The Catholic Company Book Review - The Saints in My Life

My latest book review for The Catholic Company is The Saints in My Life: My Favorite Spiritual Companions by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. After the last book of his that I reviewed, I jumped right on this one when I saw it as one of my choices.

Fr. Groeschel has chosen 19 saints who have become some of his favorite spiritual companions & friends. Some of them he's known since he was a child, while others he's met throughout the path of his life. Some saints known by everyone & some lesser known.Each saint's chapter has four parts to it: an introduction, a brief biography, how Fr. Groeschel's life was touched by the saint, & prayer or spiritual writing by or about the saint.

He didn't just touch on the stuff we already know...St. Francis of Assisi lived in poverty & loved animals, St. Maximilian Kolbe gave his life for a stranger at Auschwicz, St. Monica's prayers for her son St. Augustine were answered. Fr. Groschel went deeper. He tells us about St. Maximilian Kolbe's life & good works prior to World War II. He shows us that, despite the outbursts & cruelty of her husband, St. Monica's fervent prayers helped to convert him, too.

I really liked what he had to say about St. Francis & that there is so much more to him than we understand. He literally gave all to follow Christ & is "...possibly the most radical Christian the world had seen since the time of the apostles." (pg. 50)

Reading this book, I could hear Fr. Groeschel's gentle voice, as if he were right next to me reading it aloud! I highly recommend it!

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Saints in My Life: My Favorite Spiritual Companions by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.