Books published by Mediatrix Press

The Catechism Explained by Spirago, was meant to fill the gap in Catechisms that explain and deepen the propositions of Catholic doctrine, rather than giving dry and rote memorization that by itself does little. The sequel goes to the next level. The Catechism Explained by Stories and Examples, is a collection of stories, histories, lives of the saints, and anecdotes illustrating the lessons of each point of Catechetical teaching. From the preface:"The great value of examples and illustrations in teaching children and the uneducated is universally acknowledged. The Romans used to say: Verba movent, exempla trahent (Words influence, examples attract). The reason of this is that examples stimulate the imitative instinct, which is strong in most people, especially in the young; consequently they are a powerful factor in education. In imparting instruction, also, examples are of no slight assistance, for they serve to elucidate the teaching, to render the lesson interesting and attractive, and keep the attention of the scholar from wandering. The teacher need only say: Now, children, I am going to tell you a story, and all eyes are forthwith fixed on him."Spirago's wonderful volume of Catechetical Stories has been arranged around the question and answer format of the Baltimore Catechism. This new addition has been supplemented by lives of the saints and historical anecdotes.

In this Theological treatise St. Robert Bellarmine takes on Protestant as well as Greek Orthodox objections to the Papacy in five books.In the first, he argues that Christ established the Primacy of Peter by means of an Ecclesiastical Monarchy, which takes up subjects as diverse as: What is the best form of government? Why it is fitting that the Church's government should be a monarchy; Exegetical Commentary on the Lord's words in Matthew 16 and John 21, along with copious Patristic testimony.In Book 2 is whether Peter has successors in the Ecclesiastical Monarchy, wherein Bellarmine defends the Church's position on the true history of Peter; that Peter truly went to Rome; that Peter was truly a Bishop there; that upon his death he was succeeded by men in the Ecclesiastical monarchy, as well as its proof from the Fathers, then through all the refutations, Bellarmine asks what would happen if the Pope were a heretic.In book 3, Bellarmine shows the many contradictions and faulty reasoning used by the first Protestants in arguing that the Pope is Antichrist while also giving exposition to the authentic understanding of the passages of Scripture that speak of Antichrist. After presenting the testimony of Scripture and the Fathers on the signs that must precede Antichrist, Bellarmine shows how none of this agrees with the Roman Pontiff. He also refutes the fable of "Pope Joan".In book 4, Bellarmine argues why the Pope is infallible when he defines a doctrine on faith and morals and proceeds to defend Popes whom Protestants and others argued had erred while defining faith. He continues to a discussion of law, and why it is not contrary to the Gospel for the Pope (or a Bishop over his diocese), to make laws that bind the faithful, refuting the teaching of John Calvin.In book 5, Bellarmine takes up the question of the Popes' power in civil affairs. Protestants had argued that the Pope tyrannously usurped the rights of sovereigns and that they meant to rule the world directly in civil affairs, while some canonists overly attached to a more medieval view were of a similar persuasion on the positive side. He then proceeds to demonstrate that the Pope's temporal power is indirect and that he can intervene for the sake of the faith when excommunicating sovereigns, but not for political reasons. The protestants argued that a Bishop could not be a temporal prince and Bishop at the same time, which Bellarmine soundly refutes from Scripture and Tradition.This first ever English translation also has many historical notes on terms, persons, Greek and Latin syntax and other things to aid the reader. The value of the work is not merely apologetic-Bellarmine's treatise also laid down insights into Catholic teaching that were foundational not only for later Theologians but even for Vatican I.

In the De Controversiis, St. Robert Bellarmine defends the doctrines and teaching of the Church against all comers, starting from Scripture, the Church Fathers and also reason. His work was widely read and commented on by both Catholics and Protestants and quickly became one of the standard texts in Catholic theology for centuries.In On Purgatory, Bellarmine defends what is one of the more difficult doctrines to understand in his characteristic style beginning with Scripture and the Fathers, stopping at every step of the way to answer the objections of all the major Protestants of his day, not only Luther and Calvin, but also those less known to us such as Brenz and Peter Martyr. Dividing his work into two books, Bellarmine shows that there is such a place as Purgatory by copious exegesis on Old and New Testament passages, and the clear consensus of the Church Fathers who witness the fact that prayer was made for the dead in the early Church.Then, in book 2, he examines questions about the specifics of Purgatory, what souls there suffer, where it is located, how the faithful can assist the souls of Purgatory, and other questions.This treatise, translated into English for the first time, is the best and most in depth treatise on this subject available, and is just as relevant today as when it was first penned.

<p>St. Robert Bellarmine''s work in defense of the saints, their place in heaven, their canonization and veneration, etc., ranks like all of his works among the classical works of Catholic Theology.</p><p>In this work, Bellarmine meets the attack of Protestantism against Catholic teaching on the saints, firstly on their own ground with sound Scriptural Exegesis, backed up by the witness of the Greek and Latin Church.</p>The great counter-reformation doctor begins the work with a treatise on whether the souls of the saints receive a particular judgment and go to heaven or await for the end of time suspended as it were in some hidden place; then what canonization is, who performs it and what is its authority; then lastly, whether the saints may be venerated and invoked, defended according to Scripture and the Fathers of the Church.</p>

