Summary of Supernatural Saints: A School of Ministry from the Saints by Patrick Reis

In Supernatural Saints, Patrick Reis dives into the lives of six canonized saints to show one radical truth: the Christian life is meant to be supernatural. Through stories of miracles, prophetic words, and daring faith, he shows us how the Holy Spirit wants to work through us today—just as He did through the saints.

Chapter 1: A School of Ministry

Patrick Reis opens with a bold question: “How can you know the Gospel is true?” His answer isn’t found in arguments or theories, but in power—in signs, wonders, and healings that confirm the message (Mk 16:15–20).

Too often today, the Church has slipped into maintenance mode—defensive, passive, and watching decline instead of walking in the Spirit’s power. But as Reis reminds us: “Jesus Christ did not die for a powerless Church!” (13).

From the beginning, Jesus didn’t call disciples to sit on the sidelines; He trained them to do what He did: healing the sick, casting out demons, proclaiming the kingdom. He even promised: “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do—and greater ones” (Jn 14:12).

The early Church embraced this without hesitation. St. Paul declared that he preached “by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the Spirit of God” (Rom 15:18–19). This union of word and power is the heartbeat of authentic evangelization.

To recover this life today, Patrick Reis and Fr. Matthias Thelen founded the Encounter School of Ministry, where orthodoxy (right belief) meets orthopraxis (right practice). Students are equipped to take bold risks in the Spirit, praying for healing, prophesying, and evangelizing with both love and power. The goal? Ordinary Catholics carrying God’s extraordinary love into their families, workplaces, and parishes.

This book is, in effect, a school of ministry with the saints. Six holy men and women become our mentors, teaching us what it looks like to live Spirit-filled lives in every age. As Reis exhorts: “Don’t just pray for the same anointing they had—pray for a double portion” (2 Kgs 2:9).

Chapter 2: St. Vincent Ferrer

The 14th century was a mess—plague, division, and corruption everywhere. Into that chaos, God raised up Vincent Ferrer, a Dominican friar with fire in his bones. After a mystical vision in which Jesus healed him and sent him to preach, Vincent criss-crossed Europe with unstoppable zeal. Tens of thousands repented and returned to God. Historians estimate 86,000 miracles through his ministry, including nearly 900 officially recorded and even 28 people raised from the dead. Kings and peasants alike crowded to hear him, and whole cities were transformed.

Ministry Lessons

1. Splagchnizomai—The Heart of Ministry. Before entering a city, St. Vincent prayed until he felt Christ’s gut-level compassion, echoing Jesus who was moved with splagchnizomai (Mt 9:36). He urged preachers to “speak out of the depths of love and fatherly care, like a father suffering for his sinful children.” True ministry begins in prayer, receiving God’s love, and then pouring it out in word and deed. When our hearts burn with His compassion, our preaching becomes Christ’s love flowing through us.

2. The Bell of Miracles. Though a gifted preacher, Vincent relied on more than words. Miracles often broke into his sermons—he wept, prophesied, or healed by divine prompting. In one case, he declared that a paralytic miles away was struggling to reach the city; servants confirmed it, brought the man, and Vincent healed him instantly before the crowd. Vincent admitted to Pope Benedict XIII that miracles were necessary because his natural testimony was weak—yet God’s power drew people to repentance. After his preaching, a bell summoned the sick for healing, eventually known as the Bell of Miracles. His life shows that evangelization is not only intercession and proclamation, but also risk-taking openness to the Spirit.

3. Impartation. Impartation is the transfer of grace or gift, as when Paul wrote, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift” (Rom 1:11; cf. Num 11:25; 2 Kgs 2:9–15; Acts 19:6). Vincent practiced this freely. When exhausted from healings, he told disciples: “Do yourself what is asked of me; the Lord who works through me will also work through you.” Once, he commissioned a priest to heal a benefactress, granting him authority for all he encountered. On the way, the priest healed multiple people and finally the benefactress—retaining the gift for life. Impartation is not a sacrament, but it reminds us that God delights to share His gifts through His people. As Paul exhorts: “Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts” (1 Cor 14:1).

4. Humble Obedience. When his Dominican superior forbade miracles until reviewed, Vincent obeyed, even pausing mid-miracle as a stonemason hung suspended in the air. Only after receiving permission did he lower him safely, stunning the crowd. Though his ministry bore great fruit and had papal approval, Vincent chose humility over self-defense. God Himself vindicated him through supernatural confirmation, proving that authentic ministry flourishes in obedience to the Church.

Chapter 3: St. Philip Neri

The sixteenth century found Rome drowning in clerical worldliness and moral decay. Into that darkness, God raised up Philip Neri (1515–1595), the Apostle of Rome and patron of joy. Born in Florence, trained in philosophy and theology, Philip sold his possessions and moved to Rome, where he cultivated a daily hunger for the Holy Spirit through prayer, Scripture, and pilgrimages to the seven churches.

