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Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine
Almost 500,000 copies of this classic high school text were printed, which was used to teach the Faith to generations of English-speaking Catholics around the world for more than four decades. Its outstanding clarity, persuasiveness and comprehensiveness are totally unique. No popular textbook in English published since it was last published in 1962 has repeated Sheehan's successful presentation of the Faith.
For years, this book gave to many young Catholics the support and knowledge to sustain their Faith throughout their 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.
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.
About the Editor: Father Peter Joseph is Vice-rector, Dean of Studies and lecturer in Dogmatic Theology at Vianney College, the diocesan seminary of Wagga Wagga, Australia.
686 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
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136 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Sheehan
20 booksMichael Sheehan was born 17th December 1870 at Newtown, Waterford City, County Waterford, Ireland. His father, born and bred in Newmarket, County Cork, owned an export business. His mother was an Anglican, the daughter of a Church of Ireland minister. Mr and Mrs Sheehan had ten children, of whom Michael was the sixth. In 1880, the family went to reside in Dungarvan, County Waterford, in a two-storey house in Mitchell Street.
Michael was educated privately, then for 1½ years at the Christian Brothers. Next he spent nearly four years at the Augustinian School, Dungarvan; then three semesters (1½ years) at the seminary of St John’s College, Waterford. In 1890 he was transferred to the seminary of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where in addition to the usual philosophy, theology, Latin and Greek, he studied Irish, English, Italian and French. Having brilliantly completed the full course there in 2½ years before he was 23, he was appointed lecturer at St John’s College, Waterford, in 1894, and continued to study theology privately, pending canonical age for ordination. He was ordained a priest in 1895, obtained an M.A. from the Royal University of Ireland the same year, and taught liberal arts at St John’s for two years. In 1897 he obtained an M.A. in Classics from Oxford University. That year he was appointed to the Chair of Ancient Classics in Maynooth. Later he studied at German universities: one semester at Greifswald, studying Latin, Greek and Sanskrit; and three semesters at Bonn, gaining his Ph.D. in Classics there in 1901 with his thesis, written in Latin (not unusual for the time), on the Athenian orator Isocrates. Dr Sheehan was Commissioner of Intermediate Education for Ireland 1906-1922. He was Professor of Greek at Maynooth College 1905-1922, and its Vice-President 1919-1922.
On 22nd February 1922 he was named titular archbishop of Germia when appointed Co-adjutor Archbishop of Sydney, Australia. He was consecrated on 28th May. In August, on his way to Australia, he stopped off at Rome, staying at the Irish College. He had an audience with Pope Pius XI, in which they spoke German.
In Sydney, Dr Sheehan lived in an Italianate two-storey home at the corner of Broughton Rd and Meredith St, Homebush. As Co-adjutor Archbishop, he was distinguished for his culture, unfailing piety and gentle kindness. In 1924, he re-launched the quarterly journal, the Australasian Catholic Record, and became a regular contributor to it, while virtually acting as its editor. He retained episcopal office in Sydney until his resignation in 1937 after it had been made clear to him by the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, that because he was Irish he would not succeed Dr Kelly as Archbishop of Sydney. At the announcement of Dr Sheehan’s resignation, it was most likely Archbishop Mannix of Melbourne who authored the public letter to him “from the Bishops and Archbishops of Australia,” saying, “The news of your resignation … filled us all with sorrow and consternation, for we realise that your going is an irreparable loss to the Church in Australia—a real tragedy.”
Retiring to Ireland, Archbishop Sheehan lived in Dublin, at the Holy Ghost Fathers, but he often visited Ring, County Waterford (four miles from Dungarvan), where he once used to spend his holidays among the fishing folk there. It was in Ring that he had first learnt Irish from an aged woman, and in 1906 had co-founded an Irish College, which is still thriving today. Although he had not spoken Irish in his childhood, he became proficient in it and wrote six works in Irish, including studies of the language.
Dr Sheehan wrote two other books of religious instruction, A Child’s Book of Religion (1934), and A Simple Course of Religion (1937). He had a great interest also in plant-lore and botany and co-authored a book on that subject in Irish. His scholarship, clear mind and wonderful expression are exemplified in Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine.
