It has not been too long since Liturgical Press completed its updating of the famously popular Butler’s Lives of the Saints (1995-2000). Now the publisher is providing supplements to the set with this first volume. As many know, Pope John Paul II canonized more saints than all of his predecessors combined. He also beatified more people than he canonized, so it is no wonder that the new set of Butler’s Lives needs a supplement already. Pope Benedict XVI has canonized and beatified some people already in his first eight months, and he will probably add more to the list of saints.
This volume is arranged according to months and days with entries that vary in length. There are no illustrations, but there are few bibliographical references (as the introduction says) due to the fact that little has been written on the new saints or beati in English. The main source for the biographies is the English edition of the Vatican’s newspaper, Osservatore Romano. The editor, Paul Burns, provides side information that relate to the saint or beati. Some of this information is Internet sites.
If you are wondering when the feast day is of a new saint or beati, this supplemental volume can inform you. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta’s, for example, is September 5th.
Paul Burns was the managing editor of the twelve volume New Full Edition of Butler’s Lives of the Saints (1995-2000), of which he compiled the January and February volumes. He also wrote Favorite Patron Saints (2004).
This supplemental volume is highly recommended to those persons and libraries that already have the new edition of Butler’s Lives. Those who do not have the set might consider buying it and the supplemental volume. It is an authoritative reference tool on the saints.