The Final Conclave by Malachi Martin

About the book: The shroud of secrecy that has surrounded the Church of Rome has mystified and troubled millions of Catholics as well as Protestants and Jews. This book reveals how influential members of that Church are now ready to make their accommodation with a future under communism. The price of the Church's survival, they believe, must be a radical departure from Western institutions and the way of life we have all known. Opposed to them are other important officials who plead for a restoration of the Church to its proper role. The final decision taken by all these men who speak for one quarter of the world's population is made in the course of Conclave 82, a special meeting after the death of Paul VI at which the next Pope is elected. From the beginning of the Seventies, many of the Cardinals have been electioneering. Very quickly, in The Final Conclave (1978), Malachi Martin takes us behind the scenes to witness the forbidden manoeuvring for Peter's crown and its worldly power. We learn why the sweeping changes of Paul VI, made - he was convinced - to assure the very survival of the Church, have pushed the Cardinals to one of the most critical decisions in our history.

We watch the deal-makers, the holy men, the politicking, and the cynical alliances as the various factions attempt to gain control. All of the Cardinals are confronted by the accumulated corruption of more than a millenium: the Church as businessman, as a multi-national conglomerate involved in ownership and management of property, as power-broker dealing in countries, continents, and human liberty.

In the heart of this book, Malachi Martin creates what may long be thought of as one of the truly great tours de force of literature: the scenario of Conclave 82. The reader will know more about the complete process from having experienced it in this book than many a Cardinal-Elector, including how illegal secret communications with the outside world are maintained. In a dramatic crescendo, we witness a climax more moving than any play can ever be because we know it involves the future lives of nations, including our own. 

When Luther pinned his message to the door, the result was an unstoppable revolution. With this book, Dr Martin, a former Jesuit whose laicization was granted by Pope Paul, may be said to have pinned his message to the door of St Peter's. As always, there will be some who will call The Final Conclave an act of treason: if so, the Declaration of Independence was an act of treason. This is a book in a grand tradition, a speculation that fairly, realistically, and movingly introduces us to the possibility of a future most of humanity would hope to avoid.

About the author: The Christian Science Monitor has called Malachi Martin "one of the most challenging writers in English" during his time. Malachi Brendan Martin (1921-1999), also known under the pseudonym of Michael Serafian, was an Irish-born American Traditionalist Catholic priest, biblical archaeologist, exorcist, palaeographer, professor, and prolific writer on the Roman Catholic Church. He was trained in Theology at Louvain. There, he received his doctorate in Semitic Languages, Archaeology and Oriental History. He subsequently studied at Oxford and at the Hebrew University, concentrating on knowledge of Jesus as transmitted in Jewish and Islamic sources. From 1958 to 1964, he served in Rome, where he was a close associate of Cardinal Augustine Bea and of Pope John XXIII. He is the author of the national best-sellers Vatican, The Final Conclave, and Hostage to the Devil. His extraordinarily broad-based appeal offers eloquent testimony to the breadth of his abilities. 

The Prosecutor by Jack Fairweather

About the book: The Prosecutor (2025) is the new book from the bestselling, Costa prize-winner of The Volunteer. 

The Prosecutor is the true story of a Jewish lawyer who returned to Germany after WWII to prosecute war crimes, only to find himself pitted against a nation determined to bury the past.

At the end of the Nuremberg trial in 1946, some of the greatest war criminals in history were sentenced to death, but hundreds of thousands of Nazi murderers and collaborators remained at large. The Allies were ready to overlook their pasts as the Cold War began, and the horrors of the Holocaust were in danger of being forgotten.

In The Prosecutor, Jack Fairweather brings to life the remarkable story of Fritz Bauer, a gay German Jew who survived the Nazis and made it his mission to force his countrymen to confront their complicity in the genocide. In this deeply researched book, Fairweather draws on unpublished family papers, newly declassified German records, and exclusive interviews to immerse readers in the dark, unfamiliar world of postwar West Germany where those who implemented genocide run the country, the CIA is funding Hitler’s former spy-ring in the east, and Nazi-era anti-gay laws are strictly enforced. But once Bauer lands on the trail of Adolf Eichmann, he won’t be intimidated. His journey takes him deep into the rotten heart of West Germany, where his fight for justice will set him against his own government and a network of former Nazis and spies determined to silence him.

In a time when the history of the Holocaust is taken for granted, The Prosecutor reveals the courtroom battles that were fought to establish its legacy and the personal cost of speaking out. The result is a searing portrait of a nation emerging from the ruins of fascism and one man’s courage in forcing his people - and the world - to face the truth.

