Due to some health issues, I was unable to get this book read and reviewed in a timely manner. I apologize.

I am finishing this hard to write… I wish I had liked this book, but sadly I didn’t. This book was tainted with the author upbringing in the Church in the very rocky post Vatican II era. And I wanted more of Fr. Kapaun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an ARC in exchange for a book review.
Joe Drape has written an engrossing book that is part history, part wartime adventure and part memoir. The saint making process of Fr. Emil Kapaun is explored in detail but it is never boring or weighty. Joe Drape’s writing is smooth and flows throughout the pages.
Traveling from Korean Prisoner of War camps to the Vatican, Fr. Kapaun’s life is told with honor, devotion and compassion. Throughout his thirty five year old life, the reader learns of the testimony of the miracles he performed and the many lives he has touched. This is a story of great faith and the determination of two men who travelled many roads to piece together the life of this remarkable man.
Reading this book is a spiritual journey, one of contemplation and reflection.
My thanks as well to Joe Drape for this heart warming book.
Highly recommended.

What is the process to make a saint? Joe Draper tells us the answer in this book that's part biography of a wartime adventurer, part detective story, and part faith journey. His narrative gives readers a front-row seat into the Catholic Church's saint-making machinery as he chronicles the saint-making process for Father Emil Kapaun, a military chaplain who died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp during the Korean War.
I enjoyed reading about Father Kapaun's life and ministry. The most decorated chaplain in military history, the "all man" priest was able to bring out the good that was left in broken bodies and spirits. His courage had the softness of velvet and the strength of iron, which he demonstrated in all circumstances until his death at age 35.
The ins and outs of making a saint were a bit boring in places, and quite frankly, the process is political and a way for the Church to make money. The book covers topics such as the 2020 Covid pandemic and the church's sex scandal, too. I felt angry at times as I read these sections. I did appreciate the effort Father Holtze put into preparing the case for Father Kapaun's sainthood and his dedication to the men who served beside the Father in the war.
Drape also discusses his spiritual journey as he wrestles with the realities of the Church and his opinions and upbringing of faith. Reading that he and others struggle to intertwine Church theology with real-world challenges gives me hope.
Catholics or anyone interested in the saint-making process will enjoy this book. It's also a theological book of sorts that helps Christians understand better how to put their faith into practice. The book is also a tribute to a priest who dedicated his life to God and man.

A great idea for a book: How are Saints made? What about a Catholic priest from Kansas, a true hero as a chaplain and then as a POW during the Korean war? How does a saintly character like that actually become a Saint in the Catholic Church? Drape tells the tale, and it's a good one. The writing is clunky, and the writer's own spiritual journey is hemmed in to pretty narrow confines, weakening the end product. Could have, and should have, been richer.

this was a really interesting read, i liked how it was written and you could tell that the author did a lot of research on the topic.

If you liked the Netflix biographical drama, The Two Popes, you'll like this book. It gives an inside look at the Vatican and the laborious process of seeking sainthood for a deceased man or woman of God. It's also a memoir of a man finding his faith while he studied. Finally, it puts the Catholic church under a microscope. I appreciated the candid approach. May we all find Jesus among the messy church.

I received an advance copy of The Saint Makers, by Joe Drape. This book shows the process of how to become a saint in the Catholic Church. The behind the scenes look at the step by step process to become a saint. Part book of faith and part book of science. I found the book interesting, especially about Father Kapaun.