Letters From The Saints

Excerpts from letters written by a woman who was convinced that Heaven was her goal and that an ordinary life was her path to get there. In a simple and confiding way, Guadalupe Ortíz de Landázuri opens her heart and soul to Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei, whom she would always call “Father”.

A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST "Brilliant, honest, and equal parts heartbreaking and soul-healing." --Laurie Halse Anderson, author of SHOUT "A singular voice in the world of literature." --Jason Reynolds, author of Long Way Down A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder. Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story. Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it. As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.

"The cult of the saints is a phenomenon that expanded rapidly in the fourth century, and John Chrysostom's homilies are important witnesses to its growth. In this volume, Wendy Mayer investigates the liturgical, topographical, and pastoral aspects that marked the martyr cult at Antioch and Constantinople in John's time."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Imagine being a nineteen-year-old young man in New York City in the late 1960s, revered by peers as a charismatic leader and simultaneously serving as the rock of your family. Imagine being that same young man, voluntarily enlisting in the Marines during an American era in which countless young men fear getting drafted into the armed forces and going off to war in a distant, largely unknown land. Now imagine landing in South Vietnam--roughly one year after graduating from high school--during the turbulent, bloody times of late 1967-early 1968 and being called upon to be a steadying influence amongst your brother Marines while trying like hell to survive amidst the maddening chaos of war, one second at a time. Finally, imagine serving as a leader amongst legions of young men whose mantra is LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND while you write letters to your older sister--your best friend--back home, who is counting on you to serve as the best man at her wedding in the summer of 1968. Imagine that this is all before you assume the mantle as the unquestioned leader of the next generation of your family. "A Saint's Letters from the Depths of Hell" is the compelling story of United States Marine Vincent (Vinnie) Benore "Saint" Santaniello, based on the dozens of letters that he wrote to his older sister and absolute best friend, Lilly Santaniello; accounts shared by both family friends and brother Marines in Vietnam; and the imagination of his oldest surviving nephew. It is also the touching story of a nineteen-year-old kid who loves his family tremendously and yearns to get back to the simple pleasures of life: calling his beloved sister silly names; likely marrying his high-school sweetheart, Roe; and resuming his role as the rock of the Santaniello family. This is a memoir of undying love and loyalty, as seen through the conflicting prisms of war and family. This book is an innovative love story, juxtaposed against a backdrop of typical teenaged hijinks that are repeatedly curtailed by the terrifying reality of a bloody, unforgiving war. It is a compelling story of a young leader who would lay down his life for the sake of his brother Marines while simultaneously striving to survive a merciless war and return home to his family. This touching memoir will leave you loving Vinnie, both as a brother Marine and baby brother, as you live vicariously through the love of his tender letters to Lilly. You will be taken on an unforgettable journey through the eyes of a young hero and you will experience the trepidation and anxiety of trying like hell to survive hell and make it back home, against all odds.

"The complete text of the Letters of Barsanuphius and John appears here in English for the first time. John Chryssavgis's faithful and deft translation brings vividness and freshness to the wisdom of a distant world, ensuring its accessibility to contemporary readers. Addressed to local monastics, lay Christians, and ecclesiastical leaders, these remarkable questions and responses (850 of them) offer a unique glimpse into the sixth-century religious, political, and secular world of Gaza and Palestine during a period torn by doctrinal controversy and in a context shaped by the tradition of the early desert fathers. The "great old man," Barsanuphius, and the "other old man," John, flourished near Gaza around the early sixth century. Choosing to dwell in complete isolation, they saw no one with the exception of their secretaries, Seridos and the well-known Dorotheus of Gaza. Barsanuphius and John communicated in silence through letters with numerous visitors who approached them for counsel. Curiously, this inaccessibility became the very reason for the popularity of the elders. They formed an extraordinarily open system of spiritual direction, which allowed space for conversation and even conflict in relationships, while also accounting for the wisdom and the wit of the correspondence. Barsanuphius's inspirational advice responds to problems of a more spiritual nature; John's institutional advice responds to more practical problems. The two elders in fact complement one another, together maintaining a harmonious authority-in-charity. Their letters are characterized by spontaneity and sensitivity, as well as by discretion and compassion. They stress ascetic vigilance and evangelical "violence," gratitude and joy, humility and labor, prayer and tears."--Publisher's website.