Well Known/Famous Persons
by Marie de Sainte-Hermine
Inspired by first hand accounts, this touching story of the French Revolution is a great example of the popular Catholic literature of the 19th century. Plunged into the disasters following the murder of Louis XVI, Marie de Sainte-Hermine recounts, as only a grandmother can, the history of her noble family and their struggle against the tyranny of the Revolution. The reader learns of her guilded childhood in the manor house of Bois-Joli, and follows her through the tragic hours of the Vendean War of 1793, the massacres and atrocities of the revolutionaries, and the sinister prison of Nantes, where her family paid the ultimate price. Through the darkness of the Terror, however, shines the light and power of Christian nobility and virtue - a lesson fit for all ages.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 357 pages
1903-1908
by Sr. Mary Dominic, R.G.S.
The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur
The Woman Whose Goodness Changed Her Husband From Atheist to Priest
by Elisabeth Leseur
This inspiring book gives you a splendid example of how to live as a Christian in a secular environment that can be indifferent or hostile to your Faith. For Elisabeth Leseur had two great loves: God, and her husband Felix. Felix loved Elisabeth as well; yet to their mutual sorrow, he couldn’t share the life of the Spirit that Elisabeth cherished.
Occasionally the happiness of their life together in upper-class Parisian society was shattered by Felix’s frustration and impatience. How could such an intelligent woman waste her time, as he saw it, with ignorant superstitions? Sometimes he and his friends would even ridicule and mock her faith.
But Elisabeth loved Felix too much to allow their home to degenerate into an emotional war zone. She realized that confrontations and arguments were useless; she chose instead to keep quiet and pray for Felix. In her secret diary, she recorded how she used his efforts to destroy her faith as means to grow in love for him and for God.
Throughout their life together, it grieved Elisabeth to think that Felix might be separated from her for all eternity because of his rejection of God. For her, life in Heaven wouldn’t be happy without him. Yet when she died prematurely, Felix was still an unbeliever.
The story doesn’t end there. When Felix found this diary, he discovered how Elisabeth’s whole life bore witness to the truth of the God she loved.
In time, Felix was transformed by the diary and his memories of Elisabeth. He became a Christian and, later, a priest. Now she may even be declared a saint. Elisabeth’s diary and spiritual writings (all included in this one volume) map out for you a path to marital harmony and greater love for God — especially if you love someone who stands outside the Faith. Let Elisabeth’s two great loves, and her faith and perseverance, inspire you now.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 290 pages
A Novel of Baldwin IV and the Crusades
by Susan Peek
A new historical novel about the unusual life of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, the leper crusader king who - despite ascending to the throne at only 13, his early death at 24 and his debilitating disease - performed great and heroic deeds in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Teenagers and avid readers of all ages will be amazed at this story and be inspired by a faith that accomplished the impossible!
Age range 13 - adult
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 185 pages
The Story of Sister Maria Teresa Quevedo
by Sr Mary Pierre, R.S.M.
The Story of a Nun. Venerable Maria Teresa Quevedo 1930-1950. Maria Teresa Quevedo was a lively modern girl-a talented dancer, an expert swimmer, an outstanding tennis player, who devoted herself to generous works of sacrifice. Her life can be summed up by her own motto, "May all who look at me see you, O Mary."
This book is the first full-length biography of Maria Teresa Quevedo that has been written in English. Teresita, as she was called by her friends and family, was a Spanish girl who was born in 1930 and who died in 1950 at the age of twenty. Throughout her life, Teresita was an inspiration and a delight to everyone around her as she calmly strove to exemplify Christian virtue in her everyday life.
Teresita tried to do everything perfectly. As a girl living with her parents, she was an obedient child. With her friends, she was not only respected but popular. As a sodalist, she gave evidence as being a born leader for Mary. As a tennis player, she was an expert. As captain of her basketball team, she consistently led the group to victory. At any young people's gathering which she attended, she was the life of the party. When Teresita entered the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity, she did so because she desired to become a saint and to devote all her life to Jesus and Mary. But, in her own words, she wished to become a "little saint, for I cannot do big things." Teresita's cause for canonization is now under examination in the Sacred Congregation of Rites.
