Church History
The First Apology was an early work of Christian apologetics addressed by Justin Martyr to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. In addition to arguing against the persecution of individuals solely for being Christian, Justin also provides the Emperor with a defense of the philosophy of Christianity and a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals. This work, along with the Second Apology, has been cited as one of the earliest examples of Christian apology, and many scholars attribute this work to creating a new genre of apology out of what was a typical Roman administrative procedure.
One can spend hours searching for answers about the Catholic Faith and how to share it with others. There are a multitude of books that explain the various areas of Church teaching, but never -- before now -- a definitive desktop volume on more than 260 Catholic topics, from A to Z, featuring key definitions, teachings, practices, people, and resources for further reading.
This fascinating, one-stop guidebook delivers the intellectual tradition of the Church while providing practical Catholic applications, spiritual wisdom, and guidance on a broad range of topics, from the basics of the Faith to more current issues, such as transgenderism and yoga.
These pages put timely and timeless information at your fingertips, whether you're seeking information about a specific teaching, wondering about the Church's stance on a social topic, or looking for inspiration to evangelize someone to the Faith.
You will discover:
This is an ideal resource for Catholic school students, catechists, RCIA catechumens, and anyone seeking to understand and discuss Catholicism intelligently. It will be a frequently used, lifelong resource that will draw you in for longer reads than you expect.
Throughout the modern era, Galileo Galilei has been presented as a victim of cruel torture of conscience, theological narrow-mindedness, and ecclesiastical harassment typical of a dark, closed-minded Church. Frequently portrayed as such in theaters due to prevailing political ideologies, the story of Galileo points to the long-held tension between "science and faith," "technology and ethics," and "progress and the Church."
The story of the real Galileo, however, which has not been told--until now--is sure to rock the established narrative.
Walter Cardinal Brandmüller, an eminent Church historian and expert in Galilean research, evaluates the scientific research of the recent past and exposes shocking historical errors. Uninterested in whitewashing the problematic pages of Church history, he offers a balanced view of the controversy, illuminating it through the lens of a deeper historical understanding.
Leaving no stone unturned, His Excellency separates the facts from the fiction to reveal:
- Why the Inquisition became involved in Galileo's "case" and what it really determined
- Galileo's multifaceted accomplishments, personality, and relationships
What famous critics, including Aristotelians, had to say about Galileo and his findings - How Galileo's case embodied the scientific revolution and its view of the Church
- Whether Scripture and science should be understood separately
- How to perceive Galileo within the broader cultural and historical context of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
You will discover the various aspects and philosophical views of the Galileo controversy, including how his personal polemics at times superseded his scientific research. Moreover, you will learn about significant scientists' and theologians' arguments regarding heliocentrism and other topics.
The book includes an extensive bibliography of Galileo's works and a timeline of his life, as well as a declaration from twelve Nobel Prize-winning scientists on the necessity of dialogue between science and religion and the need for the Church's guidance.
Many faithful Catholics greet God and give Him thanks and praise when they arise in the morning and retire at night. How they stay connected with Him and the Faith throughout the day, however, varies widely. Many forget that He is right there to call upon whenever the need or impulse arises. Others see Him all around, in the flowers of the field, the birds of the air, the smile of a child. Uniquely, Catholicism Everywhere treats the reader to the many expressions of God in the hobbies, foods, structures, and inventions developed by the Catholic Church and her members.
Enjoy a cup of coffee and thank Pope Clement VIII for his refusal to ban coffee and his edict proclaiming it to be an acceptable drink for Christians. Turn on the radio and recall that Fr. Jozef Murgas patented a form of wireless telegraphy, made the first wireless voice transmission, and gave away his secrets to allow for the development of radio. Send an e-mail and shop online with a nod to Sr. Mary Kenneth Keller, a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who became one of the first two students to earn a doctorate in computer science, helping pave the way for personal computing.