Archbishop Sheehan
Michael was educated privately, then for 1½ years at the Christian Brothers. Next he spent nearly four years at the Augustinian School, Dungarvan; then three semesters (1½ years) at the seminary of St John’s College, Waterford. In 1890 he was transferred to the seminary of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where in addition to the usual philosophy, theology, Latin and Greek, he studied Irish, English, Italian and French. Having brilliantly completed the full course there in 2½ years before he was 23, he was appointed lecturer at St John’s College, Waterford, in 1894, and continued to study theology privately, pending canonical age for ordination. He was ordained a priest in 1895, obtained an M.A. from the Royal University of Ireland the same year, and taught liberal arts at St John’s for two years. In 1897 he obtained an M.A. in Classics from Oxford University. That year he was appointed to the Chair of Ancient Classics in Maynooth. Later he studied at German universities: one semester at Greifswald, studying Latin, Greek and Sanskrit; and three semesters at Bonn, gaining his Ph.D. in Classics there in 1901 with his thesis, written in Latin (not unusual for the time), on the Athenian orator Isocrates. Dr Sheehan was Commissioner of Intermediate Education for Ireland 1906-1922. He was Professor of Greek at Maynooth College 1905-1922, and its Vice-President 1919-1922.
On 22nd February 1922 he was named titular archbishop of Germia when appointed Co-adjutor Archbishop of Sydney, Australia. He was consecrated on 28th May. In August, on his way to Australia, he stopped off at Rome, staying at the Irish College. He had an audience with Pope Pius XI, in which they spoke German.
In Sydney, Dr Sheehan lived in an Italianate two-storey home at the corner of Broughton Rd and Meredith St, Homebush. As Co-adjutor Archbishop, he was distinguished for his culture, unfailing piety and gentle kindness. In 1924, he re-launched the quarterly journal, the Australasian Catholic Record, and became a regular contributor to it, while virtually acting as its editor. He retained episcopal office in Sydney until his resignation in 1937 after it had been made clear to him by the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, that because he was Irish he would not succeed Dr Kelly as Archbishop of Sydney. At the announcement of Dr Sheehan’s resignation, it was most likely Archbishop Mannix of Melbourne who authored the public letter to him “from the Bishops and Archbishops of Australia,” saying, “The news of your resignation … filled us all with sorrow and consternation, for we realise that your going is an irreparable loss to the Church in Australia—a real tragedy.”
Retiring to Ireland, Archbishop Sheehan lived in Dublin, at the Holy Ghost Fathers, but he often visited Ring, County Waterford (four miles from Dungarvan), where he once used to spend his holidays among the fishing folk there. It was in Ring that he had first learnt Irish from an aged woman, and in 1906 had co-founded an Irish College, which is still thriving today. Although he had not spoken Irish in his childhood, he became proficient in it and wrote six works in Irish, including studies of the language.
Dr Sheehan wrote two other books of religious instruction, A Child’s Book of Religion (1934), and A Simple Course of Religion (1937). He had a great interest also in plant-lore and botany and co-authored a book on that subject in Irish. His scholarship, clear mind and wonderful expression are exemplified in Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine.
Archbishop Sheehan
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 11, 2020
Without a doubt the greatest book I have ever read on the topic of Catholic teaching and apologetics! Very orthodox and true to the Tradition of Holy Mother Church while also being easy to understand and the perfect resource for anyone wishing to defend the Holy Catholic Faith!
February 21, 2011
Whenever I get something from Baronius Press a review is almost superfluous. They bring us spiritual classics in a high quality binding and every book I have read of their has been to my good.
Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine by Archbishop Michael Sheehan is no exception to this rule.
A classic high school text which was used to teach for more than four decades the Faith to generations of English speaking Catholics around the world. Unique in presenting the Faith in a clear, persuasive and understandable manner. Since its demise in 1962 after selling nearly 500,000 copies, no other textbook in English has repeated Sheehan’s successful presentation of the Faith. The new Baronius edition has been updated by Fr. Peter Joseph, of Wagga Wagga, Australia, and is fully endorsed by Cardinal Archbishop Pell.
I am not one to think that everything was better before, something St. Augustine also spoke against, but this textbook is hard to imagine as being adopted in the decades after and including the sixties. Textbooks of this latter period are often and deservingly mocked for their watered down content and total lack of apologetics content. Things are certainly getting better in this direction, though the Jesus coloring book textbooks are not yet gone from the scene either.
“Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine” is a wonderful mixture of presenting theology, philosophy, and apologetics. This is a rather in-depth book of 650 some large pages and each and everyone of them worthwhile. It presents a very full explanation of the faith that starts with belief in God and presents some of the well known ways of knowing God with explanations and examples in Archbishop Sheehan’s unique hand. I’ve read all of these proofs before and they are put rather well here.
In many ways this is much like a Catechism on Catholic Doctrine that takes more time with each area to help explain the faith and to answer common objections along the way. This textbook is not watered down in any way and in fact I think if you placed this book on a felt banner they would mutually annihilate each other. This book which I would assume targeted at the high school audience does not assume the audience to be dummies unable to go deeper into the subject. It pulls no punches and accurately presents the faith and then helps the student to not only understand the faith, but how to defend it.
