The Third Miracle: An Ordinary Man, a Medical Mystery, and a Trial of Faith

by Bill Briggs

Part detective story and part courtroom drama—with a touch of the supernatural— The Third Miracle exposes, for the first time ever, the secret rituals and investigations the Catholic Church today undertakes in order to determine sainthood.
On a raw January 2001 morning at a Catholic convent deep in the Indiana woods, a Baptist handyman named Phil McCord made an urgent plea to God. He was by no means a religious man but he was a desperate man. McCord’s right eye was a furious shade of red and had pulsed for months in the wake of cataract surgery. He had one shot at a risky procedure that would replace part of his diseased eye with healthy tissue from a corpse. Dreading the grisly operation, McCord stopped into the convent’s chapel and offered a prayer—a spontaneous and fumbling request of Can you help me get through this? He merely hoped for inner peace, but when McCord awoke the next day, his eye was better—suddenly and shockingly better. Without surgery. Without medicine. And no doctor could explain it. Many would argue that Mother Théodore Guérin, the long-deceased matriarchal founder of the convent, had “interceded” on McCord’s behalf. Was the healing of Phil McCord’s eye a miracle?
That was a question that the Catholic Church and the pope himself would ultimately decide. As part of an ancient and little-known process, top Catholic officials would convene a confidential tribunal to examine the handyman’s healing, to verify whether his recovery defied the laws of nature. They would formally summon McCord, his doctors, coworkers, and family to a windowless basement room at the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. They would appoint two local priests to serve the roles of judge and prosecutor. And they would put this alleged miracle on trial, all in an effort to determine if Mother Théodore, whose cause for beatification and canonization dated back to 1909, should be named the eighth American saint.
In The Third Miracle , journalist Bill Briggs meticulously chronicles the Church investigation into this mysterious healing and offers a unique window into the ritualistic world of the secretive Catholic saint-making process—one of the very foundations on which the Church is built. With exclusive access to the case and its players, Briggs gives readers a front-row seat inside the closed-door drama as doctors are grilled about the supernatural, priests doggedly hunt for soft spots in the claim, and McCord comes to terms with the metaphorical “third miracle”: his own reconciliation with the metaphysical. As the inquiry shifts from the American heartland to an awaiting jury at Vatican City in Rome, Briggs astutely probes our hunger for everyday miracles in an age of technology, the Catholic Church’s surprisingly active saint-making operation, and the eternal clash of faith and science. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Catholic

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 16, 2010

About the author

As I spread the word on "The Third Miracle," I'm also developing my third nonfiction book and writing for MSNBC.com, covering business, travel, and health. Somewhere on that list, I should add: napping.
I'm the coauthor of "Amped: A Soldier’s Race for Gold in the Shadow of War" (Wiley, 2008). Until 2006, when I chose to try to become an author ("try" being a purposely selected word), I was a Denver Post reporter, earning seven national writing awards (from investigative journalism to humor pieces.) I began my journalism career at the Nashville Banner, covering the police beat and temporarily perfecting my southern accent. (That's gone.) I have one daughter, Andrea, a college student. I live in Denver, Colorado with my wife, Nancy.

Reviews

[Mark Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A combination of gifted storytelling and determined reporting, “The Third Miracle” burrows inside the bureaucracy and systems of the Catholic church and reveals what it takes to be elevated from regular spiritual person to sainthood status. Like the best nonfiction, “The Third Miracle” lifts the veil on a long-secret, mysterious process and takes us backstage to see how saints are discovered, vetted, promoted and finally permitted to join the exalted ranks of the church’s spiritual leadership.

It turns out it’s an entirely human process, as filled with strategy as a tense political campaign and as crammed with subjectivity as a Miss Universe beauty pageant.