About the author: Jack Fairweather is an award-winning and bestselling British writer and journalist. His last book The Volunteer won the Costa Book Prize and was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller, hailed as a modern classic and compared to Schindler’s List. He splits his time between the UK and Vermont.

Confession

About the booklet: Deepen your love and appreciation for this beautiful sacrament with our brand new booklet on Confession!

Newly available from Angelus Press, this comprehensive book - Confession (2012, Second Printing 2024) - will help Catholics understand and prepare for the great sacrament of Penance. 

Too many Catholics simply don't spend time thinking or learning about Confession, or else, they don't spend enough time in the right way to truly prepare for it. 

This simple booklet will change that. Contains:

1) A Catechism of the Sacrament of Penance

2) A Short Examination of Conscience

3) Examination of Conscience for Adults

The last section is actually a month-by-month examination to help adults work on a specific virtue and root out a specific vice for each month of the year. It is sure to help you focus your efforts at spiritual growth!

Behind The Banyan: Ho Kwon Ping On Building A Global Brand by Aaron Low

About the book: While searching for a new holiday home at the age of 32, Ho Kwon Ping chanced upon an unexpected find during his walk along a beach at Bang Tao Bay on the island of Phuket. He fortuitously stumbled on a piece of land that was pockmarked with craters, desecrated by decades of tin mining.

Unlike most who would only see despair, he saw business potential. And so began the remarkable story of the Banyan Tree Holdings, one of the most iconic hospitality groups in the world.

In Behind the Banyan (2024), the company's founder and executive chairman peels back the layers of the company's successes and failures. Kwon Ping shares how he and his co-founders built a company from nearly nothing. From constructing a resort in the mountains of Lijiang in China to rebuilding his properties in Phuket after the 2004 tsunami, he opens on the highs and lows over the course of his extraordinary 30-year entrepreneurial journey.

In so doing, Kwon Ping delivers powerful insights in how to deal with technological disruptions, build a positive company culture, and handle succession in Asian family businesses.

A must-read for all aspiring entrepreneurs, business students, resort and spa lovers, Behind the Banyan teases and teaches important business lessons while delivering an emotional punch through masterful storytelling.

About the author: Aaron Low is an award-winning journalist and author. Formerly the Deputy Business Editor at The Straits Times, he has covered some of the biggest business stories in Singapore. He is the author of Wind Behind the Sails: The Story of the People and Ethos of OCBC and one of the writers behind the best-selling The Last Fools: The Eight Immortals of Lee Kuan Yew. He is also a founding partner of content and communications agency The Nutgraf.

The Collected Works Of St John Of The Cross translated by Kieran Kavanaugh OCD and Otilio Rodriguez OCD

About the book: The Collected Works of St John of the Cross (1979 (originally published), 1991 (revised edition), 2017) includes The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night, The Spiritual Canticle, The Living Flame of Love, Letters, and The Minor Works (extant letters and other counsels).

This revised edition of The Collected Works of St John of the Cross was produced to mark the fourth centenary of the death of St John of the Cross (1542–1591). 

The result is an English translation of his writings that preserves the authentic meaning of the great mystic’s writings, presents them as clearly as possible, and at the same time gives the reader the doctrinal and historical information that will lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the teachings of the Mystical Doctor.

Complementing St John’s writings are a comprehensive General Introduction for the entire work, as well as brief, enlightening introductions for each specific work, explaining theme and structure. These are enhanced by new and expanded footnotes, a glossary of terms, and general and scriptural indices.

About the translators: Father Kieran Kavanaugh, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, made his profession as a Discalced Carmelite in 1947. He has held several important positions within the order, including prior, formation director, and provincial councilor. A founding member of the Institute of Carmelite Studies, he subsequently served as its chair, as well as publisher of ICS Publications.

Father Kieran’s major contributions in the field of Carmelite studies are his translations from the Spanish of the works of St Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross, in collaboration with Father Otilio Rodriguez. He also was the English translator of God Speaks in the Night: The Life, Times and Teaching of St John of the Cross, a pictorial biography of St John of the Cross commemorating the 400th anniversary of his death, published in several languages. In addition to translations, Father Kieran is also the author of two ICS Publications’ study editions of the works of St Teresa, and has written several other books on St Teresa and St John of the Cross. Father Kieran has lectured and written widely on the teaching of both of these Carmelite saints. He is a member of the Discalced Carmelite community in Washington, DC.