What I found amazing is that since this book was edited by Fr. Peter Joseph to include the Second Vatican Council, magisterial documents, etc; it was able to do so as if this content was always part of the text. There was no feeling of this being spliced in. This updated information fit write in to the deeper presentation of the faith as the rest of the book contains. There were many things I loved about this book and the clearness of the definitions was very good. For example the chapters on Actual Grace and Sanctifying Grace were very clear. Simply this was not only an informative read, but a joy to read.
I would highly recommend this for private reading, a school setting, and certainly a home school setting. This is pure theological and doctrinal goodness with solid apologetics to boot.
Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine by Archbishop Michael Sheehan is no exception to this rule.
A classic high school text which was used to teach for more than four decades the Faith to generations of English speaking Catholics around the world. Unique in presenting the Faith in a clear, persuasive and understandable manner. Since its demise in 1962 after selling nearly 500,000 copies, no other textbook in English has repeated Sheehan’s successful presentation of the Faith. The new Baronius edition has been updated by Fr. Peter Joseph, of Wagga Wagga, Australia, and is fully endorsed by Cardinal Archbishop Pell.
I am not one to think that everything was better before, something St. Augustine also spoke against, but this textbook is hard to imagine as being adopted in the decades after and including the sixties. Textbooks of this latter period are often and deservingly mocked for their watered down content and total lack of apologetics content. Things are certainly getting better in this direction, though the Jesus coloring book textbooks are not yet gone from the scene either.
“Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine” is a wonderful mixture of presenting theology, philosophy, and apologetics. This is a rather in-depth book of 650 some large pages and each and everyone of them worthwhile. It presents a very full explanation of the faith that starts with belief in God and presents some of the well known ways of knowing God with explanations and examples in Archbishop Sheehan’s unique hand. I’ve read all of these proofs before and they are put rather well here.
In many ways this is much like a Catechism on Catholic Doctrine that takes more time with each area to help explain the faith and to answer common objections along the way. This textbook is not watered down in any way and in fact I think if you placed this book on a felt banner they would mutually annihilate each other. This book which I would assume targeted at the high school audience does not assume the audience to be dummies unable to go deeper into the subject. It pulls no punches and accurately presents the faith and then helps the student to not only understand the faith, but how to defend it.
What I found amazing is that since this book was edited by Fr. Peter Joseph to include the Second Vatican Council, magisterial documents, etc; it was able to do so as if this content was always part of the text. There was no feeling of this being spliced in. This updated information fit write in to the deeper presentation of the faith as the rest of the book contains. There were many things I loved about this book and the clearness of the definitions was very good. For example the chapters on Actual Grace and Sanctifying Grace were very clear. Simply this was not only an informative read, but a joy to read.
I would highly recommend this for private reading, a school setting, and certainly a home school setting. This is pure theological and doctrinal goodness with solid apologetics to boot.
January 30, 2012
More a reference work or perhaps study text than a 'cover-to-cover' read. In fact, this was used as a text book in Catholic High Schools in several countries for over 40 years. My high school years ended in 1956 in Australia, but I was never exposed to it back then, unfortunately
It is definitely a comprehensive and scholarly work, published (partly) in 1918 and this edition in 2001.
It is definitely a comprehensive and scholarly work, published (partly) in 1918 and this edition in 2001.
August 4, 2023
Good introduction to Saint Thomas Aquinas Five Ways. It is deep enough to be challenging to high schoolers, but easy enough to understand.
August 8, 2020
Rev. Sheehan begins with arguments for the existence of God and His nature. His first proof is from order and design in nature. It follows fixed laws throughout all living species and inanimate matter. It is not possible that such a vast orderly universe came to what is and how it operates by chance.
The second proof is from motion and how it originates. There had to be the first mover. We call Him God.
Matter did not make itself. It was brought into existence by the First Cause.
Everything that exists in the world is dependent for its existence to a being self-existent that lives and is all-powerful. He must be a Supreme Being we call God.
There are other proofs for God’s existence:
Aesthetic argument-from perceiving the beauty of the universe,
Ethical Argument—having the voice of conscience,
Moral Argument—believing in mankind.
The second proof is from motion and how it originates. There had to be the first mover. We call Him God.
Matter did not make itself. It was brought into existence by the First Cause.
Everything that exists in the world is dependent for its existence to a being self-existent that lives and is all-powerful. He must be a Supreme Being we call God.
There are other proofs for God’s existence:
Aesthetic argument-from perceiving the beauty of the universe,
Ethical Argument—having the voice of conscience,
Moral Argument—believing in mankind.
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December 7, 2016This is truly the book of answers with evidence, doctrine and dogma as evidence. The reading and learning of the soul and the 'order of nature' is beyond wonderful to consume and acquire knowledge about.
April 21, 2015
Comprehensive and thorough. Next to Ludwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, this is a definitive text on the Catholic faith and the reasons behind it.
November 16, 2015
Want a wonderful and clear overview of the Catholic Faith? Here it is.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews