Sherry Weddell - saints Who Transformed Their World

Praise for
saints Who Transformed Their World

saints is uniquely effective for helping us realize that we are all called to holiness and sainthood. The stories are immensely readable and presented in relatively short, relatable and actionable ways. Keep this book handy and read it a little every day.

Patrick Lencioni, cofounder of The Amazing Parish and bestselling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Advantage

In saints Who Transformed Their World, Sherry Weddell shares the inspirational stories of relatively unknown lay saints who proclaimed the gospel in creative and unexpected ways. Her purpose is not to present unrealistic hagiographies but to inspire each and every one of us to aspire for radical holiness. These saints changed the world, and with the grace of God, we can too.

Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP, author of the Remember Your Death: Memento Mori series

saints Who Transformed Their World is a book that will inspire you to live your best life by offering God all you are and have. Sherry Weddell brings the saints to life and, in doing so, offers fresh perspective on how God can work through anyone who is thoroughly abandoned to his will. What she has done for our understanding of our charisms is now taken to an even higher level of practicality as we see how our own spiritual gifts can transform our culture.

Lisa Brenninkmeyer, founder of Walking with Purpose

Boy, do we need this now. Sherry Weddell has given us a gleaming gem of inspiration and hope. This little book introduces us to holy men and women you may not knowbut you will be so grateful you met them! Pick it up, read it, savor it, and pass it on. In a Church hungry for heroes and new disciples, this book shows how others have done it. Dont be surprised if Saints Who Transformed Their World transforms your world.

Deacon Greg Kandra, blogger at The Deacons Bench/Patheos.com and author of The Busy Persons Guide to Prayer

A beautiful inspiring book filled with stories of ordinary lay-people saying yes to their gift and using them to change the world! You will want to embrace your gifts and charisms in a whole new way after reading it!

Becky Eldredge, author of Busy Lives and Restless Souls: How Prayer Can Help You Find the Missing Peace in Your Life

We are all called to use our God-given gifts and talents. Throughout the pages of saints Who Transformed Their World, I could see the movement of the Holy Spirit in the lives of eleven amazing laypeople who used their gifts and talents in ways that made the world a better place. Sherry Weddells book is a must read for everyonebut especially for those who feel as if the Holy Spirit is moving them in a new direction in their lives.

Lorene Hanley Duquin, author of The Catholic Grandparents Handbook: Creative Ways to Show Love, Share Faith, and Have Fun

Acknowledgments

I do not recommend trying to finish a book while teaching multi-day seminars around the US and simultaneously prepping a long series of international events in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. But such was my lot this time round: gentle reader, learn from my mistakes!

Consequently, I feel no shame in admitting that this book would never have seen the light of day without the endless patience, creativity, and dogged but always friendly harassment of Cindy Cavnar, editor and researcher extraordinaire. Cindy walked me through the long process of writing my first book, Forming Intentional Disciples, and schlepped me through this book as well. I owe you one, Cindy! (Well more like five, but whos keeping score?)

I must also acknowledge how much I owe the ever-gracious and patient Beth McNamara who helped keep my nose to the grindstone as well. Together with Cindy, she made the impossible possible. Blessings on both your heads!

August 20, 2019

Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

saints

Who Transformed Their World

SHERRY WEDDELL

Copyright 2019 Sherry Weddell

All rights reserved.

Published by the Word Among Us Press

7115 Guilford Drive, Suite 100

Frederick, Maryland 21704

23 22 21 20 19 1 2 3 4 5

ISBN: 978-1-59325-355-4

eISBN: 978-1-59325-303-5

Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover design by Faceout Studios

Interior design by Suzanne Earl

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotation in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author and publisher.

Made and printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Control Number:

2019913385

Contents

/ Antoni Gaud

/ Barbe Acarie

/ Satoko Kitahara

/ Frdric Ozanam

/ Georges and Pauline Vanier

/ Joseph Dutton

/ Madeleine Delbrl

/ Hanna Chrzanowska

/ Pier Giorgio Frassati

/ Edel Quinn

by Archbishop Michael J. Byrnes

Introduction

I come from a tough background, as so many people do. We spend much of our time trying to make sense of the challenges we faced. One of the most crucial healing factors for me was understanding the wholistic, life-restoring power and hope of Jesus work of redemption, through which the power of sin, Satan, and death are broken in real human lives. I have always been drawn to what the Church calls subjective redemptionthe earthly drama of how you and I access and then can become channels of Jesus redemptive, saving power for others in this life.

The charisms that each of us have been given are, in their own way, channels of Jesus redemptive healing. That is why I often say that all the charisms are instruments of healing. This reality is one of the primary reasons that Ive been helping Catholics discern and exercise their charisms for twenty-five years.

This is also why I am passionate about personal vocationbecause when each one of us faithfully answers Gods unique call in our lives, the fruit that you and I bear will be the answer to someone elses prayer. Maybe many someones.

I have spent a long time trying to understand why sacraments filled with the power of the redemption seem to be so powerless to change lives. But as I discovered, the Churchs teaching on the absolute necessity of dispositionof personal faith, spiritual hunger, repentance, and openness to grace and to union with Jesus Christ, our Redeemerproved to be the missing key!