Apologetics and Catechism
The Voyage of the Pax
An Allegory
by Dom Bede Camm, O.S.B.
In writing this allegory to help explain the religious life to the boy oblates in his charge, Dom Bede drew upon the struggles he experienced during his conversion, as well as an experience from his Oxford years, when shipwrecked off the coast of Spain. Left clinging to the wreckage along with his fellow passengers for 17 hours, upon being rescued, he decided to consecrate his life to the service of God in thanksgiving.
The Voyage of the PAX, then, is a thrilling seafaring allegory portraying the journey of life, with its many threats to our souls, as a voyage of several young men, crossing the high seas to reach their home in the Golden City. They must work hard and make difficult decisions in order to pass the straits of Mors and enter into the haven of Æternitas.
This story is a perfect follow-up for those who loved Mother Mary Loyola's The King of the Golden City.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 72 pages
by G.K. Chesterton
When two men decide to fight for their respective beliefs, they discover to their astonishment that an unbelieving world won’t let them, and they find themselves partners and fugitives from the law in this steampunk satire.
Penned by G.K. Chesterton in 1909, this whimsical and biting novel eerily foreshadows a world in which “tolerance” is the only god and all those who believe ideas are worth dying for are forced to stand together to defend freedom of speech and belief.
Paperback, 272 pages
by Fr Leslie Rumble and Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty
Radio Replies are questions and answers about the Catholic faith compiled and published by the famous radio priests, Fathers Rumble and Carty. Father Rumble broadcast from Sydney, Australia, and Father Carty from St. Paul, Minnesota.
The questions printed here were sent in by the many listeners of these intrepid priests, who answered them over the air. Later, they assembled into these three volumes their best questions and answers, plus the prodigious learning these men displayed. Containing some 4,374 questions and answers, these books provide hours of stimulating, informative reading on virtually every subject relating to the Church, and being fully indexed, they readily serve as a wonderful source of reference about the Faith. Further these writings, like none other, impart an immediacy and a crusading spirit, which convey to the reader a warmth and a love and a zeal for our holy religion.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 342 pages
by Fr Leslie Rumble and Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty
Radio Replies are questions and answers about the Catholic faith compiled and published by the famous radio priests, Fathers Rumble and Carty. Father Rumble broadcast from Sydney, Australia, and Father Carty from St. Paul, Minnesota.
The questions printed here were sent in by the many listeners of these intrepid priests, who answered them over the air. Later, they assembled into these three volumes their best questions and answers, plus the prodigious learning these men displayed. Containing some 4,374 questions and answers, these books provide hours of stimulating, informative reading on virtually every subject relating to the Church, and being fully indexed, they readily serve as a wonderful source of reference about the Faith. Further these writings, like none other, impart an immediacy and a crusading spirit, which convey to the reader a warmth and a love and a zeal for our holy religion.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 358 pages
by Fr Leslie Rumble and Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty
Radio Replies are questions and answers about the Catholic faith compiled and published by the famous radio priests, Fathers Rumble and Carty. Father Rumble broadcast from Sydney, Australia, and Father Carty from St. Paul, Minnesota.
The questions printed here were sent in by the many listeners of these intrepid priests, who answered them over the air. Later, they assembled into these three volumes their best questions and answers, plus the prodigious learning these men displayed. Containing some 4,374 questions and answers, these books provide hours of stimulating, informative reading on virtually every subject relating to the Church, and being fully indexed, they readily serve as a wonderful source of reference about the Faith. Further these writings, like none other, impart an immediacy and a crusading spirit, which convey to the reader a warmth and a love and a zeal for our holy religion.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 358 pages
The Catechism Explained
An Exhaustive Explanation of the Christian Religion
by Fr Francis Spirago
At long last, the Catechism explained by Fr. Spirago is back in print. This edition is not a facsimile, but a full reprint with increased font size, and very minor updates to antiquated English. Some of the numbering has been redrafted to avoid confusion.
We already have so many catechisms, what do we need of another? We indeed have in abundance catechisms and religious manuals which appeal only to the intellect; books that do not aim at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit.
This Catechism aims at cultivating all the three powers of the soul: the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The idea in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith. Consequently questions of scholastic theology, doctrines debated among theologians, are either omitted altogether or merely receive a passing mention.
In this catechism, Fr. Spirago has endeavored to divest religious teaching of the appearance of learning, and to present it in a popular and simple form. Technical terms, in which almost all religious manuals abound, even those intended for children, are carefully eliminated from his pages since, while useful and necessary for seminarians and theologians, they are out of place in a book intended for the laity. Popular manuals of religion ought to be couched in plain and simple language, like that used by Our Lord and the apostles, easy to understand. What we need is something that will touch the heart and influence the will, not merely cram the mind with knowledge.
