Loyola, Mother Mary
Still ill and reeling from the shock of the loss, Elizabeth and her remaining siblings were taken in by an uncle, Samuel Giles, who had converted to the Catholic faith. The Oxford Movement had recently brought many distinguished converts to the Church, and in the company of her uncle, Elizabeth profited from the sermons of Cardinal Manning and the hymns of Father Faber. After entering the Church in 1854, she attended the Bar Convent School in York, one of the finest in England.
When she had finished her studies there, she felt called to the religious life, and in 1866 decided to return to the Bar Convent, this time as a Sister. For many years she taught in the convent school, even serving as Headmistress and Mother Superior for a time.
Because of her exceptional teaching ability, she was encouraged by Father John Morris, S.J. to write a book for children preparing for First Communion. It was issued anonymously in 1896 as part of the Jesuit Quarterly Series, but it quickly became so popular that she was persuaded to publish it, and all her subsequent books, in her own name.
It was her ability to draw in her listeners with story after story—and not just any stories, but ones that incorporated current events and brand new inventions of the time—that made her writing so innovative. Despite the fact that those events are no longer current, and those inventions no longer brand new, her books scintillate with the appeal of an active mind that could find a moral in the most unusual places.
There were no limits to her missionary zeal—she was known to employ her skill with anyone who would listen, even including the furnace repairman toiling away in the cellar of the convent. She started up a branch of the Boy’s Brigade in York, running it herself for ten years, and its popularity was a testament to her exceptional ability to incorporate elements of faith and morality into the most unexpected activities. Many of her beloved boys would later serve in the First World War, and sadly, some did not return.
Her correspondence was extensive, but it was one particular letter that prompted what would become perhaps her most popular work. A young boy asked her to write him a story that would sum up what he had learned in his Catechism. With characteristic aplomb, she obliged him with The King of the Golden City in 1921. It was a crowning pinnacle to her decades of writing, incorporating the bulk of her prior insight and weaving it all deftly together in allegorical fashion.
But she was far from finished with her writing career. A serious fall in 1923 resulted in a hip fracture, and confined her to bed. She bore the pain with grace, using the time to write more books and a profusion of pamphlets for organizations such as the Catholic Truth Society. It was just before Christmas in 1930 when she passed peacefully from this world to the next, bringing an end to her suffering and to a life spent in the service of our Lord.
Her work continued to be popular after her death, but as times changed, they fell out of use and out of print. Despite her status as a beloved author, little was preserved of her history or belongings, as was common for religious of that period. It is only in the last two decades that her work has been rediscovered, particularly through The King of the Golden City, and painstaking genealogical research has revealed much of what we know her early life.
by Sister Mary Ambrose, OP
Additional text by Mother Mary Loyola & Rev Aloysius Heeg
A Child's True Story of Jesus is not merely a coloring book, or the usual activity book with mazes, word searches and other puzzles. This is an activity book in the truest sense of the word.
First created in 1928 by Sister Mary Ambrose, a Dominican Sister who was a Demonstration Teacher at the Loyola University Model School in the 20's and 30s's, this workbook found its genesis in the Montessorian principle of learning by doing. Here, rather than merely hearing each lesson, the child is encouraged to reinforce what he or she has learned, first by using a picture to repeat the lesson in his or her own words, then by coloring, cutting and assembling the lesson to be finally pasted in the book.
In this newly edited version, we have enhanced the activity portion of this book with lesson material for the teacher which the original lacked. Text supplied for the 57 lessons within has been adapted from works by Mother Mary Loyola (author of The King of the Golden City) and Rev. Joseph A. Dunney. These begin with the Life of Christ and His Sacrifice on Calvary, then proceed to Confession and Communion, and finally cover the parts of the Mass. All of these attributes make A Child's True Story of Jesus an ideal resource in preparation for the sacraments of First Confession and First Communion.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 11", 268 pages
by Sister Mary Ambrose, OP
Additional text by Mother Mary Loyola & Rev Aloysius Heeg
A Child's True Story of Jesus is more than just a coloring book—the lessons and activities found within are designed to help children learn their basic prayers and the Mysteries of the Rosary, all within the context of the Gospels and the Mass.
First created in 1928 by Sister Mary Ambrose, a Dominican Sister who was a Demonstration Teacher at the Loyola University Model School in the 20’s and 30s’s, this workbook found its genesis in the Montessorian principle of learning by doing. Here, rather than merely hearing each lesson, the child is encouraged to reinforce what he or she has learned, first by using a picture to repeat the lesson in his or her own words, then by coloring the pictures, and by cutting and assembling the prayers to be pasted in the book.
In this newly edited version, we have enhanced the activity portion of this book by adding cutting and pasting activities that help the child to learn each of the prayers, starting with the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, before moving on to simplified versions of the Prayer Before a Crucifix, Spiritual Communion, and Acts of Faith, Hope and Love. These help the child to see that there are many ways of talking with God throughout each day, and by making prayer a habit, they can bring Him more closely into their lives.
