Well Known/Famous Persons
by Rev Fr Le Crom
Fr. Simeon Lourdel
Planting the Faith in the Furthest Africa
by F. A.Forbes
Fr Simeon Lourdel, a French missionary priest, became the Apostle of Uganda. In his short life, Fr. Lourdel had transformed the landscape of the entire country.
The charity, the tact and prudence of the missionary were taxed to the utmost. When after years of patient toil, he had the consolation of reaping the first fruits of his conquests for Christ, behold—a cruel and sudden persecution visited the newly established Christian Community, and in an instant, he had the untold sorrow of seeing his mission swept by fire and drenched in blood.
Midst this awful upheaval, the faith and the charity of the apostle waxed the stronger; at the peril of his life, the good shepherd remained close to his flock, encouraging them by day and by night, preparing them for the crown of martyrdom that was soon to be theirs. He hoped too that he would be allowed to share the sufferings of his children and to die with them in testimony for the Faith. But though repeatedly threatened with death and suffering, imprisonment twice—his cross—and could a heavier one be imagined?—was to witness the oppressing, and the slaying of his beloved neophytes.
Mother F.A. Forbes tells the story of Uganda’s first Apostle in a beautiful yet simple to read account that will inspire as well as uplift.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 126 pages
by Sister Catharine Goddard Clarke, M.I.C.M.
History of the Church illustrated by the popes. Starting from the momentous entrance of Saint Peter into the fearsome capitol of Satan's doomed empire, to the triumph of the last Christological Council, Chalcedon, held under Leo I. Includes the major periods of religious crises and tells of those heroic Popes who steered the Church through these gravest trials.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 263 pages
The Story of a Convert
by John Henry Cardinal Newman
The first of two novels by Hohn Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890), Loss and Gain is a fictionalised account of Newman's own faith journey, and account of the "Oxford Movement" that shook the English establishment of the day to the core. Potentially rivaling the work of such masters as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, the deceptively simple plot presents a profound understanding of the human condition and English society of the early nineteenth centry. It can be read with enjoyment and profit by people of every faith.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 184 pages
by Michael D. Greaney
The late Dr. Ralph McInerny, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame du Lac, once commented that some Catholic novels are so good, they're bad. He meant that the heroes are so virtuous that you simply can't believe them. Worse, the novels try so hard to be "Catholic" that they fail to be catholic, that is, universal, or even any sort of realistic commentary on the human condition.
Worst of all are probably the novels that try to imitate the authors profiled in this appreciation of the fiction of Nicolas Cardinal Wiseman(1802-1865), John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890), and Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson (1871-1914). Part of this is due to the fact that many people misunderstand not only why these writers wrote, but what they wrote. Benson's wonderfully barbed satire, for example, endeared him to Evelyn Waugh, yet it is often characterized as "prophecy"!
This collection of biographical sketches and essays by Mr. Michael D. Greaney, does much to dispel the misimpressions and misunderstandings many people might have of the novels of Wiseman, Newman, and Benson. More than that, this compendium introduces these works to a new generation of readers, and makes it clear that the authors wrote for everyone, not just for Catholics, or even Christians.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 268 pages
The Unpublished Memoirs of Edgardo Mortara
by Vittoria Messori
In 1888 Fr. Edgardo Mortara wrote his autobiography so that the world would understand he had not been kidnapped by the Vatican. Here, along with a thorough introduction by Vittorio Messori, his story is published for the first time in English.
As an infant, Mortara was on the point of death and secretly baptized by a Catholic servant employed by his family. He recovered his health, and in the Papal States where his family lived, the law required that he, like other baptized children, receive a Christian education. After several failed attempts to persuade his parents to enroll him in a local Catholic school, in 1858 Pope Pius IX had the boy taken from his family in Bologna and sent to a Catholic boarding school in Rome. There the child grew in Faith and eventually responded to the calling to become a Catholic priest.
The Mortara Case reverberated around the world. Journalists, politicians, and Jewish leaders tried to pressure Pius IX to reverse his decision. The pope's refusal to do so was used as one of the reasons to dissolve the Papal States in 1870. Currently the case is being used as an argument against the canonization of Pius IX, whom John Paul II beatified in 2000.
Paperback, size 8" x 5.5", 190 pages
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 John Lenz
“What we priests were forced to endure under the Nazi regime, especially in Dachau concentration camp, is no more than a cup filled from the vast sea of human suffering in the world today,” wrote Fr. John Lenz. “It is not this suffering as such that is important. The important thing is to show those who have crosses of their own to bear in life just what the grace of God can do for those who follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ the Crucified. It is no less important to reveal the wickedness of Hell.”
The Nazi hellhole Dachau concentration camp held the largest number of Catholic priests — more than 2,400 — in the Nazi camp system. They came from two dozen countries, from every background — parish priests and prelates, monks and friars, teachers and missionaries. More than one-third were killed.
Among the survivors was Fr. Lenz, who was asked by his superiors to write an account of what he saw — and experienced — so that it would not be forgotten. This book, filled with gripping real-life stories and eighty photos, was the stunning result and became an immediate sensation.
This work is unique among those written on the Holocaust; it reveals how, by tireless sacrifice amid barbaric suffering, the Church was victorious in one of the darkest times in human history. When the Nazis entered several European countries, many people were afraid to speak up. Numerous priests, however, continued to preach the gospel and the truth about the dignity of life and freedom. Through their courageous witness you will learn about:
- The arrest and imprisonment of priests and other faithful citizens
- What really happened at Dachau and the horrific treatment of prisoners
- How priests ministered to fellow prisoners and prayed unceasingly in the camps
- Ways in which priests secretly brought the Blessed Sacrament to the people and heard confessions
- Spiritual lessons learned in the face of death and despair
“Only when we are forced to endure the most profound suffering and hardship do we learn how to catch hold of God’s hand in our misery,” Fr. Lenz reflected. “We learn to pray.”
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 328 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 5.5", 287 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
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
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
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
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 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