Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights: 1800s to the Present

This inspiring work profiles sixteen heroic Catholic men and women who defied the odds to advance civil and human rights around the world. Spanning from the birth of the United States to World War II Germany to the current Latin American immigration crisis, this book features people whose faith drove them to courageously defend the dignity of the children of God, especially the most vulnerable, transforming many lives and paving the way for a more equitable society.

To understand human rights, however, we need theology. Supported by official Church documents, each chapter is themed on one of the pillars of Catholic social teaching—freedom, perseverance, hope, justice, and conscience. These short, compelling biographies of figures who exemplify each pillar demonstrate how the teachings of Christ, through his Church, can drive ordinary believers to do extraordinary deeds.

Among the heroes are former slave Venerable Father Augustine Tolton, Austrian farmer Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, Native American catechist Nicholas Black Elk, Servant of God Dorothy Day, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, and Saint Oscar Romero.