One thing that distinguishes Catholicism from Evangelical Protestant culture is the emphasis that Catholics (and Eastern Orthodox Christians) place on devotion to the saints.  Sometimes it has appeared to Protestants that Catholics actually place more emphasis on the Catholic Saints than they do on the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 the Saints.

There are marvelous devotional practices whereby honor and veneration is paid by Catholics to 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 you 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.

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