Stigmata. Self-mortification. Miracles. It takes a lot to become a saint in the eyes of the Catholic Church. The journey to canonization is long (sometimes, as in the case of Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk Indian who just got the nod from the Vatican, it can take centuries), lurid (decayed body parts play a role), and, nowadays, surprisingly cutting-edge. (Miracles can be determined through MRIs.) This rollicking yet thorough investigation of the Church’s most mysterious tradition provides a fascinating inside look into how the holy earn their places in heaven and introduces us to America’s newest saint. Read an excerpt >>