ABSTRACT
I was first introduced to the concept of sainthood at age eight in religion class at a Catholic primary school in Western Canada. Our teacher offered an age-appropriate explanation: saints are special people remembered long after their death for doing extraordinary things who are now in Heaven with God because of their good works. I considered this for a moment, and raised my hand when she asked for examples. ‘J.S. Bach!’ I declared, confident I had found someone who fit all the criteria. This composer commanded total respect from my music teachers; my cello lessons on his compositions took on a reverential tone because, they told me, I was finally playing ‘real music’. For years, I was teased for this innocent mistake, and not only because I had failed to understand why a Lutheran was ineligible for this distinction.
