My Life with the Saints

James Martin

Jun 2010 · Loyola Press

About this ebook

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year - Winner of a Christopher Award - Winner of a Catholic Press Association Book Award Meet some surprising friends of God in this warm and wonderful memoir James Martin has led an entirely modern life: from a lukewarm Catholic childhood, to an education at the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to ministry as a Jesuit priest, to a busy media career in Manhattan. But at every step he has been accompanied by some surprising friends-the saints of the Catholic Church. For many, these holy men and women remain just historical figures. For Martin, they are intimate companions. "They pray for me, offer me comfort, give me examples of discipleship, and help me along the way," he writes. The author is both engaging and specific about the help and companionship he has received. When his pride proves trouble­some, he seeks help from Thomas Merton, the monk and writer who struggled with egotism. In sickness he turns to ThÉrÈse of Lisieux, who knew about the boredom and self-pity that come with illness. Joan of Arc shores up his flagging courage. Aloysius Gonzaga deepens his compassion. Pope John XXIII helps him to laugh and not take life too seriously. Martin's inspiring, witty, and always fascinating memoir encompasses saints from the whole of Christian history- from St. Peter to Dorothy Day. His saintly friends include Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, Mother Teresa, and other beloved figures. They accompany the author on a lifelong pilgrimage that includes stops in a sunlit square of a French town, a quiet retreat house on a New England beach, the gritty housing projects of inner-city Chicago, the sprawling slums of Nairobi, and a gorgeous Baroque church in Rome. This rich, vibrant, stirring narrative shows how the saints can help all of us find our way in the world. "In a cross between Holden Caulfield and Thomas Merton, James Martin has written one of the best spiritual memoirs in years." -Robert Ellsberg, author of All Saints "It isn't often that a new and noteworthy book comes along in this genre, but we have reason to celebrate My Life with the Saints. It is earmarked for longevity. It will endure as an important and uncommon contribution to religious writing." -Doris Donnelly, America "An account . . . that is as delightful as it is instructive." -First Things "In delightful prose Martin recounts incidents, both perilous and funny, that have prompted him to turn to the saints, and in doing so shows us a new way of living out a devotion that is as old and universal as the Church." -Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, Fordham University "An outstanding and often hilarious memoir." -Publishers Weekly "Martin's final word for us is as Jungian as it is Catholic: God does not want us to be like Mother Teresa or Dorothy Day. God wants us to be most fully ourselves." -The Washington Post Book World

Ratings and reviews

James Martin reflects on how certain saints have influenced him on his spiritual journey. In straightforward prose, he parallels his own life with those of official and "un"official saints in the Roman Catholic Church: Peter, Clare, Therese of Lisieux, Francis of Assisi, Aloysius of Gonzaga, Ignatius, Mother Teresa, Thomas Merton, and Joseph. These personalities are forces of character in their own right. Yet, Martin refrains from merely recapping the encyclopedia version of their lives and discerns how their individual vocations have personally affected his own. Father Martin's survey of various, astonishing lives teaches us a lot about ourselves. I found it to be very liberating that he concludes that God calls each one of us to be our true selves, whom we are meant to be. Wow! I don't have to be a Therese or Joan of Arc to be holy; I just have to be my true inner self! Liberating, but challenging for a lifetime. I will keep this text as a good reference for years to come.

Great intro to the saints especially to those who have no devotion or familiarity with them. Highly recommended to learn more about the example these holy people have set for us.

Nice to read this book...

About the author

James J. Martin, born December 29, 1960, is a Jesuit priest, writer and Culture Editor of the Jesuit magazine America. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1982 and worked in corporate finance at General Electric for six years. Dissatisfied with the corporate world, he became more deeply involved in the Catholic Church and decided to enter the Society of Jesus (more commonly known as the Jesuits) in 1988, and was ordained a priest in 1999. Martin is the author of many books, including bestsellers My Life With the Saints (which won the 2007 Christopher Award), A Jesuit Off-Broadway: Center Stage with Jesus, Judas, and Life's Big Questions, and Jesus: A Pilgrimage.