“The Third Miracle” takes a straight-down-the-middle approach. True believers will find plenty to admire about the thorough gauntlet sainthood candidates must run before they emerge as worthy of being presented to the pope. Agnostics will walk away with plenty of ammunition to that every “miracle” has a plausible explanation and that the notion of sainthood is a just another human, political endeavor.
What makes “The Third Miracle” especially intriguing is that the main protagonist is a Baptist—and not an especially devout Baptist—who is working at a Catholic convent in Indiana. Phil McCord, then a maintenance man at the convent, was “not formally loyal to any religion” and didn’t consider himself to be a “praying man.” When he walks into the basilica at the convent one dark and desperate day, he drifts in “like one of the dead leaves swirling in the breezes outside—no clear purpose, no plan, certainly no script.” (Love that line.) But McCord prays, uncertain of what else to do about the agonizing deterioration of his right eye, a bad case of bullous keratopathy.

McCord’s moments in the basilica and the fact that he was praying specifically to Mother Théodore Guérin sets “The Third Miracle” in motion as his case becomes critical in the campaign to vault Mother Théodore Guérin to sainthood.

The story follows every available lead—deep into the world of medicine to explore precisely what was happening with McCord’s eye and learn about modern treatments; deep into the world of the church advocates, who decide what cases to bring forward and how best to present them; and deep into the inner sanctums of the Archdiocese in Indianapolis and the inner political and religious systems in Rome, where the final decisions are made. In detailing all aspects of the “canonization pipeline,” “The Third Miracle” is a wonderful mix of history, spirituality, bureaucracy, medicine, politics and humanity. It’s also reported in exhaustive fashion—the notes and acknowledgements are testament to the work that went into building the story fact by fact.

Ironically, it’s McCord’s lack of faith that bolsters the case before one tribunal, including Father Jim Bonke.

“Father Bonke liked McCord’s lack of pretension, his sheer absence of awe, he said later. He admired the man’s sincerity, his straight-ahead manner. And he felt his being a non-Catholic injected the case with extra merit, infused the tale with an honest detachment. But amid his contemplation of a cure that allegedly defied logic, the priest still needed to hear the Baptist man explain how he logically had come to put his faith in a pre-Civil War mother superior. The pope would ultimately ask the same question.”

The ending builds toward a touching and humorous final few scenes. Phil McCord is perfectly human in the most sublime religious setting and you can see the moment in a movie right there, the world of contrasts between everyday mistakes (making sure you’ve got the right pants on) and otherworldly, if you believe in them, miracles.

“The Third Miracle” is one of those books that was waiting to be written and Bill Briggs was just the right reporter and right writer to pull it all together.

Full disclosure that Bill Briggs is a friend of mine, but I stand by every word. Check out my other reviews on Goodreads and on Amazon.

[Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the splendid new book by Bill Briggs, the opening synopsis states "On a raw January 2001 morning at a Catholic convent deep in the Indiana woods, a Baptist handyman named Phil McCord made an urgent plea to God." This rather ordinary line is the catalyst for one of the most engrossing non-fiction reading I have had the pleasure of reviewing. In the hands of a master writer like Mr. Briggs, Phil McCord's story of his amazing recovery from a severe eye disease and lack of need for human help (surgery) becomes an immensely readable story of the inner workings of the Catholic Church and it's investigation into this "miracle". The reader is quickly grabbed into the narrative, which reads like a literary detective novel and left marvelling at the power of the written word, especially when a writer with the rare skills of Bill Briggs wields the pen!
AN OFFICIAL JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ
RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB

[Lisa Paul]

I couldn’t finish it as it was giving me too much insight into the problems of the Catholic church.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where to start? I only read this book because it's written about the place I work. I'm not sure the subject would have interested me otherwise. Maybe. Maybe not.

I have a lot of problems with this book, but I don't think that it lacks value overall. My biggest problem is the tone of the book that I think is best summarized with the author's characterization of the Sisters of Providence as "miracle-hungry nuns." This made me laugh out loud when I read it and I still giggle when I think of it. I think anyone who knew the SPs during the cause for canonization would be hard-pressed to find examples of them being "miracle-hungry." The process was steeped in prayerful discernment and serious consideration of financial, religious and social factors. Sister Marie Kevin and others - to this day - will frequently proclaim that miracles happen all of the time. So, if this is what they believe, where in the world would the "hungry" part come in?

Without trying, I spotted several factual errors that a fact-checker could have easily verified with Google. (One that comes to mind is a reference to the Hoosiers of the University of Indiana. Uh, that would be Indiana University.) I don't mean to nit-pick, but it concerns me that if such simple matters were not caught by an editor, what about more complex issues or facts gleaned from personal interviews, where journalists often make mistakes?

