"Saints Behaving Badly" is a book that presents in a modern style
the lives of the saints. Whereas the traditional manner of narrating
the lives of the saints included popular legends and pious stories
surrounding the person and life of each saint, this book written
by Thomas J. Craughwell, includes information from social and historical sources
that help contemporary readers to also see the human side of the
saints. The author however does not totally discount the traditional
stories surrounding the saint; he places them rather in the
rightful context of the Catholic culture and era in which the saint
lived and how the saint was venerated by the people. In this book,
the author gives 28 lives of saints, who despite their "bad behavior",
were able to change their sinful ways and lead very holy lives because
of the life-changing encounters they had with Christ. Their colorful
conversion stories can really inspire and lead many to realize that "there's
really hope for all of us".
Sanctity is within reach of all
In a Zenit news item
dated November 2, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI states that sanctity is within
reach of all; all mankind is called to holiness. Contrary to what is
commonly believed, the holy father stresses that sainthood is not only
for a select few but is for all - "it is a task for everyone". The
distinction only arises when some are named as saints and raised to
the altars of the Church for many to see as an excellent example of
holiness. But all people who take their faith in Christ to heart are
also saints. They are some of the people we know in our life: the priest
who officiated our marriage, the professor who accompanied teaching wisdom
with our subject matter, a friend, a brother, a spouse, a son, a
neighbor - in fact, anyone who bears a resemblance to the goodness
and mercy and fidelity of Christ. On All Saints Day, all saints are
honored, even those with a small letter "s".
A sample of 28 sinners-turned-saints
In the author of this book's sample list, the author did not include
St. Mary Magdalene - the person from whom Jesus exorcised seven devils.
The reason behind this is because the author uses modern tools of interpreting
Scripture and also other historical methods of analysis. He explains that tradition
presents St. Mary Magdalene as a prostitute but reverses this truth through
modern tools of interpreting scripture - which reveal that she is not
the licentious woman tradition usually ascribes her to be.
It is this very way of presenting the lives of the saints that
the author opens our eyes to new ways of seeing the saints:
both in their holy and human sides - yet keeping a balance
so that as a whole their life is viewed as a witness to God's life-changing
power.
As one follows the list given by the author and the "sin title"
next to each saint, it may surprise us to realize that many of
these saints started as cutthroats, crooks, trollops, con men,
and devil worshippers. Beginning in the front flap of the book
cover, the author mentions three of these gallery of sinners-turned-saints:
St. Olga, who unleashed a bloodbath on her husband's assassins; St. Mary
of Egypt, who walked the streets looking for new sexual conquests;
and St. Thomas Becket, who despite being rich, refused to give his
cloak to a man freezing to death in the street.
Saints featured in "Saints Behaving Badly"
St. Matthew, Extortionist
St. Dismas, Thief
St. Callixtus, Embezzler
St. Hippolytus, Antipope
St. Christopher, Servant of the Devil
St. Pelagia, Promiscuous Actress
St. Genesius, Scoffer
St. Moses the Ethiopian, Cutthroat and Gang Leader
St. Fabiola, Bigamist
St. Augustine, Heretic and Playboy
St. Alipius, Obsessed with BloodSports
St. Patrick, Worshipper of False Gods
St. Mary of Egypt, Seductress
St. Columba, Warmonger
St. Olga, Mass Murderer
St. Vladimir, Fratricide, Rapist and Practitioner of Human
Sacrifice
St. Olaf, Viking
St. Thomas Becket, Hedonist
St. Francis of Assisi, Wastrel
Blessed Giles of Portugal, Satanist
St. Margaret of Cortona, Rich Man's Mistress
Blessed Angela of Foligno, Gossip and Hedonist
St. Ignatius of Loyola, Egotist
St. John of God, Gambler and Drunkard
St. Camillus de Lellis, Cardsharp and Con Man
St. Philip Howard, Cynic and Negligent Husband
St. Peter Claver, Dithering Novice
Venerable Matt Talbot, Chronic Alcoholic
Summary:
This book will give us new eyes to see that not all saints started
right and ended right. Although saints like Catherine of Siena,
Dominic Savio, and Bernadette Soubirous were already filled with
God's spirit early in life, other saints started either ordinarily
or as sinners like the 28 lives in this book's pages. This book
can help us realize that the call to follow Christ comes to every
person and to every life - even if that life did not start perfectly
or has trodden towards a sinful direction. And the 28 lives featured
in these
pages tell us of a God whose mercy and compassion can powerfully
change lives of sin to lives of holiness. If sanctity is within
reach of all, then the life stories of these "sinners-turned-saints"
truly present a God whose mercy has a life-changing power towards
good.
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"Saints Behaving Badly" is a book that presents in a modern style
the lives of the saints. Whereas the traditional manner of narrating
the lives of the saints included popular legends and pious stories
surrounding the person and life of each saint, this book written
by Thomas J. Craughwell, includes information from social and historical sources
that help contemporary readers to also see the human side of the
saints. The author however does not totally discount the traditional
stories surrounding the saint; he places them rather in the
rightful context of the Catholic culture and era in which the saint
lived and how the saint was venerated by the people. In this book,
the author gives 28 lives of saints, who despite their "bad behavior",
were able to change their sinful ways and lead very holy lives because
of the life-changing encounters they had with Christ. Their colorful
conversion stories can really inspire and lead many to realize that "there's
really hope for all of us".