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Meet Fulton Sheen Dorothy Day: Friend to the Forgotten Confessions of a Convert: The Classic Spiritual Autobiography from the Author of "Lord of the World"
Meet Fulton Sheen
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Rodriguez, Jan Now back in print--the evocative biography of Dorothy Day: journalist, social activist, founder of the Catholic Worker movement, and advocate for the homeless. Mentioned by Pope Francis as a writer whom everyone should read, Robert Hugh Benson, author of Lord of the World, shares his spiritual journey from being an Anglican and son of the archbishop of Canterbury to becoming a Roman Catholic priest. Through his humble, honest, and memorable story, Benson invites us—in this republished classic—to think about what it means to wrestle with the deep questions of our Catholic faith while rejoicing in the power of their universal truths.
Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings - 1941-1944 C.S. Lewis: The Man Who Created Narnia Second Greatest Story Ever Told, The: Now is the Time of Mercy
Second Greatest Story Ever Told, The: Now is the Time of Mercy
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By Fr. Alfred Delp, S.J.

Fr. Alfred Delp,S.J., was a heroic German Jesuit priest who was imprisoned and martyred by the Nazis in a Nazi death camp in 1945. At the time of his arrest, he was the Rector of St. Georg Church in Munich, and had a reputation for being a gripping, dynamic preacher, and one who was an outspoken critic of the Nazi regime. He was an important figure in the Resistance movement against Nazism.

Accused of conspiring against the Nazi government, he was arrested in 1944, tortured, imprisoned, and executed on Feb 2, 1945. While in prison, Fr. Delp was able to write a few meditations found in this book, which also includes his powerful reflections from prison during the Advent season about the profound spiritual meaning and lessons of Advent, as well as his sermons he gave on the season of Advent at his parish in Munich. These meditations were smuggled out of Berlin and read by friends and parishioners of St. Georg in Munich.

His approach to Advent, the season that prepares us for Christmas, is what Fr. Delp called an "Advent of the heart." More than just preparing us for Christmas, it is a spiritual program, a way of life. He proclaimed that our personal, social and historical circumstances, even suffering, offer us entry into the true Advent, our personal journey toward a meeting and dialogue with God. Indeed, his own life, and great sufferings, illustrated the true Advent he preached and wrote about.

From his very prison cell he presented a timeless spiritual message, and in an extreme situation, his deep faith gave him the courage to draw closer to God, and to witness to the truth even at the cost of his own life. These meditations will challenge and inspire all Christians to embark upon that same spiritual journey toward union with God, a journey that will transform our lives.

“As one of the last witnesses who knew Fr. Alfred Delp personally, I am very pleased this book will make him better known in America. The more one reads his writings, the more one clearly recognizes the prophetic message for our times! Like his contemporary, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Delp ranks among the great prophets who endured the horror of Nazism and handed down a powerful message for our times.”
—Karl Kreuser, S.J., from the Foreword 		By Michael Coren

Michael Coren, an expert on the life and writings of Lewis, presents an engrossing biography for young people and adults of the man "who created Narnia". Following the publicity of the first of several theatrical major feature films from Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, this biography, lavishly illustrated with numerous photos from the whole life of Lewis, is written in a captivating way that it will appeal to all ages, youth and adults alike. Starting with "Beginnings," Coren tells of the fascinating details of the childhood and youth of Lewis, one that was, in Lewis's own words full of "long corridors, attics explored in solitude, sunlit rooms and endless books." It continues with his studies at Oxford, his subsequent celebrated teaching career at Oxford, his wonderful friendships with other great writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and George Sayer, his meeting and marriage with Joy Davidman, and how he dealt with the sorrow of her death.

The book especially focuses on how Lewis created his wonderful Narnia tales which became seven books that resulted in perhaps the most widely read set of children's Christian allegories, The Chronicles of Narnia. 		A gripping account of the prophetic witness of St. John Paul II, and the profound connection between Marian Consecration and Divine Mercy. By the bestselling author of 33 Days to Morning Glory.
My Life with Mother Angelica Gift of Peace, The: Personal Reflections Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs
My Life with Mother Angelica
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By Sr. M. Raphael, PCPA

Sr. Raphael's book is the writings of someone who was there in the very beginning with Mother Angelica! It has been updated and has many never-been-seen-before full color pictures of Mother Angelica and the Nuns in the beginning! It also has the sketches and poems/reflections of Sr. Raphael's.

"The stories that Mother Angelica loved to tell of the beginnings of 'the monastery in the south', the printing ministry and the excitement and fragile beginnings of the Eternal Word Television Network are captured here by one who was at Mother Angelica's side every step of the way, Sr. Mary Raphael, her devoted Vicar and dearest friend. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a glimpse of those early days when Mother Angelica continued to press forward even though many said it couldn't be done."
--Fr. Joseph M. Wolfe, MFVA 		Winner of the 1997 Christopher Book Award! Always the peacemaker, always the pastor, Bernardin was one of America's most influential leaders; here he struggles with false accusations of sexual abuse, as well as pancreatic cancer. Messenger offers an inspiring look at Mattie Stepanek, a young man who embodied the best of human nature, touched millions, and worked tirelessly for peace--as told through the eyes of the woman who raised him.
He Leadeth Me: An Extraordinary Testament of Faith Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust Father Miguel Pro : A Modern Mexican Martyr
By Walter Ciszeck, S.J.

Captured by a Russian army during World War II and convicted of being a “Vatican spy,” Jesuit Fr. Walter J. Ciszek spent 23 agonizing years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia. Only through an utter reliance on God’s will did he manage to endure the extreme hardship. He tells of the courage he found in prayer–a courage that eased the loneliness, the pain, the frustration, the anguish, the fears, the despair. For, as Ciszek relates, the solace of spiritual contemplation gave him an inner serenity upon which he was able to draw amidst the “arrogance of evil” that surrounded him. Ciszek learns to accept the inhuman work in the infamous Siberian salt mines as a labor pleasing to God. And through that experience, he was able to turn the adverse forces of circumstance into a source of positive value and a means of drawing closer to the compassionate and never-forsaking Divine Spirit.

He Leadeth Me is a book to inspire all Christians to greater faith and trust in God–even in their darkest hour. As the author asks, “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?” 		By Immaculee Ilibagiza

In the spring of 1994, more than one million people were murdered in the Rwandan genocide. This is the story of how Immaculee survived certain death, along with seven other women, by hiding in a very small bathroom for more than 3 months. Day after day, for months, the killers would search nearby – gleefully chanting “kill them big, kill them small, kill them, kill them, kill them all!”

With uncommon sincerity, Immaculee shares with us her soul's struggle through disbelief to anger and rage and, ultimately, forgiveness. She is living proof of the power of prayer, mercy, healing, and forgiveness.

"In 1994, Rwandan native Ilibagiza was 22 years old and home from college to spend Easter with her devout Catholic family when the death of Rwanda's Hutu president sparked a three-month slaughter of nearly one million ethnic Tutsis. She survived by hiding in a Hutu pastor's tiny bathroom with seven other starving women for 91 cramped, terrifying days. This searing firsthand account of Ilibagiza's experience cuts two ways: her description of the evil that was perpetrated, including the brutal murders of her family members, is soul-numbingly devastating, yet the story of her unquenchable faith and connection to God throughout the ordeal uplifts and inspires. This book is a precious addition to the literature that tries to make sense of humankind's seemingly bottomless depravity and counterbalancing hope in an all-powerful, loving God."
- Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review, March 2006 		Gerald Muller

One misty, chilly November morning in 1927, a slender, young priest stood before a firing squad in Mexico City. Five shots cracked through the air and he fell lifeless on the ground. The man was Miguel Agustin Pro, S.J. His crime? Being a Catholic priest.

