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Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “In this dramatic page-turner, Raymond Arroyo has captured the life and lessons of Mother Angelica, a woman who may well be the patron saint of CEOs.”—Lee Iacocca, The Iacocca Family Foundation, former CEO of the Chrysler CorporationIn 1981, a simple nun, using merely her entrepreneurial instincts and two hundred dollars, launched what would become the world’s largest religious media empire. In the garage of a Birmingham, Alabama, monastery, the Eternal Word Television Network grew at a staggering pace under her guidance. Mother Angelica (1923–2016) remains on the air, offering faith-filled advice, hope, and laughter to her audience through rebroadcasts of her original homilies. Raymond Arroyo, through more than five years of exclusive interviews with Mother Angelica, traces her tortuous rise to success and exposes for the first time the fierce opposition she faced, both outside and inside her church.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
220 people are currently reading
2086 people want to read
About the author
Raymond Arroyo
24 books252 followersRaymond Arroyo is an award winning journalist, a New York Times Bestselling author, and a producer. He is the news director and lead anchor of EWTN News; creator and host of the international news magazine The World Over Live seen in 200 million households each week. Arroyo lives in the Washington DC area with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
January 31, 2025
The Way, Truth and the Light are not really out there before us, somewhere.
No, they are buried deep within our humanly flawed heart -
Where we abandoned them so many years ago!
***
DNF - abandoned close to the halfway point. I honestly felt like I was drowning in a stormy ocean of American Hundred Dollar Bills! But I will return to it.
For this work is much more about Mother Angelica's realization of the American Dream than it is about her now-famous purification by crippling pain and her consequently strengthened Catholic Faith.
That was what I wanted to learn about, and not her "miraculous" gift for making money! Yikes. Forget the little stuff, Mr Arroyo...
You know, the fact of pain in our lives can be a real problem. As a kid, being mildly autistic, I organized my often-violent life into boxes, and relied on my boxes' comforting presence more and more when the storms of my coming of age hit. Like Mother Angelica.
Psychological pain was a new and threatening thing for me. I fought it tooth and nail.
Alas, my weapon was mania. Treatment followed, but for most of my life I saw psychological pain as a threat to my orderly brain. "Mind over matter!" my mom abjured, so my resistance to pain grew to epic proportions. Dumb me. I just couldn't go with the flow. Mania was constricting me.
But when I turned 30, I saw that Christ was the answer. He BORE it all: "resist not evil," He said. The Life within him was colossal. But with the adamant resistance of an inner manic devil, Evil was what seemed like the colossal thing to me.
Like the Little Dutch Boy, I vowed never to remove my finger from the hole in the dike. I was holding back Life itself, had I but known.
You have to unplug that hole in the dike... Carefully.
Eventually, the sheer weight of my brain meds forced me to let go.
Why?
My manic devil was engaged in a fight to the death with my meds.
I wanted to have my Natural Self back!
With my wife's loving encouragement and the laughter of friends, I relaxed.
But the psychological pain always came back - until I united my newfound joie de vivre with Mother Angelica's redemptive suffering.
Raise your pain up to His Cross, she says!
Then, a miracle.
It worked. The pain was released into space. A New inner strength took its place.
Well, today, my mental boxes are back, more nebulous, but tidy and secure, thank goodness.
They're no longer threatened by my painful inner chaos, because I've let that go.
And... for the first time in my life I can at last pray Mary's Litany:
"May it be done to me according to Your will."
Whatever comes - that's life.
FOUR AND A HALF SHINING STARS, MOTHER (Requiescat in Pacem).
And thanks so much for showing me the way!
No, they are buried deep within our humanly flawed heart -
Where we abandoned them so many years ago!
***
DNF - abandoned close to the halfway point. I honestly felt like I was drowning in a stormy ocean of American Hundred Dollar Bills! But I will return to it.
For this work is much more about Mother Angelica's realization of the American Dream than it is about her now-famous purification by crippling pain and her consequently strengthened Catholic Faith.
That was what I wanted to learn about, and not her "miraculous" gift for making money! Yikes. Forget the little stuff, Mr Arroyo...
You know, the fact of pain in our lives can be a real problem. As a kid, being mildly autistic, I organized my often-violent life into boxes, and relied on my boxes' comforting presence more and more when the storms of my coming of age hit. Like Mother Angelica.