In these crisp, compelling passages, you will also learn about:
These and other remarkable stories show how the Catholic Church and her members have borne tremendous fruit, in faith, to serve their fellow man. This book features chapters on pets, gardening, health care, cuisine, travel, entertainment, science, and more, including the Catholic founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Mayo Clinic, the Blue Army, the Knights of Columbus, and the Legion of Mary.
From sports to weather forecasting to wedding customs to military service, Catholicism Everywhere connects your work, your play, and your daily habits with the vibrant heritage, culture, and prayers of the Catholic Faith.
"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:
"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."
After the authors of the New Testament, no group has had a more profound influence on the prayer, theology, and life of Christians than the Fathers of the Church, who lived and wrote in the first several centuries after Christ. Among the Fathers, perhaps the most pivotal were those of the first two hundred years. Including figures such as St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Irenaeus of Lyons, these giants of the faith lived just decades after the Apostles—some even knew the Apostles themselves—and their writings witness to what life was like in the early Church.
The Early Church Fathers Collection from Word on Fire Classics provides the perfect entry point to these early writers. In this volume, you’ll find selections from the best works by the early Fathers: the letters of St. Clement, St. Ignatius, and St. Polycarp; the anonymous literary works The Martyrdom of Polycarp, TheDidache, The Shepherd of Hermas, and TheLetter to Diognetus; and the apologetic writings of St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Accompanied by helpful introductions and explanatory footnotes, these works speak as powerfully today as they did in their own time and, approached in a spirit of faith, serve the same purpose: to enkindle in their readers the love of Jesus Christ.
This item is only available for distribution in the United States.
The Catholic Church has been a part of English history since the arrival of Christian missionaries to Roman Britain in the first century after Christ. England was evangelized in these early centuries to such an extent that, by the time the Romans withdrew in the fifth century, the Celtic population was largely Catholic.
Anglo-Saxon England, prior to the Norman Conquest, was a land of saints. From St. Bede, with his history of the early Church, to the holy king St. Edward the Confessor, Saxon England was ablaze with the light of Christ. During the reign of St. Edward, a vision of the Virgin at Walsingham placed the Mother of God on the throne as England's queen, the land being considered her dowry. Even following the Norman Conquest, the Faith continued to flourish and prosper, making its joyful presence felt in what would become known as Merrie England.
Then in the sixteenth century, this Catholic heart was ripped from the people of England, against their will and in spite of their spirited and heroic resistance, by the reign of the Tudors. This made England once again a land of saints--that is, of martyrs, with Catholic priests and laity being put to death for practicing the Faith. The martyrdoms would continue for 150 years, followed by a further 150 years of legal and political persecution.
In the nineteenth century, against all the odds, there was a great Catholic revival, heralded by the conversion of St. John Henry Newman, which would continue into the twentieth century. Much of the greatest literature of the past century has been written by literary converts to the Church, such as G. K. Chesterton, Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, and J. R. R. Tolkien.
This whole exciting, faith-filled story is told by Joseph Pearce within a single-volume history of "true England", the England that remained true to the faith through thick and thin, in times both "merrie" and perilous. It is a story not only worth telling but worth celebrating.
Not long after Martin Luther's defiance of the Church in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down, brother turned against brother, and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover the unity of Faith, Catholic theologians clarified and reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, but turned as well to another form of evangelization: the Arts.
Convinced that to win over the unlettered, the best place to fight heresy was not in the streets but in stone and on canvas, they enlisted the century's best artists to create a glorious wave of beautiful works of sacred art -- Catholic works of sacred art -- to draw people together instead of driving them apart.
How Catholic Art Saved the Faith tells the story of the creation and successes of this vibrant, visual-arts SWAT team whose war cry could have been "art for Faith's sake!" Over the years, it included Michelangelo, of course, and, among other great artists, the edgy Caravaggio, the graceful Guido Reni, the technically perfect Annibale Carracci, the colorful Barocci, the theatrical Bernini, and the passionate Artemisia Gentileschi. Each of these creative souls, despite their own interior struggles, was a key player in this magnificent, generations-long project: the affirmation through beauty of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.