Father Otilio Rodriguez was born in Mantinos, Palencia, Spain, and was a Carmelite for more than fifty years. He was provincial of the Burgos province several times and also served as rector of the Discalced Carmelites’ international pontifical theological faculty, the Teresianum, in Rome. Father Otilio was one of the founders of the Institutum Historicum Teresianum and was a member of the Institute of Carmelite Studies. Both internationally and throughout the United States, he gave retreats and lectures on Carmelite history and spirituality and wrote extensively on Carmelite subjects. Father Otilio died in Rome in 1994.

My Confrontation With Hell by Msgr Stephen J Rossetti

About the book: A chilling and deeply personal journey into the unseen battle between good and evil, My Confrontation with Hell - Real Demonic Encounters of an Exorcist (2025), unveils the harrowing reality of demonic possession and the relentless fight to overcome it. 

Drawing from his firsthand experiences as an exorcist, Monsignor Stephen Rossetti delivers a gripping and unflinching account of real-life encounters with the forces of darkness - cases where malevolent entities sought to destroy, and only the power of faith and the divine stood in their way.

Through riveting narratives and detailed case studies, Rossetti takes readers into the heart of spiritual warfare, where the struggle against evil is both terrifying and transformative. With meticulous insight, he exposes the tactics of the demonic and the unwavering strength required to resist them.

In a powerful and unique addition to the book, Rossetti shares the first hand testimonies of three individuals who endured the torment of Satan himself. Their courageous stories offer an intimate look at the darkness of demonic affliction, the excruciating struggle to break free, and the ultimate triumph of hope and renewal.

Raw, revelatory, and deeply moving, My Confrontation with Hell is more than a book - it is a testament to the enduring power of faith in the face of unimaginable evil.

My Confrontation with Hell is dedicated to St Michael the Archangel and the Powers of Heaven, our faithful companions in the battle against Evil.

About the author: Msgr Stephen J Rossetti, a priest of the Diocese of Syracuse, is an expert on priestly spirituality and wellness issues. He is a Catholic author, speaker, psychologist, and educator. He served for many years at Saint Luke Institute in Maryland, rising to president and CEO. A distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Rossetti earned a doctorate in psychology from Boston College and a doctor of ministry degree from the Catholic University of America. Rossetti is the author or editor of twelve books, including Born of the Eucharist, When the Lions Roars, The Joy of Priesthood - recipient of a Catholic Press Association book award - and the best seller - Diary of an American Exorcist. 

He serves as research associate professor of pastoral studies at the Catholic University and is president and founder of St Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal. Rossetti received a Proclaim Award from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as a lifetime service award from the Theological College of the Catholic University of America. In 2010, he earned the Touchstone Award from the National Federation of Priests' Councils for a lifetime of work with priests. In 2013, Rossetti received the Pope John Paul II Seminary Leadership Award from National Catholic Educational Association for distinguished service in priestly formation and was awarded a doctor of divinity degree, honoris causa, from St Mary's Seminary and University. 

He has been the chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of Washington for 18 years and continues with an active caseload of exorcism and deliverance sessions, and assisting in training new exorcists.

Among Friends by Hal Ebbott

About the book: It is an autumn weekend at a comfortable New York country house where two deeply intertwined families have gathered to mark the host’s fifty-second birthday.

Together, the group forms an enviable portrait of middle age. The wives and husbands have been friends for over thirty years, their teenage daughters have grown up together, and the dinners, games, and rituals forming their days all reflect the rich bonds between them.

This weekend, however, something is different. An unforeseen curdling of envy and resentment will erupt in an unspeakable act, the aftermath of which exposes treacherous fault lines upon which they have long dwelt.

Written with hypnotic elegance and molten precision, and announcing the arrival of a major literary talent, Hal Ebbott’s Among Friends (2025) examines betrayal within the sanctuary of a defining relationship, as well as themes of class, marriage, friendship, power, and the things we tell ourselves to preserve our finely made worlds.

About the author: Hal Ebbott is a writer living in New York. Among Friends is his first novel.

Rating: 5/5

I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

About the book: I Am Rome (2024) is the runaway international bestseller - part-sweeping historical epic, part-legal thriller - following the trial that shaped the life of the young Julius Caesar and gave root to an immortal legacy.

Every legend has a beginning.

Rome, 77 BC. Senator Dolabella, known for using violence against anyone who opposes him, is going on trial for corruption and has already hired the best lawyers and even bought the jury. No man dares accept the role of prosecutor until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of Rome, and defy the power of the elite class. 