“The Catechism Explained by Spirago embodies the Catechism of the Council of Trent, yet contains fuller discussions for each point in the language that was developed by the Church, saints and theologians throughout time. Rather than being locked into a specific age or decade, this catechism is an explication of the faith in an almost timeless manner. It is a catechism that any subsequent generation could read and learn the essence of the Catholic faith.” -Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 872 pages
Also available in Hardcover.
The Catechism Explained by Stories and Examples
Organised according to the questions and answers of the Baltimore Catechism
by Fr Francis Spirago
From the author of The Catechism Explained: An Exhaustive explanation of Christian Doctrine, now comes the Catechism Explained: By Stories and Examples. This classic work draws from saints, classical antiquity, medieval and early modern figures, and cultural stories to illustrate what the teachings of the Catholic faith are. Fr. Spirago, in his introduction notes:
“The great value of examples and illustrations in teaching children and the uneducated is universally acknowledged. The Romans used to say: Verba movent, exempla trahent (Words influence, examples attract). The reason for this is that examples stimulate the imitative instinct, which is strong in most people, especially in the young; consequently they are a powerful factor in education. In imparting instruction, also, examples are of no slight assistance, for they serve to elucidate the teaching, to render the lesson interesting and attractive, and keep the attention of the scholar from wandering. The teacher need only say: Now, children, I am going to tell you a story, and all eyes are forthwith fixed on him.”
Spirago’s wonderful volume of Catechetical Stories has been arranged around the question and answer format of the Baltimore Catechism. Thus, each question and answer of the Catechism has accompanied by a series of stories illustrating its teaching, drawn from the depths of Catholic Tradition. This new addition has been supplemented by stories from the lives of the saints and historical anecdotes.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 536
Also available in Hardcover.
by Fr Benjamin R Fulkerson, S.J.
A short story about a young boy and his three friends, all members of the third-year class of a Jesuit boarding high school, that go on a trip to the Rocky Mountains. They meet up with their high school teacher and prefect, Mr. Robinson, who is there spending a couple weeks at camp with a number of fellow Jesuits. Mr. Robinson leads them to the lodge and all of the boys gladly roll into their bunks, all but Jim.
Jim Eagan stays up to talk with Mr. Robinson about some things that have been bothering him. They roast marshmallow over the fire and talk about unclean thoughts and Mr. Robinson explains to him that simply having unclean thoughts does not mean you are committing a sin, there are three conditions to mortal sin. Mr. Robinson also explains lots of other things and his tips on temptation.
Booklet, size 8" x 4.7", 20 pages
The Members of the Church Suffering
by St Robert Bellarmine
In the De Controversiis, St. Robert Bellarmine defends the doctrines and teaching of the Church against all comers, starting from Scripture, the Church Fathers and also reason. His work was widely read and commented on by both Catholics and Protestants and quickly became one of the standard texts in Catholic theology for centuries.
In On Purgatory, Bellarmine defends what is one of the more difficult doctrines to understand in his characteristic style beginning with Scripture and the Fathers, stopping at every step of the way to answer the objections of all the major Protestants of his day, not only Luther and Calvin, but also those less known to us such as Brenz and Peter Martyr. Dividing his work into two books, Bellarmine shows that there is such a place as Purgatory by copious exegesis on Old and New Testament passages, and the clear consensus of the Church Fathers who witness the fact that prayer was made for the dead in the early Church.
Then, in book 2, he examines questions about the specifics of Purgatory, what souls there suffer, where it is located, how the faithful can assist the souls of Purgatory, and other questions.
This treatise, translated into English for the first time, is the best and most in depth treatise on this subject available, and is just as relevant today as when it was first penned.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 250 pages
In Latin and English
Here you will find all of the essential documents and infallible teachings of these two modern councils of the Catholic Church. They are beautifully laid out in a two-column format with large readable fonts of both the original Latin and Cardinal Manning's English translation side by side.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 170 pages
Our Heavenly Father
Living My Religion Series Book Primer and 1
by Msgr W. R. Kelly, LL.D. and Sr Mary Imelda, S.L.
Explained and correlated with Bible and Church history, this traditional catechism program was reproduced from the 1940's edition with no revisions. Based upon the questions and answers of the Baltimore Catechism, these books provide a complete, integrated, and basic course in religion for grades kindergarten through eight. The purpose is to see to it that the pupil has a clear and adequate knowledge of his holy Faith.
Syllabus and Teacher manual is also available.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5, 160 pages
Living My Religion Series Book 7
by Msgr W. R. Kelly, LL.D., Fr Edmund J. Goebel, Ph.D., Sr Mary Imelda, S.L., Fr Daniel M. Dougherty, M.A. and Msgr M. A. Schumacher, M.A.