As a member of the Society of Jesus, Father Pro had worked hard and patiently to bring bread to the poor and the Holy Eucharist to the faithful. Like all Catholic priests in his day, he was deeply hated and viciously hunted by the secret police and the army of the anti-clerical government of the Republic of Mexico. For this reason, after eluding them many times with secret disguises and hiding places, when he was finally captured, Father Pro was executed without a trial.

Father Pro's generous love for the poor, the young, the sick, the tempted, and the spiritually weak attracted many hearts to him, and through him to Christ. In addition to his charity, his wit and courage make him a model for all Christians, especially those being persecuted for their faith and young people, who are inspired by his heroism. Illustrated with photos.
Severe Mercy, A: A Story of Faith, Tragedy, and Triumph Led by Faith : Rising from the Ashe Son Of Hamas : A Gripping Account o
Led by Faith : Rising from the Ashe
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Son Of Hamas : A Gripping Account o
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Beloved, profoundly moving account of the author's marriage, the couple's search for faith and friendship with C. S. Lewis, and a spiritual strength that sustained Vanauken after his wife's untimely death. Ilibagiza, Imm Hassan, Mosab
Catherine De Hueck Doherty : Essent Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God, The: The Story of Ruth Pakaluk, Convert, Mother and Pro-Life Activist
Catherine De Hueck Doherty : Essent
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Meconi, David Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand. Edited by Michael Pakaluk

This book is the powerful story of an amazing woman, Ruth Pakaluk, who converted to Catholicism at Harvard, married her college sweetheart and joyfully welcomed seven children. She became a renowned pro-life leader and brilliant debater, who was struck with breast cancer and died at the young age of forty-one.

Ruth's inspiring story is told primarily through her humorous, sparkling and insightful letters in which her realistic cheerfulness shines. A biographical overview by her husband fills in important details about her life, and a collection of her talks on abortion, faith and being a Catholic wife and mother conclude the volume.  

Ruth Pakaluk exemplified the powerful integrity of someone who lived what she believed. She was steadfastly committed to Christ and to the culture of life, and this commitment was manifested in her consistent affirmation of life in her family, in society and even in the face of her own death. Peter Kreeft, well known Professor of Philosophy and author, described Ruth as the best, most effective and inspiring pro-life speaker he had ever heard. She was such a compelling, articulate pro-life debater that eventually Planned Parenthood spokeswomen refused to spar with her in public.

All Ruth's virtues revealed in this book  - her love as a devoted wife and mother, her zeal for the truth, and her faith & hope while battling a terminal illness  - offer inspiration and encouragement to anyone striving to put Christian faith into action.

"I have never read a more beautiful and touching book - a book about a joyous life and overpowering death, and grief and joy.  Michael and Ruth Pakaluk's account of love and grief towers head and shoulders above the justly acclaimed accounts of C.S. Lewis in A Grief Observed and Sheldon van Auken in A Severe Mercy. Throughout, I felt in my heart that Ruth is a marvelous saint for our times."
- Michael Novak, Philosopher, Author, and Diplomat

"In this book you will meet a truly wonderful person. There are few things in life more precious than that. I invite you to meet a warrior for life whose pen is truly mightier than death's sword."
- Peter Kreeft, Author, Because God is Real

"People frequently commented on Ruth's selfless character, boundless optimism, and fervent faith. Her zest for life and zeal for faith were gifts from God - gifts offered to us all.  I pray that these pages will inspire you to be ever more open to God's grace and mercy."
- Most Reverend Daniel Reilly, Bishop Emeritus of Worcester, Mass.

"The title of this book, based on the well known quote, really says it all - while God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He is also full of beautiful and incredible jaw dropping surprises, especially where His love and mercy are concerned.  This book reminds us that no one is ever out of God's reach.  Even when we, in our very limited capacity may think all is lost, along comes the Lord and all things are made new."
- Teresa Tomeo, Syndicated Catholic Talk Show Host

Michael Pakaluk is a Professor of Philosophy at Ave Maria University in Florida. He has authored numerous philosophical books and articles, and is credited with contributing to the recent revival of philosophical interest in the topic of friendship.
From Slave to Priest: The Inspirational Story of Father Augustine Tolton (1854-1897) Abbess of Andalusia, The: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O'Connor Smile of a Ragpicker, The: The Life of Satoko Kitahara - Convert and Servant of the Slums of Tokyo
By Sr. Caroline Hemesath, S.S.F.

Born into a black Catholic slave family, Fr. Augustine Tolton (1854-1897) conquered almost insurmountable odds to become one of the very first black priests in the United States. By his early death at 43, this pioneer black priest left behind a shining legacy of holy service to God, the Church and his people.

Toltons cause for canonization has been officially opened by the Archdiocese of Chicago as announced by Cardinal Francis George.

The thorough scholarly research and inspirational writing by Sister Caroline Hemesath on  the great legacy and courage of this former slave who became a priest in the face of incredible prejudice within the Church and society will be a source of strength for modern Christians who also face persecution. In American history, many black people have achieved success against great odds. But Father Tolton faced a different source of prejudice - an opposition from within the Church, the one institution he should have been able to rely on for compassion and support.

He endured many rebuffs, as a janitor spent long hours in the church in prayer, and attended clandestine classes taught by friendly priests and nuns who saw in his eyes a deep love of God and the Church, and a determination to serve his people. Denied theological training in America, his friends helped him to receive his priestly education, and ordination, in Rome. He later became the pastor of St. Monica's Church in Chicago and established a flourishing center at St. Monica's that was the focal point for black Catholics in Chicago for 30 years.

The author interviewed many people who knew Father Tolton personally, including St. Katharine Drexel, and presents a deeply inspiring portrait of a great American Catholic. Book includes illustrations and photographs.

"Few stories are as moving, and as exciting as that of Father Augustine Tolton, who rose from the chains of slavery to become the first recognized Black priest in the United States. The life of this holy hero has inspired me since my childhood, and having this opportunity to reacquaint myself with Father Tolton's virtuous life, has been a true blessing. Sister Caroline Hemesath's biography, first published three decades ago, makes a welcome reappearance this summer, from Ignatius Press. This is a life that for all its accomplishments on behalf of a specific minority, imitates closely the life of our Lord Himself, readily seen in the generosity, the long-suffering, and the never disturbed peace that marked the short, but so eventful years of Father Augustine Tolton. Everyone will be moved by his story, and I especially urge young Catholics to read the book, and learn from Father Tolton, just how much a life can mean, and how much God can accomplish through us, if we are willing."
— Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta

"From Slave to Priest is an inspiring account of the first Black Priest in the United States. Augustine Tolton was born a slave and perservered against all odds to attain his goal to be a Catholic Priest. While the Civil War ended slavery, it only began the struggle for racial equality. Tolton's fervent vocational commitment was constantly challenged by prejudice, but he also experienced strong support. His brief priestly ministry was marred by prejudice, yet showed the power of God by the acceptance of both black and white faithful. Tolton's perseverance in his vocational commitment is an inspiring lesson for us all."
— Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia

"...Fr. Tolton is certainly an inspiring example of courage and determination in today's Church, for all of us called to respond to God's vocation to holiness, and especially those called to the priesthood and religious life. I am sure this book will contribute to making known his witness to unwavering fidelity to Christ: a legacy not only for the American Church, but also for all modern Christians, who face persecution for their faith..."
— Cardinal Ivan Dias Prefect, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (Formerly Collegium Propaganda Fide, which educated Fr. Tolton)

Cause for Canonization of Father Tolton Opened by Chicago Archdiocese
Chicago, Ill., March 3 (CNA) .- Fr. Augustus Tolton, a man born into slavery who became the first American diocesan priest of African descent, is now being considered for canonization. Cardinal Francis George announced on Monday that the nineteenth century priest's cause for sainthood has been introduced in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

"Many Catholics might not ever have heard of Fr. Augustus Tolton; but black Catholics most probably have," the Archbishop of Chicago wrote.

