"The history of the Church is, in every period, one of persecutions and rebirth, of apostasy and conversion, of defeat and triumph. In Catholic formation, the study of these events ought to accompany that of philosophy and theology, because it is in history that metaphysical and moral principles are made concrete, and it is in history that each one of us lives and makes his choices. For a Catholic, however, history is not only a secular 'teacher of life'; it is above all a key for discovering the laws that govern the temporal and eternal destiny of men." -- Professor Roberto de Mattei in his introduction

Prolific historian Roberto de Mattei unfurls the sail to help you navigate in tumultuous times through the stormy waters of worldly events, intellectual movements, apostasies, moral decay, divisions, and persecutions. In these reflections, de Mattei steers you on a voyage from the earliest centuries to the French Revolution, charting the course with fascinating historical details and true stories about key political figures and saints, masterfully relating them to our situation now.

In these stirring pages, you will learn:

- Who the real dissidents are -- past and present
- The witness of the early Christians and ways we can learn from them today
- The twin pillars of victory according to the vision of St. John Bosco
- The path to authentic reform and the heroic example of the saints throughout the ages
- How the Church rose above the waves amid crises, including schisms and revolutions

Despite the changing tides and pounding waves, you will discover ways the Church weathered storms with Scripture and Tradition as her compasses. You will behold how, in moments of gloom, when all seemed lost, the valor of Catholic heroes restored calm and announced the morning dawn.