MSI Press Blog

  (Sula and Deacon Van) Sula is sick again; her tumor has come back. In honor of her heroic struggles and in honor of Caturday, we are posting an exceprt from one of her many books, the one about cancer. Here we have the preface, written by Deacon Van.  Preface Letter to Sula from Deacon Van Dear Sula, I love your book. It rings so true—your stories, your humility, most of all your love of God and of the people of God here at Old Mission San Juan Bautista. The people who love you (there are hundreds, I’m sure) will cherish this book and love you all the more for your plainspoken faith and your mission of service at the Mission. Tell your amanuensis that she did a wonderful job of capturing your voice and incorporating the moving stories of Loryn and Cody. Thanks to her efforts, the book is not only an excellent fund-raising vehicle, it’s an inspirational call to Catholic faith and worship. She served you well, just as you have served all of us so well. Love, Deacon ...

Excerpt: Why Saints Are Important by Deacon Van Saints give us a model for trying to live as Christ teaches. He wants us to be kind and loving and generous and forgiving and humble and brave, to care more about giving than receiving, to want to serve instead of being served. It isn’t easy, but Christ doesn’t expect us to be perfect; he simply wants us never to stop trying. All of the saints weren’t all those things all of the time, either. Like us, they weren’t perfect, but they had qualities that set them apart, that made them more willing—and more able—to come closer to his ideals. They all spent much of their lives serving others. Many of them gave their lives for their faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: these are the martyrs whose sacrifices move us to honor their memory. We don’t have to look very hard to find evidence of the historic and ongoing importance of saints. Think of some of our well-known cities: St. Louis, St. Paul, St. Augustine, San ...