In need of a book on saints

  • Thread starter Thread starter pig_boy
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

pig_boy

Guest
I was wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for a dictionary/encyclopedia of CAtholic saints? There’s a ton out there but it’s hard to know which one to choose. Thanks for any help.
 
Pig Boy,

(Do you work at Piggly Wiggly? 🙂

I would read individual biographies first, since they offer a more in-depth encounter of the life of the individual.

St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of A Soul” is a good place to start.

Thomas A Kempis “Imitiation of Christ” is a good one to read first also.

I have not found a good compendium of the lives of the Saints that really allows me to get to know a saint’s struggles and life to my satisfaction. I want to be able to relate to their struggles so I know how to find God’s grace in my life as well. I would be happy to hear of any books anyone may recommend.

God bless,

CA3891
 
pig_boy said:
I was wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for a dictionary/encyclopedia of CAtholic saints? There’s a ton out there but it’s hard to know which one to choose. Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
The one published by Our Sunday Visitor is a good one.

The Encyclopedia of Saints
 
pig_boy said:
I was wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for a dictionary/encyclopedia of CAtholic saints? There’s a ton out there but it’s hard to know which one to choose. Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
Butler’s Lives of the Saints is a classic and one of the best.
 
I think it is tough to come up with one or two definitive books on all the saints. I like to get one or two books on each individual saint. They are much more in depth and reveal so much more than what a consoladation can put on one or two pages or even into a whole chapter.

Some of more interesting saints I’ve read about are St Padre Pio, St Anthony of Padua, St. Paul, ST Luke, St. Paul, St Faustina Kasulka, Blessd Catherine Emmerich, St Catherine of Sienna, and recently St Gerald Majella.

I’ve also read a few conglomeration books, and as a brief summary they are fine, but there is no comparison to a dedicated book on any one saint. When an author has a whole book to use, he can add so much more to the story. I love to read about the great miracle workers (as most of the ones listed above are), some of them could have several volumes written on just their miracles alone.

Our Church has a rich history of great saints, and most are worthy of at least one book on their lives. For me one or two pages just doesn’t tell me enough about what they did, or what they were really like.
 
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. One of the reasons I’m looking for a encyclopedia type book is to help determine which ones I want to further study. Thanks again for all the help.
 
wcknight said:
Some of more interesting saints I’ve read about are St Padre Pio, St Anthony of Padua, St. Paul, ST Luke, St. Paul, St Faustina Kasulka, Blessd Catherine Emmerich, St Catherine of Sienna, and recently St Gerald Majella.
Click to expand...
Just for the record it’s St Faustina Kowalska and St ***Gerard ***Majella - in case anyone is looking them up on the internet or in library catalogues it helps to have correct spelling.
 
Dictionary of Saints by John Delaney
Dictionary of PatronSaints Names, by Thomas Sheehan.
both from OSV

online americancatholic.com has a link on saints, which has the biggest “collection”
 
LilyM said:
Just for the record it’s St Faustina Kowalska and St ***Gerard ***Majella - in case anyone is looking them up on the internet or in library catalogues it helps to have correct spelling.
Click to expand...
thanks, spelling is not one of my strengths, neither is typing…
 
I have read a great many books on the saints. When I want to find a good one on a particular saint, I go to sources such as the “New Catholic Encyclopedia” or “Butler’s Lives of the Saints” (which may be available at your local library). These identify books at the end of each article for further reading. “Our Sunday’s Visitor’s Encyclopedia of the Saints,” for example, may be good otherwise, but it doesn’t identify biographies to read on the saints covered.
By the way, the last several years I have been much using Bob and Penny Lord’s books on the saints (they make regular appearances on EWTN), which I pick up inexpensively as used books on sites like amazon.com. Each book covers about a dozen saints, and I would recommend their books for those interested.
pig_boy said:
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. One of the reasons I’m looking for a encyclopedia type book is to help determine which ones I want to further study. Thanks again for all the help.
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top