Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles

by Raymond Arroyo

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385510926
• ISBN13: 9780385510929
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Doubleday Religion
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

A truly inspirational woman.

A fine example of what one can accomplish when striving to do God's will rather than ones own.

Wonderful Book by RAYMOND ARROYO !!!!

This book about Mother Angelica and how she started the Catholic network EWTN is an absolute must read for everyone. The story takes us through her life and her journey to bring Catholicism to the world. It was not easy, but with her determination and faith she was about to build the large Catholic news network EWTN. I enjoyed how the author, Raymond Arroyo, describes the many characters in Mothers life. This is an absolute must read!

Mother Angelica - A Religious For All Seasons

As a convert to Catholicism, I would probably be dismissed as swooning over yet another presenation of the faithful in CD format from this perspective. But Mother Angelica is one of the greatest inspirational lights on earth for any faith, any time, and for all seasons. You don't have to be Catholic to "get it." Her story like all of us really is about struggle, heartache, loss, and then the amazing Grace of God who pulls one up and out of the muck and mire. Actually, Mother Angelica reminds me of Bob Dylan! Dylan said...in song long ago & paraphrasing: The loser now will be later to win, for the times they are a changing. Right. Mother Angelica started out as what the world might judge unimportant, of little regard. Yet God seems to take the lowly, the least, the last and lifts him or her up to confound the wise and powerful. I cannot say more to convince you that this Audio CD Box Set has the capacity to change your life as no How-To Book on earth could ever do. Some learn and are inspired best by example. If you fall in that category, and are tired of the lectures on what to be or how to live, Mother Angelica's light is always "on" for you.

Great Story, Even for a non-Catholic

As anyone who has ever attempted to start a business knows, it is difficult. It's difficult to get it started. It's difficult to supervise its growth. As you go through the various phases where you can't do it in your initial business, where you have to start hiring people, where you basic sales functions have to be expanded to a marketing/sales department. Each of these is an excellent opportunity for the business to fail. Eternal Word Television Network began 25 years ago with only $200 in initial investment. It has since grown to a worldwide organization reaching some 110 million households. This is the story of EWTN, but more important it is the story of its remarkable founder and guiding light. I am not catholic, so the discussions of the liberal vs conservative aspects of the church don't have a great deal of meaning to me. But the strength of her convictions, the life she has lived make her life one worth learning about. She has done a remarkable job of living a life. Even after suffering a stroke and leaving EWTN, the network she built will remain as a monument for many, many years.

A Young Man Discovers the Remarkable Story of an Elderly Nun

I discovered EWTN in the first months of my freshman year of college. While channel surfing through MTV and ESPN, I came across a beautiful old face swallowed by large glasses and wrapped in a white wimple. I stopped. I'd never known a nun, let alone seen one in a traditional habit. Her simple outlook on faith kept me hooked. After watching Mother Angelica on television for the past five years, I thought I knew the simple elderly nun who'd shown me the beauty of my Catholic faith. After reading Raymond Arroyo's new biography, I realize how wrong I was. Here is the life of Rita Rizzo weaved into a wonderfully narrative story. It shows her humble and tormented early years, her first miraculous healing, and her radical conversion to live for God. It chronicles many little known facts: her many ailments and healings, her intention to build a Southern monastery for reparation for unjustice to African Americans, her charismatic experiences, her dark night of the soul. Her leap of faith in creating the largest religious communications empire in the world is given its due, but does not overshadow. Arroyo treats Mother as a human being, not a pious, holy card saint. She has doubts, a sense of humor, and a fiery temper. She struggles in her relationship with both parents, clashes with bishops and cardinals over orthodoxy and control of her network, and ultimately undergoes a Vatican investigation. Mother Angelica has lived a life of radical service through love for Her Spouse, Jesus Christ, and His Church. Anyone who knows her only through her television network knows only part of the story. This biography tells it all. And Mother will be seen as an even greater witness to God because of it

This Book is an Absolute Joy.

Arroyo's book on Mother Angelica is more than a great read; it starts great and then gets better, each chapter more unbelieveable than the last. It's no secret that Mother Angelica has fought a single-handed battle for the soul of the Church in America and saved it from those intellectual moderns (including the conference of Catholic Bishops) who prefer we not be too Roman in our Catholicism. Chesterton says that "The Catholic Church is the only thing which saves a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age". Fortunately, Mother knew this all too well, enough to bring many of us back to our wits as well as our faith. Arroyo makes it hard to miss how divine providence was with her every step of the way. I never knew how much. The book is a fascinating exploration of the trials of Mother (Rita Rizzo) from early childhood through her departure from the board of directors at EWTN. Her simple faith built the largest religious network and the only one without a budget. You'll laugh at how she moves undetered through her decisions. When I first heard Mother described as the patron Saint of CEO's I thought "give me a break". After reading I'd say every CEO talks of taking risks, but not a one would ever be ballsy enough to take any of the risks that Mother took along the way. Given her life and the nuns of her childhood, MA should be a disgruntled "recovering" Catholic. Her love and fidelity to the faith, her rediscovery and return to sound Catholic traditions make for a read that can only be appreciated by the Catholic caught for forty years between the lunacy of both the moderns and the schismatics. This book is preaching to the heavenly choir. One way or another, most people's minds are made up already with respect to Mother. If you're one of those who we delighted when you first saw her on "the tube", you'll love the book and come to a deeper appreciation of what she actually endured and finally accomplished. Prepare yourself for the laughs and the tears, in the end it's an absolute joy.

Fervent Trust in God always prevails - a must read for EVERYONE with much, little, or no faith

The spiritual impact this book has on its reader is amazing. It gives anyone, no matter how difficult their situation, the hope that your life is worth something. Given over to God, the life of every person is powerful. Even if you are not a "religious person" this story in itself is fascinating and nearly unbelieveable. It is written very well, making a most enjoyable read. A good laugh is also guaranteed. And for those of you like myself, tired of the liberal Church constantly chipping away at our Faith, you will have plenty to cheer about. Buy the book; you will not be disappointed.