The Virgin Mary and the Saints of the Catholic Church: On-Line Resources   One thing that distinguishes Catholicism from Evangelical Protestant culture is the emphasis that Catholics (and Orthodox) place on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.  Sometimes it has appeared to Protestants that Catholics actually place more emphasis on Mary, the Mother of God, and the Catholic Saints than they do on Jesus.   This sort of approach to the saints is not authentically Catholic.  In one of the most authoritative Church documents of the twentieth Century, the Second Vatican Council emphatically declares that in spite of the exceeding honor owed to the mother of Jesus, she, as well as all the Catholic Saints, are nonetheless creatures.  And "no creature could ever be classed with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer" (Lumen Gentium 62).  Catholics worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  They honor Mary and the Saints.   There are marvelous devotional practices whereby honor and veneration is paid by Catholics to the our mother Mary and our elder brothers and sisters, the Catholic saints.  But the greatest honor we can given them is to study and ultimately imitate their inspiring example.  Many of the saints of the Catholic Church have left us writings that can mark out the way to holiness and urge us on as we travel that difficult road.   What we've assembled here is certainly not an exhaustive list of resources by or about the Catholic saints.  Rather, we've provided is a constantly growing collection of short readings about the saints or by the saints of the Catholic Church, readings that we believe will help us attain the ultimate goal that every Christian must make their own, namely to become a saint.   For brief biographies of the saints who are listed below as authors, visit the author page of the Crossroads Initiative Library and click on the name of the saint that you'd like to learn more about. EWTN - The Virtues: Seven Habits of Champions Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio As we consider the Catholic Saints, it is a good time to ask the question: "What does holiness look like?"  What are the qualities that distinguish the spiritual champion  from the spiritual slacker?  In this spirited, 8-part mediation from EWTN Home Video, Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio paints the portrait sanctity by discussing the seven virtues or powers that propel ordinary people to the heights of holiness.  If you love the Saints of the Catholic Church and aspire to join their ranks, you MUST grow in the moral virtues of Fortitude, Prudence, Justice, and Temperance - as well as the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.  This series helps you know  what to shoot for and provides practical tips on how to make steady progress! Each VHS tape contains 4 episodes aired on EWTN! Tape 1: Introduction to the Virtues The Cardinal Virtue of Prudence The Cardinal Virtue of Justice The Cardinal Virtue of Temperance Tape 2: The Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude The Theological Virtue of Faith The Theological Virtue of Hope The Theological Virtue of Charity  Set of Two Videos with 8 shows - $49.95        Set of Two Audio Tapes - $19.95