James J. BACIK. Saints Celebrated and Unsung: The Universal Call to Holiness. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2021, pp. 135, $18, pb. ISBN: 978-1-62698-405-9. Reviewed by Rachelle LINNER, Spiritual Director, Medford, MA 02155.

This lovely book offers an extended meditation on Pope Francis’s 2018 apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exultate (“On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World.”)  It reflects Fr. Bacik’s pastoral experience and sensitivity and his profound respect for the spiritual lives of ordinary people.  In his engaging prose Fr. Bacik presents a holistic, healthy spirituality grounded in a post-Vatican II ecclesiology. 

Fr. Bacik presents the principles of Gaudete et Exultate in thematic chapters. Celebrated and unsung saints illustrate aspects of the Pope’s exhortation. St. Augustine of Hippo on the universal call to holiness; Henri Nouwen on the importance of following our unique path; St. Thérèse of Lisieux on ordinary life as a path to holiness; Fr. Karl Rahner on imitating Christ; Martin Luther King, Jr. on working for justice, Dag Hammarskjöld on time for prayer; Mother Teresa on caring for the needy; and St. John Henry Newman on discerning one’s path.

The great German Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner exemplifies the Pope’s desire that we “reflect on the historical Jesus portrayed in the Gospels and to follow his example in our daily lives. We are called to put on the mind of Christ so that we see the world through the eyes of faith illumined by him and are committed to practice his command to love our neighbor.” (38)  Fr. Bacik was studying at Oxford University and writing a dissertation on Fr. Rahner when the two met in 1974. Informed by his affection and respect for, and knowledge of, Rahner, this excellent chapter offers a concise, accessible presentation of Rahner’s theology.

Each celebrated person is paired with an unsung saint.  The most moving of these portraits is the pairing of St. Thérèse of Lisieux with his father, George L. Bacik. St. Thérèse “calls us to simplify our daily activities and to find deeper meaning in the ordinary routines of life. Her little way of charity is rooted in solid theological insights. … Her writing is subjective and personal, but it contains a universal message.”  (31)

In writing about his father “I highlight his everyday virtues without claiming an exaggerated perfection.” (33)  George L. Bacik grew up in an abusive home and “deeply affected by his mother’s sufferings, he vowed never to abuse others…” (33) He kept this promise, breaking an intergenerational cycle of abuse, “a truly significant, if generally unrecognized, contribution to the good of his family and future generations.” (33)  Fr. Bacik shows how his father both reflected and challenged the cultural and religious mores of his time.  It is a blessing to be able to see a parent with such an embracing tenderness. 

Gaudete et Exultate encourages “each believer [to] discern his or her own path …rather than hopelessly trying to imitate something not meant for them.  We are called to be witnesses, but there are many actual ways of bearing witness.”  (14)  By sharing the unique stories of these celebrated and unsung saints Fr. Bacik’s book helps to inspire and encourage his readers, leading them to view their own lives through the prism of faith. It would be an excellent resource for a parish adult formation program or personal spiritual reading.