This lawyer's name is Caius Julius Caesar.

Masterfully combining exhaustive historical rigour with extraordinary narrative skills, Santiago Posteguillo shows us the man behind the myth of Caesar as never before, taking us to the dangerous streets of Rome where the Senate's henchmen lurk on every corner, submerging us in the thick of battle, and letting us live the great love story of Julius Caesar and his wife, Cornelia.

After Julius Caesar, the world was never the same. 

I Am Rome tells the tale of the early events that shaped this extraordinary man's fate and changed the course of history itself. It was originally published in Spanish in 2022 and the first in a planned series of six novels about Julius Caesar. The novel had sold more than 300,000 copies in Spain by the time the sequel Maldita Roma was published in 2023. It is translated from the Spanish (Roma soy yo. La verdadera historia de Julio César) by Frances Riddle. 

About the author: Santiago Posteguillo is the bestselling author of historical novels in the Spanish language, with more than 4 million readers. His numerous novels set in the ancient world include the Planeta Prize–winning I, Julia (about Rome’s most powerful empress) and his Scipio Africanus trilogy. He combines his writing with his work as a tenured professor of English language and literature at the Jaume I University in Castellón. Posteguillo holds a doctorate from the University of Valencia and has studied literature, linguistics, and translation at various universities in the United States and the United Kingdom.

About the translator: Frances Riddle has translated numerous Spanish-language authors including Isabel Allende, Claudia Piñeiro, Leila Guerriero, and Sara Gallardo. Her translation of Claudia Pineiro's Elena Knows was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, and her translation of Andrea Jeftanovic's Theatre of War won a PEN Award. Originally from Houston, Texas, she lives in Buenos Aires.

Rating: 5/5

The Cook Of Castamar by Fernando J Múñez

About the book: She is the daughter of a disgraced physician, forced to work in the kitchen of a great eighteenth-century Spanish house, hiding her intense agoraphobia from everyone.

He is the Duke of Castamar, one of the most powerful men in the aristocracy. He is also sunk in terrible grief after the death of his young wife in a riding accident.

When Clara arrives at Castamar, she is shocked at the state of the kitchen. Unlike most educated girls of the time, she is a gifted cook, and when the annual party in memory of the duke's wife comes around, Clara gets the chance to contribute to the menu.

Soon both Clara and her exquisite food have caught the attention of the duke – and aroused dangerous jealousies both above and below stairs.

The Cook of Castamar (2024) is an epic story of swirling conspiracies, risky secrets and scandalous affairs, set against the sumptuous backdrop of eighteenth century Spain. It is translated from the Spanish by Rahul Bery and Tim Gutteridge. 

About the author: Fernando J Múñez was born in Madrid in 1972 and developed a taste for writing from a very young age. He started work on his first novel at the age of 14 and his first film scripts at 18. After graduating with a degree in philosophy, he started his career as an advertising producer whilst directing his first short films and completed his training in cinematography in the United States. Since then he has published more than fifty books for children and young adults. In 2012, he directed the short film 'Las Nornas' ('The Norns') which was shown at the Alicante festival and the Semenci de Valladolid.

About the translators: Rahul Bery is a Secondary school teacher and translator from Portuguese and Spanish into English. He is based in Cardiff.

Tim Gutteridge is a creative translator based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He translates literary fiction and nonfiction, theatre, and texts for the Spanish audiovisual and publishing sectors. His translations include The Hand That Feeds You by Mercedes Rosende (Bitter Lemon), The Cook of Castamar by Fernando Muñez (Head of Zeus), The Mountain That Eats Men by Ander Izagirre (Zed Books), and The Swallow by Guillem Clua (Cervantes Theatre, London). He has also translated more than 20 samples funded by Acción Cultural España as part of the ongoing Spain Frankfurt 2022 initiative.

Rating: 5/5

The Apostle Saint James: Life, Death And Burial by José Fernández Lago

About the book: The Apostle Saint James: Life, Death And Burial (2019, 7th Edition, revised and extended) is both a Novena to Saint James the Greater and a Jubilee and Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

About the author: José Fernández Lago is a Canon of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters of the monastery of San Pelayo. He has been titular teacher of the New Testament at the Compostelano Theological Institute and Director of that Institute. He was awarded his Licentiate in Holy Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and his Doctorate in Theology at the Gregorian Pontifical University of Rome. He is 'eleve titulaire' (titular scholar) of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem. Author of several books, he is an active member of the Catholic Biblical Association of America and also, of the Spanish Biblical Association. 