<p>In the 16th century, the chief doctrine of the Protestant reformers was that the Pope was the Antichrist. Thus St. Robert Bellarmine, the greatest controversial author of the Reformation period, turned his pen to answering the challenge which resulted in a complete demolition of their position. Bellarmine''s argumentation begins first with Scripture, then with the Fathers of the Church, then with appeals to reason and the later Theologians. He first shows that the Protestant explication does not match up to the texts of Scripture that treat on the Antichrist, then he shows that the Pope cannot be Antichrist since Antichrist has not yet come, giving proofs from the Old and New Testaments and then the Fathers, along with the contradictions of the Protestants themselves. He continues with a discussion of 666, the mark of Antichrist and many other things that not only defend the Church, but also show the positive teaching of the Church Fathers and the Tradition in regard to Antichrist.</p><p>"I am delighted that the eschatological mission of the Holy Fathers Enoch and Elias, so well testified to in Sacred Tradition, but virtually forgotten in our day and age, will become more widely known. We owe a real debt of gratitude to Ryan Grant for bringing this work to a wider audience. I pray that it receives a very wide reading." -Fr. Philip Wolfe, FSSP"In the history of the writings about the Antichrist, other than the Fathers, the text of St. Robert Bellarmine is of prime importance." -Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD</p><p>"Mr. Grant has once again done the Catholic world a great favor by making available yet another mini-treatise of the great Counter-Reformation Doctor, St. Robert Bellarmine, rightly feared by all the Protestant controversialists as one who shreds every anti-Catholic argument with cogent reasoning and an encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture and Tradition. This translation of the saint''s probing commentary on the identity and work of Antichrist is more pertinent than ever, not only because the Protestant arguments he is dealing with have never entirely disappeared, but also because we are living in an age of exponentially intensifying evil that might well make many Catholics wonder if we are living in the end times. Since Antichrist is the very herald of the end times, it behooves us to study carefully his features and characteristics, as drawn for us by St. Paul and other inspired authors." -Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, Wyoming Catholic College</p><p>Here is a timely book for an age when many are looking around for the Antichrist, often seeing foreshadowings of him here and there. Is he alive? Is he walking the earth? In seeking to answer these questions, many in the past (i.e., various Protestants leaders and writers) have actually aided his coming by becoming Antichrist themselves. To avoid this pitfall, read this excellent book penned by a holy doctor of the Church. -Fr. Sean Kopczynski, MSJB</p>

The Franciscan Way of the Cross is a shorter meditation on the Way of Christ to Calvary. The devotion itself largely goes back to St. Francis, while the prayers and meditations contained here were written in the 16th century and have been used by Franciscans when preaching missions. Newly translated to be as close to the Latin as possible, this way of the Cross will help draw you in to the mystery of Christ's passion. Being in Latin and English, it gives the devotee options as to how he will pray it. In addition, the Seven Joys of Mary, which make up the Franciscan Crown or Seraphic Rosary have also been added, with the mysteries and prayers likewise in both Latin and English. Since the devotion of the Way of the Cross originated with the Franciscans, it is fitting to offer this work to draw the devotee back to the source of this devotion.

We already have so many catechisms, what do we need of another? We indeed have in abundance, catechisms and religious manuals which appeal only to the intellect; books that do not aim at the warmth of expression and the fervent, persuasive eloquence which appeal to the heart, the force and vivifying power which affect the will through the influence of the Holy Spirit.This Catechism aims at cultivating all the three powers of the soul: the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It does not therefore content itself with mere definitions. The idea in it is not to teach men to philosophize about religion, but to make them good Christians who will delight in their faith. Consequently questions of scholastic theology, doctrines debated among theologians, are either omitted altogether or merely receive a passing mention.In this catechism, Fr. Spirago has endeavored to divest religious teaching of the appearance of learning, and to present it in a popular and simple form. Technical terms, in which almost all religious manuals abound, even those intended for children, are carefully eliminated from his pages since, while useful and necessary for seminarians and theologians, they are out of place in a book intended for the laity. Popular manuals of religion ought to be couched in plain and simple language, like that used by Our Lord and the apostles, easy to understand. What we need is something that will touch the heart and influence the will, not merely cram the mind with knowledge.Attention may also be called to the fact that the teaching of the Church is not presented in a dry, abstract form, but is rendered attractive and interesting by illustrations, comparisons, and quotations from well-known writers. It also has many extracts from the writings of the Father which are quoted mainly to elucidate and illustrate, not to prove the truths that are enunciated."The Catechism Explained by Spirago embodies the Catechism of the Council of Trent, yet contains fuller discussions for each point in the language that was developed by the Church, saints and theologians throughout time. Rather than being locked into a specific age or decade, this catechism is an explication of the faith in an almost timeless manner. It is a catechism that any subsequent generation could read and learn the essence of the Catholic faith."-Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD

Every great religious order runs into difficulties, and God provides a saint to redress them. Where would the Benedictines be without St. Maurus, the Franciscans without St. Bonaventure, or the Dominicans without Blessed Jordan? Likewise, where would the Poor Clares be without St. Colette?Colette of Corbie was born in one of the most turbulent times in the Church, the 14th century. She moved within the world of the Western Schism, having interacted with many of the great figures of her day, men as diverse as the anti-Pope Pedro de Luna, Pope Martin V, and St. John Capistrano. She was also active during the close of the Hundred Years' War between France and England and was a contemporary of St. Joan of Arc. But her most enduring legacy is her reform of the Second Order of St. Francis, the Poor Clares.Mother Mary Francis tells the amazing story of this great saint, whose life was filled with miracles, who defeated the devil with humility, prayer and trust in God. She writes Colette’s life with flowing prose that connects her to the great and dramatic events of her time, while at every turn bringing out the work of God in her soul. Saint Colette is a saint to know better, who along with others in laboring in the troubled vineyard of the 15th century, did so much to heal and reform the Church.