Here you will meet the fascinating artists who formed this cadre's core. You will revel in scores of their full-color paintings. And you will profit from the lucid explanations of their lovely creations: works that over the centuries have touched the hearts and deepened the faith of millions of pilgrims who have made their way to the Eternal City to gaze upon them.
Join those pilgrims now in an encounter with the magnificent artworks of the Catholic Restoration -- artworks which from their conception were intended to delight, teach, and inspire. As they have done for the faith of so many, so will they do for you.
25 essays originally published by Magnificat (December 2013 – December 2015) that will give you a new appreciation for the Church and her mission in the world. You know the Church supports your sacramental life, but did you know… - Who created the tradition of the Christmas manger? - Who is the father of modern genetics? - Who developed hospitals to continue the healing work of Christ? - That the greatest dramatist of all time was Catholic? And more! Professor Esolen’s captivating style is as entertaining as it is eye-opening. A great book to affirm that God guides his Church!
This inspiring book unveils the incomparable history of the Catholics of Ireland, who clung valiantly to the Faith for hundreds of years through some of the worst persecutions ever inflicted on a people. Their unrelenting love of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a clarion call for us in these times when attendance at Holy Mass has waned and the desacralization of the liturgy advances.
From the golden hour in which St. Patrick, as bishop, said his first Mass on Irish soil down to the coming of the Normans, love of the Blessed Eucharist was one of the dominant characteristics of the Irish race. Even during the Protestant Reformation, with its monastery closures, confiscation of Church treasures, and universally hostile treatment of Catholics, King Henry VIII nevertheless left one thing untouched -- the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But the attacks would soon begin.
You will be astonished by the assaults on the Mass during Queen Elizabeth's "reign of terror," which resulted in the martyrdom of more than two hundred Irish Catholics -- many killed in the sanctuary! James I continued the rule of terror, which was brought to new depths of cruelty by the ruthless Oliver Cromwell.
In these pages, Fr. Augustine Hayden reveals a myriad of shocking details that are highly relevant to our time, including:
What the Council of Regency did to Protestantize the Mass (Has history repeated itself?)
"The Mass was the focus of the enemy's hatred," wrote Fr. Augustine, "and it was also the magnet of the people's devotion. Masses infinite in churches, Masses in houses, Masses in every corner -- these were the 'crimes' with which the people of this country were charged."
You will see why the heroic Catholics of Ireland believed that the Holy Mass and the Real Presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament are worth cherishing -- even unto death. Amid war, starvation, and relentless cruelty, our Eucharistic King gave the Irish the graces they needed to remain steadfast and become a bastion of devotion for the world.
"Clear, profound and practical--you do not want to miss this book."--Dr. Scott Hahn, author of The Lamb's Supper and The Fourth Cup Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist shines fresh light on the Last Supper by looking at it through Jewish eyes. Using his in-depth knowledge of the Bible and ancient Judaism, Dr. Brant Pitre answers questions such as: What was the Passover like at the time of Jesus? What were the Jewish hopes for the Messiah? What was Jesus' purpose in instituting the Eucharist during the feast of Passover? And, most important of all, what did Jesus mean when he said, "This is my body... This is my blood"? To answer these questions, Pitre explores ancient Jewish beliefs about the Passover of the Messiah, the miraculous Manna from heaven, and the mysterious Bread of the Presence. As he shows, these three keys--the Passover, the Manna, and the Bread of the Presence--have the power to unlock the original meaning of the Eucharistic words of Jesus. Along the way, Pitre also explains how Jesus united the Last Supper to his death on Good Friday and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Inspiring and informative, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist is a groundbreaking work that is sure to illuminate one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith: the mystery of Jesus' presence in "the breaking of the bread."