Born in Missouri on April 1, 1854, John Augustine Tolton fled slavery with his mother and two siblings in 1862 by crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois.

"John, boy, you're free. Never forget the goodness of the Lord," Tolton's mother told him after the crossing, according to the website of St. Elizabeth's Church in Chicago.

The young Tolton entered St. Peter's Catholic School with the help of the school's pastor, Fr. Peter McGirr. Fr. McGirr would later baptize him and instruct him for his first Holy Communion. Tolton was serving as an altar boy by the next summer.

The priest asked Tolton if he would like to become a priest, saying it would take twelve years of hard study.

The excited boy then said they should go to church and pray for his success.

After graduating from high school and Quincy College, he began his ecclesiastical studies in Rome because no American seminary would accept him on account of his race.

On April 24, 1886 he was ordained in Rome by Cardinal Lucido Maria Parocchi, who was then the vicar general of Rome. Newspapers throughout the U.S. carried the story.

Fr. Tolton was ordained for the southern Illinois Diocese of Quincy. Upon his return in July 1886, he was greeted at the train station "like a conquering hero," the web site of St. Elizabeth's Parish says.

"Thousands were there to greet him, led by Father McGirr. A brass band played church songs and Negro Spirituals. Thousands of blacks and whites lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the new priest wearing a black Prince Albert and a silk hat.  People marched and cheered his flower-draped four-horse carriage.  Children, priests and sisters left the school joining the procession heading towards the church."

Hundreds waited at the local church where people of all races knelt at the communion rail.

Fr. Tolton served in Quincy before going to Chicago to start a parish for black Catholics. The new church was named for St. Monica and opened in 1893.

On July 9, 1897 Fr. Tolton collapsed during a hot day and died from sunstroke at the age of 43. Cardinal George explained that most priests in the nineteenth century died before their fiftieth birthday.

"Visiting the sick on a daily basis was risky in an age before antibiotics," he explained.

The priest was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery just outside of Quincy, Illinois.

An investigation for canonization will collect evidence of Fr. Tolton's heroic virtues and will investigate claims of his miraculous intercession. 		By Lorraine V. Murray

Flannery O'Connor has been studied and lauded under many labels: the Southern author whose pen captured the soul of a proud region struggling to emerge out of racism and poverty, the female writer whose independent spirit and tragically short life inspired a generation of women, the Catholic artist whose fiction evokes themes of sin and damnation, mercy and redemption.

Now, and for the first time, The Abbess of Andalusia affords us an in-depth look at Flannery O'Connor the believer.

In these pages you will come to know Flannery O'Connor not only as a writer and an icon, but as a theologian and apologist; as a spiritual director and a student of prayer; as a suffering soul who learned obedience and merited grace through infirmity; and truly, as the Abbess of her own small, but significant, spiritual house. For decades Flannery O'Connor the author has touched her readers with the brilliance of her books. Now be edified and inspired by the example of her life.


New from Saint Benedict Press. 		Following his acclaimed work, A Song for Nagasaki, in which Fr. Paul Glynn told the powerful story of Dr. Nagai, a Christian convert of remarkable courage and compassion who ministered to victims of the atomic bomb attack on his city, The Smile of a Ragpicker brings us the heroic story of Satoko Kitahara, a young, beautiful woman of wealth who gave up her riches and comfort to be among the ragpickers in the Tokyo slums. Motivated by her newfound faith in Christ, she plunged into the life of the poor, regardless of the consequences.

As Satoko helped the poor with their material and spiritual needs, she also helped them to recover their self-respect and dignity. Satoko's story demonstrates how one person's life can affect so many others.



