MY COUSIN THE SAINT
A Search for Faith, Family, and Miracles
by Justin Calanoso

Posts Tagged ‘Saints’

Video — One essential question

Friday, November 14th, 2008


Filmed and edited by Michael Frierson, film professor at UNC-Greensboro

St. Gabriel’s in Charlotte

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

I will be speaking at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Charlotte on Wednesday night, November 12, at 6:30 p.m. The church is at 3016 Providence Road. Details are here. My topic? My cousin the saint, and how he came to be canonized.

Update:My sincere thanks to Susan Krasniewski and Father Frank at St. Gabriel for hosting me tonight. They both did a sensational job of organizing and promoting my talk and we certainly had a wonderful turnout. It was great to meet so many people afterwards. A special thanks to the Italian-American woman who traveled to Charlotte from Shelby who bought eight books and gave me to two delicious homemade meatball sandwiches!

The first parish

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008


Padre Gaetano Catanoso, ordained in 1902, was sent to Pentidattilo in 1904 to lead the hilltop parish at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. He served there for 17 years.

Review: Anniston Star

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

The Anniston Star in Alabama reviews My Cousin the Saint. The review is here.

Saints and Halloween

Friday, October 31st, 2008

If you’ve ever wondered about the connection, your explanation is here, offered by none other than a leading expert on saints, Father James Martin, SJ. The answer to that question is brief, but Father Martin, in this simple and engaging video, shares plenty more of his expertise on this favorite topic of his.

Big screen treatment

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

(Reuters) - A film about a Roman Catholic nun who was declared India’s first woman saint, opens in cinemas in November across India, just weeks after the Pope canonized her in a special ceremony at the Vatican. The story is here.

The message of Padre Gaetano

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008


Sister Irmalinda belongs to the Sisters of St. Veronica of the Holy Face in Reggio Calabria — the order of nuns founded by Padre Gaetano Catanoso in 1934. We spoke with her at the church of Saint Gaetano in Reggio last March.

NPR: Our Cousin, the Saint

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

Three years years, I was fortunate to have a commentary aired on National Public Radio. The 3-minute audio essay is here. It aired just three days before the canonization of Padre Gaetano Catanoso. As luck would have it, a literary agent in California was listening, and before too long, I was at work on a book. A miracle? My mother has always thought so!

Tampa Tribune — Saints: Miracle workers

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Before the Tampa Bay area went nuts last night reveling in the success of the once-lowly Rays and their improbable journey to the World Series, Tampa Tribune religion writer Michelle Bearden offered a story in the Sunday paper about the power of saints in modern society. The story is here. Me and my cousin enter the story near the end.

For the record, I’m a Phillies fan, and have been since I was a Little Leaguer in Wildwood, NJ, going to the Vet with my pre-teen pals to see Steve Carlton pitch for a team that lost 100 games. If the Phillies win this series - their first since 1980 and second in franchise history — it won’t be a miracle. This team is really good!

Virtual book tour

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

As part of this virtual book I’ve been on the last couple of weeks, I have a guest post at the blog Catholic Dads. The link is here. I appreciate the invitation!