I also think the author fancies himself a writer for CSI. This is completely humorous from an inside perspective of the congregation. I do not recall the cause being so riddled with intrigue!

Having said this, I do think the overall view of the Roman Catholic Church's canonization process is interesting to hear from a different perspective and mostly accurate to the best of my knowledge. I think the author raises some valuable questions, although he actually could have more intently questioned the process. He seems to barely touch on the issues of sexism in the Church pertinent to canonization and the financial aspects. He also glosses over some of the complexity of causes and the reasons why so few lay saints exist. I would love to see someone produce a well-researched book on these subjects and how the SPs grappled with these issues along the way.

When I first heard about this book (and I started reading it about a month after it came out, but I got bored and set it aside, so it has taken me about 18 months to read it), my first thought was about whether it could be embarrassing for the SPs if it were inaccurate. I knew that the actions of the SPs would stand up to scrutiny, as these women adhere to the highest of ethical standards, but who knew if the author would be honest and fair? I think even through some wild liberties on the part of the writer, the sisters' heartfelt story comes through, most especially in their direct quotes.

I think the last chapter (before the epilogue) about the canonization is the most accurate of all of the chapters and touches on some of the issues I think the rest of the book misses. That chapter, in particular, is accurately dramatic. I think in many other places in the book, the author created drama where there was none. That will make reasonably good reading for others who aren't too concerned about where the line between fiction and non-fiction exists!

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1840 Sister Theodore Guerin, a member of the French Sisters of Providence, was sent to America to establish a convent and school. She began her work in the wooded farming community of Terre Haute, Indiana. Through her efforts a vibrant community of Catholic Nuns was formed that dedicated themselves to teaching.

When Sister Guerin died her followers began a campaign to have her declared a saint.

Whether you are Catholic or not, this is a very interesting look into how the Catholic Church looks into the lives of those candidates for sainthood.

"Part detective story and part courtroom drama, with a touch of the supernatural, "The Third Miracle" exposes, for the first time ever, the secret rituals and investigations the Catholic Church today undertakes in order to determine sainthood".

From the time the first appeal for sainthood for Sister Theodore until she was finally elevated to sainthood took just over 100 years. The final deciding factor was the "scientifically unexplained" cure of a Baptist worker that was employed by the Sisters at their Saint Mary of the Woods College. Phil McCord had cataract surgery and had complications that caused his eyelid to droop, redness and soreness around the eye, and partial blindness. He was told his only hope to save his sight was a corneal transplant. In desperation, he invoked the help of Sister Guerin, and the following day his eye looked better and on his next visit to his doctor was told that he did not need the transplant.

It is from this moment on that the book delves into the Catholic saint-making process. It is amazing how much time, effort, and money (yes money) is put into this process. Not only are local doctors involved but if the healing is worthy of furtjher scrutiny it must win the approval of a panal of doctors designated by the Church.

This is not only a great story but an eye opening (no pun intended) into the inner workings of the Catholic Church.

This book was released in October of 2010 and you may not find it on your local book store shelf, but it certainly can be ordered.

