Saint of Our Own

A nationally recognized expert on Pope Francis and Catholicism, Kathleen Sprows Cummings, author of New Women of the Old Faith, is professor of American studies and history and William W. and Anna Jean Cushwa Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame.

“Seton's journey to canonization was a long one, and in Cummings's hands it is a fascinating study in the intersection of piety and power.” - Commonweal“Cummings does more than provide insights into the canonization process; she advances our understanding of American Catholic history. . . . A Saint of Our Own is a well-researched and dynamic history, one that will appeal to scholars of history and non-specialists alike.” - National Catholic Reporter“Proves that the story of the Catholic Church in America continues to be a rich and illuminating one. . . . A Saint of Our Own takes a process that is often mysterious and confusing even to Catholics—canonization—and uses it explore how the experiences, status, and values of Catholics in the United States changed during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as how American Catholics have disagreed with one another about what it means to be Catholic. . . . A fascinating story.” - American Historical Review“A Saint of Our Own takes readers on a fascinating ride through more than one hundred years of U.S. Catholicism. . . . [Cummings] has written an important new history of Americans in Rome, and Rome's influence in America, expanding the possibilities for studying American Catholic identity.” - Journal of American History“Offers a substantial contribution to understanding U.S. religion, hagiographical developments, and the shifting priorities of the Catholic faithful. It takes up a relatively unexplored topic, providing an astute and interesting analysis of the evolution of U.S. saint-seeking from the early twentieth century to today.” - Catholic Historical Review“A fascinating account of American Catholics' persistent efforts to secure a national saint. . . . [Cummings] deftly weaves her transnational story of American Catholic saint-seeking using a phenomenal range of sources. . . . Her engaging narrative draws the reader into the complexities of the process, the importance of Vatican connections and papal prerogative, the vagaries of individuals assigned to causes, and the evolving understanding of sanctity in the twentieth century.” - Theological Studies“As Cummings shows in intricate detail, canonization is painstaking work that requires labor, money, miracles, investigations and no small amount of luck. . . . Our future saints, some of whom have already passed beyond the veil, will disclose to us as much about ourselves and our church as they will about their own heroic virtue.” - America Magazine“This book does more than tell the story of American men and women who have been canonized by the Church since the nineteenth century. The author also relates the unique aspects of the canonization process woven within the story of an immigrant Church becoming aware of its role in the totality of the universal Church.” - Catholic Library World“From this complex history emerges an account of how and why hagiography and historiography remain closely intertwined. . . . Cummings's study is an important contribution to this field. . . . The well-written study explores a neglected area of research, and does so with a rich array of examples and details.” - Reading Religion“The text is lively with spirituality, controversy, anecdotes, and miraculous moments, along with the impressive administrative skills of many saints who, beyond holiness, were able to unite, motivate, and get stuff done.” - Foreword Reviews“Offers an erudite scholarly history of canonization of American exemplars of holiness, and why it is important to American Catholics.” - Choice Reviews“Astute and lively. . . . The work's gracefully interwoven stories and analysis illuminate individual personalities, religious communities, and the transformations of 'U.S. Catholics' understanding of themselves both as members of the church and as citizens of the nation'. . . . A wonderful feat of historical imagination.” - American Catholic Studies