The Wisdom of the Saints: An Anthology

by Jill Haak Adels

Covering over two thousand years of Church history, this unique anthology presents hundreds of aphoristic sayings from the writings and recorded works of both famous and obscure saints. Ranging from the polished literary statements of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, to the cry of the martyr on the scaffold, these quotations treat a wide variety of themes such as joy, death, faith, hope, folly, and much more.
The volume includes diary notations, lists of personal resolutions, naive remarks of saintly children who have foreseen their own destiny, and the half-legendary utterances of early miracle-working saints of Ireland and the misty northern forests. It offers the wisdom of European, African, and Japanese saints, as well as an appendix of biographical sketches. Despite the diversity of the individuals represented--hermits and Popes, the urbane and the uncouth, the sensible and the passionately foolish--this book uncovers a degree of harmony of thought among all of the saints included here. By bringing the saints to life, this collection reminds us that they were real people--not a group of museum figures carved in marble--with a range of temperaments and personalities.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like talking to the Saints. 2,000 years
of church history! It ranges from their sayings, from
their writings. The writings include diary notations
and the Saint's resolutions. The writings brought the
Saints alive and in human form. I really enjoyed this book.

[Camille Maio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I refer to this one often when I need some inspriration. I love how it is sorted by topic.