Before The Camino: Your Pocket Guide to Prepare Your Body and Mind for the Camino de Santiago by Karen Kiser

About the booklet: If the Camino de Santiago has come into your awareness, it is because it is meant for you.

Perhaps you know someone who has walked the Camino and they cannot stop talking about it. Maybe the Camino is on your list of things you might do someday. Whether you are new to the Camino or have already booked your flight to Spain, Before the Camino (2025) will help you start off on the right foot and make the most of your pilgrimage.

But first, a warning. This is not your typical travel guide or Camino book.

It does not cover logistics or weather. You also won’t find recommendations on where to stay or what to eat. That is better discovered on the Camino itself. This guide isn’t a summary of other people’s experiences either.

Instead, Before the Camino offers a unique take on preparing, packing, and planning you won’t find in other guidebooks. It is for those who want more than just a holiday.

Sure, you could plan your camino like any other vacation trip, with every detail mapped out in advance. But the Camino can be so much more than a holiday. Before the Camino offers a roadmap for a pilgrimage, one of adventure, self-discovery, and transformation.

Before the Camino goes beyond logistics to explore the essence of a pilgrimage. Inside these pages, you will still get tips on how to train, what to pack, pilgrim etiquette, and Camino traditions. But you will also get so much more – the tools to prepare physically and mentally for the journey of a lifetime.

Whether you start in Spain, Portugal, France, or elsewhere, Before the Camino is the perfect guide for experiencing the pilgrim way.

Before the Camino is book # 1 in a series of pocket guides for the Camino. Book # 2, Your Inner Camino, is designed to be taken with you as you walk or bike the Camino. Book # 3, After the Camino, shows you how to integrate the Camino experience into your daily life at home. Paperback editions are available from the Camino Chronicles Press website.

About the author: Karin Kiser has been on and off the Camino de Santiago since 2011 - as a pilgrim, hospitalera, Pilgrim Office volunteer, and guide for small groups. She is the founder of Radical Simplicity and the author of 10 books, including Unplug Your Robot and the international bestseller Lighten Your Load. Part of the proceeds from her three Camino books goes toward keeping the Camino de Santiago clean. When not on the West Coast, she can be found walking, writing, volunteering or leading cleanup efforts along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes. Learn more about her work at www.KarinKiser.com and www.CaminoChroniclesPress.com.

Pope Leo XVI by Jesús Colina

About the book: "Peace be with all of you!" -- Pope Leo XIV, May 8, 2025

Pope Leo XIV (2025) is the first and most comprehensive introduction to the 267th occupant of the Chair of Saint Peter and the global challenges he faces as he succeeds Pope Francis as Bishop of Rome.

This book is the culmination of years of research and planning from sources in multiple languages and countries, and it includes:

- A complete biography of the first pope from the United States, including his family history, his work as an Augustinian priest, and his time later as a bishop and cardinal

- An investigation across diverse sources that reveals the ten issues closest to the heart of Robert Francis Prevost

- The challenges and signs of hope facing Pope Leo XIV

- A global report on the state of the Catholic Church

- The election of Leo XIV is one of the most surprising historical events in the recent history of the Catholic Church. 

Through this book, Catholics and all people of good will understand why he was chosen Bishop of Rome.

About the author: Jesús Colina has been a Vatican correspondent for international media since 1991. Born in Miranda de Ebro, Spain, he is the founder and former director of the international news agency Zenit and served as content director for RIIAL, the Church's IT network in Latin America. He was the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Aleteia.org, a global Catholic network. Appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Colina served as CEO of IMedia, the French-language news agency specializing in Vatican affairs, from 2018 to 2023. He holds an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and has received numerous awards, including the "Path to Peace" Foundation's "Servant of Peace" prize at the United Nations in New York and the "¡Bravo!" award from the Spanish Bishops' Conference.

I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself On The Camino de Santiago by Hape Kerkeling

About the book: I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself On The Camino de Santiago has sold more than three million copies in Germany and has been translated into eleven languages. The number of pilgrims along the Camino has increased by 20 percent since the book was published in 2006 and published into English in 2009. Hape Kerkeling's spiritual journey has struck a chord! 