Paperback, size 11" x 8.5", 152 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
This beautiful, newly illustrated hardcover edition of the classic 1911 title by Mother Mary Loyola is the perfect gift for a First Communicant!
This little 4" x 6" pocket gem contains more than just daily prayers: Two different sets of meditations for the Mass are accompanied by illustrations showing what the priest is doing at each stage. Add Mother Loyola's excellent examination of conscience, geared especially for children, devotional stories that foster a loving obedience, and the gorgeous full-color illustrations, and you'll be wishing you had such a book as a child!
Hardcover, size 6.25" x 4.5", 144 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
The King of the Golden City is an allegorical tale which has stood the test of time because of the beauty of its symbolism and the richness of its spiritual advice.
The book that began it all...
Mother Mary Loyola had used the simple allegory of a little maid and the gracious King who deigned to visit her as a catechetical tool for many years...a brief sketch of this story appears in The Children's Charter, her book of advice for parents and teachers published in 1911. But it wasn't until 1919, when she sent a version of the story to P.J. Kenedy, an American publisher who took a keen interest in her work, that she began expanding what was originally a simple vignette into a full book-length story. It then took two years before this book was finished and brought out to great acclaim.
Though Mother Loyola knew that children would love this wonderful story, she could not have foreseen that it would be this, her only allegory and one of her last published works, that would rekindle an interest in her work many years later.
Hardcover with dust jacket, size 10.5" x 8.25", 120 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
Those who frequently avail themselves of these Sacraments will appreciate this devotional aid which presents a fresh perspective. Here Mother Loyola's characteristic child-like devotion is a refreshing breeze in a still room.
The examination of conscience found in this manual is particularly helpful in rooting out our hidden faults and passions.
Paperback, size 4.37" x 7", 178 pages
The Story of His Life Written for Children
by Mother Mary Loyola
James Cardinal Gibbons was Archbishop of Baltimore when he asked Mother Loyola to write this story of the Life of our Lord. As a revered author himself, and considering the number of such stories available even then, we can only imagine the admiration he must have held for Mother Loyola's rare talent for narrative. She does not disappoint in this story, for as always, she brings to life the most vivid images of our Lord, such that the children who read it will feel almost as if they were following the dusty paths our Saviour trod.
Now enhanced with an abundance of contemporary engravings and lithographs, this newly typeset edition is an invaluable means of impressing upon the minds of young children the reality of our God become Man.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 460 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
The King of the Golden City is an allegorical tale which has stood the test of time because of the beauty of its symbolism and the richness of its spiritual advice. Written for children yet beloved by all, the only complaint lodged against it has been that its main character is female, leaving many boys to feel that this tale is better suited for girls.
Encouraged by the original French translators of this book, who created parallel editions for boys and girls, we have now remedied this single fault!
In this brand new edition adapted especially for boys, readers will find the tale of Dilectus and his friends every bit as charming and instructive as before--and now boys as well as girls will find it easy to become the hero of the story and make it their own!
Softcover, size 8.5" x 5.5", 130 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
This last of Mother Mary Loyola's full-length works is an object lesson in learning to trust implicitly in God for all things, especially when it is most difficult to do so. Who better than she to lead us on this path--having begun her long life as an orphan, and now patiently awaiting eternity, bedridden with a broken hip for 5 years?
Her firsthand experience tells in this intimate portrait, as she extols the rewards inherent in the very struggle in which she found herself enmeshed. Amidst her trials, she holds up for us the examples of the saints and the martyrs, the faith of the Patriarchs, and the solicitousness of our Father in Heaven, Whose gifts to us are without number, and in return asks of us what any loving parent longs for: the unconditional love and trust of His child.
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 162 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
In Hail! Full of Grace, Mother Loyola brings her full talent for storytelling to bear on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. Like a tourguide to the Holy Land, she brings the reader along on a journey through the lives of our Lord and of his Blessed Mother. We experience, through her vivid illustration, the breathless anticipation, the drudgery and hardship, the depths of sorrow and despair, and the heights of joy unimaginable. No detail escapes her notice as she travels on, until her readers feel less that they have meditated upon the mysteries of the Rosary, and rather more that they have experienced them firsthand.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 207 pages
Talks before Confirmation
by Mother Mary Loyola
Any book on the sacrament of Confirmation can explain what Confirmation is, but this is the only book that explains, in the most original and engaging manner, what Confirmation does. It is both a dialogue and a travelogue, taking the reader on a journey from the Crusades to the Crimea; from medieval ceremonies of Knighthood to early modern methods of warfare.What does it mean to be a Soldier of Christ? For the true child of God, life is a daily battle against a well-concealed foe--that is, our own flaws and failings--and Mother Mary Loyola proposes to arm young recruits adequately for this task, leaving no stone unturned in her quest to root out this 'enemy at home'. This is the sort of basic training no young Catholic should be without.
Please note: this is considered a revised edition due to the correction of errors in the original text, the addition of selected footnotes, and minor clarifications in punctuation or phrasing. No material has been removed or rewritten.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 354 pages
With the Church, Volume 1
Advent to the Ascension
by Mother Mary Loyola
Now for the first time in nearly a century, this classic set of meditations on the Liturgical Year are back in print! Written while Mother Loyola was bedridden with a hip fracture, these devotions bring us the urgency of living our life With the Church, for we "know not the day nor the hour."
The Irish Monthly back in 1924 had this to say about With the Church: “Father Thurston tells us that forty years ago Mother Loyola, when bringing out anonymously her first book on Holy Communion, and being anxious to get ecclesiastical recommendation for it, asked him to write a short preface. The favourable reception accorded by the Catholic public to the numerous books which she has brought out since that time has amply justified Fr. Thurston’s judgment in recommending the authoress’s work. This latest book of hers consists of a series of reflections on the feasts of the year from Advent to the Ascension. Her thoughts are always well-grounded and ingenious, and their expression is clear and graceful, with a strong personal charm. They are musings jotted down just as they occur to her devotional spirit and not simply as dictated by a resolution to follow a certain line.”
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 380 pages
Collection of Short Works
by Mother Mary Loyola
This long-awaited anthology of all the minor works by Mother Mary Loyola is the fruit of many years of seeking. The relatively small size of the many booklets she wrote, mostly for the Catholic Truth Society, seems to have led over the years to the loss of most copies. Therefore it was no mean feat to assemble the most complete collection possible, including 13 of her 14 known pamphlets, as well as a bonus selection: a short essay published in a school magazine during the last year of Mother Loyola’s life. From her early How to Help the Sick and Dying to her biographical preface for the Maxims of Mary Ward, they can all be found in this volume. We hope that this will preserve them to future generations.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 522 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
The Children's Charter was Mother Mary Loyola's response to Pope Pius X's 1910 decree Quam Singulari, which lowered the age for reception of First Communion to seven. Addressed directly to the parents and teachers of children, this is a rare peek into the classroom as Mother Loyola would have it. Here the author of The King of the Golden City gives sage advice for how best to capture and maintain the interest of little ones in preparing them for Confession and Communion. Despite the century that has passed since this book was first published, Mother Loyola's advice remains just as relevant, a testament to how well she knew how to reach the hearts and minds of children.
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 102 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
In 1906, Mother Mary Loyola was asked to write the story of Our Lord for American missionaries. Her writing style had so endeared her to children the world over that, despite the many excellent versions of this Greatest Story Ever Told, its publishers were confident that it would bring its readers closer to Our Lord.
Though it was originally intended for children, like most of Mother Loyola's work, it has a very broad appeal across all ages. For this reason, the same book was subsequently published under the current title--The Story of His Life Simply Told--as a way to encourage adults that this story is not for children alone.
Thus, while the content of this book is exactly the same as Jesus of Nazareth: The Story of His Life Written for Children, even down to the illustrations, we have followed the lead of these earlier publishers and created this edition for adult sensibilities.
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 460 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
Forty Hours.
One Guide.
In these meditations before the Blessed Sacrament, Mother Mary Loyola's distinctive style skillfully guides the reader toward prayerfulness without supplying any preformulated prayers.
From Catholic World, May 1901: "There is nothing exaggerated, artificial, or impossible in the pages before us; they contain merely a collection of musings and devotional monologues written with a directness and spontaneity that will appeal strongly to many who can get little profit out of less natural and more fervent writing."
From The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, January 1902:"...Mother M. Loyola is as much at home when depicting the trials, the aspirations, and the consolations of adults as in leading little children along the road of true penance. Each visit seizes, generally with thrilling vivacity, one idea; the subject is weighed in the presence of our Lord, the conclusions are always practical."
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 186 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
Mother Loyola's work on the subject of Confession is not merely groundbreaking, but seems to form one of the most crucial of her strengths, given that the Sacrament of Penance has always been the most avoidable and avoided of all; most Catholics express a distaste for it akin to torment. For her readers, however, such angst is inconceivable, as she does not merely help to remove all fear and discomfort associated with the Confessional; she also enkindles a deep sense of appreciation for the gift of the sacrament. This, in turn, fosters an eager anticipation of the grace it confers. Those who make use of Forgive us our Trespasses--whether children or adults--will find themselves seeking this healing Sacrament with regularity.
Please note: this is considered a revised edition due to the correction of errors in the original text, the addition of selected footnotes, and minor clarifications in punctuation or phrasing. No material has been removed or rewritten.
Suggested Age Range:9-12
Suggested Age Range:13-15
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 124 pages
by Mother Mary Loyola
By the early years of the twentieth century, Mother Mary Loyola had cemented her reputation as one of the best Catholic writers of her generation, but the First World War prompted her to write a book of consolation for the innumerable mothers, wives and others who had lost loved ones to its ravages. Her intimate knowledge of the subject matter gave her unique insight, for she had lost so many in the course of her long life, beginning with both of her parents and two siblings when she was just nine years old, and recently including several of her own beloved students who were fighting in the trenches of the Great War. She knew only too well the need for a strong faith in these times of intense suffering and loss, and this she amply illustrates in Blessed are they that Mourn.
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 114 pages
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