“The Liturgy in Stained Glass” is a book of thanksgiving, with its publication in 2025 marking the 100th anniversary of “abbey status” for the Canonry of St. Norbert Abbey. This insightful hardcover book – produced over multiple years under the direction of Fr. Stephen Rossey, O. Praem. – reveals the beauty of our abbey’s impactful, artistic stained-glass windows as they bring Norbertines and friends of the abbey closer to God. The windows let light shine through, revealing beauty, color and the elements of the liturgy. In the light of faith, one can experience a deepening of the spiritual life. “The Liturgy in Stained Glass” is 133 pages and measures 13 1/4″ tall by 9 1/4″ wide. We hope you enjoy immersing yourself in the beauty of St. Norbert Abbey’s stained-glass windows.
Prolific historian Roberto de Mattei unfurls the sail to help you navigate in tumultuous times through the stormy waters of worldly events, intellectual movements, apostasies, moral decay, divisions, and persecutions. In these reflections, de Mattei steers you on a voyage from the earliest centuries to the French Revolution, charting the course with fascinating historical details and true stories about key political figures and saints, masterfully relating them to our situation now.
In these stirring pages, you will learn:
- Who the real dissidents are -- past and present
- The witness of the early Christians and ways we can learn from them today
- The twin pillars of victory according to the vision of St. John Bosco
- The path to authentic reform and the heroic example of the saints throughout the ages
- How the Church rose above the waves amid crises, including schisms and revolutions
Despite the changing tides and pounding waves, you will discover ways the Church weathered storms with Scripture and Tradition as her compasses. You will behold how, in moments of gloom, when all seemed lost, the valor of Catholic heroes restored calm and announced the morning dawn.
Murder, a true crime scene, controversies, leading scientists' investigations, and a startling NASA study. "An incredibly detailed image of the man on the Shroud shocks the world and befuddles believer and skeptic alike. How to explain such a phenomenon?" writes Robert Orlando, award-winning writer, filmmaker, and director.
When Orlando was first approached about making a documentary about the Shroud of Turin, he was skeptical of the project--and the Shroud itself. Then he came across conflicting opinions in history and science. This, along with his desire to learn more about the life of Jesus and make sense about the final things, led him to investigate "a new crime scene." This book was inspired by his new documentary with the same title.
"The murder of Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter from a small town outside Jerusalem, became the most historically debated crime scene in all recorded history," Orlando explains. "Not only do people debate the historicity of the event, but unlike most other crime scenes, there's a religious element. The murder of this simple carpenter somehow launches the largest, most widespread religion of modern times."
Through his scholarly research and his detective work, Orlando fascinatingly connects historical, archaeological, scientific, art, and theological research to unveil:
Also included is a timeline of the Shroud's history and an introduction to the key witnesses of Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection. While retelling the story of Christ through the lens of ancient customs and traditions, Orlando breaks open the mysterious discovery of the Shroud.
In these gripping pages, Orlando lays out numerous opinions and fact-based arguments, and systematically separates fact from fiction. He raises the question: Is the Shroud the connection between faith and science? If the Shroud really is the burial cloth of Jesus, it is the key to unlocking the world's greatest mystery and shedding light in an age of disbelief. In the words of Orlando, "The death of Jesus is the most consequential death in human history."
A leading Catholic intellectual explains why the teachings of the Second Vatican Council are essential to the Church's future--and the world's
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) was the most important Catholic event in the past five hundred years. Yet sixty years after its opening on October 11, 1962, its meaning remains sharply contested and its promise unfulfilled.
In To Sanctify the World, George Weigel explains the necessity of Vatican II and explores the continuing relevance of its teaching in a world seeking a deeper experience of freedom than personal willfulness. The Council's texts are also a critical resource for the Catholic Church as it lives out its original, Christ-centered evangelical purpose.
Written with insight and verve, To Sanctify the World recovers the true meaning of Vatican II as the template for a Catholicism that can propose a path toward genuine human dignity and social solidarity.