Did You Know that Saint René Goupil, a trained surgeon and Jesuit missionary, was also completely deaf? Or that Saint Paulina, co-founder of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, lived her entire life with diabetes? Or that Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American woman canonized a saint, was visually impaired and badly scarred after battling smallpox? Growing up with cerebral palsy, Megan Gannon never imagined there were saints with disabilities! In this remarkable book, she introduces us to saints and holy people whose stories inspire us to remember that saints are human beings who experience many of the same joys and challenges that we face every day. No matter our life challenges and no matter the calling God has given us, Special Saints for Special People reminds us of the famous quote attributed to Saint Mother Teresa: "What you are is God's gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God." Book jacket.

You're never too young to be one of God's "special agents"--the people He uses to accomplish His will in the world. In this prayer book written especially for middle-grade children, the author of the popular teen prayer book Hear Me uses the examples of special agents of the past--the saints--to encourage children to serve God here and now. In addition to morning and evening prayers, prayers for special needs, and psalms to pray, Special Agents of Christ includes "training drills" on preparing for confession, understanding the Liturgy and the clergy's vestments, and more.

This important book is about a particularly rich harvest, saints with disabilities, God's wild flowers. St Therese of Lisieux speaks of God's living garden made of a great variety of flowers. People with disabilities are often on the margins and some find it hard to find their place in a Church that is often seen as emphasizing perfection. This book tells the stories of 141 saints and blessed, some well known and some less well known. All of them had disabilities or long term conditions ranging from cancer, physical disability to mental frailty, depression and learning difficulties. None of them were cured, and none of them were declared saints in spite of their disabilities. Given the number of people who are sick or have disabilities, it should come as no surprise that many are counted among the saints."

[Large print and fully illustrated] Iceland's history is told in the stories of its celebrated figures. From Viking explorers to Saga heroes, the voices that define Icelandic culture are well known. Yet one man in Iceland's past had difficulty finding the words to form his own voice and be known for who he really was: Thorlák Thórhallsson, declared by his people "The Patron Saint of Iceland" in 1198 and officially canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Yet, despite these honors, few have ever heard Thorlák's complete and true story: A child prodigy treated as an adult by those around him, a sorrowful boy from a broken home, a scholar of the emerging theology of merciful love, an innovator in pastoral leadership, and a man who understood the fundamental need to love and be loved. Thorlák of Iceland is an opportunity at last to celebrate this quiet hero who embodies the spiritual heart of the Icelandic people, and to learn from his inspiring true story wisdom for our own age.

Special Saints for Special People contains nine short biographies of saints who lived with disabilities much or all of their lives and how they were able to obtain holiness and make contributions to the Catholic Church. The target audience is intended to be Confirmation age young adults who have disabilities, but the book is appropriate for older readers as well. This book does not focus on illness, suffering, or saints who received miraculous cures, which seem to be the main topics discussed when disabilities are mentioned. Instead it highlights the gifts and abilities that these saints had and used for the good of others. Hopefully these stories will inspire individuals with disabilities, give them saints to turn to, and show that they, too, are an important part of the Church.

Sixty-three Saints of the Western Church from the 1st to the 20th Century Saints are the men and women who best love Christ and His Church. They may be kings or queens, statesmen or soldiers, scholars, visionaries, workmen or beggars. They teach us the real meaning of human history, and they show us how to live in any walk of life or set of circumstances. Included in this anthology are famous saints Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Joan of Arc, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila but also more obscure ones, such as Raymond Lull and Hugh of Lincoln. Many of these saints were martyrs, killed in periods of persecution. Others died trying to bring the knowledge of Christ to pagan tribes. Yet others built up the Church through their example and their teaching, but were never called upon to shed their blood.

Book of SaintsWho are the saints, why are the lives of saints important for children, and what can children learn from lives and actions? In Loyola Kids Book of Saints, the first in the Loyola Kids series, best-selling author Amy Welborn answers these questions with exciting and inspiring stories, real-life applications, and important information about these heroes of the church. This inspiring collection of saints’ stories explains how saints become saints, why we honor them, and how they help us even today. Featuring more than sixty saints from throughout history and from all over the world, Loyola Kids Book of Saints introduces children to these wonderful role models and heroes of the church. Ages 8-12.

Disability is not a boundary to holiness, because God is with us. But it can sometimes be an obstacle to full participation in the life of the Church, simply because many do not understand what is needed to help people with disabilities overcome any physical, mental, or interpersonal challenges they may face in church and in leading an Orthodox Christian life. This book addresses the question from theological, practical, and experiential perspectives, giving individuals and families with disabilities the opportunity to voice their needs and suggest some things the rest of us can do to make them welcome in the household of God.

Performing Miracles. Facing Wild Lions. Confronting Demons. Transforming the World. From Augustine to Mother Teresa, officially canonized as St. Teresa of Calcutta, discover seventy of the best-known and best-loved saints and read their riveting stories. Meet Joan of Arc, whose transcendent faith compelled her to lead an army when the king’s courage failed. Francis of Assisi, whose gentleness tamed a man-eating wolf. Valentine, a bishop in the time of ancient Rome, who spoke so often of Christ’s love that his saint’s day, February 12, has been associated with courtly love since the Middle Ages. St. Thomas Aquinas, the great teacher. Peter Claver, who cared for hundreds of thousands of people on slave ships after their voyage as captives. And Bernadette, whose vision of Mary instructed her to dig the spring that became the healing waters of Lourdes. Each saint is illustrated in a dramatic and stylized full-color portrait, and included in every entry are the saint’s dates, location, emblems, feast days, and patronage. Taken together, these stories create a rich, inspiring, and entertaining history of faith and courage. For kids age 10 and up. A perfect gift for Confirmation.