What I'm reading: How the Saints Shaped History

I’ve been busier with other projects than I was hoping to be, but while I have a quick minute, I want to plug my dad’s book, which launches today, published by Our Sunday Visitor. I was hoping to write a proper review, but instead, you’re getting a plug:

Normally when we hear about this history of the Catholic Church, we hear primarily about popes, heresies, councils, emperors, wars, doctrinal disputes, kings, and these kinds of things — and in the sidebars, we’ll see blurbs about the saints. How the Saints Shaped History takes a different approach. The author tells the history of the Catholic Church — of course discussing all these things (you can’t tell the history of the Church without them), but with the saints as the protagonists. He highlights almost 200 of them.

It’s got timelines, which are really helpful for keeping track of everything, especially since we don’t normally hear Church history told this way. Did you know that St. Juan Diego and St. Thomas More were contemporaries (though separated by an ocean)? Bl. Julian of Norwich (who, from what I can tell, is better known in English literature circles than in Catholic circles) lived during the Avignon Papacy. Having it all laid out on a chart helps any non-historian get oriented.

It also has discussion questions at the end, making it ideal for small groups.

It looks so nice that I didn’t scribble in it like I normally do when I read, which, now that I’m trying to write about it, I realize was a really poor decision. I want to write about particularly notable sections, but I don’t have any notes in the book, and I don’t have a ton of time right now because I can hear my toddler yelling “I’m all done! I’m all done with my nap!” an hour ahead of schedule. Hopefully I’ll get something better later, but in the meantime, let me quote from the introduction, which I thought was fantastic:

At the center of [the history of the Church] are the saints — more influential than kings and nobles, often more so than popes and Church leaders. … These men and women are not mere side actors in history, busy being “holy” while people in high places made Church history. The saints — those whom the Catholic Church has canonized, or recognized as especially holy — are the ones who have led the Church through her history. … As they conftonted the issues of their day, they influenced history by their gifts and talents — but most importantly, by their resolute commitment to Jesus Christ. This commitment opened them to the grace of the Holy Spirit, acting in definite times and places.

…

When the Church seemed to lose her way, the saints pointed to Jesus who is the way.

I would have loved to write a better review of it, but life got away from me. I’m about halfway through reading it and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good history of the Church. I plan to write a better review later.

You can purchase it anywhere you’d look for books. Here’s the publisher link.

I’ll update this with links to podcast and radio interviews when I get them.

If you’re local, get in touch with me for an invite to our launch party and/or a discounted copy of the book!