Hardcover, size 8.25" x 5.75", 250 pages
by Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty
Fascinating accounts of a much misunderstood reality, describing well-known and well documented cases: St. Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio, Therese Neumann, etc. A scientific and theological examination. Sparks the interest of all.
Booklet, size 6" x 3.75", 32 pages
The Ture Story of a Young Girl and Her Guardian Angel
by Sister Maria Antonia
Under Angel Wings is the true story of a young girl in Brazil who saw and heard her Guardian Angel during most of her life.
The book is filled with real-life anecdotes which are edifying, moving and often humorous. Cecy (See-see) Cony (1900-1937) tells story after story of how her Guardian Angel-whom she calls her "New Friend"-kept her from lying, stealing, revenge, immodesty, and from watching certain movies. She also describes how he protected her in moral dangers which she did not even understand, and how he aided her when she got into trouble because she was a "simpleton," as she puts it. Most beautiful of all, she relates how her Guardian Angel taught her to make sacrifices for Jesus and guided her in practicing acts of charity.
Cecy describes many incidents of temptation from her youth. In each one, we see the beautiful way in which her Guardian Angel led his little charge to perfect contrition for her faults and turned all these difficult situations to good. Under Angel Winds reveals God's great love and care for His children on earth. It reminds us that He has also given each of us our own "New Friend" who has a similar, even if less visible, love and care for us.
"My sisters read a lot. This book, they say, is undoubtedly the best....I think this book is awesome....I think you and your children would benefit from this book A LOT. I recommend it highly, highly."---Mother Angelica
Paperback, size 7" x 4.25", 246 pages
Heroic Catholic Chaplains
Stories of the Brave and Holy Men Who Dodged Bullets While Saving Souls
by Thomas J. Craughwell
For nearly 200 years—standing alongside our heroic military men and women—have been heroic Catholic priests risking their lives to carry wounded soldiers to safety and to console, anoint, and absolve the dying. Heroic Catholic Chaplains spotlights the stories of these courageous, selfless, holy priests who volunteered to bring the Mass and the sacraments to American troops, while also offering them their friendship and spiritual counsel.
In this book, you’ll encounter… Father William Corby, who left his post at Notre Dame to serve the Irish Brigade during all four years of the Civil War; Father Francis Duffy, a World War I chaplain whose story became the subject of a Hollywood movie; Father Aloysius Schmitt, who, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, saved the lives of a dozen men before losing his own; Monsignor James O’Neill, who composed the famous “Weather Prayer” for General Patton, an incident that would be immortalized in film, if not entirely accurately; Father Emil Kapaun, who, during months in a North Korean prison camp, worked tirelessly to save the lives and the souls of his fellow POWs (the process that could lead to Father Kapaun being declared a saint is underway); Father Vincent Capodanno, who was killed by the Viet Cong as he ran to help a wounded corpsman; And more!
Heroic Catholic Chaplains brings to the fore the stories of remarkable priests, most of whom have been overlooked by both military and Catholic historians. Their sacrifice and courage are difficult to imagine. They served so that our servicemen and women would not be without comfort, or without a friend, or be deprived of the Mass and the sacraments; so they would not fall into despair. These chaplains deserve to be remembered, their stories told, and their memories honored.
Hardback, size 8.75" x 5.6", 216 pages
The Home of St. Therese
by Fr. Stéphane-Joseph Piat, OFM
Meet the family where the Little Flower took root.
In her Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse relates how influential her family life was in forming her spiritual life. Now, the canonization of her parents, Louis and Zélie, and the cause for the beatification of her sister Léonie speak volumes for the robust sanctity of the Martin family.
The Martins took no smooth path to sanctity. They endured the loss of four children, financial troubles, and the cancer that caused Zélie’s death. The key to their success was simply this: love. With love, they endured both great sorrows and the countless little troubles of everyday life.
This is the story of a husband, wife, and five daughters who formed a close-knit, thoroughly Catholic family. Their lives set an example for anyone who seeks to raise a family in love and to live the Faith in daily life.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 460 pages
The Spiritual Life of Cardinal Merry del Val
by Rev. Jerome DalGal
In the early part of the 21st century, because of the incessant and often strident media attention to the doings and mis-doings of many highly placed Churchmen, it is good to reflect upon how much good can be accomplished for the greater glory of God and the advancement of religion by even one man of deep holiness who has been placed in a position of great authority and responsibility in the Church.