That hunger reached a climax on Pentecost Eve, 1544, when Philip prayed in the Catacombs of St. Sebastian. A ball of fire descended, entered his mouth, and settled in his heart. Overwhelmed by heat, trembling, and joy, he cried out: “Enough, Lord, enough! I cannot take any more.” The fire left two ribs broken and his heart enlarged (confirmed after death). From then on, what God poured into him overflowed through him in ministry.

Ordained at thirty-five, Philip gathered groups for prayer, Scripture, music, and works of mercy—circles that grew into the Oratory, formally approved in 1575 and later an inspiration for St. John Henry Newman. By the end of his life, Rome’s spiritual tide had shifted; popes sought him as confessor, saints called him friend, and the gifts of the Spirit abounded (even with testimonies of the dead raised). Philip’s joy and supernatural boldness were not quirks of personality but the enduring signature of Pentecost in a priest who gave the Spirit free reign.

Ministry Lessons

1. The Spirit’s Signature. “The way that the Holy Spirit has come upon you is often a sign of how he will come through you” (55). The trembling and fire that marked Philip’s encounter became signs of God’s ministry through him. When he laid hands on the dying Prospero Crivelli, the man fell under the Spirit’s power and awoke completely healed. To another, Philip promised: “I will pray for you, and you shall feel it”—and immediately the man trembled under the manifest love of God. Philip believed not only that God could heal, but that He desired to tangibly manifest His love here and now. The same Spirit who moved through him in ministry also renewed him daily in prayer, filling him with fire and joy. Philip teaches us to take risks so others encounter God’s love, while staying utterly dependent on the Spirit’s lead. At the same time, he shows that holiness is never grim. His playful humour, pranks, and laughter made him the patron saint of joy, drawing countless souls to Christ and reminding us that the Spirit who empowers also makes us fully alive.

2. Understanding Healing Ministry. Jesus never healed in the same way twice—sometimes with a touch, sometimes with a word, sometimes with a prophetic act—because He did only what the Father showed Him (Jn 5:19). Healing flows not from formulas but from Spirit-led obedience. Philip embodied this dependence. Having himself been healed through the Anointing of the Sick, he prayed over others with simple faith, often laying hands in obedience to Christ’s promise (Mk 16:18). Sometimes healings were instant; other times, they came after perseverance. On occasion he prayed with commanding authority, as when he ordered a deadly fever to depart—and it left immediately. Yet Philip also knew when to yield, discerning when God was preparing a soul for eternity. Every healing, he reminded his disciples, is temporary—even Lazarus died again. The ultimate purpose of healing is to confirm the Gospel and point to its true destination: eternal communion with God (72, 74).

Chapter 4: St. Catherine of Siena

Born in 1347 as the twenty-third of twenty-five children, Catherine encountered Jesus at a young age and entered into a profound life of prayer. Joining the lay Dominicans, she experienced a mystical spousal union with Christ. Though she longed for solitude, Jesus called her into active evangelization, telling her He had chosen “unschooled women, fearful and weak… trained by Me in the knowledge of the divine” to humble the proud. Responding with Mary’s same “yes”, Catherine became a spiritual leader whose counsel shaped popes, bishops, and rulers, while her supernatural ministry—marked by prophecy, healing, and deliverance—demonstrated the Spirit’s power. Through her writings and the testimony of her disciple Blessed Raymond of Capua, she continues to show that a life surrendered to Jesus can channel extraordinary grace and hope for the Church and the world.

Ministry Lessons

1. Confidence in Christ’s Authority. Catherine shows that every believer, through baptism, shares in Christ’s authority over sickness and the powers of darkness. Early on, she struggled with fear in deliverance ministry, but as she grew in intimacy with Jesus, she learned to rest in His perfect love and minister with calm confidence, declaring that without God’s permission, the enemy could do nothing (cf. Mt 28:18; Lk 10:19). This authority flowed into her healing ministry: when her friend Messer Matteo lay dying of the plague, Catherine, filled with righteous anger, commanded, “Get up, Messer Matteo, this is no time for lying in a soft bed!”—and he was instantly healed. Catherine reminds us that sickness and oppression are not part of God’s design but fruits of sin and the fall. The prayer of command is not human force but aligning with Jesus’ victory and speaking His authority. Rooted in Christ’s love and obedient to the Spirit, we can confront fear with courage and see His power bring healing, deliverance, and life. True authority flows not from position or title but from faith, obedience, and intimacy with Jesus.

