Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine [Paperback]

Michael Sheehan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2000

Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine, printed originally as two volumes by M.H. Gill & Son, Dublin, was a classic high school text in several countries for over forty years, and sold well over 450,000 copies. Its outstanding clarity, persuasiveness and comprehensiveness are totally unique. No popular textbook in English published since its last appearance in 1962 has repeated Sheehan's successful presentation of the Faith. This edition retains as much as possible of Sheehan's original whilst including some essential revision of the text. The principle has been to retain the original text as far as possible and to add, change or delete only where necessary. It is fully in conformity with the definitive edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 1997. For years, this book gave to many young Catholics the support and knowledge to sustain them in the Faith for a lifetime. They knew the Catholic religion, and they knew the reasons for it. Both teachers! and students who used it have testified to its lasting impression upon them. We hope that its re-issue will help to restore to today's disinherited younger generation their rightful heritage. The structure and sequence of the argument of Sheehan's Apologetics have a unique clarity and logical force. The exposition of the deposit of faith in Catholic Doctrine is clear and thorough. Objections are faced openly and honestly. Dr Sheehan's whole text breathes a loving confidence in the truth of the Faith founded on Him to Whom all honour and glory is due: Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever. The new edition was launched in the New South Wales Parliament building on 24th July by Archbishop George Pell, the spiritual leader of Australia's Catholics.

"His Grace praised Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine as totally free of much of the muddled thinking in evidence in some quarters in recent years. He praised the quality and reliability of Father Peter Joseph's revision and expansion of the classic text to remove all anachronisms, take account of Conciliar Documents and post-Conciliar Papal teaching and to relate the work to the Catechism. His Grace strongly commended the work. The launch took place before a full house crowd of 150 people in the historic Jubilee Room of the New South Wales Parliament House.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""The Miracle of the Church," is alone worth the cost of the book." -- Dr James McGrotty, 'The Catholic Herald', 19/10/2001

"..it will be a tonic both to our pupils and to our teachers." -- The Editor, Mentor Magazine, Vol 7, No 3

"Every English-speaking Catholic should acquire a copy." -- Professor John Saward, The Saint Austin Review, Vol 2, No 3, 03/2002

"it is refreshing to come across a text that makes no such compromises in its presentation of the faith." -- 'The Universe', 30/9/2001

About the Author

Born on 17 December 1870 at Waterford in Ireland, Michael Sheehan was educated at St John's College Waterford before going on to tertiary studies at Oxford, the University of Grufswold and the University of Bonn. His studies for the priesthood were undertaken at Maynooth - mother of so many of the priests who built up the Church in Australia. He was ordained on 16 June 1895. Great scholar that he was, he joined the professional staff of Maynooth and became vice-president of the seminary in 1919. He was a leading activist in the restoration of the Gaelic language, as well as being a Latin and Greek scholar. At 51 years of age he was appointed Co-adjutor Archbishop of Sydney and consecrated on 28 May 1922 with right of succession to Archbishop Kelly. What a remarkable apostolate was his during the 15 succeeding years in Australia. The hallmarks of his episcopal labours in Australia were his love of the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament, his energetic, systematic and scholarly care for truly Catholic education and educators, his marvellously successful books for faith education and his constant concern for the spiritual welfare of the priests of the Archdiocese. He was energetically involved in developing The Australian Catholic Record and the Catholic Evidence Guild and the great 1928 International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney. His work in education was constant, energetic and thorough. He organised and addressed annual conferences for Catholic school teachers. He wrote hugely popular texts - the Child Book of Religion whose aim was 'not only to teach children religion but also to teach them to be religious: not only to teach them what they must believe and do in order to be saved, but also to help them to love Our Lord and Saviour with a great, personal love, and to love the Church He founded'. The masterpiece of his writing was Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine which became a standard work throughout much of the English-speaking world! in upper secondary religious education, adult education and the instruction of converts as well as general readership. This remarkable prelate was noted for his devout simplicity; a brilliant intellectual noted for his almost childlike love of God and after God of the Blessed Virgin. It was said of him that 'his manner was easy, but those nearest to him knew that his graciousness, though real and absolutely sincere, was the defence mechanism built by nature round a very shy and sensitive man. He would never spare himself for child, religious sister or teaching brother. He was the defender and sympathiser of all who, like himself, were exposed to rougher usage than nature meant for them'. In 1937 it was decided that the next Archbishop of Sydney should be Australian born. Our saintly scholar and energetic faith educator found his right of succession at odds with the times. His resignation became effective on 1 July 1937. He retired to Ireland where he died on 1 March 1945, aged 74.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 680 pages
• Publisher: Saint Austin Press; New edition edition (June 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901157148
• ISBN-13: 978-1901157147
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,411,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Catholic Apologetics works ever written, May 14, 2002

By 

Con Wilkinson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine (Paperback)

Fr Peter Joseph has done a tremendous service to the Church by revising the excellent work of Archbishop Michael Sheehan. This book is very comprehensive in its outline of the Catholic faith.
The structure is very good, first starting with arguments for the existence of God. The arguments are presented in a very clear and succinct fashion.
Having gone through the existence of God the unique claims of Jesus Christ are then considered. The data for seeing which Church is the Church that Christ Founded are then put forth. Chapter 12 on the marvel of the church is particularly inspiring.
Having gone through this it moves to the second book Catholic doctrine. This is an extremely usefull and up to date summary of the Church's teachings. Many of the typical questions people ask are dealt with.
I thouroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the Catholic Church

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Apologetics Classic, June 4, 2002

By 

Stephen de Lodi (Uranquinty, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine (Paperback)

This is a magnificent update of an absolute classic. Dr Sheehan's "Apologetics" is a step-by-step argument for the truth of the Catholic religion - logical, succinct, reasonable, and dealing with every objection on the way. Convincing and informative.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best!, January 25, 2006

By 

Andre Z. T. Queiroz "atqueiroz" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine (Paperback)

This apologetics classic is in my view simply the best available today. It is clear, comprehensive and highly to the point. Above all, the book does not have that modernist tendency to praise almost too much the value of other religious traditions in the name of ecumenism. On the contrary, it is directed to demonstrate why Christianity, and especially Catholicism, has the fullness of truth of Jesus Christ. If you intend to be an apologist for the Faith, this is definetely the book.