When Saints are Lovers

This study explores the cultural and spiritual foundations of the life of Reverend Thomas Frederick Price, MM (1860-1919), co-founder of Maryknoll (the Catholic Foreign Mission School), and a notable figure in the American Roman Catholic Church. Father Price's most significant contribution to Christian life was his complex spiritual life, which he recorded in more than 3000 letters (known in the Maryknoll community as "The Diary") to the Blessed Mother during the last 11 years of his life. "The Diary" reveals his relationship with the Blessed Mother and his intimate, spiritual life with St Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes. The book focuses on Father Price's diary and the relationship between he and Bernadette, explores the impact of culture on theology and spirituality in general, and yields insights into married spirituality.