Such a man was Cardinal Merry del Val. He was born into an aristocratic family of Irish, English, and Spanish parentage (oh happy combination!) in the city of London. His parents were the Marquis Raphael Merry del Val and the Countess Josephine de Zuletta. Among the family of his forebears was a martyr of the Church, St. Domenguito del Val, a child of barely seven who was crucified to a wall in the Cathedral of Saragossa in 1250 by the enemies of Christianity. He is of course best known as the architect and executor of St. Pius X’s war against Modernism, for which great service to God he acquired numerous enemies in his lifetime, and for which we can be sure that he gained many friends in Heaven. But his life was not one of merely temporal greatness. He was a profoundly humble and virtuous man as well.
Saint Pius X had as his Secretary of State a man who was eminently worth of his holy pontificate—Cardinal Merry del Val. In 1931, a year after the death of this illustrious Cardinal, the famous French scholar René Bazin made he following observation: “Judgment was passed in many different ways on Cardinal Merry del Val while he was living. This was due largely to the part he played in the political and religious affairs of his time. But now that he is dead people are getting to know him better, for with death has come the unveiling of the well-guarded secret of his extraordinary spiritual life.”
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 178 pages
by Fr Manuel Sousa Pereira
In Volume II, Fr. Manuel Sousa Pereira recounts many more apparitions and favors from Our Lady of Good Success to Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres during the years 1610-1635. The prophecies specific to our times describe an enormous apostasy in the Church, the general corruption of the clergy and Prelates, heresies, the abandonment of the rules in convents and monasteries, and the culpability of high ecclesiastical authorities. Our Lady predicted that at the moment when the abuse of those authorities would reach an apex and the situation would seem lost, she would intervene and restore the Catholic Church to her proper splendor.
Volume II also includes how the statue was made and miraculously completed; the story of Fr. Pereira's conversion; Mother Mariana's last testament, her death and the first miracles; and many startline, accurate prophesies about our times.
Translated by Marian T. Horvat, Ph.D.
Paperback, size 8.25" x 5.25", 360 pages
by William Thomas Walsh
The greatest book about the Spanish Inquisition as opposed to the Roman Inquisition in the years following the Spanish Reconquista.
Walsh delves into the Inquisition, its practice, purpose, history and personalities. He sets the facts straight and exonerates the Church of the phony accusations against her over the Inquisition. Story of 6 famous inquisitors, plus the background of the entire institution. It was a reasoned response to infiltration of the Catholic Church by enemies of the Christian Faith who pretended to be Christians in order to pervert worship, doctrine and weaken Christendom.
Anyone wishing to understand the Inquisition would to well to read Characters and learn of the heroes of the Faith, Cardinal Ximenes, Torquemada, and others who fought the good fight for Jesus Christ and his Church.
After reading Characters of the Inquisition, you will never look at the Inquisition in the same way.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 306 pages
The Catholic Queen
by Warren H. Carroll
One of the most powerful and compelling figures of all history, Isabel of Spain was a force with which to be reckoned, and should rightfully eclipse the better-known Elizabeth of England, both as a woman and a national leader.
The first full scholarly biography of Queen Isabel in English for nearly seventy-five years, Isabel of Spain is extensively annotated and eminently readable.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 464 pages
by Sisters of Society of St Pius X
It is after a long missionary religious life that Mother Marie Gabriel (nee Bernadette Lefebvre) responds to a new call from God: her brother, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, asks her to come and take care of the postulants of a religious congregation that does not yet exist … except in the plans of Divine Providence.
This book narrates the childhood and youth of Bernadette Lefebvre, her missionary vocation, and the devotedness of Mother Marie Gabriel during her forty years in Africa, before giving herself to the task of forming the first Sisters of the Society Saint Pius X.
The reader will discover a summary of this simple, generous and completely given life.
Paperback, size 8.7" x 5.4", 136 pages
by Rev Fr Le Crom
The Irish Priest Who Resisted the Nazis
by Fiorella De Maria
Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty was working in the Vatican when dictator Benito Mussolini fell from power and Germany invaded Italy in 1943. This courageous Irish priest who resisted the Nazi occupation was made famous by the movie, The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck. The Monsignor O'Flaherty brought to life in this story is as intriguing and exciting as the film version.