Every day Satoko encountered Christ in some new and challenging way, calling the Church back to identification with the poor. Like Dr. Nagai, she expressed her faith through the sensitivity and beauty of her own Japanese culture. Satoko died a young woman, in dire poverty. Yet her death, mourned by many thousands, reflected her triumphant life of deep Christian faith and charity.

This is a powerful story of reconciliation and healing, between people of different social, economic and religious backgrounds, inspired by a frail young woman of luminous faith. Illustrated with photos.
He Leads , I Follow : The Life of Maria Theresia Bonzel Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line Common Sense 101: Lessons from G.K. Chesterton
By P. Lother Hardick OFM

In every age there can be found persons whose hearts yearn for life in God, and from among these the Holy Spirit calls noble, generous souls to do His work. A beautiful example of this is Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Olpe, Westphalia, Germany. Mother Maria Theresia was one of God's special instruments, chosen to promote the ideals of Christian charity and piety. She lived by the words, He leads; I follow.

In this reprinted edition of He Leads, I Follow, you will come to appreciate Mother Maria Theresia's endurance, patience, and goodness in meeting and carrying out her mission in life. You will learn about the history of her Community from her personal records, her instructions in preparing sisters for their profession, letters written to superiors, ecclesiastical, and civil authorities. 		"Abby Johnson's journey from Planned Parenthood insider to pro-life activist is a powerful witness to the tireless efforts and prayers of those working on the frontlines in this culture of death so prevalent in our world today. "
-Teresa Tomeo, Syndicated Catholic Talk-Host 		By Dale Ahlquist


Dale Ahlquist, the President of the American Chesterton Society, and author of G. K. Chesterton -The Apostle of Common Sense, presents a book of wonderful insights on how to "look at the whole world through the eyes of Chesterton". Since, as he says, "Chesterton wrote about everything", there is an ocean of his material to benefit from GKC's insights on a kaleidoscope of many important topics.

Chesterton wrote a hundred books on a variety of themes, thousands of essays for London newspapers, penned epic poetry, delighted in detective fiction, drew illustrations, and made everyone laugh by his keen humor. Everyone who knew Chesterton loved him, even those he debated with. His unique writing style that combines philosophy, spirituality, history, humor, and paradox have made him one of the most widely read authors of modern times.

As Ahlquist shows in his engaging volume, this most quoted writer of the 20th century has much to share with us on topics covering politics, art, education, wonder, marriage, fads, poetry, faith, charity and much more.

“Ahlquist proves that Chesteron’s commentaries and views on the continuing dehumanization of man, the so-called social sciences, the totalitarian ideologies and the intellectual fashions of his day continue to be relevant in our own age.”
—George J. Marlin, Editor, Collected Works of Chesterton
Song for Nagasaki, A: The Story of Takashi Nagai - A Scientist, Convert, and Survivor of the Atomic Bomb Wise Man from the West, The: Matteo Ricci and His Mission to China Priest Barracks, The: Dachau 1938-1945
By Paul Glynn

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 		This is the amazing story of the famous Jesuit missionary priest to China, Fr. Matteo Ricci, revered as a "Wise Man" by the Chinese. He arrived in China in 1582 and died there twenty-eight years later, having developing a deep knowledge of and love for the country, the culture and the people.
 		At the Nazi concentration camp Dachau, three barracks out of 30 were occupied by clergy from 1938 to 1945.  The overwhelming majority of the 2,720 men imprisoned in these barracks were Catholics—...
School of Darkness With God In Russia Shadow of His Wings, The: The True Story of Fr. Gereon Goldmann
School of Darkness
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With God In Russia
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Bella V. Dodd
-- The story of how Bella Dodd left the Catholic Faith of her childhood to become a high-ranking member of the Communist Party USA, and later found her way back to the Church.

