his eccentricities, including unique forms of deep meditation and experiencing visions.

Una de las figuras más asombrosas y peculiares de la Iglesia Católica. Italiano de nacimiento, religioso capuchino y renombrado santo italiano, este sacerdote es conocido mundialmente por la larga lista de hechos sobrenaturales que le ocurrieron en vida, varios de ellos, consumaron la atención mundial y hoy son materia incluso, de amplias investigaciones.

St. Therese of Lisieux (1873 - 1897) is one of the most popular saints in modern times. What makes her life so outstanding and such an inspiration to so many people? She had no sustained spiritual visions, unlike St. Bernadette of Soubirous before her or the three children of Fátima after her. She had no stigmata, was not a martyr, was not a teacher during her lifetime, and did not start a religious order.