I wouldn’t say I dislike biographies, but they’re far enough down the list that I read very few. I didn’t know a lot about saints before I started this series. Every time the characters are discussing a saint or talking about which saint to discuss, it’s safe to assume I had a library book open next to me while I wrote that part. None of the books I checked out had discussion questions though. Those I made up.
From the book:
He brought the two library books from the living room. Ruth had moved both of their plates to the counter to make room. He set the books between them as he reclaimed his chair. “Any ideas on what saint you’d like to start with?”
She sighed a sigh that was almost a groan. “Nobody I don’t know.”
“You want to start with the more famous names?”
“No, those are the ones I don’t know.”
“You lost me.”
Ruth smiled, looking satisfied that she’d confused him. Then she opened the top book to the table of contents and spoke more seriously. “Look, I’ve never really been into saints. I haven’t studied them. If we pick one of these names that everyone knows, there will be someone in the room who knows a whole lot more than me. I don’t want to look like an idiot.”
“You won’t look like an idiot no matter who we pick,” Gabriel said. “We’re not teaching a class, we’re... facilitating a discussion.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t want to facilitate a discussion about how much I don’t know.”
Gabriel was still thinking about what she’d said earlier. “You may have a point though.”
She tipped her head and narrowed her eyes somewhat threateningly. “About how much I don’t know?”
A girl didn’t grow up with three older brothers without really thick skin. Gabriel knew that as well as he knew Ruth knew that wasn’t what he meant. He smiled at her expression and said, “If we discuss some of the quote unquote major saints, there will probably be some people who already know a lot and some who don’t. Discussing more obscure saints might sort of... level the playing field and make everyone more comfortable.”
Adam looked up from his phone. “Yeah, sis, it’s not just about you.”
She rolled her eyes at him and then scanned the names in the contents of the book in front of her. “Hmm... I’ve never heard of this one. How about Catherine of Siena?”
“You’ve never heard of Catherine of Siena?” Gabriel gaped at her. He thought she was joking and played along. “She’s got to be one of the most well-known mystics and one of I think not too many women to be named a Doctor of the Church.”
Ruth had evidently been serious because she glared at him and said, “Stop showing off, Batman.”
“Hey, what are you going to call this group anyway?” Adam asked suddenly.
Since Gabriel was still trying to pull his foot out of his mouth, he was going to let Ruth answer. “Do we need a name?”
She shook her head. “The group doesn’t need a name, Adam. It doesn’t need a secret handshake either.”
“What?” Adam feigned shock. “I was only going to come for the secret handshake.”
“No,” Ruth said, “you’re going to come because of your burning interest in...” She ran her finger up and down the list as she turned to Gabriel. “Which of these saints do you know the least about?”
He picked the first unfamiliar name he saw. “St. Marianne Cope?”
Ruth looked at her brother. “You know you’ve always wanted to learn about St. Marianne Cope.”
“Fascinating,” he said dryly. His phone pinged and his eyes returned to it.
Mrs. Ziebert walked into the room carrying a stack of plates. Isaac was behind her with more. “Did I hear that my daughter knows nothing of St. Catherine?”
“Not nothing,” Ruth said. “I know that she was a mystic and a Doctor of the Church.”
Her mom smirked at the answer before she shook her head sadly. “Your faith formation teacher did a terrible job.”
Ruth laughed.
Gabriel understood the joke because Mrs. Ziebert had been Ruth’s faith formation teacher – as well as his – all through elementary school.
The dishwasher rattled as Isaac pulled out a rack for the dishes he carried. “Mom,” he said, “you need Baby Ruth in your class this year, not as a helper but as a first grader.” Then he shot his sister a look that dared her to retaliate.
“Oh, yeah,” she said. “What do you know about St. Marianne Cope?”
“Nothing yet,” Isaac said. “But I plan to read up on her this week so I can make you look bad on Friday.”
Ruth stood up. “You would totally do that, wouldn’t you?” She picked up the books. “Come on, Gabe. We’re going to pick a new saint and not tell anyone who it is before Friday.”
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