[Elizabeth Moeller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. The topic, which is the canonization of Mother Theodore, is something that I was interested enough to request, but not something that I would have necessarily purchased on my own. I am not catholic and was raised to be wary of organized religion. However, I found this book a really fascinating window into everything that it takes in order for a person to become a saint.
As an attorney, I found it really fascinating that one of the key players in assisting the Indiana order of nuns get their founding member through the steps of canonization was an Italian attorney who devoted his entire practice to assisting congregations in this way. I always thought of the process of being canonized as being very mysterious and other-worldly and the idea that there is a lawyer you go to to help you with it, just like you would if you were having a will made or getting a divorce, was really interesting.
I also really appreciated the author's subtle critique of the subservient position in which the Catholic church has insisted on keeping women. The author does not present a feminist diatribe, but he definitely raises questions by pointing out that female nuns are the ones who are doing much of the actual in the trenches work of spreading the faith and are not being properly respected. In addition, the subject of canonization, Mother Theodore, is in herself something of a feminist icon because she was dispatched from her home in France in the middle of the nineteenth century to start a new Catholic order in what was then the wilderness of Indiana.
My only negative comments about this book are the lengthy and overly dry descriptions of the biology of the eye. Some of this is necessary because the miracle which ultimately leads to Mother Theodore's canonization is a healing of a diseased eye and there is a great deal of medical scrutiny that is required before it can be declared a miracle. However, because the descriptions were often repetitive and sometimes unnecessarily long I could have done without a lot of them.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins by telling the story of six French nuns from the Sisters of Providence order who were sent to Terre Haute, Indiana in 1840 to establish a Convent and school. Sister Theodore Guerin was their strong leader from the very beginning, leading them during the crossing to America which was so harrowing they didn't believe they were going to survive, to taking on the wild frontier, anti-Catholicism and Male Chauvinism within the Church. The story proceeds to the hundred year Sisters of Providence endeavor to have Mother Theodore Guerin canonized into Sainthood for her selfless and pious leadership and goes on to the amazing account of Phil McCord and what happened when this Baptist and skeptical engineer decides to pray to Mother Theodore for intercession after a botched surgery.

Bill Briggs is such an amazingly detailed writer. SO MANY details were crammed onto each page that I read more than a few over and over, wanting and needing to absorb everything. At first I would wonder why he would seemingly go off course to another storyline about someone not previously mentioned, but I quickly learned it would soon lead to a pertinent part of the story and was usually interesting and often exciting enough for me to go back and re-read it joyfully.

I SO loved this book. My heart would soar one minute with pride over how the Sisters and Vatican backed Priests and Physicians worked so hard on this cause, and would plummet the next when I would read about how sexism is still alive and well within the Catholic Church. But overall it was an amazing book. I originally got it from the library, but I'm going to purchase it. I want to have it right in front of me on my bookshelf, where I can look at it, smile, and BELIEVE.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, this is another instance I wish we could do half star ratings. I definitely consider this a solid 3.5 star book.

I am not Catholic and, much like one of the main protagonists in the book, come from a Baptist background. However, do not let the religious overtones scare you away if you are not of any particular religious background. Mr. Briggs does a good job of breaking down the whole canonization process and does it in a very journalistic way -- he reports on the dogma. He does not get bogged down with it.

That being said, Mr. Briggs did almost too good a job explaining the whole saint making process. In fact, in my opinion, chapter 9 was, and again, this is my opinion, a complete waste of a chapter. Some editor somewhere must have fallen asleep at the wheel because the narrative about Mother Theodore was lost in a long-winded and completely unnecessary tome about Pope John Paul II's so-called 'Saint Factory'.

Another reason why I didn't rate it 4+ stars; while this is definitely key to the entire narrative, I had problems with it. I cannot stand the sight, thought, or action of people doing stuff to their eyes. I wear glasses simply because I cannot stomach the thought of putting a contact lens in my eye on a daily basis. Likewise, I'm probably on my eye doctor's 'most hated patients' list because I put up a Herculean fight whenever he comes at me with eye drops or puffs of air. So...Suffice it to say, all the medical-speak of Phil McCord's various eye procedures had me turning various shades of green.

Still, a very worthwhile read no matter what your religious background (or lack thereof). Sometimes? We all need a little miracle.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway earlier this year, and as soon as I finished the first chapter, I knew I was going to love it. I’m an avid non-fiction reader and a Church history junkie, so given the subject matter, I can’t say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. However, the thing that set this book apart from similar books was how fairly and even-handedly author Bill Briggs handled this sensitive topic. It would have been easy for him to weigh in on the question of Mother Theodore’s alleged miracle, but I genuinely have no idea where the author stands on the issue. In a book like this, that’s pretty incredible. There are plenty of journalists out there who are seeking to push pro- or anti-religious agendas, so it’s always exciting when an author refuses to patronize his readers and allows them to draw their own conclusions.

That being said, the book was also very well written, and it told a compelling story. Part history of a small American convent and the nuns that have inhabited it and part investigation into how saints are made in the Roman Catholic Church, The Third Miracle is a fascinating look inside a world that most of us will never see. This was easily the best non-fiction book I’ve read so far this year, and I look forward to more excellent religion writing from Bill Briggs!

