Most Popular Books by Mary Fabyan Windeatt

Gifts were piled high for 5-year-old Imelda''s birthday. Imelda was delighted, but still she asked, "I was wondering if I could have just one more present." "Greedy girl!" laughed her father. Unfortunately, her parents could not give her this one present--Our Lord in Holy Communion. But Imelda decided to ask Our Lord Himself. What would He reply? This book gives the answer and tells how little Imelda came to be the Patroness of First Communicants.

"It''s almost upon us!" yelled a frantic voice as the ship neared the iceberg. "God''s Will be done," prayed Mother Marie. If God wanted her to drown in the icy Atlantic Ocean before ever reaching Canada, His Holy Will be done. Yet perhaps . . . This book tells what happened next, plus the many other adventures that met the Sisters who brought the Holy Catholic Faith to Canada.

The story for children 10 and up of St. Hyacinth, the Dominican who planted the Faith in Poland, Lithuania and Russia and worked many miracles. He went to Rome, where he met St. Dominic, and was one of the first to receive at his hands the habit of the newly established Order of Friars Preachers. After his novitiate he made his religious profession, and was made superior of the little band of missionaries sent to Poland to preach.

The incredible story for children 10 and up of the man who received the Rosary from Our Lady, defeated the Albigensian Heresy, raised the dead, triumphed over the devil, founded the Dominican Order and worked countless miracles.

"What if nothing happens on the 13th? Aren''t you afraid people will laugh at you?" asked the parish priest as he looked closely at 10-year-old Lucia. "Oh no, Father!" replied Lucia. "I know something wonderful is going to happen on the 13th. The Lady told us so." This book tells what happened and gives the wonderful story of Our Lady''s appearances to little Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia.

"Well, what do you think of Fr. De Montfort?" asked the Bishop eagerly. "Is he preaching heresy? Is he a tool of the Devil, as some people say? Or a mad-man, as others think?" The city was in an uproar over Fr. Louis De Montfort, and Bishop de Champflour had sent 3 wise priests to investigate. "I''m especially interested in learning about the True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary;" he had told them. Yes, huge crowds of people were coming to Fr. De Montfort''s mission services, and hundreds of souls had been converted. No one left his confessional unconsoled. But some people had their doubts about what Fr. De Montfort was preaching. What was all this talk of becoming a saint easily and quickly through the True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary-by a holy "slavery" to Jesus in Mary? Now the 3 priests were back, and the Bishop awaited their report. What would they tell him about this unusual missionary priest? This book tells what the priests had found out. It also tells about the trouble stirred up for Fr. De Montfort by the Calvinists, by the Jansenists, and even by some Catholics who did not understand what True Devotion to Mary was all about. In short, here is the remarkable story of the priest who went about helping others become saints by show-ing them how to be "slaves" for Jesus through Mary.

"The child''s name is Isabel! That''s all there is to it!" Grandma Isabel''s voice showed she was in no mood for argument. But Rose''s mother was just as insistent: "Her name is Rose!" "It''s Isabel!" "Rose, I tell you!" "Isabel!" Mary Fabyan Windeatt Sometimes Senor Flores lost patience with his wife and mother-in-law. "Call the child anything you like," he pleaded-"only let a man have some peace in his own house!" The matter of Rose''s name finally got settled, but then there were other things to cause puzzlement and misunderstanding. Why, for instance, did Rose have to turn part of the house into a hospital? And why did she want to live in a tiny little hut in the backyard? Why didn''t she just go to a convent and become a nun? This book gives the answers. It also relates what happened when Rose tried to become a nun, describes how she cared for the sick, and tells what happened in the end to Rose''s mother. All in all, this is the beautiful story of the little Rose of South America, the first canonized Saint of the New World.

"The Dumb Ox" was a perfect nickname for young Thomas Aquinas-although it was none too kind. Thomas was big, slow to speak-a quiet and solemn youth. Even Father Albert was inclined to think him rather dull. No one knew about Thomas'' amazing memory, or that he knew most of the Bible by heart, or that no subject was difficult for him. One day Thomas decided to amuse himself by writing a paper on a really hard problem in Theology. Then somehow, after writing it, he lost it. A few days later the paper turned up on Father Albert''s desk. Father Albert read it, then called Thomas to his cell. `Brother Thomas;'' he asked, as the student entered the room, "did you write this?" This book describes what happened next, plus the other events in Thomas'' remarkable life. It tells how his mother fought against his vocation, how his brothers kidnapped him and put him in a tower, how his sisters helped him, and how angels brought him some-thing from Heaven. All in all, this book shows how Thomas "The Dumb Ox" came to be the Patron of Catholic Schools and the greatest teacher ever in the history of the Catholic Church.

