The saints show us what it looks like to follow Christ without reservation.
Across every century of the Church, God has raised up men and women whose
lives bear witness to the transforming power of grace.
TAN Books has preserved the stories, writings, spiritual counsel, and
devotional traditions of the saints for generations. Our collection includes
classic biographies, spiritual works written by the saints themselves,
collections of their wisdom, devotional books, and works exploring the
Church's understanding of holiness and sainthood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saints, Sainthood, and Catholic Books
Learn more about the saints, the Church's canonization process, and the books TAN offers to help Catholics discover the lives and teachings of these models of holiness.
What is a saint in the Catholic Church?
In the broadest sense, a saint is someone who is united with God in Heaven. The Church also uses the title "Saint" in a particular way for men and women who have been formally canonized.
Through canonization, the Church solemnly recognizes a person's heroic holiness and presents that person to the faithful as a model of Christian life and an intercessor before God.
Are all Catholics called to become saints?
Yes. Holiness is not reserved for priests, religious, mystics, or martyrs. Every Christian is called to holiness and ultimately to union with God.
The extraordinary variety among the saints makes this especially clear. The Church venerates husbands and wives, parents and children, rulers and laborers, scholars and missionaries. Their circumstances differed, but each sought to conform his or her life to Christ.
What is canonization?
Canonization is the formal process by which the Catholic Church recognizes a deceased person as a saint.
A cause ordinarily includes extensive investigation of the person's life, writings, reputation for holiness, and exercise of heroic virtue or martyrdom. The process ultimately concludes with a declaration by the Pope that the person may be venerated throughout the universal Church.
What are the stages of becoming a Catholic saint?
A cause for canonization ordinarily proceeds through several recognized stages:
Servant of God after the cause has formally begun
Venerable following recognition of heroic virtue
Blessed following beatification
Saint following canonization
The precise requirements may differ in cases involving martyrdom or other exceptional circumstances.
What is the difference between a Blessed and a Saint?
Beatification grants the title "Blessed" and ordinarily permits public veneration in a more limited context, such as a particular diocese, region, or religious community.
Canonization grants the title "Saint" and extends public veneration to the universal Church.
Why are miracles associated with canonization?
Miracles attributed to a candidate's intercession can serve as signs considered by the Church during the canonization process.
Claims of miraculous healing undergo careful investigation rather than being accepted at face value. Medical experts and theologians may examine the evidence before the Church determines whether a miracle can be formally recognized.
Why do Catholics ask saints to pray for them?
Catholics worship God alone. Asking a saint for intercession is not an act of worship, but a request for prayer.
Just as Christians ask friends and family on earth to pray for them, Catholics ask the saints, who are alive in Christ, to intercede before God for the Church on earth. This reflects the Catholic belief in the communion of saints.
Which saint should I read about first?
A good place to begin is with a saint whose vocation, struggles, or spirituality resonates with your own.
Readers interested in contemplative prayer may be drawn to St. John of the Cross. Those seeking greater confidence in God's mercy may appreciate St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Others may simply begin with a saint whose story captures their attention and allow that biography to lead them further into the Catholic spiritual tradition.
Does TAN Books publish biographies of Catholic saints?
Yes. TAN Books publishes numerous biographies and accounts of the lives of saints, ranging from accessible introductions to substantial spiritual biographies.
These books span many periods of Church history and introduce readers to saints from a wide variety of vocations, cultures, and spiritual traditions.
Does TAN Books publish books written by saints?
Yes. In addition to biographies, TAN publishes spiritual classics written by saints themselves.
These works allow readers to encounter the saints not merely as historical figures but as spiritual teachers, offering counsel on prayer, virtue, suffering, discernment, perseverance, and union with God.
Are books about the saints good for spiritual reading?
Yes. Traditional Catholic spiritual reading has long included both the lives and writings of the saints.
Their biographies provide concrete examples of virtue, while their writings offer guidance for prayer and the interior life. Even a few pages each day can provide valuable material for meditation, examination of conscience, and practical resolutions.
What kinds of books about saints does TAN offer?
TAN's Saints & Sainthood collection includes a wide range of Catholic spiritual reading, including:
Lives and biographies of individual saints
Autobiographical writings and memoirs
Spiritual classics written by saints
Collections of sayings, counsels, and meditations
Books about devotions associated with particular saints
Works on martyrdom, heroic virtue, and Catholic sanctity
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