Who is your favorite Saint to read?

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Hello!

I am curious which saint’s works/ lives do you like to read and why?

I have a special fondness for St. Agustine, Teresa of Avila and I intend to try Juilan of Norwich soon.

Thanks!
 
Do you mean specifically reading what they wrote, or their biographies? I just picked up the biography of St. Teresa of Avila and haven’t started it yet. 🙂 Other than that I haven’t read any saints, being new to the Church.
 
Saint bernadette,she is very interesting,her seeing a vision,it makes good reading!
 
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Sorbetto:
Do you mean specifically reading what they wrote, or their biographies?.
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Both. I find that reading a bit about them first helps one to fully or at least more fully gain a better understanding of the works that they wrote.
 
It is difficult for me to chose one, because part of my appreciation for their advice is dependent on my present needs.

Catherine of Siena’s The Dialogues is great for people who are feeling overwhelemd by life in general. It has so much advice for every aspect of life, but the overwhelming message is God’s love for us and our obligations to love others.

In the area of spiritual development, Teresa of Avila’s writings are my favorite to read. Her biography inspired me, because I found it strange on some one who became so reknowned for her mystical experiences and spiritual wisdom, was not always sure that being a nun was the right vocation for her. Many saints’ seemed to have always known that they were called to serve God in a specific way, and as I am not sure what he wants from me, those types of life stories are not very helpful for me right now.

I found the fact that she experienced spiritual sryness incredibly encouraging. I also like her guide lines about mental prayer being a conversation with God, and how to increase a capacity for mental prayer by reading inspriational books and vocal prayer. I have read her autobiography and am working on The Way of Perfection.

I also loved Alphonsus Liguori’s The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, which is divided into chapters based on the passage in 1 Corinithians 13:4-7 (about love is patient…love is kind). It is a great meditation that expresses ways in which Jesus’ love for us exemplified these s attributes, and how we can express our love for him in return. He pulls form writings of many saints, in addition to providing his own insights, and ends each chapter with a wonderful prayer. It amuses me how he refers to Teresa of Avila as “Mother Teresa.” I kept it under my pillow and read a chapter each night before I went to sleep.

Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life is a great handbook about most of the curves that life is apt to throw at you, and how to persevere, and how to recover when you fall. I profited much for his guidliens on mental prayer.

All of these authors write in an accessible style, which makes me feel as if I am having a personal conversation or lesson from them. I think Francis de Sales is probably the dryest, of the lot, but right now I cherish writing from the saints, more than biographies about them. I feel that reading their writings gives me better access to the type of advice that made them esteeemed, than reading about their lives with a few quotes from them, and I feel that I need all he advice I can get. Besides, each of these books have a little about the person as a preface.
 
I liked reading about Sts Patrick, Louis IX, Sebastian, Peregrin, Joan of Arc, Ignatius of Loyola.
 
I love the book "Story Of a Soul. The autobiography of St. Therese.As a matter of fact I like all the writings of St. Therese I also like the writings of Edith Stein, St. Clare,St. Francis. The book that I am really engrossed in right now Is the Diary of St. Faustina. A very holy Sister told me to read her biography first which I did. It helped to understand the direction of her Diary. An AWESOME read.

I also like St. Teresa of Avila, St. JOhn of the Cross, and St.Bernadette. I love Bernadette’s humility.
 

  1. *]St Teresa of Avila
    *]St John of the Cross
    *]St Teresa of Avila
    *]St Therese of Lisieux
    *]St Teresa of Avila

    PS: Did I mention St Teresa of Avila???
 
St Augustine!

If anyone’s interested, definitely check out Peter Brown’s biography. He’s considered the leading English language authority on Augustine. I just finished it a couple of weeks ago.
 
I’m working on The Spiritual Direction of St. Claude de la Columbiere – actually re-reading and re-reading…
Here’s just a nugget of his wisdom:

On Holy Communion:
Retreat Notes, Lyons, 1674
“I was greatly touched in considering the thoughts that Jesus Christ has of me when I hold him in my hands: the dispositions of his Heart, his desires and plans for my soul. What sweetness and grace a pure and detached soul receives for this Sacrament.”

He was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Apparently Jesus told her, “Father Claude is my perfect friend and servant. His gift is to lead souls to God.”

The book is small and is an easy read – but packed full with incredible insight and direction.
 
Kay, does this book have anythigna bout the Scared Heart devotion? I was read Margaret Mary’s autobiography, but found very little specific information in her book about the advice she received from Jesus. That was a very odd book for me becuase I started it after reading the Diary of Faustina, and Fuatina’s book is a tell-all diary account.

By contrast Margaret Mary seemed very hesistnt to write anything, and usually said things like “after what ahppened” or “after what I was told,” rather than discloising anyhting that occurred in her life, whihc might help with spiritual insight. While reading Faustina’s book, I felt as if I was talking to her. While reading Margaret Mary’s book, I felt like an intruder; that I was reading notes she left in her bedroom while she was out and I shouldn’t be doing that.

I oticed in the preface that Margaret Mary had asked the book to be destroyed when she died, and did not intend it for reading by anyone. Faustina on the other hand was told to keeep a diary, sot hat her confessor could read everything, because he didn’t ahve so much time to hear the story in the confessional. He made some comment where he was amazed that she kept up with it and included such detail…I’m very glad she did.

I heard that Columbiere was noted for writing more about Margaret Mary’s revelations than she did. I think it was a strange coincidence that Faustina’s spiritual adviser died on the anniversary of the death of Columbiere. Especially since thier minsitries and messages had so much in common. The date of death was also the feast say for Faustina’s patron saint.
 
ST John of the Cross, as I have stated before I am studying Spanish so as to be more able to read his poetry in the original language. number two has to be our late beloved Pope, not yet canonized, but that will probably only be a matter of time.
 
Faustina!!!

God’s Mercy Abounds In The Heart Of Repentant Sinners!!! 🙂
 
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serendipity:
Kay, does this book have anythigna bout the Scared Heart devotion?

Serendipity, yes – there are 10 pages of his retreat notes from the years 1674 - 1679 on devotion to the Sacred Heart. He doesn’t mention St. Margaret Mary by name, but he alludes to her …“the devotion that he revealed to a person…”

The introduction notes that there is a book containing the full text of his Journal of Retreats entitled, A Jesuit at the English Court, published by Burns Oates and Washbourne, but I believe it is out of print. I haven’t done a a very in-depth search for it.
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I love to read St.John Chrystostom and also St.Frances deSales. We are so blessed to have so many of their writings and they are so beneficial about the world we live in today.
 
I really like Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales. So practical in applying faith to life.
 
Doctors of the Church, for the most part:

  1. *]St. Teresa of Avila
    *]St. Therese of the Child Jesus
    *]St. John of the Cross
    *]St. Francis de Sales
    *]St. Catherine of Siena

    Isn’t it awesome that no matter who writes, no matter what time frame or age, they all speak the same language of Eternal Truth, which is unchanging! God be praised, for we will never stray if we stick to the Masters that He has set before us, teaching us how to walk in His ways.
 
My favorite saints to read (I have to list at least two) are St. Francis de Sales (a gifted spiritual advisor) and St. Josemaria Escriva (the holy priest who founded Opus Dei). I read the former because good spiritual direction is almost impossible to come by in Arizona and the latter because he articulates better than most a way to truly live a holy, ordinary life.

If you’re looking for good places to start with these two, I would start with St. Francis’ *Introduction to the Devout Life *and St. Josemaria’s *Friends of God *or Furrow.

God bless!
 
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