Witty, brilliant, and fearless, Monsignor O'Flaherty helped escaped Allied prisoners of war and persecuted Jews to elude capture by the Germans. At great risk to themselves, Monsignor O'Flaherty and his equally brave friends—priests, nuns, and lay men and women, including a few aristocrats—saved thousands of lives. They constantly needed to stay one step ahead of the ever-persistent Nazis until their surrender to the Allies in 1945.
Not just a thrilling adventure story, this book offers a portal into a real-life battle between good and evil. It also tells of the need after a war for forgiveness and redemption.
Paberback, size 8" x 5.25", 196 pages
The True Story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann
by Fr. Gereon Goldmann
Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you.
Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated
Paperback, size 8" x 5.2", 350 pages
by Dom Alban Fruth, O.SS.B.
Tonio Martinez and Andrew de Thaye made their lives a song of love for both Jesus and His Blessed Mother, Mary. These boys in a few short years have attained that goal which sometimes takes grown-ups a whole lifetime to reach. If you do what these boys did, Jesus will also consider you a hero.
Booklet, size 8.5" x 5.2", 32 pages
by Rose Hu
Rose Hu was born on May 4, 1933, in Shanghai, the eighth of nine children. She converted to Catholicism and was baptized on April 17, 1949 just six months prior to China officially becoming Communist.
Following her arrest in 1951, Rose spent the next 26 years in Chinese concentration camps under Mao Tse-Tung. After her release in 1982, she was able to tell this story in her own words.
This book is filled with the raw, unfiltered thoughts and experiences of a soul who endured much for Christ. What Rose suffered for her Catholic Faith defies belief, demands respect and certainly draws a clear picture of the treatment of Catholics under Communism in China.
Recently translated for an English audience, this is an inspirational story of a young woman's life in communist China, that lead her to the Catholic Faith. She gives her account of Catholics suffering in a Chinese labor camp during the communists' persecutions in the 1950's. Her story is highly recommended by Fr. Daniel Couture, SSPX, her spiritual director.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 6", 287 pages
by Fr John Gerard, S.J.
Truth is stranger than fiction. And nowhere in literature is it so apparent as in this classic work, The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest. This autobiography of a Jesuit priest in Elizabethan England is a most remarkable document and John Gerard, its author, a most remarkable priest in a time when to be a Catholic in England courted imprisonment and torture; to be a priest was treason by act of Parliament.
Smuggled into England after his ordination and dumped on a Norfolk beach at night, Fr. Gerard disguised himself as a country gentleman and traveled about the country saying Mass, preaching and ministering to the faithful in secret always in constant danger. The houses in which he found shelter were frequently raided by priest hunters; priest-holes, hide-outs and hair-breadth escapes were part of his daily life. He was finally caught and imprisoned, and later removed to the infamous Tower of London where he was brutally tortured.
The stirring account of his escape, by means of a rope thrown across the moat, is a daring and magnificent climax to a true story which, for sheer narrative power and interest, far exceeds any fiction. Here is an accurate and compelling picture of England when Catholics were denied their freedom to worship and endured vicious persecution and often martyrdom. But more than the story of a single priest, "The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest" epitomizes the constant struggle of all human beings through the ages to maintain their freedom. It is a book of courage and of conviction whose message is most timely for our age.
Paperback, size 8" x 5.5", 395 pages
A Story of Father Paul of Graymoor
by Brother Roberto, CSC
Fr. Paul was a convert from the Anglican Church. He founded the Society of the Atonement and established a wonderful devotion known as the Church Unity Octave.
Level 2
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 96 pages
A Story of Monsignor Ronald Knox
by Brother Edward Overstreet, C.S.C.
Ronald Knox was born in England in 1888, and he grew up in the Church of England. After much study and prayer, Ronald decided to join the Roman Catholic Church in 1917. Ronald was ordained a priest in 1919. Father Knox was a brilliant writer who published many works, but he saw a great need in the English-speaking Church: the need for a new translation of the Bible.
Level 3
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 145 pages
A story of Father Abram J. Ryan
by Brother Bernard Donahoe, C.S.C.
Fr. Abram Ryan is an American-born Catholic hero. As a young priest during the Civil War, he risked his life to administer the Sacraments to dying soldiers from both the North and the South.
