Fawning in the extreme to make Rita Rizzo out to be saint, or soon to be venerated religious sister, this biography is more of a journalist take on the American Catholic church in general in the post-Vatican II era. Worth reading since it is more of a time capsule than serious Catholic biography, (more hagiography to be honest) this is one of the early works of this author who now spends his time writing YA fiction with his career on FOX news. He has worked at Mother Angelica’s media station for many years so you could say he owes his career to Mother Angelica. He has written other volumes about her since. Thus, he would be the perfect person to write this unauthorized book on her “accomplishments”. The book is tedious as we find out all the things which frustrated Mother Angelica. There are a lot of things on the list. In this book we find out there are only allies and enemies of Mother Angelica, who is sometimes referred to as the abbess. It’s a small world after all. There seems to have been some animosity between Mother Angelica and the Los Angeles archdiocese led by Cardinal Mahony at the time. Mother Angelica and others had founded a monastery for nuns in 1962. This is related to the Franciscan tradition which associates itself with Our Lady of the Angels chapel near Assisi where St Francs had a mystical experience which he unintentionally misinterpreted. Since 1924 Los Angeles has had a cloistered monastery called Monastery of the Angels founded by Dominican nuns. When Mahony decided to build a new cathedral and call it Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels that seemed to conflict with Mother Angelica’s namesake in Hanceville, Alabama. Mother Angelica seemed to have thought it distasteful to have anything in common with what Mahony was doing. The Los Angeles Cathedral was dedicated in 1997, but actually its name had been previously approved in 1945. Some more important issues regarding Los Angeles also come up in the book regarding teaching authority and jurisdiction of airwaves connected to the Catholic Church. Arroyo belongs to the Latin mass advocacy group which often relies on ephemeral elements to justify their preference over English language mass celebrations. Arroyo seems at times to claim his southern heritage and New Orleans Catholic ancestry.

A very well-written and entertaining biography. ( )

This story talks about Mother Angelica and her unlikely beginnings of becoming a sister. Through her many difficulties and strife, she allowed God to lead her to what her purpose in life would be. She began the Eternal Word Television Network, and stayed the course of Catholicism, when even bishops (in CA especially) wanted her to change her ideas on what the Eucharist really is. She stood strong and worked for her bridegroom, Jesus. A woman of incredible vision and strength.

http://acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2006/06/mother-angelicas-book.html ( )

Raymond Arroyo weaves a fascinating tale of the sickly, unwanted child who rises to become arguably the most powerful woman in the world, controlling a broadcasting empire reaching into 100 million homes around the globe.

Arroyo, anchor of the EWTN news program "The World Over," does not sugar-coat his portrayal of Mother's life, as someone so close to her might well be suspected of doing. Nor is this simply a digest of Mother's reminisces. Arroyo has done plenty of his own research and interviews to present the fact surrounding Mother, her network and her monastic foundations.

The tale of her early life, with it's suffering and lonliness, makes for good reading. Who can not relate on some level to the physical, emotional and spiritual trials she suffered? The tales of life in the cloister are interesting and surprising. Arroyo includes all of the phases Mother and her nuns went through, from the charismatic renewal, short veils and a swimming pool and back again to strict enclosure, chapter faults and silence. As the tale unfolds we see plainly how a Lenten retreat for lay women at the monastery evolved through the years into EWTN.

But the most intriguing part of the story, for me, begins with World Youth Day 1993. Mother was incensed when the Stations of the Cross were presented, from Denver, live on EWTN for all the world to see, with a female Jesus. From that time until Mother's resignation as Chairman of the Board of EWTN in 2000 there is a trail of political wrangling between Mother, EWTN, the Bishops' Conference and the Vatican. Here Arroyo deftly chronicles it all month by month, year by year.

Arroyo's writing style is engaging, although he does tend to change the way he refers to himself throughout the book. Sometimes in the first person, "I" or "me," sometimes as "the author" or "this author." One style carried through would have been easier on the reader. Otherwise, aside from some errors on the dates in the photo section, the book is wonderfully written. Arroyo has a sense of timing and suspense which makes the book, especially the post-World Youth Day years, a page-turner. ( )