Of Course, on the subject of saints there is one standard and that is Father Alban Butler’s ORIGIONAL “Lives of the Saints” in 7 volumes:
Publisher : Loreto Publications (December 31, 2020)
ISBN-10 : 1622921763
ISBN-13 : 978-1622921768
The following approbation on my 4 volume set (of which I only actually possess one) Published by Virtue & Co. LD., London, Dublin and Belfast, which I only have the first volume of has a handwritten approbation which appears to read
Nihil Obstat: Jacobus Cauaescus Mayes S.T.D.
Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edons Car. Sumsont
Vic. Gen.
Westmonasterii, die 31 Maii 1928
The approbation in my 7 volume set is not an official Imprimatur but a statement which has the first sentence as follows (and the date stated at the end) and a good many names, about 30, only the last two being bishops (though others maybe also but do not identify themselves as such), which I have included, and on a page with the heading “approbation.”
“We the undersigned Archbishops and Bishops, having seen a Stereotype Edition of the Lives of the Saints, by the Rev. Alban Butler, now published by Richard Coyne, of Capel Street, Dublin, and being satisfied of its conformity with the twelve-volume edition of the same work, do most earnestly recommend the same to the clergy and laity of our respective diocese. . . . Given at Dublin, January 29th, 1833. . . .
. . .
+John Hughes, D.D., Bishop of New York
+John M’Closkey, D.D., Co adjutor Bishop of New York
A shorter book cataloging only a few of some of the more famous saints selected by the books author is “Little Lives of The Great Saints” by John O’Kane Murray, M.A., M.D. Published by Tan Books Rockford, Il. It was originally published in 1880.
Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 82-50593
Publisher : TAN Books (January 1, 2009)
ISBN-10 : 089555190X
ISBN-13 : 978-0895551900
Imprimatur: John Card. McCloskey
Archbp. New York
June 28 1880
This next entry is a book on a saint it took a few hundred years to recognize after she was unjustly burned at the stake because of politics and her imprisoners treachery and not for the reason given at the time. She is not included in either of the above since her canonization is so recent. The name of the book is “St. Joan of Arc” by John Beevers. She is a testament to the bravery of an innocent young lady (a teenager, in fact) whose whole world is against her and who holds fast to God and right, despite everything, and chooses death instead of dishonoring the gifts God gave to her! Once again the identification information below is for a recent reprint but the approbations are from my 1974 copy from the same publisher.
Publisher : TAN Books; First Edition (December 1, 1989)
ISBN-10 : 0895550431
ISBN-13 : 978-0895550439
Nihil Obstat: Gall Higgins, O.F.M. Cap.
Censor Librorum
Imprimatur: + Francis Cardinal Spellman
Archbishop of New York
July 27, 1959
This next collection of saints are writings of others on saints collected by one of my 3 favorite authors of catholic literature – Frank Sheed, and is entitled ”Saints Are Not Sad: Forty Biographical Portraits.” Again the approbations below are from my old 1949 copy published by Sheed & Ward in London, and printed by Purnell and sons, LTD., and the identifying information is for a more recent available reprint.
Publisher : Cluny (May 17, 2023)
Paperback : 402 pages
ISBN-10 : 1685952100
ISBN-13 : 978-1685952105
Nihil Obstat: Eduardus J. Mahoney, S.T.D.
Censor Deputatus
Imprimatur: E. Morrogh Bernard
Vic. Gen.
Westmonasterii, Die 2a Augusti, 1949
Another recent female saint not included in Father Butler collection is St. Maria Goretti, a young lady even younger than Joan of Arc, a pre-teen in fact. The book is entitled “St. Maria Goretti: In Garments All Red” by Fr. Godfrey Poage, C.P.
ASIN : 0895556154
Publisher : Tan Books; Reissue edition (May 1, 1998)
Paperback : 86 pages
ISBN-10 : 9780895556158
ISBN-13 : 978-0895556158
Nihil Obstat: Kilian Dooley, C.P., Ph.D.
Censor Librorum
Imprimi Potest: James Patrick White, C.P.
Provincial of Holy Cross Province
July 2, 1950
Imprimatur: + Samuel Cardinal Stritch, D.D.
Archbishop of Chicago
July 6, 1950
A modern male saint not included in Fr. Butlers collection is Pius X and this is a book geared to young men. The Book is entitled “St. Pius X: The Farm Boy who Became Pope” by Father Walter Diethelm, O.S.B.
Publisher : Ignatius Press (February 14, 1994)
Paperback : 163 pages
ISBN-10 : 0898704693
ISBN-13 : 978-0898704693
Reading age : 9 – 15 years
Grade level : 4 – 10
The final entry is actually a movie on a modern female saint. The name of the movie on DVD is “Love is a Choice: Life of St. Gianna Molla.”This video documents the heroic life of St. Gianna Molla through interviews with her husband, children, friends, letters, and family mementos. St. Gianna, who sacrificed her life to save her unborn baby, was a mother, a medical doctor, a lover of opera, art, and culture; one who can speak much to our present day especially when family life is threatened on so many fronts.
Media Format : NTSC
Run time : 52 minutes
Release date : January 1, 2005
Studio : Ignatius Press
ASIN : B000MV8K40
Traditional Thomistic Catholic 