Saint Books
The First Apology was an early work of Christian apologetics addressed by Justin Martyr to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. In addition to arguing against the persecution of individuals solely for being Christian, Justin also provides the Emperor with a defense of the philosophy of Christianity and a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals. This work, along with the Second Apology, has been cited as one of the earliest examples of Christian apology, and many scholars attribute this work to creating a new genre of apology out of what was a typical Roman administrative procedure.
We often pray with the saints in our Catholic practice or see paintings of angels by famous artists, but who are they really? What do they do? Can they really intercede for us?
Elizabeth Klein, assistant professor of theology at the Augustine Institute, leads us through a soul-inspiring exploration of Catholic teaching on angels and saints and why they matter to us as individuals and to the Church.
Throughout the book, Klein answers common questions about the angels and saints in order to give us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the role they play in our lives, the Mass, and in the life of the Church. She also equips us to better discuss with non-Catholics what we believe about angels and saints.
In Angels and Saints, Klein explains that these heavenly companions are gifts from God. They are our friends and are joined to us in the mystical Body of Christ. They invite us to love God and each other perfectly as they do.
In this book, you also will learn that
Books in the Engaging Catholicism series from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame help readers discover the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith through a concise exploration of the Church's most important but often difficult-to-grasp doctrines as well as crucial pastoral and spiritual practices.
Eight modern saints invite you to follow their example to live the Beatitudes--the heart of Jesus's teaching--in your own life.
Through her beautiful full-color art, scripture passages, journaling prompts, and original prayers inspired by the Our Father, popular Catholic artist Jen Norton will guide you to put the Beatitudes into practice as she challenges you to examine the state of your own heart and your willingness to grow in holiness.
Norton compares living what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-13) with climbing a mountain--a difficult, irregular, sometimes fear-filled path that eventually leads to a great reward. But she says that like the saints, if you trust God beyond your own understanding, the end of the climb is heaven.
You will learn about each of the Beatitudes from modern saints, including
This book is perfect for personal or group use.
One of the greatest spiritual classics ever written, this influential autobiography has been translated into nearly every language, capturing hearts and minds around the world. Simply written in clear, enchanting prose, this memoir reveals the path to true inner peace, for "Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He cherishes simplicity."
Born in France, young Thérèse Martin (1873-1897) entered the Carmel Convent of Lisieux at the age of fifteen. Also known as "the Little Flower," her autobiography, written at the request of her Carmelite Superiors in the last years of her life, includes poignant girlhood recollections and her teachings of "the little way of childhood." The "little way," inspired by the Gospel, places love at the very center of every action we take. Traditional yet unique, delicate yet heroic, Thérèse taught a shining spirituality that could easily be adapted into everyday life. Her divine words of acceptance and love are universal, and have gently led many people -- both within the Catholic Church and outside of Christianity -- back to their faith.
Saint Thérèse was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. In 1997, she was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II.
When she was about nine years old, Josephine Bakhita was kidnapped near Darfur, Sudan, by Arab slave traders. For several years she was subjected to brutal and humiliating treatment until she was ransomed and taken to Venice, Italy, where she became a Catholic and a nun.
Joyfully and serenely Bakhita served in a convent, school and infirmary run by Canossian sisters in a small, obscure town in northern Italy until her death in 1947. Then something even more remarkable than her redemption happened.
Hundreds of ordinary people came to see Bakhita lying in state, and along with these visits came stories about how the simple nun had given comfort, advice and encouragement as she went about her tasks as cook, doorkeeper, nurse, etc. Almost immediately graces and miracles attributed to Bakhita's intercession began to be reported.
Ever since, the place where Bakhita died and the wonders began has been a shrine visited by people from all over the world. They come to seek the intercession of one who was no stranger to loss and suffering and yet had given herself with complete confidence to the Lord. It is here, in this sparsely furnished room, where Italian journalist Roberto Italo Zanini begins his story of Bakhita and her journey from slavery to sainthood.
Based on Bakhita's autobiography, which she dictated to a Canossian sister in obedience to her superior, the canonization files and many other sources, Zanini records the life, virtues and miracles of this daughter of Africa who has become a sister to the whole world.Illustrated with 16 pages of photos.
Bernadette of Lourdes: Her life, death and visions is the first ever scholarly biography of Bernadette Soubirous, either in French or in English.