Level 2
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 96 pages
A Story of Antonin Dvorak
by Brother Roy Nash, C.S.C.
Dvorak loved God, but his faith was tested when two of his children died. During this sorrowful time he wrote a lovely "Stabat Mater" in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Sorrows. This composer wrote many symphonies including "From the New World" which is still played by orchestras around the world.
Level 2
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 96 pages
The Story of Giotto
by Brother Marco Daly, C.S.C.
Giotto Bondone was born around 1266 in Italy. Young Giotto loved to draw pictures, and his parents fostered his talent by allowing him to study with a famous artist in Florence. Soon, Giotto became a master painter, and he was asked to paint beautiful pictures in many churches. Everyone, including the Pope, loved his paintings. At one point in this story, when he was praised by King Robert of Naples, Giotto said, “The gifts I have were only loaned to me by the good Lord that I might better serve Him and His Church.” Reading this story can encourage us to follow in the footsteps of the great artist Giotto, who humbly used his talents for the greater glory of God and the Church.
Level 2
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 92 pages
A Story of Cesar Franck
by Brother Roberto, C.S.C.
Cesar Franck showed amazing ability in music even at a very early age. His father demanded prompt and complete obedience. He suffered from being forced to work so hard at music but did not complain. All who knew him loved him. He was known for his kindness despite his not having an easy life. He gave music lessons for many years to help pay for the expenses of the family. He was a devout Catholic. He attended Mass and spent long periods of time in Church in meditation. He composed many musical works but is especially known for his musical composition “Panis Angelicus”. Reading this story can encourage us to follow in the footsteps of Cesar Franck by learning how to accept challenges no matter how difficult and still continue to love others and live a good and holy life.
Level 2
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 96 pages
by Brother Ernest, C.S.C.
Millet was born in 1814 in Gruchy, France. He was a peasant boy who spent much time int he fields working on the family farm. His grandmother was the first to recognize his artistic talent and with the help of their parish priest Millet was sent ot study painting in Paris. His struggles were many! Reading this story can encourage us to follow in the footsteps of Millet who perservered despite hardship and used his talents to bring glory to God.
Level 1
Paperback, size 8" x 6", 30 pages
by Rev Fr Robert Quardt, SCJ
This book praises mothers responsible for their sons' priestly vocation: the mothers of Saint Bernard and Saint John Bosco; Alice Rolls, mother of ten religious; the mother of Pope Saint Pius X; the mothers of Lu, that town of 4,000, who gave 500 sons to the priesthood in 50 years. What are the dispositions which characterize mothers of priests? Includes indulgence prayers for vocations.
Booklet, size 8.5" x 5.3", 57 pages
One Woman's Struggle Against Communism and Her Redemption
by Paul Kengor, PhD, Mary Nicholas, MD
“Step by step, I retreated from God and went forth to meet the world, the flesh, and the devil. . . . I’d join the devil himself. . . . There is no doubt that I traveled with him at my side and that he extorted a great price for his company.”
This is how Bella Dodd (1904–69) described her long battle with atheistic communism, an ideology her Church calls a “satanic scourge.” She later described it as a “school of darkness,” a school of “hate,” a school for which she was a master organizer and infiltrator of every organization—public, private, and even ecclesiastical.
Bella Dodd courageously left the Communist Party and its diabolical machinations. Her former communist affiliates then smeared her with epithets eerily familiar to modern ears, dubbing her everything from a “fascist” to a “racist.” Some things never change.
One thing that changed, however, was Bella Dodd. The man who helped pull her from the pit? A priest. A priest by the name of Fulton Sheen. Bella Dodd’s story thereafter changed dramatically from one of seduction by the devil to redemption through Christ. She dedicated the remainder of her life to a special penance: warning the world of the evil of communism and its plans.
In the battle between the devil and Bella Dodd, Bella and her Church won. At long last, here is her inspiring story.
Hardcover, size 9" x 6", 440 pages
by Gertrud von Le Fort
July 17, 1794: French Revolutionaries are out to crush the Catholic Church in their nation, and the latest targets of their brutality are the Carmelites of the convent of Compiègne. Sentenced to death for their faith, they kneel at the foot of the guillotine, renew their vows, and begin chanting Veni, Creator Spiritus, while each one mounts the scaffold to be beheaded.