2. Prophetic Ministry that Reveals God’s Heart. Catherine’s life demonstrates the transformative power of prophecy. On one occasion, two criminals on their way to execution refused confession until Catherine, moved by compassion (splagchnizomai), prayed and saw a vision of Jesus crowned with thorns. As she described it, the men saw it too, repented, and reconciled with God before death. Her prophetic words also shaped history: when Pope Gregory XI hesitated to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome, Catherine declared, “Who knows God’s will so well as your holiness, for have you not bound yourself by a vow?”—revealing a secret promise he had made to God. Convicted, Gregory left Avignon within days, restoring the papacy to Rome. In both cases, Catherine’s gift disclosed “the secrets of the heart” (1 Cor 14:25), imparting grace for repentance and courage to act. True prophecy is not fortune-telling but communicating God’s heart—convicting, consoling, and calling forth courage. When rooted in intimacy with Christ, prophetic words carry divine authority to move souls, transform leaders, and redirect the Church’s course.

Chapter 5: St. Francis Xavier

Born into Spanish nobility in 1506, Francis Xavier exchanged worldly ambition for the mission of advancing God’s kingdom among peoples who had never heard the Gospel. Known as one of the greatest missionaries in history, he baptized tens of thousands, planting the Church in India, the Malay Archipelago, and Japan—sometimes exhausting his strength by baptizing entire villages in a single day. His call did not begin with a mystical vision but with a friendship at the University of Paris with St. Ignatius of Loyola, who persistently challenged him with Jesus’ words: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?” (Mk 8:36). After the Spiritual Exercises, Francis surrendered his life to Christ and joined the first companions of the Jesuits. When another Jesuit fell ill just before departure to India, Francis accepted the mission without hesitation or preparation, convinced that surrender and obedience to Jesus were enough. His life teaches us that the power of mission flows not from human qualifications but from intimacy with Christ and total availability to His call.

Ministry Lessons

1. The Primacy of the Gospel and the Power of Testimony. For Francis Xavier, evangelization always began with the Gospel, not with signs or wonders. Whether preaching in a Hindu temple or encountering a woman in labor for three days, he proclaimed Christ first, baptizing and teaching before praying for miracles. He knew that “the Gospel is the power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16), and that miracles serve to confirm the Word, not replace it. This gave him boldness to speak in any circumstance, trusting the Holy Spirit to convict hearts (cf. Jn 16:8–9). Just as Mark 16:20 promises, Xavier saw God confirm His Word through healings and conversions, proving that evangelization is not about waiting for perfect timing but stepping into need with faith.

From this flows another lesson: the power of testimony. Xavier’s letters from the mission field overflowed with conversions, healings, and pleas for more missionaries. These accounts ignited Europe—St. Philip Neri admitted he was nearly persuaded to join the Jesuits after reading them. Xavier understood that testimony is prophetic (Rev 19:10): when we share what God has done, faith rises for Him to do it again. His witness demonstrates that the Gospel, proclaimed with simplicity and confirmed through testimony, awakens generations to live for God’s kingdom rather than their own ambitions.

2. Equipping the Next Generation and Multiplying Missionaries. Francis Xavier embodied Jesus’ teaching that the kingdom belongs to children. Faced with overwhelming crowds, he equipped children to minister healing, teaching them to proclaim the Creed and pray in faith. Miracles followed—not because they had a “miniature” Spirit, but because the same Holy Spirit empowered them fully. Xavier’s vision flowed from a renewed perspective: “For him diseases were not fear-inducing problems but miracles waiting to happen… we shift from a victim mentality to a victor mentality” (112). His example calls us to see even the youngest believers as full participants in mission, capable of releasing God’s power where adults might hesitate.

Likewise, Xavier knew evangelization multiplies when disciples make disciples. In Japan, he poured into his first convert, Anger (Paul of the Holy Faith), who, renewed through baptism and the Spiritual Exercises, evangelized his family and community. Soon, over a hundred believers formed the first Christian community. Xavier’s greatest fruit came not from his own preaching alone but from equipping others to reach their circles. His life shows that evangelization is not only adding believers but multiplying missionaries—disciples who carry Christ farther than we could on our own.

Chapter 6: St. Padre Pio

Francesco Forgione, born in Pietrelcina in 1887, became known to the world as St. Padre Pio, one of the most supernaturally gifted saints of the twentieth century. Immersed in the life of the Spirit from childhood, he experienced visions of Jesus, Mary, and his guardian angel, assuming such encounters were normal for every Christian. After joining the Capuchins and being ordained at twenty-three, Padre Pio embraced the Cross with extraordinary devotion, even receiving the stigmata at age thirty-one—a participation in Christ’s suffering that marked his life and ministry. From the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, he ministered with remarkable gifts of healing, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and even bilocation, drawing thousands from across the globe, including the future St. John Paul II. One of the most unique lessons of his life was his reliance on angelic partnership in ministry, showing that the supernatural is not exceptional but meant to be natural in Catholic life.

