Fabiola by Cardinal Wiseman
Publisher: Lepanto Press
Number of pages: 616
Summary:
In writing Fabiola (or Church of the
Catacombs), Cardinal Wiseman recalls the memory of one of the
cruelest persecutions in the history of the Church with
accounts from the lives and heroic martyrdoms of such glorious
saints as Agnes, Sebastian, Pancratius and others. To these
early Church Christians it was not a question of "What am I
obliged to do to save my soul?" but rather, "Am I
worthy of the crown of martyrdom?" or "How much longer until I
behold the face of my Beloved Lord?"
Some of the main characters in the story
include the pagan, Fabiola, a cousin to St. Agnes, and her
three female slaves. Fabiola had no idea that her most devoted
slave, Syra, was a Christian. As the story unfolds the reader
will be astonished to learn of the connections between the
various characters.
This suspenseful plot holds many surprises,
including how God manifests His justice to the evil tyrants
who, as usual, are first offered His mercy and then having
rejected this undeserved grace begin their Hell on earth and
die in utter misery. On the other hand, the author shows how
God rewards those who respond contritely to God’s grace by
granting them great peace of soul and the virtues to live out
the rest of their lives loving and serving Him in gratitude
for His love and mercy.
Strong points:
- The reader gains an understanding of Early Christian
History (catacombs, martyrs, etc.)
- St. Pancratius exhibits unwavering love, mercy and
unconditional forgiveness to Corvinus, his lifelong
antagonist, despite his numerous attempts to destroy
Pancratius.
- A most edifying charity is seen also in the early
Christians who risk their own lives by visiting and
ministering to those who have been arrested for their Faith
and happily await execution.
- Among the lessons to be learned from this novel is the
absolute necessity of example in obtaining conversions to
the Faith.
Cautions:
The book in his original version is a
little difficult to read for weak students. The teacher needs
to encourage them to persevere.
Conclusion:
Martyrs are the heralds of the triumph of
the cross. Fabiola is the captivating story of true
followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This book is highly
recommended in order to inspire our students with love of our
Catholic Faith.
