;It is not by the help of gold or gems that I hope to render myself acceptable to the Almighty Father . . . , but rather by resignation to His will and a sense of my own nothingness.;-Saint Hedwig In Lay Saints: The Noble and the Humble, Joan Carroll Cruz guides you through the lives of sixty-one lay men and women who achieved the heights of sanctity. These inspiring biographies present saints, whether kings and queens or peasants and farmers, who sanctified their daily work through the application of prayer and virtue. Find a role model from among these saints as Joan Carroll Cruz explores:their acts of humilty that you can imitatehow they performed their daily tasks with lovestories of the saintly leadership of truly Catholic rulershow small, habitual acts of virtue lead to perfection The saints in this volume range from the great kings and queens of Europe, who were the epitome of true leadership and by whose example whole nations were converted, to the humble farmers and day laborers, who went about their work giving praise to God and calling others to the way of Perfection.

This is the third volume in our Lay Saints series.;The best souls are they that have been travailed in spiritual business, and find most comfort therein.;-St. Thomas MoreIn Lay Saints: Martyrs, Joan Carroll Cruz guides you through the lives of seventy-three lay men and women who achieved the heights of sanctity. These inspiring biographies present martyrs who displayed extraordinary fortitude in holding fast to their faith in the midst of great persecution. Find a role model from among these saints as Joan Carroll Cruz explores:• their acts of fortitude that you can imitate• the burning love for God displayed by the martyrs• stories of heroism, self-denial, and trust in God• how martyrdom and suffering, heroically endured, encourages the faith of othersIn this volume are people from all walks of life and time periods who lovingly embraced the opportunity to die for their refusal to renounce the True Faith.While many people may never get the chance to forfeit their lives for Christ in so dramatic a fashion, these saints should serve as a guiding light in the endurance of the small sacrifices and persecutions of everyday life.

Most female saints familiar to Catholics today belonged to religious orders and lived long ago. But a number of lesser-known women of more recent times have also achieved exemplary holiness as lay Christians who made an impact on the world. They serve as role models for women today who struggle with the difficulties of everyday life in secular surroundings.In Saintly Women of Modern Times, best-selling author Joan Carroll Cruz presents portraits of seventy-five Catholic women from the past century whose extraordinary holiness set them on the path to sainthood. Their circumstances varied widely: Some were poor farm girls, rag-pickers, or factory workers. Others grew up in luxury. Still others were middle-class stay-at-home housewives and mothers.They were poets and musicians, professors and political activists, doctors and nurses, teachers and social workers. Some seemed naturally pious, while others struggled more visibly to live a holy life. But all of them lived and died for the love of God and others.Women today-and men as well-will find inspiration, comfort, and companionship in these saintly women of modern times. Through their life stories, Cruz wonderfully shows that, whatever your state in life, you can become a saint.

;These are the footprints that the saints on ascending to heaven left behind upon our earth, in order that we, following after, might attain to the same reward.;-The Venerable BedeIn Lay Saints: Ascetics and Penitents, Joan Carroll Cruz guides you through the lives of fifty-eight lay men and women who achieved the heights of sanctity.These inspiring biographies present saints who seemed destined for sainthood, as well as those who led sinful lives prior to a conversion of heart.Find a role model from among these saints as Joan Carroll Cruz explores:the acts of charity that you can imitateascetical practices that lead us closer to Godstories of conversioneffective acts of penance to atone for prior sinsthe stories of pilgrims who spent their lives searching for closer union with GodBoth those who have just begun their spiritual journey and those well advanced on the road to perfection will find a saint to help them take that next step closer to God.Through their examples, these saints will inspire ever-greater acts of charity and remind sinners that there is yet hope for salvation.Includes:58 Saints listed on page 2Index of SaintsBibliography

Continuously popular since it first appeared in 1977, The Incorruptibles remains the acknowledged classic on the bodies of saints that did not undergo decomposition after death. Many remained fresh and flexible for years, or even centuries.After explaining both natural and artificial mummification, the author shows that the incorruption of the saints' bodies fits neither category but rather constitutes a much greater phenomenon that is unexplained by modern science to this day. The author presents 102 canonized saints, beati, and venerables, summarizing their lives, the discovery of their incorruption, and investigations by Church and medical authorities.The incorruptible bodies of saints are a consoling sign of Christ's victory over death, a confirmation of the dogma of the Resurrection of the Body, a sign that the Saints are still with us in the Mystical Body of Christ, and proof of the truth of the Catholic Faith-for only in the Catholic Church do we find this phenomenon. Impr. 342 pgs 33 Illus, PB.