Over the weekend I devoured My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell.
When I read the “about the author” information on Colleen Carroll Campbell, I was immediately intimidated. She’s famous! She was a presidential speechwriter! She’s been on TV! She reported on the conclave! How can I possibly relate to someone as together as that?
I’m glad I didn’t let that put me off, because only a few pages in, I knew I definitely could relate to the author. A few chapters in, I was in tears.
The author gets to the heart of her devotion to certain saints and makes them accessible to the reader with her awareness of how sainthood is often viewed as synonymous with “perfect in every way.” Stories of the saints whose lives have inspired and guided Colleen Carroll Campbell’s are interwoven with Campbell’s own life story.
I found this memoir honest, heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. And I was reminded that “together on the outside” does not always translate to “together on the inside.” For someone like me, who is simultaneously judgemental towards and intimidated by people who seem like they’ve got it all figured out, this was a huge comfort.
(Shameless self-promotion: I’m scheduled for February 21, where I’ll be discussing the chapter that features my favorite prayer EVER. Hint: Memorare UP!)
Image source: CatholicMom.com
Used by permission.