What to read

The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands
Casey Chalk
Sophia Institute Press, 190 pages

“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you,” Jesus told His disciples (John 15:20). We might speak of persecution for our Christian faith in the relative comforts of the U.S. and Canada, but Christians throughout the world often suffer far greater than we do in the form of intimidation, oppression, violence, even imprisonment and death. This book details the harsh truth of Christ’s words by presenting accounts of grave injustices, threats, tortures, and executions of Christians, particularly at the hands of Islamic extremists. It’s a grim reminder of the cost of Christian discipleship and a tribute to the courage and martyrdom of our brothers and sisters in faith.

Christ Unfurled: The First 500 Years of Jesus’ Life
Fr. David Meconi
TAN Books, 185 pages

Jesus posed a question to His apostles: “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:15). Peter answered correctly that He was the Christ and the Son of God, but the Church took half a millennium and several ecumenical councils to grapple with the details of His identity. In this fine work, Fr. David Meconi notes that Christians always understood Christ as present in the Eucharist but also in the Church itself as a spiritual extension of His body, or what would later be called His mystical body. This is a wonderful lesson in the development of our Christology.

Jérôme Lejeune: A Man of Science and Conscience
Aude Dugast
Ignatius Press, 310 pages

When French pediatrician and geneticist Dr. Jérôme Lejeune discovered chromosomal abnormalities that cause Down syndrome and other genetic conditions, he was hailed as a pioneer and hero. But when this devoutly Catholic doctor stood in opposition to the growing practice of aborting unborn children who were found to bear such chromosomal defect, he was largely shunned and attacked by many who had previously supported him. This book provides an excellent and definitive biography of a man who suffered professional persecution for standing up for the innate dignity of human life and its legal protection — a portrait of a pioneer and hero indeed.