Mother Angelica

The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles

By: Raymond Arroyo

Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The extraordinary saga of Mother Angelica—who passed away on Easter, 2016—founder of the multimillion-dollar Eternal Word Television Network and “the most influential Catholic woman in America” according to Time magazine

In 1981, the year after Ted Turner founded CNN, a simple nun, using merely her entrepreneurial instincts and $200, launched what would become the world’s largest religious media empire in the garage of a Birmingham, Alabama, monastery. Under her guidance, the Eternal Word Television Network grew at a staggering pace, both in viewership and in influence, to where it now reaches over a hundred million viewers in hundreds of countries around the globe.

Born Rita Rizzo in Canton, Ohio, in 1923, Mother Angelica was abandoned by her father and raised in poverty by a mother who suffered from suicidal depressions. As a young woman, Rita developed severe abdominal pain that doctors dismissed as a “nervous condition,” but when she sought the prayers of a local mystic, her symptoms disappeared. Awakened to the power of prayer, she vowed to dedicate her life to God and became a cloistered nun, expecting to spend her life hidden from the world. But Rita’s faith soon compelled her to unlikely endeavors, from establishing a monastery in Alabama to starting the world’s first Catholic cable network. Relying solely on “God’s providence,” Mother Angelica built an empire without concern for budgets or fund-raising campaigns, achieving what even the highest levels of the Catholic Church had been unable to do.

Raymond Arroyo combines his journalist’s objectivity and eye for detail with more than five years of exclusive interviews with Mother Angelica. He traces Mother Angelica’s tortured rise to success and exposes for the first time the fierce opposition she faced, both inside and outside of her church. It is an inspiring story of survival and proof that one woman’s faith can move more than mountains.

©2005 Raymond Arroyo (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This is some woman. What a wonderful story Raymond Arroyo has written—wonderful because it’s true, because he got the facts, because she chose him to tell them, and because he’s a born storyteller.”—Peggy Noonan, author of When Character Was King

“Mother Angelica’s personal words to me, her courageous example, and her constant prayers helped inspire my portrayal of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. No one could have captured the essence of this modern-day saint better than Raymond Arroyo. His narrative gifts and understanding of Mother are clearly evident in this truthful and often candid depiction of one nun’s struggle to bring God to the multitudes. Surely this book, and Mother’s life will have an incredible enduring legacy.”—James Caviezel, actor

“Mother Angelica’s personal words to me, her courageous example, and her constant prayers helped inspire my portrayal of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. No one could have captured the essence of this modern-day saint better than Raymond Arroyo. His narrative gifts and understanding of Mother are clearly evident in this truthful and often candid depiction of one nun’s struggle to bring God to the multitudes. Surely this book, and Mother’s life will have an incredible enduring legacy.”—James Caviezel, actor

Fascinating!

A great and inspiring story expertly told by the author. I also own the print edition but the Audible version is my new favorite.

Awesome

I have loved every page of this book. What an amazing servant of GOD! I am so grateful we can still watch Mother Angelica on reruns. She is such a gift to all of us and what we can achieve by pure perceiving in GOD! Thank you for this beautiful book.

Amazing

I ended the book with grateful tears streaming down my face because of her absolute love for Christ.

Awesome.

Ii cannot say enough good things about this book. Mother Angelica and her life story is incredible. I laughed, I cried, and I am deeply inspired by her life and beautiful soul. This book was perfectly written and read by the author and I am grateful for his insight and admiration for her mission and for sharing this treasure of information. Thank you!

An excellent story of a wonderful and saintly woman

This is an excellent biography. Well written and well performed. I had seen Mother on TV for many years but never knew all of her story. She was a wonderful woman and deserves to be a saint. EWTN helped me convert to Catholism and I thank Mother for getting me here!

A Journey to Faith

"Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles" by Raymond Arroyo unveils the extraordinary life of Mother Angelica, a figure who has been a beacon of light and guidance not only to Catholics but to people of various faiths across the globe. Growing up as a Protestant child, I found solace in the late-night broadcasts of Mother Angelica Live. There was something about her presence on the screen that conveyed safety and love, making me feel as though I was in the company of someone truly special. It wasn't until I delved into Arroyo's profound narrative of her life that I fully grasped the magnitude of her influence and the divine orchestration of her journey. Mother Angelica's unwavering faith, her miraculous endeavors to establish the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), and her exemplary perseverance through suffering illuminated her sainthood in my eyes, ultimately playing a pivotal role in my own conversion to Catholicism.

Listening to her story on Audible brought a myriad of emotions, often moving me to tears. The vivid recounting of Mother Angelica's life, her trials, and her triumphs over adversities provided a tangible sense of her spirit and legacy. Her ability to embrace and bear her crosses with such grace and strength inspires me to approach my own trials with a renewed sense of courage and faith. Mother Angelica's enduring presence in my life, through her teachings and reruns of her shows on YouTube, continues to be a source of comfort and spiritual guidance. Her life's work, marked by miracles and an unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel, leaves an indelible impact that transcends time. As I plan to revisit and immerse myself in the entire series of books about her life, I hold onto the belief that Mother Angelica's sanctity is deserving of canonization. Her legacy is a testament to the power of faith, and I join many in praying for her intercession. Mother Angelica, forever etched in my heart and prayers, please pray for us.

love it

I alwaus loved Mother Angelica, but now I love her even more! Learning her story was a gift. She was sassy, strong, and faithful. She is inspiring and this book reminded me of many ways I could improve my faith in little normal ways and extraordinary ways. Rest in peace, mother.

A wonderful story of God’s Triumph Against All Odds

Just as no one would have expected the meek David, who could not even bear the weight of Saul’s armor, to defeat the mighty Goliath, so too would no one expect this little nun to establish the largest global Catholic television network. A beautiful biography of her upbringing and entry into religious life precedes the adventure starting with a vision. Opposed to any type of budgeting or sound business sense, she relied and trusted purely in God to bring about His Will. A story to inspire resilience, Faith, endurance, hope, and pure love of God. The time dedicated to reading this book will not be without merit, and apart from its entertainment value, it more importantly provides genuine lessons to be applied into our own lives. Highly recommend.

Raymond Arroyo weaves an amazing tapestry of the life and times of Mother Angelica.

Such a thoughtfully written account of Mother Angelica’s life. I could tell in some parts where Raymond tried hard to be objective and then there were parts where there was no such pretense. :) I appreciated all the in-depth looks into Mother’s childhood, girlhood and life before the cloister. Initially I was mildly annoyed with the author “voicing” Mother Angelica and all the other people mentioned in the book. By the end though, I was won over. I literally HEARD Mother Angelica speaking, especially during the author’s account of quotes from Mother Angelica toward the end of her life. It’s so clear that Raymond Arroyo was feeling deeply these words of the beloved abbess, and it made it all the more impactful. Highly recommend!

Divine providence

We are all flawed and wounded. Mother Angelica has shown us that God can do the miraculous with those flaws and wounds. Thank you Mr. Arroyo for this masterpiece!