Bella Dodd ranks with Whittaker Chambers as a leading converted communist. Her testimony before investigating committees revealed the extent to which communist infiltration had taken place in America, particularly among teachers in schools and colleges. This record of her life describes how she came to be a member of the Communist Party, the reasons for her gradual disillusionment and final break with the party, and her eventual return to the Catholic Church into which she was born.

Her conversion to Communism was a slow usurpation of the mind by an appeal to love of humanity, a vision of a better society, and wider social justice. In time she became a member of the Party’s National Committee, and was intensely active in combating the Rapp-Coudert investigation of communist teachers, in supporting Loyalist Spain, and in the “united democratic front” maintained during World War II. But she was gradually repelled by the dictatorial methods of the Party and the constant struggle for power. Her divorce from her husband, and her own ill health speeded her estrangement from Party leaders and resulted in her expulsion from the Party in 1949.

Dodd’s re-entrance into the Catholic Church—which as a communist she had so bitterly attacked—was a natural result of her new state of mind. In the early 1950s, she provided detailed explanations of the Communist subversion of the Church, reporting that “in the 1930s we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within, [and that] right now they are in the highest places in the Church.” From such positions they were working to bring about change in order to weaken the Church’s effectiveness against Communism. She said further that these changes would be so drastic that “you will not recognize the Catholic Church.”

Bella Dodd’s story is a human document of immense importance to Americans today. Here are the inner workings of the Communist Party in the United States in the early to mid-20th century as seen from the secret counsels and strategy meetings of the National Committee, to which she belonged for a crucial span of years. The climax of the book is a snowy Christmas Eve when Bella finds the reaffirmation of her faith, and is able to say, “I have learned from bitter experience that you cannot serve man unless you first serve God in sincerity and truth.” Not being able to secure her baptismal certificate from Italy after inquiry, she was baptized by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. 		Republished for a new century and featuring an afterword by Fr. James Martin, SJ, the classic memoir of an American-born Jesuit priest imprisoned for fifteen years in a Soviet gulag during the height of the Cold War—a poignant and spiritually uplifting story of extraordinary faith and fortitude as indelible as Unbroken. Foreword by Daniel L. Flaherty.

While ministering in Eastern Europe during World War II, Polish-American priest Walter Ciszek, S.J., was arrested by the NKVD, the Russian secret police, shortly after the war ended. Accused of being an American spy and charged with "agitation with intent to subvert," he was held in Moscow’s notorious Lubyanka prison for five years. The Catholic priest was then sentenced without trial to ten more years of hard labor and transported to Siberia, where he would become a prisoner within the forced labor camp system made famous in Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn’s Nobel Prize—winning book The Gulag Archipelago.

In With God in Russia, Ciszek reflects on his daily life as a prisoner, the labor he endured while working in the mines and on construction gangs, his unwavering faith in God, and his firm devotion to his vows and vocation. Enduring brutal conditions, Ciszek risked his life to offer spiritual guidance to fellow prisoners who could easily have exposed him for their own gains. He chronicles these experiences with grace, humility, and candor, from his secret work leading mass and hearing confessions within the prison grounds, to his participation in a major gulag uprising, to his own "resurrection"—his eventual release in a prisoner exchange in October 1963 which astonished all who had feared he was dead.

Powerful and inspirational, With God in Russia captures the heroic patience, endurance, and religious conviction of a man whose life embodied the Christian ideals that sustained him. 		By Fr. Gereon Goldmann, OFM

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

"An incredible and gripping account of survival by Divine Providence alone. This book proves again the insanity of war and the way that God is able to bring good out of evil if one has faith. This book gives you a lot to think about."
—Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, Author, Arise from Darkness

"The Shadow of His Wings is truly an amazing book. From the first line to the last, the reader will be captivated. This book is a must."
—Alice von Hildebrand, Author, By Love Refined

"This book shows the workings of grace in the most difficult of conditions. A fascinating, gripping true story of a clerical life we can hardly imagine."
—Fr. James V. Schall, S.J., Georgetown University