Ministry Lesson

1. Partner with Your Guardian Angel in Ministry. Padre Pio’s life teaches that guardian angels are not childhood symbols but real companions sent by God to help us in our vocation (Heb 1:14). While they always obey God’s commands, they are also commissioned to assist us in carrying out His mission. Padre Pio lived this truth daily—entrusting his angel to console friends, wake fellow friars, and even extend his ministry when he could not be physically present. He showed that angels are not limited to protection alone but can also be sent for practical tasks and spiritual breakthroughs when these align with God’s will. What made Padre Pio’s partnership so fruitful was not only his faith but also his intimacy with his angel as a heavenly companion. He shared his thoughts, listened for guidance, and even enjoyed moments of playful laughter, all while keeping Christ at the center. His humility kept him from seeking to control his angel; instead, he saw him as a gift to help him love and serve better. Padre Pio’s witness reminds us that every Christian can grow in awareness and relationship with their angel. Through faith and friendship, we can entrust both our great missions and daily needs to their help, allowing their presence to strengthen us in prayer, intercession, protection, and advancing God’s kingdom.

Chapter 7: St. Seraphim of Sarov

Born Prokhor Moshnin in 1754, St. Seraphim of Sarov—often called the Padre Pio of Russia—entered monastic life at Sarov, taking the name Seraphim (“fiery” or “burning”). After years as a hermit, he had a profound encounter with Mary, St. Onuphrius, and St. Peter of Athos, who revealed he was called not to seclusion but to minister to people. Opening his cell to the world, he soon became renowned for miracles, healings, and prophetic wisdom—the first being the healing of Natalia Otrostchenkoff. Like Padre Pio, thousands came from across Russia to encounter God’s power through him, and “all Russia abounds in tales about the miracles of Fr. Seraphim.” His ministry joined healing prayer with teaching on life in the Spirit, most famously in his prophetic discourse On the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit, which continues to inspire Christians to pursue holiness and transformation in Christ.

Ministry Lessons

1. Freedom from Pressure: Depending on Revelation, Not Reputation. Healing ministry tempts us to feel the weight of expectations, but Seraphim shows the freedom of pointing faith to Jesus alone and relying on His revelation. When Michael Manturov begged him for healing, Seraphim asked three times, “Do you believe in God?”—drawing his faith toward the Lord. Only then did he pray, anoint his legs, and command him to walk—resulting in complete healing. When Manturov tried to thank him, Seraphim rebuked him, insisting that glory belongs to God alone. He explained: “What the Lord tells me as His servant I pass on… Like iron to the smith, so I have surrendered myself and my will to the Lord God. As he wills, so I act.” Ministry is not about reputation or technique but about listening, receiving, and obeying. This dependence frees us from pressure and allows the Holy Spirit to work with power.

2. Faith and Perseverance for Healing. Healing often comes when faith is drawn out, as in Acts 14 when Paul recognized a cripple’s faith to be healed. Seraphim showed the same discernment with Nikolas Motovilov, who suffered paralysis and bed sores. After repeated meetings without healing, Motovilov persisted in faith, trusting Christ and Mary’s intercession. Seraphim pressed him to act on that faith, lifting him to stand, persevering even when he resisted. Finally, as Seraphim gave him a gentle push, the Holy Spirit overshadowed him and enabled him to walk firmly, fully healed. The lesson: authentic faith must be drawn toward God and boldly persevered in until the breakthrough comes.

3. Acquisition of the Holy Spirit: Beyond Performance, Into Overflowing Gifts. Seraphim taught that the goal of Christian life is not mere performance—multiplying prayers or fasts—but the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are indispensable, but they are means of receiving heaven now (Lk 17:21; Rom 14:17). Grace is like fire: a candle loses nothing by lighting another, and its flame only grows brighter as it spreads. So too, spiritual gifts—prophecy, healing, evangelization—increase through faithful use. True maturity is not hoarding grace but letting it overflow, so others may be set ablaze.

Conclusion: A Prophetic Perspective

The saints remind us: Jesus is alive and still pours out His Spirit. The same Spirit who empowered Vincent, Philip, Catherine, Francis, Pio, and Seraphim wants to work through us. The popes have called for a New Evangelization and a New Pentecost, like Joel’s “late rain,” preparing the world for harvest. St. Faustina’s revelations of Divine Mercy confirm that this is a time of extraordinary grace before judgment.

That means this is our moment. Where sin increases, grace abounds even more (Rom 5:20). The darker the world grows, the brighter Christ shines through us. Our mission is clear: become sons and daughters equipped by the Spirit, proclaiming and demonstrating the kingdom with courage. And we are not alone—the saints intercede for us, cheering us on, urging us to become the powerful Church Jesus died to raise up.