They Might Be Saints

Fundamental to the rapid growth of the Church in the USA are these fascinating and sacrificial men and women, not yet canonized, who changed the face of our country. They were Catholic evangelizers in the New World when-to say the least-evangelizing wasn’t cool. In fact, it was often a ticket to an early grave.

Author Michael O’Neill nominates the 24 “blesseds and venerables” from a larger portfolio of 90-plus active American causes for canonization. He says we cannot learn our own history unless we know “the stories of those people who have gone before us and walked amongst us on American soil, setting out a path to emulate, to achieve true holiness.”

The 24 “most saintly” American “heroes of virtue”
Bishops Fulton J. Sheen, first TV evangelist, and Alfonse Gallegos, “Bishop of the Barrio”
Pierre Toussaint, once a slave, then an entrepreneur devoted to the poor
Fr. Patrick Peyton, “The Rosary Priest,” whose impact was immense
Henriette DeLille, legendary “Saint of New Orleans”
Fr. Augustus Tolton, the nation’s first black priest, who died so nobly at just 43
5 foundresses of religious communities spawning thousands of teaching nuns
12 who quietly devoted their lives to the poor

Also included:
*Complete history of sainthood and the canonization process, with criteria for miracles (and why fewer miracles are now required for sainthood)

*Overview of current American Saints

*Descriptions of the most recent miracles approved by the Vatican for American causes

*Why over 10,000 saints are now venerated by the Church-a huge increase

*Demographic breakdown of saints, and their status (priest/religious/laypeople)

*Special focus on the families who “raised the saints”

*Remarkable conversion stories due to their witness

*Contact information/links for the groups supporting each cause