Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine Paperback – October 1, 2001

""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

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.