Fascinating Mysteries of the Church

Leslea Wahl reviews Holy Mysteries!: 12 Investigations into Extraordinary Cases by Sophie de Mullenheim, a book for families to enjoy together. 

Holy Mysteries!: 12 Investigations into Extraordinary Cases by Sophie de Mullenheim 

Review: 

One glimpse at the title of this book, and I was hooked. As a convert to Catholicism, I’ve long been intrigued by the many miracles and mysteries of the Church. While familiar with most of the cases, the book did include a few unexplained incidents that I had not yet heard of, but they are now on my radar to research.  

Each chapter is a case study that shares a brief explanation of the mystery, as well as fun facts, additional information, and related scientific research. 

I appreciate that the author highlights how seriously the Church takes each extraordinary phenomenon and spends years determining if they are true miracles. The author also shares some of the theories that skeptics have given to explain the unexplainable, but as with true mysteries, they don’t provide answers, only more intrigue. 

This book is written for kids but would be a phenomenal tool for families, providing an excellent tool for them to explore the incredible aspects of our Catholic faith. 

Summary: 

Seeing is believing ... or is it? 

This intriguing and fun book investigates 12 mysterious, inexplicable cases that have happened in the history of the Catholic faith, some of which still continue to happen or remain today. These cases consider such questions as: 

• Did the sun really dance at Fatima before 70,000 people? 
• Did a Host from a Mass actually turn into human flesh?
• Whose face appears on the Shroud of Turin, and how did it get on it?
• What happens with the Holy Fire at the Holy Sepulcher every Holy Saturday evening?
• Why does the bell of Rocamadour sometimes ring for no reason?
• Who was the mysterious carpenter that built a spiral staircase without nails that stands by itself?
• How did the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe get painted on the tilma of Juan Diego?
• How do the bodies of some saints remain intact and never corrupt?  

These and many other questions are explored in the 12 investigations into extraordinary cases that invite us to think deeply about mysterious events and our faith in God.  

Copyright 2023 Leslie Wahl
Images: Canva