Overweight, overworked, and physically unfit, Kerkeling was an unlikely candidate to make the arduous hike across the French Alps to the Spanish Shrine of St James, a 1,200-year-old journey undertaken by nearly 100,000 Christians every year. But that did not stop him from getting off the couch and walking. Along the way, lonely and searching for meaning, he began the journal that turned into this utterly frank, engaging book. Simply by struggling with his physical limitations and the rigours of long-distance walking, he discovered a deep sense of peace that transformed his life and allowed him to forgive himself, and others, more readily. He learned something every day, and he took to finishing each entry with his daily lessons.

Filled with quirky fellow pilgrims, historic landscapes, and Kerkeling’s self-deprecating sense of humour, I’m Off Then is an inspiring travelogue, a publishing phenomenon, and a spiritual journey unlike any other.

About the author: Hape Kerkeling, one of Europe’s most popular comedic entertainers, is the winner of the Karl Valentin Prize for Humour, the Chatwin Award for Best Travel Book of the Year, and numerous other prizes. I'm Off Then, his first book, has become a bestselling sensation in Germany. He lives in Berlin. 

About the translator: Shelley Frisch is an award-winning translator of numerous books from German, including biographies of Nietzsche, Einstein, and Kafka. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey and  holds a doctorate in German literature from Princeton University.

The Secret Of Confession: Including The Wonders Of Confession by Fr Paul O'Sullivan, EDM OP, STL

About the booklet: The Secret Of Confession: Including The Wonders Of Confession (1936) is probably the most intriguing and consoling book ever written about the Sacrament of Confession.

The beloved Fr Paul O'Sullivan - author of All About the Angels, How to Be Happy - How to be Holy, Read Me or Rue It, and many other extremely popular books and booklets - brings forth in this little gem a host of true stories about Confession, plus quotations on Confession from Holy Scripture and from the Saints of the early Church.

Many of his anecdotes involve non-Catholics, showing how Confession has won the admiration even of Protestants. He combines all these elements to prove that Confession comes from Our Lord Himself, that it gives renewed courage and youthfulness of spirit to the heart and soul, and that by means of weekly Confession any sin can be conquered! 

Fr O'Sullivan also gives sound Catholic counsel to mothers and fathers about encouraging frequent Confession for their children as a means of protecting them from grave dangers against purity.

The Secret of Confession shows that God has given a very practical and workable remedy for every ill that ails the human soul - a divine remedy equally capable of dissolving the hardened indifference of repeated mortal sin and of healing the "lesser" faults of little children. 

This book reveals one of the truly great "secrets" of the Catholic Faith. It describes with great warmth and love the Sacrament of Confession - that spiritual tonic whereby God both raises up great and heroic saints and also leads countless "ordinary" Catholics to a remarkable purity of heart in this life and to the eternal reward of Heaven in the next.

 

About the author: About the author:  Father Paul Henry O'Sullivan, O.P., S.T.L., P.G., E.D.M., was born in Tralee, Ireland in 1871 and died in Lisbon, Portugal in 1958.  At the age of 16, he entered the Dominican Novitiate and, then, he went on to Rome to complete his priestly studies and be ordained.  He was sent to Lisbon for a period of convalescence.  The moment he set foot on the soil of Portugal, his health improved and he undertook an apostolate, the likes of which is rarely the part of a single priest’s accomplishment.

It was a dreadful time.  In 16 years, there had been over 40 administrations and twenty revolutions. Father Paul grieved over these tragic happenings.  He befriended the rich and the poor.  When he spoke to the faithful, he referred with deep feeling to their outstanding devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Father O’Sullivan peered through the darkness that surrounded the Nation and beholding the glories of its religious past, he was fired up by apostolic zeal to devote his life and all his energies to the work of restoring the Faith in Portugal.  All through his publishing career, he used the initials E.D.M. or Enfant de Marie, Child of Mary!  What more glorious title can there be!

Catechism classes were organized on a larger scale than usual, conferences and retreats were multiplied.  In 1922, he established a Catholic Press and began to publish Catholic magazines, books, pamphlets and instruction.  The output was enormous.  Through the years, he wrote on nearly every subject, The Wonders of the Holy Name, How to be Happy - How to be Holy, The Life of St. Philomena, All About the Angels, The Secret of Confession, How to Avoid Purgatory, An Easy Way to Become a Saint, and many more.

With the death of Father Paul O'Sullivan, there has passed away an outstanding Irish Dominican whose fame has spread far beyond the shores of his beloved Portugal, where he laboured in the vineyard of the Lord for sixty-three years.  His wish to die on a feast of our Lady had been granted to him, for it was on the feast of the Presentation that our Lady came to present him to her Divine Son.