Since its inception, Maryknoll has introduced American Catholics to a world beyond their own experience. Before the days of frequent air travel, Instagram, and Airbnb, experiencing the world beyond your hometown was a rare luxury. Most Americans never saw a foreign country, ate foods outside their family tradition, or studied religions not their own. But by picking up a book, you could travel to faraway places and learn about unfamiliar people.
Maryknoll saw books as a great way to connect people to its work. In a way, you could experience mission from your nightstand! Maryknoll already taught the public about foreign mission work in The Field Afar magazine. But the founders knew that books were an even better way to reach people. Books can be broad or focused, long or short, cheap or expensive. And they can be published again and again. In the US, there was almost no limit to what books could tell or who they could reach.
Maryknoll has published dozens of books about the Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters’ mission work. This exhibit showcases some of these books. We will travel around the world, discovering how these books were created and how they introduced the public to Maryknoll’s work and to cultures most Americans had yet to explore. Click on each book below to learn more!
For more books about Maryknoll’s missions around the world, see our Publications Guide or contact the Maryknoll Mission Archives.