The Song at the Scaffold is an historical novella based on the gripping story of these brave heroines who offered their lives as a witness to Christ. Written for adults, this 1931 classic has been supplemented with extensive study aids that make it suitable as well for high school students, including footnotes, questions for literary analysis, a glossary, an historical timeline, and an author biography.
Ages 12+
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 136 pages
Little Violet of The Blessed Sacrament
by Anonymous sources
The wonderful story of the 4-year-old child whose story inspired Pope St. Pius X to lower the First Communion age from 12 to 7.
Includes her desire to receive "Holy God;" her First Communion; incidents with the Sisters who raised her; the finding of her incorrupt body and favours received through her intercession.
Perfect to teach, love and respect for Our Lord in the Eucharist! Adult version
Paperback, size 7" x 4.25", 120 pages
Dietrich Von Hildebrand : a Biography
by Alice Von Hildebrand
Dietrich von Hildebrand, widely regarded as one of the great Catholic philosophers of the 20th century, is well-known for his numerous books, but, until this present work, not much has been known of his remarkable and inspiring life.
Written by his wife, Alice, also a highly respected Catholic thinker, this is a fascinating, moving and, at times, gripping account of a truly great man of the Church who suffered much for the faith.
Based on a very long "letter" Dietrich wrote to his wife late in his life, it tells his story from his glorious youth with a unique intellectual and cultural formation, his coversion to Catholisism, his great passion for truth and beauty, his extensive writing on Christian philosophy and theology, and his steadfast, determined opposition to Nazism that made him a marked man who miraculously escaped execution. A powerful biography of a relentless fighter against injustice, a devoted son of the Church, a man who had the "soul of a lion". Illustrated.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 322 pages
by Fr Manuel Sousa Pereira
Translated by Marian T. Horvat
The only centuries old source available on the topic. Used as evidence for the beatification process of Mother Mariana.
The first of two volumes by Fr. Pereira. Who is Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres? She was a Conceptionist nun in Quito, Ecuador, in the 17th century who received apparitions and revelations from Our Lady. Our Lady described an enormous crisis in the Church that would take place in the 20th century. She asked Mother Mariana to become an expiatory victim for that crisis. How did Our Lady describe this crisis? Impurity, heresy and blasphemy would innundate the Church. The remedy for that situation would be linked to the devotion of Our Lady of Good Success. She promised to intervene and defeat the evil when the abuse of power by the religious authorities reached its apex. Why is this devotion so important for each one of us? Our Lady said she wanted to be honored under this title now, in our difficult times. She promised to give her good success.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 256 pages
by Thomas P. Neill
They Lived the Faith is a truly uniqe work, combining the biographies of numerous Catholic lay leaders in the 19th and 20th century to illustrate the singular theme of Catholic Action in both social and political life.
While many books focus on clerical leaders, They Lived the Faith looks at laity, who worked in politics, literature, and social life to bring the light of the Gospel to ameliorate society’s evils. Featuring biographies of Daniel O’Connel, Count Montalembert, Ludwig Windhorst, Gabriel Garcia Moreno, Bl. Pauline Jaricot, Bl. Frédéric Ozanam, Albert de Mun, Joseph de Maistre, Joseph Görres, Donoso Cortés, Orestes Brownson, Luis Veuillot, and Wilfrid Ward.
In this work, you will learn how these thirteen Catholic lay leaders confronted the aftermath of the French Revolution; attempted to address Church and State relations; fought the onslaught of Liberalism, Socialism, and Communism; and so much more.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 444 pages
Also available in Hardback (with dust jacket) on request (additional cost)
The Story of Takashi Nagai a Scientist, Convert, and Survivor of the Atomic Bomb
by Fr Paul Glynn, S.M.
On August 9, 1945, an American B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, killing tens of thousands of people in the blink of an eye, while fatally injuring and poisoning thousands more. Among the survivors was Takashi Nagai, a pioneer in radiology research and a convert to the Catholic Faith. Living in the rubble of the ruined city and suffering from leukemia caused by over-exposure to radiation, Nagai lived out the remainder of his remarkable life by bringing physical and spiritual healing to his war-weary people.
