They Might Be Saints

Fundamental to the rapid growth of the Church in the USA are these fascinating and sacrificial men and women, not yet canonized, who changed the face of our country. They were Catholic evangelizers in the New World when--to say the least-- evangelizing wasn't cool. In fact, it was often a ticket to an early grave. Author Michael O'Neill nominates the 24 "blesseds and venerables" from a larger portfolio of 90-plus active American causes for canonization. He says we cannot learn our own history unless we know "the stories of those people who have gone before us and walked amongst us on American soil, setting out a path to emulate, to achieve true holiness." The 24 "most saintly" American "heroes of virtue" - Bishops Fulton J. Sheen, first TV evangelist, and Alfonse Gallegos, "Bishop of the Barrio" - Pierre Toussaint, once a slave, then an entrepreneur devoted to the poor - Fr. Patrick Peyton, "The Rosary Priest," whose impact was immense - Henriette DeLille, legendary "Saint of New Orleans" - Fr. Augustus Tolton, the nation's first black priest, who died so nobly at just 43 - 5 foundresses of religious communities spawning thousands of teaching nuns