It draws upon many testimonies and archival sources that have never previously been published. Therese Taylor explains who Bernadette was, and how she lived and died but takes no position on whether or not her visions were genuine. This story begins in Bernadette's native country of the Pyrenees, a mountain region haunted by tales of fairies, witches and miraculous groves and springs. It follows Bernadette's astonishing life story, from her family circle, through her years of fame, to her retirement at the convent of St Gildard at Nevers. Her difficult relationships with the historians of Lourdes and her lengthy terminal illness are also considered. This biography places Bernadette in the context of her time. She was born into a volatile family and her parent's lives were blighted by economic failure and alcoholism. At the age of fourteen Bernadette was an illiterate child-servant, who suddenly experienced a series of visions of a White Lady in the Grotto of Massabielle. Townspeople, government officials, clergy and journalists were all drawn in, and sought out Bernadette in order to assess her story. A chain of events was set off which made her one of the most famous women in France. Bernadette has to be understood not only in religious terms, but also with reference to themes such as tourism, commercialism, mass-representation and the exploitation of female celebrities.
Cover art by Chris Pelicano
This book is now part of Renaissance Learning's Accelerated Reader program. Quizzes are currently available.
By PaulaAnne SharkeyLemire. A handy guide for devotion to this popular North American Blessed! This booklet contains a short life of Kateri and a collection of approved prayers, chaplet instructions, and a novena to Blessed Kateri.
Many full-color images of Kateri and photos of places associated with her life. The back cover features the original painting of Kateri which she herself requested in a vision after her death. 32 pp. Softcover. (After this booklet was published, Kateri was canonized.)
Age Range: 8 and up
The first Christians to visit Europe and the British Isles met pagans who told tales of fairies, talking beasts, and other wonderful things. To these marvelous stories, they soon added new ones about the Christian saints.
Some were true, others improbable, and many simply fantastic. In the ones we include here, you'll meet the saint who spent seven Easters on a whale's back and the amiable lion who was St. Jerome's friend. You'll see St. George fight the dragon, and you'll read about the fierce wolf St. Francis of Assisi converted.
But many of these stories have in them scarcely a wave of the fairy wand. So you'll also find here true tales of great saints such as St. Louis of France, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary -- souls marked by courage, kindness, and piety.
These marvelous legends and exciting true stories of Christian saints and heroes will provide many hours of delightful reading to believers and non-believers alike!
Read the exciting stories of:
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:
- a thematic prayer intention;
- biographical and devotional information about the saint;
- lessons she learned from each saint;
- daily scripture meditations;
- prayers;
- activities for moms and children; and
- practical, spiritually rich steps that help moms incorporate the wisdom and exemplary faith of each figure into their own lives.
Born to Do This is a personal, thirty-day retreat for those seeking the courage and faith that St. Joan of Arc exemplified throughout her life. Six hundred years after her birth and a century after her canonization, she remains one of the most intriguing and popular saints in history.
In this easy-to-use devotional, the life and words of St. Joan of Arc will help you to grow in courageous faith--the kind of faith that empowered St. Joan to answer God's call, defeat her enemies, endure martyrdom, and ultimately restore her reputation. With diverse patronages ranging from the United States Armed Forces to prisoners, from those ridiculed for their faith to the entire population of France, this icon of courage and women's empowerment captures the imagination of today's Catholic like few saints can.
This little book is perfect for busy people who admire St. Joan of Arc and desire an inspirational read to help navigate the difficulties and challenges of life. The book contains
As the six hundredth anniversary of her martyrdom approaches, the inclusion of the Maid of Orleans in Ave's Great Spiritual Teachers series brings the inspiration of St. Joan's own words and life story to those who admire her courage and hope to emulate her in virtue. A special novena is included at the end of the book for those who wish to invoke her intercession.
Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.
The pontificate of Pope John Paul II has produced an unprecedented wealth of beatifications and canonizations. The twentieth century in particular has been noted as the century of martrys, many of which are featured prominently in this supplement to the new full edition of Butler's Lives of the Saints, a continuation of the tradition of one of the most well-known and relied-upon reference works of all time.
The Supplement of New Saints and Blesseds covers canonizations and beatifications enacted from late 1999 to the end of 2003 in chronological order. Blesseds appearing in previous volumes who have since been canonized have had their information updated and expanded.
How to live a Christian life of faith is a question every generation has sought to answer. Invariably, they have turned to the lives of the saints. The candidates included in this volume are worthy and offer challenge and inspiration to us all.
There is no greater authority on the saints than Alban Butler, and his enormous research has been the standard reference on the subject for the last two and a half centuries. This new adaptation of Butler's multi-volume Lives of the Saints presents a modernized text for today's reader and provides an illuminating guide to these historic, symbolic, and foundational Christian men and women.
Butler's daily readings from the lives and works of the saints offer readers of all backgrounds the opportunity to engage directly with these great figures. Butler's distinctive contribution to stories about saints was to turn attention away from the superhuman, miraculous themes that are prevalent in earlier works. He gives us saints who are examples of Christian living, who provide inspiration for our own lives, in every time and circumstance. As Butler writes: "They were once what we are now, travelers on earth. They had the same weaknesses we have. We have difficulties; so had the saints."
Important features of this version include mention of recently canonized saints as well as those whose path to official sainthood is still in progress. Also included in the daily readings are more obscure saints whose lives and contributions to Christianity should not be forgotten.
This inspiring little book about the life and message of St. Carlo Acutis invites us to imitate his five steps to sainthood: frequent Communion, Eucharistic Adoration, regular Confession, devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the saints, and acts of charity. As he followed these steps, he shared them with others, especially children preparing for their sacraments. Readers of any age can follow these steps and lead extraordinary, faithful lives.
In each generation, heroes of the Faith, whom the Church recognizes as saints, emerge. There are many characteristics that they have in common, but none thus far have used cell phones, played PlayStation video games, or searched for information on Google.
That is about to change.
A young "computer geek" named Carlo Acutis, who created a website cataloguing every reported Eucharistic miracle in the world and died of leukemia a year later at age fifteen, was beatified in November 2019, after a healing miracle in Brazil was attributed to his intercession. Since the beatification ceremony one year later, solemn crowds have been filing past the exposed relics of the blessed youth in Assisi's Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Carlo is a sign of contradiction in the modern world who serves as a heroic model for today's young people--a teenager who programmed computers and enjoyed films and comics yet lived as an authentic and sincere disciple of Christ. In these pages, you'll discover how he embraced the Faith as a boy and developed the virtues necessary to live a Christ-centered life in a secular society, how he overcame the vices that plagued him, and how he gracefully dealt with heartaches he could not divulge even to his parents.
When he developed leukemia, he offered his suffering both for Pope Benedict XVI and for the Catholic Church, saying: "I offer all the suffering I will have to undergo for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church." In this surprising and inspiring book, you'll also learn:
In each generation, heroes of the Faith, whom the Church recognizes as saints, emerge. There are many characteristics that they have in common, but none thus far have used cell phones, played PlayStation video games, or searched for information on Google.
That is about to change.
A young “computer geek” named Carlo Acutis, who created a website cataloguing every reported Eucharistic miracle in the world and died of leukemia a year later at age fifteen, was beatified in November 2019, after a healing miracle in Brazil was attributed to his intercession. Since the beatification ceremony one year later, solemn crowds have been filing past the exposed relics of the blessed youth in Assisi’s Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Carlo is a sign of contradiction in the modern world who serves as a heroic model for today’s young people—a teenager who programmed computers and enjoyed films and comics yet lived as an authentic and sincere disciple of Christ. In these pages, you’ll discover how he embraced the Faith as a boy and developed the virtues necessary to live a Christ-centered life in a secular society, how he overcame the vices that plagued him, and how he gracefully dealt with heartaches he could not divulge even to his parents.
When he developed leukemia, he offered his suffering both for Pope Benedict XVI and for the Catholic Church, saying: “I offer all the suffering I will have to undergo for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.” In this surprising and inspiring book, you’ll also learn:
- How Carlo became holy, in only a few short years
- The young man’s unusual loneliness and how he dealt with it
- His strategy for resisting peer pressure
- How he had fun without losing control and learned to resist gluttony
- How he interacted with teen girls who became his friends
- Why his explanations about the Mass are used in today’s catechism classes in Italy
- How he dealt with friends who were sexually promiscuous and what he told them
- How he responded to the shocking news that he was dying (which happened two weeks later)
- His remarkable Eucharistic Miracles Exhibition—made possible by his computer skills—that is now touring churches all over Europe
Ciao! Meet Carlo: an Italian fifteen-year-old techie who loved coding, video games, animals, and also lived a life that put him on the highway to heaven!
Set to become the first millennial saint, Blessed Carlo Acutis was a vibrant, faith-filled Italian teenager who loved technology and the Eucharist. This kid-friendly biography is the perfect introduction to Carlo’s fascinating and moving story.
You Can Be a Saint! is a series of kid-friendly biographies about the many inspiring, diverse, and holy people on the path to sainthood.Features of the series:
- Written in an engaging, narrative form
- Colorful, playful illustrations and design
- Fun and informative sidebars
- Perfect for children ages 8-11
- Durable, high-quality hardcover
Saint Carlo Acutis, born May 3, 1991, fully embraced the gift of life. Known as a computer whiz, he also liked to play soccer, video games, and the saxophone. He enjoyed watching his favorite police dramas and making short films with his star cast of cats and dogs. He had many friends and enjoyed spending time with them.
Yet Carlo was a little "different" at school, in the pizzerias, and on the soccer field. What set Carlo apart was his constant pursuit of holiness. In addition to his hobbies, he spent time teaching catechism classes and serving in soup kitchens. Carlo loved to attend daily Mass and frequent Eucharistic adoration. The Word of God and the Eucharist were the center of his life. Carlo's unwavering devotion to the Eucharist inspired him to tell the story of Eucharistic miracles through a website he created just for fun. He wanted to deepen his own knowledge of these phenomena, to strengthen his devotion to Jesus, and to invite others to grow in love for the Eucharist. The website subsequently caught the attention of people across the globe, introducing countless people to Eucharistic miracles.
Carlo died from a sudden and violent illness in 2006 at the age of fifteen. In less than a decade, his story spread across Italy and around the world. He was canonized on September 7, 2025, making him the first millennial saint.
Carlo Acutis was a little “different” at school, in the pizzerias, and on the soccer field. What set Carlo apart was his constant pursuit of holiness. In addition to his fun hobbies, he spent time teaching catechism classes and serving in soup kitchens. Carlo loved to attend daily Mass and frequent Eucharistic adoration. The Word of God and the Eucharist were the center of his life. Carlo’s unwavering devotion to the Eucharist inspired him to tell the story of Eucharistic miracles through a website he created just for fun.
Carlo died from a sudden and violent illness in 2006 at the age of fifteen. In less than a decade, his story spread across Italy and around the world. After Pope Francis declared him venerable in 2018, his beatification was celebrated in Assisi on October 10, 2020. The next step will be canonization, making him the first millennial saint.
We have an obligation as Christians to share the Gospel of Christ. But many are at a loss as to how to fulfill this commission.
Good news - we have a clear path we can follow, trod by holy men and women who have successfully brought millions of souls to Christ, the saints!
In his newest book, Casting Nets with the Saints, author and speaker Chris Stewart builds on The Seven Pillars of Effective Evangelization, using entertaining stories of the saints to demonstrate
THE SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE EVANGELIZER
Modeled on the life and ministry of Jesus, a truly effective evangelist must be
Joyful - Humble - Merciful - Peaceful - Faithful - Hopeful - CharitableAs Casting Nets with the Saints powerfully demonstrates, the saints embody these characteristics, and their stories can inspire us to share the Faith. This book is perfect for individuals or parishes searching for an effective program for bringing the Faith to others and growing in it themselves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Stewart is a gifted speaker whose talks on catechesis, theology, spirituality, and evangelization have moved audiences all over the U.S. for over 20 years. He has a Masters of Theological Studies from Ave Maria University, and is co-founder of Casting Nets Ministries.
From the best-selling author of the classic Catholic conversion story, No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, comes a powerful and comprehensive history of a spiritual weapon: the rosary.
"My Father, I put myself in your hands", wrote Charles de Foucauld in his journal. "Whatever you make of me, I thank you, I am ready for everything, I accept everything, I thank you for everything."
When he was killed by bandits in 1916, the French aristocrat-turned-monk was virtually unknown. Over the course of a century, however, the radiance of Foucauld's hidden life has spread more and more, and the Church now recognizes him as a saint.
His youth and early adulthood read like a novel--the loss of his parents; his education in Paris, where he abandoned the faith of his childhood; his military career in French Algeria; and his exploration of Morocco. After a conversion at the age of twenty-eight, Foucauld was charged with a desire to surrender himself completely to God, leading him eventually to a life of prayer in the Algerian desert. There he devoted himself to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and charity toward his Muslim neighbors--even to the point of death.