Psychological pain was a new and threatening thing for me. I fought it tooth and nail.
Alas, my weapon was mania. Treatment followed, but for most of my life I saw psychological pain as a threat to my orderly brain. "Mind over matter!" my mom abjured, so my resistance to pain grew to epic proportions. Dumb me. I just couldn't go with the flow. Mania was constricting me.
But when I turned 30, I saw that Christ was the answer. He BORE it all: "resist not evil," He said. The Life within him was colossal. But with the adamant resistance of an inner manic devil, Evil was what seemed like the colossal thing to me.
Like the Little Dutch Boy, I vowed never to remove my finger from the hole in the dike. I was holding back Life itself, had I but known.
You have to unplug that hole in the dike... Carefully.
Eventually, the sheer weight of my brain meds forced me to let go.
Why?
My manic devil was engaged in a fight to the death with my meds.
I wanted to have my Natural Self back!
With my wife's loving encouragement and the laughter of friends, I relaxed.
But the psychological pain always came back - until I united my newfound joie de vivre with Mother Angelica's redemptive suffering.
Raise your pain up to His Cross, she says!
Then, a miracle.
It worked. The pain was released into space. A New inner strength took its place.
Well, today, my mental boxes are back, more nebulous, but tidy and secure, thank goodness.
They're no longer threatened by my painful inner chaos, because I've let that go.
And... for the first time in my life I can at last pray Mary's Litany:
"May it be done to me according to Your will."
Whatever comes - that's life.
FOUR AND A HALF SHINING STARS, MOTHER (Requiescat in Pacem).
And thanks so much for showing me the way!
April 26, 2009
For many Catholics, reading this would be old news. I wish I could say that was the case for me. Sadly, I was an absentee or a half-hearted Catholic for more years than I like to remember or admit. In the 1980's, my excuse was I lived overseas. In the 1990's, I could claim I was busy with little children and seven moves in ten years. But the truth was, my faith just wasn't a priority then.
I can't remember the first time I heard of Mother Angelica and EWTN, but I sure wish I'd been more aware of the events described in this book when they actually happened. However, whether or not you lived through the time, have been born since or like me had your radar tuned in elsewhere, it's possible to go back and learn some American Catholic history in, Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles by Raymond Arroyo.
Raymond Arroyo begins the book with the tumultuous childhood of Rita Rizzo, the only child of John and Mae Rizzo born in Canton, Ohio on April 20th, 1923. It's a fascinating story from start to finish, full of humor and pathos, wisdom and inanity, scandals and miracles, twists and turns--full of Life! The book is also liberally sprinkled with pithy quotes from Mother. If you listen to the audio version (which I did) the author does a better-than-fair imitation of the major characters' voices--most enjoyable!
Arroyo interviewed many people and apparently had Mother's complete cooperation in the writing of the book. Mother Angelica's lifelong struggle to love her abandoned mother; building a worldwide multi-million dollar Catholic media network from scratch; the inside scoop on the dispute with Cardinal Mahoney; Mother's various physical sufferings/healings were just some of the many absorbing aspects of this book.
Highly recommended!
I can't remember the first time I heard of Mother Angelica and EWTN, but I sure wish I'd been more aware of the events described in this book when they actually happened. However, whether or not you lived through the time, have been born since or like me had your radar tuned in elsewhere, it's possible to go back and learn some American Catholic history in, Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles by Raymond Arroyo.
Raymond Arroyo begins the book with the tumultuous childhood of Rita Rizzo, the only child of John and Mae Rizzo born in Canton, Ohio on April 20th, 1923. It's a fascinating story from start to finish, full of humor and pathos, wisdom and inanity, scandals and miracles, twists and turns--full of Life! The book is also liberally sprinkled with pithy quotes from Mother. If you listen to the audio version (which I did) the author does a better-than-fair imitation of the major characters' voices--most enjoyable!
Arroyo interviewed many people and apparently had Mother's complete cooperation in the writing of the book. Mother Angelica's lifelong struggle to love her abandoned mother; building a worldwide multi-million dollar Catholic media network from scratch; the inside scoop on the dispute with Cardinal Mahoney; Mother's various physical sufferings/healings were just some of the many absorbing aspects of this book.
Highly recommended!
June 12, 2017
full review coming soon.