[Melanie Coombes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Third Miracle is a detailed account of the secretive Catholic saint-making process. In Jan. of 2001 a Baptist handyman named Phil McCord makes an urgent plea to God and Mother Theodore. McCord had suffered for months with a raw, red, damaged eye. His one shot at recovery is an eye transplant which carries with it many possible risks. Full of fear and dread, McCord stops in the convent chapel and offers a spontaneous prayer. When he awakens the next morning, his eye is much better. Over the course of weeks, he is fully recovered. No surgery and something that the doctors can't explain. Was the healing a miracle?
Bill Briggs dissects the intricate workings of how a saint is made. I had no idea that this process takes so long and is so involved. I was pretty fascinated by the rules and the steps taken. The fact that two miracles must be proven before a person can become a saint. I did find myself occasionally doing a quick read over some parts that were very detailed, but for the most part, I thought this was an incredible non-fiction work. There were many parts that emphasized the eternal clash of faith and science. I definitely come away from this book having learned so much more about saints and how they come to be. This is a great read whether you are Catholic or not. Thank you to the goodreads giveaway program for this win!

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will not change the minds of unbelievers, but it does a great job of explaining the method the Catholic Church uses to determine "sainthood". For those who don't believe in them, miracles are just superstitious nonsense that are driven by coincidences. For believers, coincidences are God's way of influencing human affairs--a miracle.
In theory, anyone who makes it to heaven is a saint. The Church, however, seeks to identify people who it thinks surely made it there. Reading about these people and reflecting on their lives is a good way for believers to reflect on their own life to discover what may challenge them to do better.
This book is a balanced approach that follows the sainthood process on one extraordinary woman who challenged church hierarchy while following her call to help others. The story includes a detailed analysis of the miracle cures attributed to her after her death, and the process the Church goes through in it's investigation of the sainthood cause.
It's an interesting and inspiring read.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in 10th grade I did a paper for an American History class that was about the canonization of saints. Looking back, everything about that seems a little weird: Good Mormon girl + Honors American History = Saints?
But anyway, I've always been interested in the concept of Sainthood and the history of the Catholic Church. Plus, The Third Miracle is about an unexplainable medical event; the bulk of the text is devoted to examining whether that event was a true miracle, so there's tons of medical material and we all know how I eat that stuff up. Bill Briggs' writing is solid and enthusiastic. He knows how to build tension in a story that wouldn't normally be much of a thriller.

So I'm not sure why I didn't really love this. I think I was just too busy to really sink into it (I've been having that problem a lot lately) so I kept losing the thread of excitement and having to pick it back up again. I'm giving this four stars because I know I liked it, even though I didn't really get that jazzed about it while I was reading it. Sad.

[Tracy Towley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I grew up in the Catholic church, I don't consider myself a person of faith. I was initially concerned that this book, which is so intertwined with Catholic doctrine, would be chock full of eye-roll inducing leaps in logic. Luckily, that wasn't the case at all.

The main plot of the book revolves around one communities quest to have a local nun recognized as a saint. The author did a superb job of mixing the story with the appropriate amount of background. It got extremely in depth – but not so much as to leave the reader confused. I found myself completely captivated and intrigued with the process of having a person canonized.

I finished the book feeling as though I'd learned a lot about something I didn't even know I'd wanted to know about – and I enjoyed the process of getting there. It takes a special kind of writer to make this material both accessible and enjoyable and it is apparent that Bill Briggs is exactly that kind of writer.

