Catholic News Service • Posted October 31, 2016

The “Fathers of the Church” is a term applied to the great Christian writers of the centuries following the apostolic age. The fathers may not be well-known, but, thanks to them, the church survived in an age of persecution and established the basic beliefs of Christians.

One of the greatest ways to grow in the spiritual life and be imbued with the Catholic spirit is to read the writings of the early Church Fathers.

Modern-day Catholics may be familiar with St. Augustine’s writings like “Confessions” and “City of God,” but lesser known is the story of his catechesis and baptism by St. Ambrose.

The Fathers of the Church: Who they are and why they matter

The baptism of St. Augustine by St. Ambrose

The Fathers of the Church and the Bible