Saint Biography

Orlandito "Dito" Montiel grew up wild in the streets of Astoria, Queens, pulling pranks for Greek and Italian gangsters and confessing at the church of the Immaculate Conception, gobbling hits of purple mescaline and Old English, sneaking into Times Square whore houses, and at times getting near much graver trouble. Entering adulthood in the 80s, he escapes into the underground and punk cultures of Manhattan.

“Superbly intelligent…[a] rewarding Sapiens-style big history.” —The Times (London) A bold and original history of fatherhood, exploring its invention and transformation from the Bronze Age to the present through a collective portrait of emblematic fathers who have helped to define how...

This book tells the stories of young saints who lived — and often died — with heroic faith. From Agnes of Rome to Charles Lwanga, Joan of Arc to Dominic Savio, these inspiring lives show that holiness is possible at any age. Through courage, sacrifice, and trust in God, these boys and girls, peasants and kings, answered Christ’s call and became examples of virtue for all generations.

Fonolibro se enorgullece en presentar El Conde de Saint Germain de Conny Mendez, fue un enigmático personaje que ha sido descrito como cortesano, aventurero, inventor, alquimista, pianista, violinista y compositor aficionado, pero es mejor conocido como una figura recurrente en varias historias de temática ocultista.

« Le docteur a dit qu’il n’y avait plus rien à faire. » Nous sommes en 1943 à La Malbaie. À 6 ans, le petit André Larouche est condamné par la maladie. Sa mère, Rose-Yvonne Lapointe, qui a une grande dévotion envers le frère André, demande son aide. Elle est exaucée. Durant les années qui suivent, le frère André deviendra le protecteur d’André Larouche. Il lui procurera de grandes joies et l’aidera à donner un sens à une vie qui lui avait réservé plus tard le pire des drames.

In an age that smirks at the mention of miracles, sin, angels, and demons, St. Pio of Pietrelchina has emerged as a figure of immense popularity, attracting fascination, veneration, and emulation. Padre Pio, who once wrote in a letter, "I am a mystery to myself," is certainly a mystery to all who know of him. To those who moved beyond mere credulity, he became an inspiration to embrace the fullness of faith.

One part biography, one part prayer book, The Life and Prayers of Saint Padre Pio is an essential for any Christian. The foundation for Padre Pio's work in the world was love. His love of God became intertwined with his love of humanity so that the two became inseparable and unwavering. Padre Pio is notable not for his erudition or even his teachings, per se, but for the man he was and the intercessor he continues to be. Pio gave himself to Christ as a spiritual victim for the souls of sinners.

How is it possible that a chain-smoking socialist, a teenage video gamer, an opium addict, a satanic high priest, a disabled beggar, and a self-absorbed mean girl became saints? Popular itinerant missionary Meg Hunter-Kilmer will stretch your preconceived notions of holiness by exploring the lesser-known lives of seventy-five extraordinary people whose human struggles and limitations reveal the power of God's grace.

In this Christian Encounter Series biography, author Robert West explores the life of Saint Francis, a man who lived entirely devoted to God. Francis of Assisi has inspired the church for centuries. Francis took the gospel literally, following all that Jesus said and did without limit, and his...

"Ryken's Worldly Saints offers a fine introduction to seventeenth-century Puritanism in its English and American contexts. The work is rich in quotations from Puritan worthies and is ideally suited to general readers who have not delved widely into Puritan literature. It will also be a source of...

St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most venerated Christian figures, and his profound teachings, deep love of nature, and commitment to simplicity have resonated with generations of followers. St. Francis of Assisi, a title in the Essential Wisdom Library, offers a simple and universal introduction to Francis' life, his key teachings, and the spiritual practices that enriched his faith and the lives of those who follow his legacy.

1715, Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, après plus de 60 années de pouvoir absolu meurt après le Dauphin, son fils, puis le nouveau Dauphin, son petit-fils. C’est donc l’un de ses arrières-petits-fils qui lui succédera. Mais il n’a que 5 ans et ne peut donc régner. Après une courte bataille pour le pouvoir, Philippe, duc d’Orléans, frère cadet du feu roi, devient Régent.

Among the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226) is popularly remembered for his dedication to poverty, his love of animals and nature, and his desire to follow perfectly the teachings and example of Christ. During his lifetime and after his death, followers collected, for their own purposes, numerous stories, anecdotes, and reports about Francis. As a result, the man himself and his own concerns became lost in legend.

St. Peter, also known as Simon Peter of Cephas, is considered the first Pope of Rome, yet St. Peter had humble beginnings as a fisherman. Later he became one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. He was ordained by Jesus Christ as "the Rock of My Church" (Matt 16:17). Jesus said further, "Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed!" "Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it."

God spoke to Don Bosco in dreams. These fascinating dreams of St. John Bosco involve prophecy, parables, and reading of hearts, with a powerful spiritual message. These stories include: "To Hell and Back", "Two Boys Attacked by a Monster", "The Snake and the Rosary", and many more. Those dreams led to many conversions and will instruct, admonish, and inspire many today!

St. Peter Claver voluntarily entered the horrors of the slave trade to serve as a “slave of the slaves,” bringing comfort, healing, and the sacraments to the most forsaken. This powerful book follows his heroic charity aboard disease-ridden ships and in the slave pens of the West Indies, where he lived Ignatian spirituality with selfless love. Alongside Claver’s example, the book reflects on the Church’s historical witness against slavery and offers timely spiritual insights on how personal holiness and sacrificial love remain the most potent force against injustice—then and now.

The Little Flowers of St. Francis is a classic collection of popular legends about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Composed at the end of the 14th century by an unknown author, this manuscript is a version of the Latin Actus beati Francisci et sociorum eius, which can be dated to 1390 AD. Most scholars are now agreed that the author was Ugolino Brunforte (1262-1348). The text was the inspiration for Roberto Rossellini’s 1950 film Francesco, giullare di Dio (Francis, God’s Jester), which was co-written by Federico Fellini.

After spending more than a millennium in relative obscurity, Saint Joseph has become the second-most mentioned saint in the papal magisterium after the Virgin Mary. To understand the life and importance of Saint Joseph, a good place to start is with the first papal title ever granted him: "Patron of the Universal Church." What is it that Saint Joseph has to offer the Church—and each one of us—today? That's the question that A Man Named Joseph: Guardian for Our Times seeks to answer.

In C. S. Lewis and the Catholic Church, Joseph Pearce delves into Lewis's life, writings, and spiritual influences to shed light on the matter. Although C. S. Lewis's conversion to Christianity was greatly influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien, a Catholic, and although Lewis embraced many distinctively Catholic teachings, such as purgatory and the sacrament of Confession, he never formally entered the Church.

Leaving the Saints is an unforgettable memoir about one woman’s spiritual quest and journey toward faith. As “Mormon royalty” within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Martha Beck was raised in a home frequented by the Church’s high elders—known as the apostles—and her...