A Song for Nagasaki tells the moving story of this extraordinary man, beginning with his boyhood and the heroic tales and stoic virtues of his family's Shinto religion. It reveals the inspiring story of Nagai's remarkable spiritual journey from Shintoism to atheism to Catholicism. Mixed with interesting details about Japanese history and culture, the biography traces Nagai's spiritual quest as he studied medicine at Nagasaki University, served as a medic with the Japanese army during its occupation of Manchuria, and returned to Nagasaki to dedicate himself to the science of radiology. The historic Catholic district of the city, where Nagai became a Catholic and began a family, was ground zero for the atomic bomb.
After the bomb disaster that killed thousands, including Nagai's beloved wife, Nagai, then Dean of Radiology at Nagasaki University, threw himself into service to the countless victims of the bomb explosion, even though it meant deadly exposure to the radiation which eventually would cause his own death. While dying, he also wrote powerful books that became best-sellers in Japan. These included The Bells of Nagasaki, which resonated deeply with the Japanese people in their great suffering as it explores the Christian message of love and forgiveness. Nagai became a highly revered man and is considered a saint by many Japanese people. Illustrated
"Christians and non-Christians alike were deeply moved by Nagai's faith in Christ that made him like Job of the Scriptures: in the midst of the nuclear wilderness he kept his heart in tranquility and peace, neither bearing resentment against any man nor cursing God." — Shusaku Endo, from the Foreword
Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 267 pages
by William Thomas Walsh
Walsh's greatest book about Europe's most powerful king ever. But more, it is a panorama of the entire 16th century. Covers the birth of Protestantism and the secret efforts to undermine Catholic unity, the Huguenot wars in France, the Sack of Rome, Great Siege, Battle of Lepanto, Spanish Armada, Council of Trent, etc.; and, Henry VIII, Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I, St. Pius V, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, etc.
Hardcover, size 9.5" x 6.25", 777 pages, 9 Illus,
The Last Crusader
by William Thomas Walsh
Called by her people Isabella la Catolica, she was by any standard one of the greatest women of all history. A saint in her own right, she married Ferdinand of Aragon, and they forged modern Spain, cast out the Moslems, discovered the New World by backing Columbus, and established a powerful central government in Spain. This story is so thrilling it reads like a novel. Makes history really come alive. Highly readable and truly great in every respect!
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 650 pages
I want Holy God
Life-Story of Little Nellie of Holy God
by Fr Bernard Des Ronces
When the nuns of the Good Shepherd Convent in Cork, Ireland, welcomed the little three-year-old invalid Nellie Organ on May 11, 1907, little did they think that the great Pope Saint Pius X would say of her a few short years later:
“È un angeletto, she’s a little angel. Her patience was admirable, her resignation in suffering was so perfect. And then, she understood supernatural things in a superior manner. As for her innocence, no one can doubt of it. She’s an angel who lived with the Angels”.
Writing very shortly after her death, Father Bernard des Ronces bases his account of Little Nellie’s life on the most reliable sources. The result is possibly the most complete biography of the child who was chosen by God to encourage Pope Pius X to allow little children to receive Holy Communion. As the same Pope remarked when he was given Father de Ronces’ book in a private audience in 1912: “You’ve made a big book out of this small life!”
In it, the strands of Little Nellie’s life are interwoven with appropriate texts from the Saints and spiritual writers as well as beautiful poetry from Saint Therese of Lisieux and other authors.
“May God fill with every blessing all those who recommend frequent Communion to little boys and girls, proposing Little Nellie as their model” - Pope Saint Pius X
Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 278 pages
Monk at the Heart of the Church
By Dom Guy Marie Oury, O.S.B.
Translated by Hope Heaney
After the devastation of the French Revolution, the first abbot of Solesmes launched the ecclesial movement which invited all Christians to experience a spiritual participation in the liturgy, “the initial source of the true Christian spirit.” Dom Guéranger worked to instill knowledge and love for the origins of Christianity and the Church of the Fathers, thus preparing a fertile and fruitful “return to the sources” for the entire Church.
He defined himself as “a man of the spiritual order,” opposed in every way to the naturalism of his era. It seemed to him, and rightly so, that God’s mystery could not be treated as were the human sciences—He transcended them. Throughout his entire life, Dom Guéranger never stopped protesting against “the diminished truths” mentioned in Psalm 11:2.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 440 pages