The most powerful Roman Catholic leader in the United States had humble beginnings. Timothy Michael Dolan was born in Maplewood, Missouri in 1950. From an early age, those around him knew that he would become a priest. Through college and seminary, his power and spirituality grew. He was formally ordained in 1976. In 2009, he was made Archbishop of New York. Several months later he was elevated to cardinal. There were clear signs that the ailing Pope Benedict XVI saw him as a bright hope for the future. During the 2013 conclave, Vatican experts seriously wondered if he would be chosen to lead the Catholics of the world. The cardinal's rise is not, however, without its controversies. He was one of the Catholic leaders who dealt, harshly say some, with abusers and the abused in the church's sex scandal. He is a consummate player who doesn't shy away from picking a political battle. Christina Boyle's An American Cardinal is a book about power and the Roman Catholic church today framed by the life of a man who might someday become the first American pope.

These great and highly-praised American Catholic Readers, originally published by Benziger Bros. in the 1930s, were the mainstay and backbone of the Catholic parochial schools during the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. They still form part of the core curriculum for homeschoolers and private schools lucky enough to have old copies of these books. The Cardinal Readers are for Catholic parents and students, and give pupils fine tuned reading skills and an introduction to their literary heritage. This wealth of literature will be a help to pupils in developing a proper outlook on the meaning and beauty of life. It also will serve to bring out the relationship of the individual to God, primarily through his holy religion; his relationship to his fellow men, to his country and the natural world around him. All nine readers include a complete Table of Contents and the lower grades particularly are fully illustrated. Books Four through Six include a Glossary and the older grade books include lists of suggested additional reading material in the form of essays, novels, poems, short stories and books.

Joseph Ritter was one of the most important and forward-thinking prelates of the Church in North America during the 20th century. He served as ordinary for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and then as "Cardinal" Ritter in St. Louis for twenty years until his death in 1967. Through his efforts, the entire archdiocesan school system was desegregated, and he was the first bishop to send priests to Latin America as missionaries. This biography provides us with the first serious account of his life and accomplishments. It is written by a priest who knew him firsthand and ministered under his guidance. Readers will find this historical account of such a great man truly inspiring. View sample pages. "Paperback" Available for the Amazon Kindle:

Based on a vast array of archival holdings, including the secret archives of the Vatican, this colorful and fascinating story recounts Cardinal William Henry O'Connell's ambitious grasp for power and his arrogant misuse of the trappings of the office. Appointed in 1895 to a minor post in the Catholic church in Rome, Father William O’Connell of Boston built a Vatican power base that made him a bishop, archbishop, and cardinal. His arrogant exploitation of his position drew the wrath of U.S. bishops—who were twice unsuccessful in having him removed from office. Believing that his high position exempted him from the rules of morality, O'Connell was utterly unscrupulous. He discovered multiple ways to turn a profit from his position and by 1923 had amassed a fortune. O’Connell brought further scandal upon his position when he turned a blind eye to the secret marriages of two priests who lived with him, one of them his nephew. When the marriages were discovered, the cardinal brazenly defended his nephew at the expense of the other offender. Had the Cardinal not worn the scarlet that marked him as a prince of the church, he may have gone to the grave a disgraced clergyman. However, his rank, his ability to maintain appearances, and his potent Vatican allies saved him from such a fate. This story serves as a mirror against which to view current affairs in both the Catholic church and the United States.

Chronicles the life of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the most powerful Roman Catholic leader in the United States, discussing his humble origins, his progression through the ranks of the church hierarchy, and his reaction to the sexual abuse scandal within thechurch.

These great and highly-praised American Catholic Readers, originally published by Benziger Bros. in the 1930s, were the mainstay and backbone of the Catholic parochial schools during the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. They still form part of the core curriculum for homeschoolers and private schools lucky enough to have old copies of these books. The Cardinal Readers are for Catholic parents and students, and give pupils fine tuned reading skills and an introduction to their literary heritage. This wealth of literature will be a help to pupils in developing a proper outlook on the meaning and beauty of life. It also will serve to bring out the relationship of the individual to God, primarily through his holy religion; his relationship to his fellow men, to his country and the natural world around him. All nine readers include a complete Table of Contents and the lower grades particularly are fully illustrated. Books Four through Six include a Glossary and the older grade books include lists of suggested additional reading material in the form of essays, novels, poems, short stories and books. The Primer includes "Jean's Morning Prayer", "A Surprise", "The First Christmas", etc. Fully illustrated.