Catholics of the pre-Vatican II era were regularly introduced to the lives of the saints. Catholic spirituality has long held up the lives of these exemplary individuals for emulation and inspiration. Today, however, spiritual reading and familiarity with the stories of these remarkable people cannot be readily assumed. Overly pietistic accounts have made such a way of living appear to be outside the ability of the average person to achieve. Yet all Christians are called to be saints. Only by rediscovering and understanding this rich tradition—being exposed to the writings and authentic struggles of saints—will Catholics see that it is trust in God, not perfection, which qualifies one for sainthood. The goals of this book are to examine the ways sainthood has been perceived over time, explain the process of canonization, explore the lives of particular saints, and reawaken the call each of us has to follow in the footsteps of these Christian heroes.

The contents of this text consist of a discussion of the communion of saints, veneration of the saints, official saints, sainthood reconsidered, and models of sanctity. Discussion questions follow each section. Such questions include, “How deeply do you feel that you are called to be a saint? How has being a Catholic helped you feel that way?” and “In what sense do you feel connected to saints who are in heaven?”