"I''m going to see Father Prior about this!" sputtered old Father Francis, as the little group of priests and brothers peered into the chapel at Brother John. Brother John was praying ardently-several feet off the floor! "There is no need to have these... these acrobatics! And right in the sanctuary, too!" The others did not know what to say. `Brother John is a saint," ventured one brother. Father Francis, however, dismissed the wonder with a wave of his hand. "I''m quite sure that Brother John is a saint," he declared, "but I still see no reason for him to float about in the air! Some of our younger brothers may think they should be able to float in the air too!" "Oh, no!" exclaimed one young priest. "That won''t happen!" "That''s what you think!" came the reply. "I shall speak to Father Prior and ask him to put a stop to all such exhibitions. Brother John will have to obey him!" What would the Prior say? Would he agree with Father Francis? This book gives the answer. It also tells how John Masias came from Spain to the New World, how he was fired from a job because of his poor education, how he went on miraculous travels, how he fought the Devil, and how he freed over a million souls from Purgatory. All in all, this is the wonderful story of St. John Masias, the marvelous Dominican gatekeeper of Lima. Peru.

"Oh, but I must hurry!" thought young Catherine very early one morning as she picked up a loaf of bread and a jug of water from the kitchen. "No one must suspect anything:" Catherine had made up her mind to run away. She wanted to become a hermit in a cave so she could pray and think about God all day long. Catherine slipped out the door and into the court-yard, then out into the cobbled street, then out beyond the city gates. Farther and farther she walked. Several hours went by. The countryside was growing wilder and stranger. "I am miles and miles away from home now;'' said Catherine to herself. Suddenly, there it was! A beautiful cave! It looked like the perfect place. Catherine was overjoyed. But was Catherine really old enough to be a hermit? And wouldn''t her father come looking for her to take her home? Most of all, was it really God''s will for her to be a hermit? This book gives the answers. It also tells how Catherine cut off her hair, how she cared for the rude old woman, how she saved her dear father from Purgatory, and how she advised the Holy Father himself. All in all, this is the wonderful story of how little Catherine became one of the very greatest saints in the Catholic Church.

"They''ve sent a mere boy to fight against me!" roared the giant Goliath, as he caught sight of David across the valley. "Am I just a dog?" Things did not look good for David, yet wasn''t the Lord on his side? This book describes what happened next, plus the many other great events in the life of this shepherd boy who became a warrior, a hero, a fugitive, a king, and the ancestor of Our Lord.

Sister, it couldnt have happened! declared the priest. It was all a dream, like the other time. But Sister Catherine shook her head with childlike confidence. Oh no, Father! I see the Blessed Virgin as plainly as I see you. And she wants the Medal made right away, so people can wear it and start receiving graces. Father Aladel just could not believe that Our Lady was appearing to Sister Catherine Laboureand asking for a medal to be made too! Why, Sister Catherine was only a novice! Forget the whole thing, he told her. Just say your prayers and try to be like the other Sisters. Catherine obediently tried to forgetbut then the Blessed Mother came again! And again she asked for the Medal to be made. Would Our Ladys request ever be granted? Would Fr. Aladel ever believe she had really come? And what were the great graces she had promised to those who wore the Medal with confidence? This book shows what happened, also telling about Catherines second mother, and about obstinate old Johnwho refused to have anything to do with the Medaland about how Sister Catherine kept her big secret. In short, here is the wonderful story of what happened when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to young St. Catherine Laboure.

We just found out theres a plan to kill you! blurted out one man among the little group of Christians as they stumbled into the house of Soul (who later became known as Paul). The murderers have been hired, and the Damascus authorities have agreed to look the other way, put in another breathlessly. For a moment there was silence from Saul. Well, what are you going to do? Whispered the visitors fearfully. Saul thought joyfully of how Saint Stephen had been martyred for Christ. But he knew that was not Gods will for him just yet. Ill leave Damascus and escape to Jerusalem, he answered. Ill go after dark. Will you help me? But the watchmen will never let you pass the city gates. Theyve all been bribed by you enemies. Well bypass the city gates, answered Saul calmly. Just let me explain. What did Saul have in mind? Would it be dangerous? And would it work? This book tells what happened. It also describes how Paul won victories over the Devil, how he was mistaken for a god, and how he faced court trials, scourging, imprisonment, angry mobs and, finally, martyrdom for Christ. In short, this is the story of the many adventures in the life of the great Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

The story of St. Therese, for children 10 and up, and of her "Little Way of Spiritual Childhood," whereby she would say "yes" to whatever Our Lord asked of her, and how she thereby became a great Saint.

The famous life and great miracles of St. Benedict, for all children 10 and up. The story of poisoned wine, saving a body from drowning, raising one from the dead, plus, how he founded the Benedictine Order, his sister, St. Scholastica, etc.

The captivating story & many adventures of St. Francis Solano for children 10 and up: his converting the slaves on a sinking ship & 9,000 Indians with one sermon, healing the sick, finding a spring in the desert, etc.

Mary Fabyan Windeatt presents the powerful story of the famous life and miracles of St. Benedict for the Vision Book series of saints for youth. Known as the Father of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict played a major role in the Christinization and civilization of post-Roman Europe in the sixth century. Having lived in an era of great immorality and vice, Benedict founded an order for monks whose strong life of prayer and work helped convert the godless society around them. It tells how his Benedictine order of monks spread throughout Europe and the New World. The heroic life of his sister St. Scholastica, his saving a boy from drowning, raising one from the dead, and the story of poisoned wine are all told in this exciting, dramatic tale of a great saint. Illustrated.