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<\/a><\/p>\nReview by Michele Craig<\/p>\n
Lately I have noticed that as God turns the pages of my life, He sends a quote to me to introduce the new story that is about to unfold for me.\u00a0 The most recent quote is by St. Ireneaus \u201cThe glory of God is man fully alive.\u201d\u00a0 (Or in my case \u201cwoman fully alive.) So when I saw the title (not to mention the fabulous<\/em> cover) of Maria Morera Johnson\u2019s book My Badass Book of Saints: Courageous Women Who Showed Me How to Live<\/a><\/em> As I expected, Maria Morera Johnson is living life fully alive as she explains\u2026\u201dNow in midlife, I find myself picking up my old holy cards and looking past the dull pictures and facts to see the real women who are my spiritual role models.\u00a0 Their holy lives inspire me to live my life in fulfillment of my baptismal promises\u2026 and yet I also love that these women tend to be tremenda<\/em>, a little badass, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Maria, a first generation Cuban-American, goes on to explain the meaning of the word tremenda<\/em>.\u00a0 \u201cMy long-suffering mother knows this about me.\u00a0 She calls me tremenda<\/em>, a Spanish word that has many layers of meaning.\u00a0 To look at it, you might think it translates handily as tremendous<\/em>, but that\u2019s not quite right.\u00a0 It does mean tremendous, sometimes.\u00a0 It also means terrific, and terrible.\u00a0 It translates as bold.\u00a0 Daring.\u00a0 Fearless. Stalwart.\u00a0 Smart.\u00a0 Courageous.\u00a0 In a lot of cases, it can be used as a modifier to express both judge-y disdain and profound admiration.\u00a0 But mostly it means badass<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n The author chose badass<\/em> as a descriptor, not as a vulgarity, because \u201c\u2026 I can\u2019t help but be drawn to the nuances inherent in using a word that carries a little shock value.\u201d\u00a0 It worked.\u00a0 I have to say that although I love reading all things Catholic\u2026. it was a bit of fresh air to see this title, and as I mentioned earlier, I am on the path of learning how to really live<\/em>, be fully alive<\/em>.\u00a0 I have found my mentor- La Tremenda<\/em>.<\/p>\n While offering suggestions on how to use this book: \u201cMy Badass Book of Saints\u201d contains both questions to ponder at the end of each chapter and group discussion questions designed for a six-week study at the end of the book.\u201d\u00a0 I found it to be an excellent source of material to ponder upon privately throughout the day \u2013 beautiful stories on the lives of the new friends Maria has introduced to me:\u00a0 St. Christina the Astonishing (even her name sounds badass!), Sr. Blandina Segale, Nancy Wake, Edel Quinn, Mother Mary Lange, Phyllis Bowman, Irena Sendler, Dorothea Lane, Mother Antonia Brenner , Bl. Rosalie Rendu, and St. Bibiana to name a few.<\/p>\n As well as discovering these new friends, Maria offers the opportunity to revisit some of my old friends -favorite saints, learning more about them as their stories are woven into Maria\u2019s life story and the lives of other women saints\/badasses.\u00a0 Some of my favorites mentioned are: St. Teresa of Avila, St. Joan of Arc, St. Helena, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Gianna Beretta Molla, St. Rose of Lima, St. Rita of Cascia, and your Mother and mine, the Blessed Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n To quote the author, quoting St. Catherine of Siena:\u00a0 \u201cIf you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!\u201d\u00a0 We know that St. Catherine of Siena set the world ablaze, and now I know that Maria Morera Johnson, La Tremenda,<\/em> has too!<\/p>\n ________________________________________________________________________________
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