Fearless: Stories of the American Saints

The lives of the saints who helped build the Catholic Church in the United States--Frances Cabrini, Isaac Jogues, John Neumann, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Damien de Veuster, among others--are marked by strength, courage, determination, and sanctity. But as this thoughtful and engaging book points out, these saints also could be foolhardy, obstinate, stubborn, and dismissive. In other words, they were a lot like everyone, with a mixture of different qualities and characteristics. What makes the stories of the thirteen men and women in Fearless so compelling is that a distinctly American way of holiness begins to emerge from their lives and their work. These were people who walked the streets of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Denver. They traveled along California's coast and into the Southwest, penetrated the heartland of Indiana and Missouri, and reached out into the territorial islands of the United States. Captivating illustrations for each saint highlight the depth of their souls, and give readers an idea of the strong characteristics exemplified by these men and women. Fearless will bring the reader through the history of the Catholic Church in America in an intimate and personal way, with the stories of the saints and blessed who helped Christianity become part of this country's fabric. These men and women did not set out to be saints, only to live out the Gospel as they best knew how. They followed their hearts and God's will to build a better place for the people of the New World.