I have been interested in reading about the lives of the saints- Saint Benedict, Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Francis, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, Saint Jean Vianney and monasticism in general. Are there any saints that have especially inspired you and why?
Yes, Saint Therese the little Flower. My RCIA teacher told me to pick a Saint to help me come into the Catholic Church 15 years ago. She did and has been by my side ever since. Read the book, THE STORY OF A SOUL. It will change your life. I went to Mass at Saint Joseph Seminary 10 years ago. I saw her come down the isle. Moving.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Venerable Augustus Tolton.
I will add them to my reading list. Thank you.
Like Cade, I am a fan of Father Gus Tolton. Twice I saw a one-man play about him, and I believe that he helped bring me together with the woman who became my wife.
I can relate to some of the trials Thomas More faced, and I have watched “A Man for All Seasons” a few times. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Arlington, Virginia, where I lived for more than 25 years.
Finally, there’s Marianne Cope, who was head of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, NY, and then went to Hawaii with other nursing sisters to serve the lepers. When I learned about her, I was a volunteer hospital chaplain, so I adopted her as one of my patron saints and later wrote a play about her.