Saints: 12 Heroes for All Times Special Collector's Edition

Book excerpt: Special Collector's Edition Grandpa had a vast collection of many books about Saints. He gathered from Italy written in Italian, where he then spent much time each evening reading stories before bedtime to Joseph about Saints that Grandpa had collected. As it was told in amazement to little Joseph very specific without missing details. Joseph then told his mother and father the Saint's life stories step-by-step. The parents were impressed as to the detail in storytelling by Joseph of such amazing content. However, mother was not happy with her father, Joseph's grandfather, speaking and telling the stories to young Joseph and Italian. Mother's fear was that little Joseph would go into first grade speaking broken English and mother's intuition was correct. For the young boy did have a challenging time in first grade understanding the Irish nun's English and thus he could not grasp reading or writing and was held back in the first grade. The relationship between Grandpa and the little boy just became stronger. The more mother complained and protested, Joseph looked up to his Grandpa. As he called him his Knight, his hero, and Grandpa in turn would tell the little boy over and over the real heroes are these incredibly special Saints, they are heroes for God and little Joseph believed his Grandpa. Grandfather would say the Saints have a "secret code". They wake up each day and knowing they are born again to do honorable deeds and give service working for God. They are true heroes, they pray each day and attend church and communion where they understand fasting and listening to the Holy Spirit who helps them grow their faith. Thus giving them special abilities to conduct miracles and many powerful and unexplainable things. Now, over a half of a century later, Joseph gives an impressive tribute to his grandfather for making his way as a 9-year-old little boy from a small boat from Italy to America without a passport and leaving his loving parents behind.