Jean-Jacques Antier describes Foucauld's dramatic, inspiring life in a vivid narrative style. He based his biography on the man's writings and correspondence as well as interviews with numerous people who knew him.
Illustrated with sixteen pages of photos, and indexed.
Born at the turn of the 20th Century, Josemaría Escrivá spent his life as malleable clay in the Potter's hands. He took on a very visible leadership role as a priest and founder of Opus Dei, with a substantial collection of writings and recorded talks "revealing the personality, tone of voice, mannerisms, and spirit of the man." In this book, Fr. John Henry Hanson explores this role of leader and coach that our saint lived while on earth and continues to live today. Never one to mince words or refrain from action, Josemaría coaches us in work and rest, in times of struggle and ease, through confusion and certainty. Josemaría is for all of us – men and women of today, living and working in the midst of the world. He is for us all a coach, a father, and an excellent teacher of the elevated, virtuous, and courageous life.
Find strength and healing in the arms of the cross
Fr. Cessario masterfully weaves Saint Catherine’s sublime thoughts and words into an easy-to-read meditation on Christ’s Passion.
These insightful reflections invite us to embrace the challenges we encounter during our journey and, with Saint Catherine, to consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us (Rom 8:18).
A perfect meditation for Lent
A thoughtful gift to help comfort loved ones, family, and friends.
“What do we learn from this description of the suffering Christ? What does Catherine teach us about the transformation that brings the world stillness on Good Friday from noon until three o’clock?
“The answer is simple: We discover that because of his enormous love, Christ’s sufferings and death cause the transformation of all that exists, the transformation we call Christian salvation….
“The transformation that Catherine announces is one that creates in those persons who remain united with Christ a new ground for love, a new sort of loving…. The transformation affects both our persons and our actions.”
The Confessions of Saint Augustine is considered one of the greatest Christian classics of all time. It is an extended poetic, passionate, intimate prayer that Augustine wrote as an autobiography sometime after his conversion, to confess his sins and proclaim God's goodness. Just as his first hearers were captivated by his powerful conversion story, so also have many millions been over the following sixteen centuries. His experience of God speaks to us across time with little need of transpositions.
This acclaimed new translation by Sister Maria Boulding, O.S.B., masterfully captures his experience, and is written in an elegant and flowing style. Her beautiful contemporary translation of the ancient Confessions makes the classic work more accessible to modern readers. Her translation combines the linguistic accuracy demanded by 4th-century Latin with the poetic power aimed at by Augustine, not as discernable in previous translations.
The first autobiography ever written, and one of the most profound testaments of faith, ever.
"This book is the masterpiece from which all other Christian memoirs flow. Augustine's astonishing story remains as fresh as it did when he wrote it in the late fourth century. The Confessions still speaks with a clear, vivid and altogether distinctive voice to believers and seekers searching for the One who will give rest to their restless hearts." --James Martin, SJ, author of My Life with the Saints
Unofficially known as the patron saint of the internet, Blessed Carlo Acutis is a role model for today's teens and adolescents. An ordinary teenager of the millennial generation, he enjoyed soccer, computers, and video games, but he was also committed to Mass, confession, and prayer. He used his computer savvy to spread devotion to the Eucharist and understanding of Church teachings. He was diagnosed with leukemia and was only 15 years old when he died. He was beatified by Pope Francis on October 10, 2020 and was canonized by Pope Leo XIV on September 7, 2025.
![Dark Night of the Soul [St. John of the Cross]](https://cathedralbookandgift.com/sites/cathedralbookandgift.com/files/imagecache/product_list/isbn_images/9780895552303.jpg)
One of the greatest spiritual classics of all time is Introduction to the Devout Life, the St. Francis de Sales masterpiece written in the seventeenth century. Deacon Matthew Newsome breaks open this divine guide from one of the most sought-after spiritual counselors in history and helps you apply it to your life today. In these pages, you will find the direction you need to grow closer to God and practice Christian discipleship regardless of your vocation.
De Sales insisted that devotion is for everyone, not just the professional religious class. He wrote for the average layperson, as Deacon Matt does in bringing de Sales's wisdom to any Christian looking for practical advice on advancing in holiness today.
Deacon Matt aligns short, easy-to-read chapters derived from de Sales's work with relatable circumstances of modern life to prepare you for a life of communion with God. You will learn how to cultivate prayerfulness and virtue, weed out temptations
