Secular Saints: 250 Canonized and Beatified Lay Men, Women, and Children

Mrs. Cruz again writes a GREAT book. A TON of secular saints like you and I. Couldn't put the book down. I recommend for all people.

"Secular Saints" by Joan Carroll Cruz, Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford, Illinois, 1989 Joan Carroll Cruz has done it again! After much work, the author has collected in one book a brief but essential biography of each of "250 Canonized and Beatified Lay Men, Women and Children". These saints, so listed, do not include any priests, nuns or monks. There are no popes. The author's stated goal was to write a book about lay people who achieved sanctity, in order to inspire today's lay people. In so doing, Ms Cruz has provided a compilation of little-known saints of the Catholic Church. The 250 persons are listed alphabetically, begining with St. Adalbald of Ostrevant (d. 650) and ending with St. Zita (1218-1278). Even though I was educated in Catholic schools, from grammar school through college, I have to admit that I did not recognize most of the individuals listed. In itself, this is a good reason for most of us to buy this book. Many of us will recognize St. Dominic Savio (1842-1857), who was recently canonized, the English king, St. Edward the Confessor (d. 1066), and, of course, the English Statesman, St. Thomas More (1478-1453). But what about Zdislava Berka of the former Czechoslovakia? Or St. Lufthild (d. c. 850).Joan Cruz has complied a collection of mini-biographies of lay saints; this book is interesting and informative. The 250 people listed represent many different nationalities, and, time wise, from the early beginnings of the church up to the present, (for example Blessed Marcel Callo (1921-1945), a Frenchman who died in a Nazi concentration camp). This book is highly recommended as a worthwhile reference work.