Explained and correlated with Bible and Church history, this traditional catechism program was reproduced from the 1940's edition with no revisions. Based upon the questions and answers of the Baltimore Catechism, these books provide a complete, integrated, and basic course in religion for grades kindergarten through eight. The purpose is to see to it that the pupil has a clear and adequate knowledge of his holy Faith.
Syllabus and Teacher manual is also available.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 312 pages.
by Fr Dominic Prümmer, O.P.
First published in 1921, Fr. Prummer's Handbook of Moral Theology was immediately regarded as an international classic. The author's clarity of vision, precision of expression, and humble fidelity to the traditional Catholic moral framework during a period of social upheaval and increasing doctrinal deviation made his manual the standard reference text for generations of clergy, seminarians, and laity. For those seeking answers to moral questions, the Catholic advice was often "Look it up in Prummer!"
At long last, this centenary edition restores the superb English translation of 1956 in a fresh new typesetting, making Fr. Prummer's original text much easier to navigate and more pleasant to read. The many citation errors that plagued earlier editions have been painstakingly corrected, and scores of additional citations have been added from Aquinas's Summa Theologiae, Denzinger's Enchiridion, and the Roman Catechism - three of the author's favorite sources. The topical index has likewise been expanded and now includes technical moral terms of more recent use (such as "double effect") to allow for more rapid contemporary reference.
After a brilliant introduction to the science of moral theology, part 1 explores the end of man and all aspects of human conduct, and part 2 examines the sacraments and sacramentals and their core importance to the Catholic moral life. These packed pages contain the traditional Catholic moral teachings on:
- Law, conscience, sin, and the passions - with their respective types, causes, and effects
- Divine rights and obligations in Christian family life and civil society
- Scandal and moral cooperation in evil
- Right worship, secret societies, private property, capital punishment, sexuality, abortion, war.
- And much more!
In our own time of widespread confusion and decay, Fr. Prümmer’s Handbook is the definitive and complete Catholic source book of the Church’s moral doctrine as it was received and taught before the laxity and innovations of the last century. Far more than a work of mere historical interest, this surprisingly relevant guide to Christian moral perfection is a treasure that will endure as long as there are souls seeking eternal life.
Hardcover, size 9.2" x 6.2", 512 pages
The Aquinas Catechism
A Simple Explanation of the Catholic Faith by the Church's Greatest Theologian
by St Thomas Aquinas
The essentials of the Catholic Faith — clearly & beautifully explained by one of the Church’s greatest thinkers!
Although St. Thomas Aquinas was one of the Church’s most intellectually powerful theologians, few know that he also wrote a great deal that’s well within the reach of ordinary believers.
In fact, as you’ll find in The Aquinas Catechism, St. Thomas had a remarkable ability to communicate the Faith — including both its most complex and its simplest elements — in plain language. Here you’ll find his deeply insightful, straightforward, and clear explanations of the Apostles’ Creed, the Commandments, and the Sacraments — as well as of the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
In other words, this book will give you a basic course in the Catholic Faith, taught by the Church’s greatest theologian.
Let him help you:
- Gain a better grasp of Church doctrine
- Pray with greater fervor and understanding
- Receive the Sacraments more worthily
- Learn what God requires of you and why
- Explain Church teachings to non-Catholic friends
- Discover the scriptural sources of our Catholic Faith
- Find remedies for moral weaknesses that still afflict you
- Glimpse the greatness of the Church’s supernatural mission
- And much more!
Above all, let St. Thomas teach you how to explain, defend, and live your Faith . . . with the clear-sighted wisdom of a saint!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 336 pages
Texts Usually Ignored By Bible Readers
This booklet recalls how Christ's Church existed 350 years before the New Testament was under one cover and over 1400 years before it could be printed; which completely refutes the "Bible Only" theory of today's 33,800 sects. Meanwhile the Protestant Bible itself proves the marks, attributes and basic doctrines of the ancient one-faith-fold-shepherd Church of Christ.
This booklet also has answers to 25 questions on the history of the New Testament which completely refute the "Bible Only" theory.
Booklet, size 8.3" x 5.3", 36 pages
A First Book on the Apostles' Creed for Little Catholics
by Sister M. Juliana of Maryknoll
The young Catholic learns an important prayer, The Apostles' Creed, with the aid of pictures in color and simple words to inspire.
Age range 2-10
Paperback, size 6.3" x 5.2", 32 pages, Impr 1955
For other titles in this series please click here.
by Rev. Demetrius Manousos. O.F.M.Cap
Teaches young children all about First Holy Communion, what to do before, during, after, what happens to the bread and the wine, and so much more.
Age range: 2-10 years
Paperback, size 6.3" x 5.2", 28 pages, Impr, 1952
For other titles in this series please click here.