[Book Duo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorado author and journalist Bill Briggs did an amazing job of telling the story of handyman Phil McCord who worked at a convent in Indiana and had a mysterious eye ailment after having cataract surgery. He stepped into the convent chapel and prayed to Mother Theodore Guerin and God for help in having a cornea transplant or just help with this and overnight - it was a lot better and finally he regained his sight. The Catholic Church investigating alleged miracles that Mother Guerin was said to have been part of, and they investigated this one. Briggs interviewed McCord, the nuns and explored the rigorous court drama and what he called almost a CSI Vatican way of how they name saints. The book reads like a mystery novel complete with drama, amazing characters like Mother Theodore and Phil McCord and the church. Think Erik Larsen Devil in the White City - The Third Miracle will capture your attention and is hard to put down.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorado author and journalist Bill Briggs did an amazing job of telling the story of handyman Phil McCord who worked at a convent in Indiana and had a mysterious eye ailment after having cataract surgery. He stepped into the convent chapel and prayed to Mother Theodore Guerin and God for help in having a cornea transplant or just help with this and overnight - it was a lot better and finally he regained his sight. The Catholic Church investigating alleged miracles that Mother Guerin was said to have been part of, and they investigated this one. Briggs interviewed McCord, the nuns and explored the rigorous court drama and what he called almost a CSI Vatican way of how they name saints. The book reads like a mystery novel complete with drama, amazing characters like Mother Theodore and Phil McCord and the church. Think Erik Larsen Devil in the White City - The Third Miracle will capture your attention and is hard to put down.

[Marilyn Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won/received "The Third Miracle" by Bill Briggs as a first-read book. This is an excellent book if you are interested in miracles and the workings of the Catholic Church.

"The Third Miracle" covered the details of both the miracle(s) and how someone becomes a saint in the Catholic Church. But the author did it in such a way that it wasn't boring or dull but carried you along in a story-like fashion. And he made you wonder what was going to happen next and so was also a bit of a page turner.

I felt the people populating this book were well rounded out and that you knew them quite well by the end. The ending was very satisfying and overall the whole book was excellent. Not life changing though or I would have given it 5 stars.

[Gary F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply one of the most engrossing and fascinating books I have ever read. Briggs is able to take a complex issue such as the process leading to Sainthood and make it into an almost novel like drama. The extensive background info on all the main players is presented in such a skillful manner that you feel at the end as if these are old friends. I read so many non-fiction books, and while I enjoy most, The Third Miracle has ascended to my very upper echelon of favorite books. A total gem that I hope others discover as well.

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a great book. I had no idea how the canonization process worked, but now I do. It is quite fascinating. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still good. I have a whole new appreciation for others of other faiths. It isn't too difficult a read, but it took me awhile to get through it since I started reading it during the semester. I would highly recommend this book. It is quite enlightening.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at how people becomes saints in the Catholic Church. In particular, it focuses on a potential saint and the miracle that occurred to one man that could make her sainthood possible. The author did a pretty good job of taking a objective yet respectful approach to the subject. Sometimes it dragged it places, and it wasn't a page turner. Still, a worthwhile read and an investigation into an area that isn't well understood.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about the path to sainthood in the Catholic church, St. Mary in the woods convent in Indiana and the courageous nuns who fought the male heirachy for sainthood for their orders founder. Interesting personnal note: I went to Saint Philomana in Chicago, an example used in the book of a saint who is no longer a saint.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like a novel but is the real thing!

Mr. Briggs unravels the mysteries of the canonization process in an exceptional way. Once you pick up this book you will find it difficult to put down. I was saddened by the final few pages of the book, however. It seems ironic that the "hero" of the story should be treated in such a way by the very people he worked so hard to help.

[SA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not terribly well written and sometimes redundant, the content of this book was truly interesting and enlightening. I loved reading about the long history of the canonization process as well as the discussions of the classic theme of science versus religion, including its presence in our modern world.

[Missy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not complete this book. I felt this book could have been made into a series, perhaps focusing the first book on the nun who began the nunnery? Could not connect. I may give this book a try again at another time.

[Girlbartending · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really lost interest in this book. Likely as it takes a long time for someone to be made a Saint (as it should) and thus walking through the whole process became less of how I wanted to spend what time I can find for reading.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting journalistic account of how saints are "made" in the Catholic Church...something I've never actually thought about before.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tammy thought of picking this for book club. Glad she changed her mind, it would have been beloved all over again. I guess I just need something more to hold my attention.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it even though I normally don;t read mysteries.

[Elenute · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am surprised the Vatican overlooked the particles in McCord's eye.

Does it make a difference to God?

[Rochelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting read.

[Angel Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading. Will review shortly.