May 28, 2009
The parts about EWTN remind me of another acronym, another media initiative - SQPN. Both completely rely on God's providence, feeling that they are doing God's work, and trusting that they will have enough money. There are some differences, of course.
The life of Mother Angelica is also inspirational spiritually. In that regard it reminded me of St. Therese of Lisieux somewhat. Her struggle with the librarian sister and the revelation that she needed to love her, whom she thought unlovable... Her understanding of pain and suffering as a gift was interesting, though I don't yet understand that. And of course her trust in God is just amazing; it gives me a better idea of how we should trust.
Having read this book, I wish to visit the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament that Mother Angelica built in Hanceville, AL. It's so close now that I live in Alabama - I had never expected I'd be this close. I'm not sure if I'll make it, though. When I lived in Southern Indiana, close to Louisville, KY, at some point I realized that I'm relatively close to the Abbey of Gethsemani (Thomas Merton's monastery), but I didn't get to go see it.
The life of Mother Angelica is also inspirational spiritually. In that regard it reminded me of St. Therese of Lisieux somewhat. Her struggle with the librarian sister and the revelation that she needed to love her, whom she thought unlovable... Her understanding of pain and suffering as a gift was interesting, though I don't yet understand that. And of course her trust in God is just amazing; it gives me a better idea of how we should trust.
Having read this book, I wish to visit the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament that Mother Angelica built in Hanceville, AL. It's so close now that I live in Alabama - I had never expected I'd be this close. I'm not sure if I'll make it, though. When I lived in Southern Indiana, close to Louisville, KY, at some point I realized that I'm relatively close to the Abbey of Gethsemani (Thomas Merton's monastery), but I didn't get to go see it.
October 17, 2016
Excellent book for Catholics. I truly loved every bit of it and found it very inspirational.
March 31, 2016
No clue when I read this one. It was forever ago. I only realized I had not entered it in when Mother Angelica passed away this Easter (03/27/16). May God bless her soul! Nobody but God knows, but I believe she passed away to the words she longed to hear from her Maker, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Raymond Arroyo brought Mother Angelica to life for me. I mean, I saw her on EWTN. I actually saw her the day she appeared looking frightful after her stroke, and her first words were "Fear not!" Gotta love her! However, Arroyo allowed me to peek "behind the veil" (sorry, couldn't resist) to learn where she came from and what she overcame. I have a goofy habit of looking at successful people and not taking into account what they overcame to become who they are, as though they were born into success. In doing so, I don't really "get" who they are or appreciate them as I should. We all carry our past inside like an acorn.
Mother Angelica overcame tremendous odds and literally painful adversity. She gave the world an amazing gift when she established EWTN.
Any review of this book would be incomplete, however, without complimenting Arroyo's writing. He writes like he interviews, and it's charming. He's a Louisiana boy, so I can't help but like him, but he does embody the best of the New Orleans style. Watching an Arroyo interview, or reading his book, is akin to sitting with him over beignets at Café du Monde, chatting at sunrise as the Mississippi laps at the levee within earshot. Arroyo's Southern hospitality and ease translate well into his interviews and writing.
If you want to learn more about Mother Angelica, start with this book. Beignets optional.
Raymond Arroyo brought Mother Angelica to life for me. I mean, I saw her on EWTN. I actually saw her the day she appeared looking frightful after her stroke, and her first words were "Fear not!" Gotta love her! However, Arroyo allowed me to peek "behind the veil" (sorry, couldn't resist) to learn where she came from and what she overcame. I have a goofy habit of looking at successful people and not taking into account what they overcame to become who they are, as though they were born into success. In doing so, I don't really "get" who they are or appreciate them as I should. We all carry our past inside like an acorn.
Mother Angelica overcame tremendous odds and literally painful adversity. She gave the world an amazing gift when she established EWTN.
Any review of this book would be incomplete, however, without complimenting Arroyo's writing. He writes like he interviews, and it's charming. He's a Louisiana boy, so I can't help but like him, but he does embody the best of the New Orleans style. Watching an Arroyo interview, or reading his book, is akin to sitting with him over beignets at Café du Monde, chatting at sunrise as the Mississippi laps at the levee within earshot. Arroyo's Southern hospitality and ease translate well into his interviews and writing.
If you want to learn more about Mother Angelica, start with this book. Beignets optional.
September 13, 2023
Such profound faith and love of God; that is Mother Angelica. She lived life with grit and determination for the glory of Him throughout her life. What a courageous woman to be loved for her perseverance despite the myriad obstacles she overcame. Remarkable!
August 24, 2009
I've watched Mother Angelica since the early 70's as a child, from our home across the border, in Georgia. I've always been inspired by her sheer human qualities. Mother Angelica, as with a great many nuns, women, and/or entrepreneurs has control over her mind, spirit, and body. Her faith takes care of the why's and how-comes while she just pursues the doing! A true mentor whether one is a homemaker, career woman, or a nun. My favorite sentence in the book - one I'll always remember - is that one must be a dodo-bird in order to answer the call of God. Not only does it exemplify running on faith, but when others call you a dodo-bird either to your face or behind your back, you can smile and know that you have found a treasured secret in allowing yourself to be one!
September 2, 2013
Although I have never been a huge fan of Mother Angelica's TV shows or theology-- I guess I'm part of that damnable "liberal" contingent that she despises-- I always enjoy reading about strong women in the Church. Mother Angelica certainly fits the bill. This book was very fast-paced, readable, and --much to my surprise-- inspiring. It was so moving to me, I found myself sobbing at the last page. It's definitely not written from a 'neutral' viewpoint, so I would have liked to hear other viewpoints especially over Mother's more controversial activities. But overall, this was a fantastic, inspiring read for everyone (not just Catholics!).
April 4, 2016
This was a very good book. I had no idea that Mother Angelica had to battle church politics. Reading about those struggles was very sad.
March 27, 2022
I did not grow up with EWTN, so I knew incredibly little about Mother Angelica. The book is not only a biography, but also provides some of the context relating to the Catholic Church in America during the rise of the network and highlights some of the politics that were at play. I was very inspired by her story.
August 25, 2025
The interesting story of the founder of EWTN - very worth one’s time.
January 25, 2015
This is a wonderful biography of the spunky nun who created EWTN - the world's first Catholic satellite network. Today, the Eternal Word Television Network spans the globe, but her other works of evangelism include EWTN radio (also broadcast worldwide) and building Our Lady of the Angels Monastery and Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama.
The author, Raymond Arroyo is a Catholic journalist who has known Mother Angelica for years. And, because this is ultimately a work about faith, you can expect to read how God called this little nun (and miraculously provided for her) to accomplish these great feats. As a Catholic, I admit this book rekindled that fire of faith in me. Arroyo points out that early in Mother Angelica's life, she experienced a friendship with a faith-filled woman who bore the stigmata. That friendship enabled her to witness and expect God to work miracles in daily life. Books like this serve as a good reminder that we all need this. In God, all things ARE possible! 4 1/2 stars!
The author, Raymond Arroyo is a Catholic journalist who has known Mother Angelica for years. And, because this is ultimately a work about faith, you can expect to read how God called this little nun (and miraculously provided for her) to accomplish these great feats. As a Catholic, I admit this book rekindled that fire of faith in me. Arroyo points out that early in Mother Angelica's life, she experienced a friendship with a faith-filled woman who bore the stigmata. That friendship enabled her to witness and expect God to work miracles in daily life. Books like this serve as a good reminder that we all need this. In God, all things ARE possible! 4 1/2 stars!
August 20, 2012
So many times we get bogged down in worrying about how difficult something will be that many of us don't even take the first step. I found this so inspiring that a cloistered nun from humble roots can accomplish so much by relying solely on her faith and unwavering belief that if she is doing God's work, he will take care of the details if she walks on the path upon which he is leading her. I did not grow up in the Catholic Church and found much of the history of the tumultuous period following Vatican II informative and lent to a greater understanding of how the public perception of the U.S. Bishops was so damaged. I admire the great determination she had in remaining faithful to the Magisterium during that period in the face of many opponents.
January 26, 2013
A bit lengthy of a book and one has to wonder about how nice of a person this nun is sometimes, but what really comes out in this book is just an amazing story of an ordinary person who has extraordinary faith and does amazing works with God's help. Mother Angelica is an ordinary person who understands the trials that normal people go through. She did not put on airs. It is an amazing history and quite remarkable how she fought against the bishops of America to bring an orthodox faith to the people. In many parts I thought I would stop reading, but overall and interesting story and history of her accomplishments and foresight.
February 18, 2008
So I guess I'm into biographies of contemporary spiritual leadesr. Mother Angelica has an INCREDIBLE and CRAZY story of faith. For anyone who doesn't know, she is a cloistered nun who had a vision to start a Catholic cable network (EWTN -- THE catholic cable network) when most cloistered nuns didn't know what cable was (35 years ago or so). She is the gutsiest, and most HUMOROUS woman I have read about in a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2012
This biography was thorough, mostly sympathetic to Mother Angelica, and often moving. Mother Angelica's story is compelling, though the narrative of her long battles in the 80s and 90s with church officials does drag a bit unless you find church intrigue interesting.
Her story is an inspiring example of a life-long and single-minded devotion to Jesus.
Her story is an inspiring example of a life-long and single-minded devotion to Jesus.
September 10, 2014
There were parts that were very interesting, but overall it seemed a little over the top. This may be because I had never really heard of her or her work...apparently I'm a bad Catholic for that and in the minority. I've never seen her show or even viewed her network. If nothing else, it's the story of a tenacious woman who went through a lot to fight for what she thought was right.
July 31, 2016
After hearing Raymond Arroyo speak, I decided to give this book a try. I had a distant respect for Mother Angelica but I can't say I was a huge fan. I am now. What a tale of faith, incredible confidence in Christ, redemptive suffering, and so much else. If you can, listen to this book because Arroyo reads it and does the voices and he is brilliant. A great story. Told incredibly well.
April 28, 2010
This was an interesting book as well but it seemed to get very repetitive and I found myself about 150 pages into it skipping half pages so I decided to read it when I have more time to really sit with a book. I have to say she was quite a fiery nun though!
July 24, 2008
I learned that miracles do still happen today!
June 26, 2020
Inspiring. Most definitely worth a read. Incredible woman.
April 9, 2021
What an interesting story! I knew of the feisty Italian nun from watching some of her Mother Angelica Live shows over the years. I had no idea of her difficult life and the suffering she endured in her childhood and in her vocation. "Through necessity, she learned to rely on God in all things, and found strength in weakness." Pope John Paul II announced for all to hear "Mother Angelica, strong woman, courageous woman, charismatic woman.....weak in body, strong in spirit."
Mother Angelica says "My attitude is, if the Lord inspires me to do something, I attempt to do it. I start and it goes like a snowball downhill. I have to start; if it's not His will, it will either fall apart or something will happen to hinder it." "The Bible says that God chooses the weak to confound the strong. Some people say I am a woman of great faith. I'm really a coward who keeps moving forward."
What an impressive list of accomplishments, only the Lord could have made possible through Mother Angelica's willingness to follow the Lord's inspiration. In addition to her cable station, she started a satellite delivery AM/FM service and began to reach Christians around the world. "Fifty million homes could now view Mother Angelica, and for the first time in the history of the Christian faith, the entire planet could participate simultaneously in the events of the Universal Church."
I highly recommend "Mother Angelica The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles" by Raymond Arroyo.
Mother Angelica says "My attitude is, if the Lord inspires me to do something, I attempt to do it. I start and it goes like a snowball downhill. I have to start; if it's not His will, it will either fall apart or something will happen to hinder it." "The Bible says that God chooses the weak to confound the strong. Some people say I am a woman of great faith. I'm really a coward who keeps moving forward."
What an impressive list of accomplishments, only the Lord could have made possible through Mother Angelica's willingness to follow the Lord's inspiration. In addition to her cable station, she started a satellite delivery AM/FM service and began to reach Christians around the world. "Fifty million homes could now view Mother Angelica, and for the first time in the history of the Christian faith, the entire planet could participate simultaneously in the events of the Universal Church."
I highly recommend "Mother Angelica The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles" by Raymond Arroyo.
July 24, 2019
This biography of Mother Angelica is fascinating and powerful when it peers into the life, story, and suffering of the faithful Daughter of God that went unseen on TV. For that alone, this book is worth 5 stars. However, when the book dipped into some of Mother Angelica's more well-known controversies, one got the sense that the story was half said. Certainly it may be the case that Mother Angelica was in the right for some of her battles, but in other areas where obedience seemed to be boarding on ignored the author is too quick to overlook the faults of what seemed to be a largely pious, if still flawed and in need of healing, woman. The hagiography is diminished for this, as it ignores the need for grace and purification that even the great Doctors of the Church required. In short, this book is amazing and for those who love Mother Angelica, the US Church, or the history of Catholic media, it is a must read. Just take the public controversies with a grain of salt.
February 14, 2024
This book is a MUST read for any Catholic, especially those in ministry. It tells the thrilling life of Mother Angelica and the amazing miracles she received in her life. God’s providence is alive and real! Mother Angelica, pray for us!
June 28, 2024
I highly recommend the audible version!
Mother Angelica’s life is such a testimony of boldness and faith. The author tells her life in such an engaging way(and in the audiobook gives entertaining impressions of everyone). This was an easy and worthwhile listen.
Mother Angelica’s life is such a testimony of boldness and faith. The author tells her life in such an engaging way(and in the audiobook gives entertaining impressions of everyone). This was an easy and worthwhile listen.
October 7, 2024
Perhaps it's because I'm not the target demographic that would love Mother Angelica, but I genuinely felt this was kind of a meh memoir. The first half was more interesting than the latter half in my opinion. I don't think this book needed to be over 400 pages.
March 26, 2024
Well written and she seems like a pretty incredible lady, but considering this was written by her employer, I feel like the telling is probably pretty biased
March 23, 2021
excellent biography of Mother Angelica, who led a difficult but nevertheless remarkable life and written by the excellent host of EWTN's The World Over, excellent read of one of Catholicism's most inspiring personalities of recent times.
February 28, 2021
"Some people say I'm a woman of great faith. I'm really a coward who keeps moving forward." -Mother Angelica
For my book club's February Zoom meeting, I listened to Raymond Arroyo read his biography of Mother Angelica. Though I remember my dad watching her on EWTN when I was a kid, I knew very little about her life before reading this book. I was truly amazed by her unwavering faith in Christ and her endurance in the face of physical pain and interpersonal difficulties. I also really appreciate her steadfast adherence to and protection of church teaching despite multiple disagreements with clergy. Mother Angelica was also very funny, and I really enjoyed hearing Arroyo delivering lines of hers in his surprisingly accurate imitation of her voice. (Wonderful too were the moments she shared with Pope John Paul II, though Arroyo's Polish accent was not as good.)
In addition to being very inspiring and encouraging to Catholic women, I also found this book to be a fascinating look into the development of a television network and the early days of cable TV. I had no idea of all that went into the creation of EWTN or of the ways some people within the church tried to thwart its growth in those early days.
Raymond Arroyo works for EWTN and was a close personal friend of Mother Angelica so I don't think this is the most objective biography ever written, and sometimes I think he casts some of her negative behavior in a more positive light than it deserves. Still, this is a loving portrait of a woman who serves as a beautiful example of the ways Catholic women can be involved in the church. I absolutely loved this book and I gave it 5 very enthusiastic stars.
This review first appeared on my Instagram.
For my book club's February Zoom meeting, I listened to Raymond Arroyo read his biography of Mother Angelica. Though I remember my dad watching her on EWTN when I was a kid, I knew very little about her life before reading this book. I was truly amazed by her unwavering faith in Christ and her endurance in the face of physical pain and interpersonal difficulties. I also really appreciate her steadfast adherence to and protection of church teaching despite multiple disagreements with clergy. Mother Angelica was also very funny, and I really enjoyed hearing Arroyo delivering lines of hers in his surprisingly accurate imitation of her voice. (Wonderful too were the moments she shared with Pope John Paul II, though Arroyo's Polish accent was not as good.)
In addition to being very inspiring and encouraging to Catholic women, I also found this book to be a fascinating look into the development of a television network and the early days of cable TV. I had no idea of all that went into the creation of EWTN or of the ways some people within the church tried to thwart its growth in those early days.
Raymond Arroyo works for EWTN and was a close personal friend of Mother Angelica so I don't think this is the most objective biography ever written, and sometimes I think he casts some of her negative behavior in a more positive light than it deserves. Still, this is a loving portrait of a woman who serves as a beautiful example of the ways Catholic women can be involved in the church. I absolutely loved this book and I gave it 5 very enthusiastic stars.
This review first appeared on my Instagram.
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