Episode 175, Touched by the Saints: Encounters with Real Holiness

Kevin Wilson is a devoted husband, father of three, and a respected healthcare executive. In several parishes within the Diocese of Albany, New York, he volunteers as a catechist and serves in various ministries. His deep faith and desire to evangelize have led him to author a compelling book titled “The Saint I Knew – Exciting Encounters with Holiness,” published by Marian Press and available at shopmercy.org.

In this book, Kevin invites readers into imaginative, fictionalized stories that bring to life ten holy men and women of the church. Through well-crafted narratives, he highlights these holy people and their extraordinary faith and courage, deeply human struggles and relatable personalities. By using fictional characters to interact with the saints, Wilson helps us to see their sanctity in a new and approachable light.

A holy philosopher and teen

Among the saints featured in the book is St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)—a brilliant philosopher who once abandoned her belief in God. Her heart was reawakened to faith after reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Ávila, a journey that eventually led her to baptism in 1922. 

She later became a Carmelite nun, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. One personal anecdote shared is the healing of a priest’s daughter through her intercession—a reminder of the power of the communion of saints.

The book also includes Blessed Carlo Acutis, the young Italian teen whose love for the Eucharist and deep devotion to the Lord made him a contemporary model of holiness, especially relevant during this time of Eucharistic Revival. Carlo's fervent faith and tireless promotion of Eucharistic miracles set him apart as a beacon of hope and inspiration.

A great apostle and medical student

Another powerful story centers on St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the great apostle of Divine Mercy. Kevin recalls an encounter involving a young seminarian who was asked by Father Michał Sopoćko, Faustina’s spiritual director, to visit her. The seminarian, unaware of her spiritual depth at the time, only later realized he had been in the presence of a saint. This encounter serves as a profound reminder that saints often walk among us unnoticed.

Also featured is Blessed Sandra Sabattini, an Italian medical student who joined the Pope John Paul II Community at the age of 12. She dedicated her young life to service and prayer, nurturing her vocation by caring for the poor. She was engaged to be married at the time of her untimely death and is now considered by many to be a patron for engaged couples. One of the miracles leading to her beatification involved the healing of someone from her own community—another testament to the closeness of the saints to those they have served.

Kevin’s book provides an enriching and approachable way to reflect on the lives of the saints, making their examples accessible and inspiring to Catholics of all ages.