Reading about the Saints

How's it coming? What other books are you reading?

This quarter, we are reading Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints for our book club selection. What do you think of it so far? Have you been reading the Kindle, listening to the audio, or reading the hardcover? Let’s discuss your thoughts!

My favorite books about the Saints are written in story form…without too much background information, without too much description. Just tell me the story! And the more factual and accurate it can be, the better I like it!

What are some of your favorite books on the Saints? I’m currently reading St. Francis de Sales: A Biography of the Gentle Saint and I’m loving it. I know I talk about this saint a lot, but I haven’t read this book about him before. I love the little anecdotes that reflect what he was really like.

“He [Francis de Sales, now Bishop of Geneva] had given a home to his old tutor, M. Deage. This worthy priest, like many other tutors, seemed to think his old pupil was still a boy. Accordingly, M. Deage treated the august and dignified Prince-Bishop of Geneva as though he were a schoolboy — scolding him, finding fault, never pleased. Every day this very tiresome and querulous old man grew more irritable and hard to get on with; but Francis never lost his temper, was always patient and good-humored, submitting with a smile to the constant rebukes of his old tutor, and treating him always with unfailing gentleness and kindness. As a matter of fact, M. Deage really worshipped the very ground his beloved pupil walked on, but like many people, ready to die for those they love, he tantalized and tormented with constant pinpricks, growls and grumbles, the man he loved most on earth; indeed, his affection and his temper would have made life unbearable to anyone less sweet-tempered and kind-hearted than the gentle Bishop of Geneva.” (p. 132-133)

Do you see what I mean? The author could have told us that he was patient even when people were irritating, and that he was grateful to those who had helped him in in his youth, but instead, she shows us his ways with this beautiful story. She explains later in the text how sad he was when his tutor died. He seemed to take no notice of the irritability of the old man. He focused on his gratitude for all the tutor had taught him.

By the author’s demonstration of his example, I am inspired to look at whether I’m being patient with those who aggravate me, and whether I’m kind to everyone like Francis de Sales was. (Spoiler alert: I’m not, but I’m working on it.)

Another book that is full of anecdotes is Teresa of Avila by Marcelle Auclair which I have mentioned here before. I also loved The Life of Father Pro by Rev. M.D. Forrest, M.S.C. — a quick little read of 100+ pages. If you know anything about Father Pro, you know he was a dedicated, zealous missionary to his people in Mexico during the early 1900s, when it was against the law to exercise his ministry. He had a tremendous sense of humor and great courage, and he demonstrates it in anecdotes like this:

“Father Pro one day noticed that two police were hurrying after him, in fact, running. He turned a corner and immediately saw a Catholic lady whom he knew. At once he gave her a wink, and the two walked along quietly like two lovers! The police turned the corner, but all they understood was that they were pursuing a young man to his rendezvous with his girlfriend. When the police had departed, Father Pro explained the situation to the lady and went off to continue his beloved work for souls.” (p. 97)

This author balances stories of Fr. Pro’s wit and kindness with examples of his deep spirituality and holiness. For those of you who don’t know the story, Father Pro gave his life as a martyr for the Catholic Faith on November 23, 1927.

I could go on giving examples like this of the books I enjoy, but some of the titles I own are not easily available now. What books on the Saints do you prefer?

One author who always did a lot of research, and had a great storytelling style was Bishop Emile Bougaud. He wrote a book on The Life of Saint Monica which is on my to-be-read list. I read his book Revelations of the Sacred Heart to Blessed Margaret Mary: And the History of Her Life and it was wonderful! I also read his St. Chantal and the Foundation of the Visitation — this link takes you to volume two. The first volume is mostly about her life as a laywoman, a wife and mother, and the second volume is about her life as a nun and co-foundress of an order.

If you go to TAN Books, you can use my code of ROSEMARY30 to get 30% off full-priced books. At that website, a few of my favorites are Fr. Piat’s “The Story of a Family: The Home of St. Therese of Lisieux” and “St. Margaret Clitherow” by Margaret Monro. I also really enjoyed Fr. Dirvin’s “Saint Catherine Laboure of the Miraculous Medal”.

Occasionally I enjoy a book with novelized anecdotes of the Saints, but I really prefer the ones where every conversation really happened. The good hagiographers (saint-storytellers) make the Saints come to life with snippets of their actual adventures that demonstrate the kind of people they were. I don’t need chapters on what was going on in the world at that time. A quick brushstroke of background history is enough — tell me that the French Revolution was going on, and all the churches were closed. Or tell me that the court of the king was a decadent and scandalous place, and the character was invited to a ball there. I don’t need long descriptions of what the politicians of the time were doing. But maybe that’s just me. What do you think?

Sometimes I enjoy biographies written by contemporaries of the Saint, but I also like to compare those to newer biographies that are well-researched. The combination of the two helps me to get a full picture of the Saint.

What do you look for in an enjoyable biography of a Saint? Who are some of your favorite hagiographers? I would love to hear from you.

I hope you will also post here about how you’re enjoying our book selection, Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints!