“These men teach us how to grow as Christians by walking the way of the Cross. The Cross is as close to us as the limitations of our own humanity. The Cross is woven into all our relationships. Drawing closer to God is infinitely rewarding but also terribly hard, and demands everything from us. Living in community fortifies our identity and sustains our purpose, but it also confronts us with the whole range of human weakness, starting with our own. St. Anthony was left to battle wild beasts, feeling that God had abandoned him. St. Benedict was nearly poisoned twice by men who should have been his closest friends and collaborators. The wisdom that is enshrined in these monastic rules was hard-won and continues to speak to all of us who are trying to be faithful followers of Christ!”

–Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB

The powerful witness of the Church’s early saints gives guidance on striving for heaven to all the faithful.

A beautiful compilation of influential and inspiring works by saints and doctors of the Church, these classic yet relevant texts were written by the early monastic fathers:

St. Benedict of Nursia
St. Gregory the Great
St. Basil the Great
St. Athanasius

Saints of the First Monasteries is a book about saints, written by saints who have had a great impact on the Church. It contains four unabridged, foundational texts:

The Life of St. Anthony written by St. Athanasius
The Greater Rule of Our Holy Father Basil, Archbishop of Caesarea by St. Basil the Great
The Life and Miracles of St. Benedict by St. Gregory the Great
The Rule of St. Benedict by St. Benedict of Nursia

Through these writings, gain deeper insight on subjects like:

embracing Christ and the Cross
living a communal life
revitalizing and renewing the Church and your own heart

This timeless Catholic Classics edition of Saints of the First Monasteries also includes:

An introduction and commentary by Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB, Rev. Dr. Christiaan Kappes, and Jerome C. Foss, PhD
A full-color image of St. Benedict from Ascension’s Sacred Art Collection of Holy Men and Women by Tianna Williams
A leatherlike cover, foil stamping, and a place-holding ribbon

Classic and beautiful, this book draws all Catholics into a deeper relationship with God in their pursuit of holiness through the honest, authentic wisdom from some of the Church’s greatest saints.

Books for Men