Francis J. Finn facts for kids

Father Francis J. Finn (born October 4, 1859 – died November 2, 1928) was an American Jesuit priest. He became famous for writing 27 popular novels for young people. His books are full of fun stories and characters you can relate to. They also share important lessons that are still true today.

Life of Francis J. Finn

Francis J. Finn was born on October 4, 1859, in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were immigrants from Ireland. He grew up in St. Louis and went to local Catholic schools.

Early Life and Inspiration

As a boy, Francis loved to read. He was very impressed by Fabiola, a famous novel about early Christian heroes. When he was eleven, he read many books by Charles Dickens, like Nicholas Nickleby and The Pickwick Papers.

After his First Communion at age 12, Francis felt a strong desire to become a Jesuit priest. A priest named Fr. Charles Coppens encouraged him. He told Francis to practice his Latin and read good Catholic books. Fr. Finn later said this advice helped him become a priest.

Becoming a Jesuit Priest

Francis joined the Society of Jesus in 1879 after finishing his studies at St. Louis University. He began his training to become a Jesuit priest. During this time, he often got sick. Even though he had health problems, his leaders kept him in the program. Fr. Finn believed that God can use anyone to do His work.

In 1881, Finn worked as a supervisor at St. Mary’s boarding school in St. Mary's College, Kansas. This school later became the setting for his fictional "St. Maure’s" college. He was ordained as a priest in 1891. After some time at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he moved to St. Xavier College in Cincinnati.

Fr. Finn spent many years serving as a priest at St. Xavier’s. People loved him very much. It is said that wherever he went, people would not let him pay for things. Instead, they would give him money for his many charities. He also served as a trustee for Xavier University in the 1920s.

In 1904, he became the first director of the St. Xavier Commercial School for girls. This school taught skills like typing and bookkeeping. Father Francis J. Finn passed away in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 2, 1928.

How He Became a Children's Author

Before 1865, most Catholic books in America were translations from other languages. Or they were reprints of books from England and Ireland.

At St. Mary's College, Fr. Finn learned how to teach and guide boys. He would promise to tell them a story if they promised to behave. He started by telling them Oliver Twist. One day, while watching his students write, he thought about how they were like typical American Catholic boys. He decided to write a story about them. He quickly wrote the first chapter of Tom Playfair. He went on to write 26 more books.

Fr. Finn believed that "One of the greatest things in the world is to get the right book into the hands of the right boy or girl." He felt that reading greatly influences young people, for better or worse.

Francis J. Finn's Legacy

Father Finn left a lasting mark. In 1925, he gave the Xavier University sports teams their famous nickname, "The Musketeers." Xavier University also gives an award in his name. The Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Award goes to a graduating student. This student should show strong spiritual values, leadership, and a wide range of interests, just like the heroes in Fr. Finn's books.

His children's stories are still read today, especially by families who teach their children at home.

List of Books by Francis J. Finn

Here are some of the popular books written by Father Francis J. Finn:

• Tom Playfair; or, Making a Start (1891)
• Harry Dee; or, Working It Out (1892)
• Percy Wynn; or, Making a Boy of Him (1893)
• Claude Lightfoot; or, How the Problem Was Solved (1893)
• Mostly Boys: Short Stories (1894)
• Ethelred Preston; or, the Adventures of a Newcomer (1896)
• Ada Merton (1896)
• New Faces and Old (1896)
• Echoes from Bethlehem (1897)
• That Football Game, and What Came of It (1897)
• The Best Foot Forward; and Other Stories (1899)
• His First and Last Appearance (1900)
• But Thy Love and Thy Grace (1901)
• The Fairy of the Snows (1913)
• That Office Boy (1915)
• Cupid of Campion (1916)
• Lucky Bob (1917)
• His Luckiest Year" (a sequel to Lucky Bob) (1918)
• Facing Danger (1919)
• Bobby in Movieland (1921)
• On the Run (1922)
• Lord Bountiful (1923)
• The Story of Jesus (1924)
• Sunshine and Freckles (1925)
• Candles' Beams (1926)
• Boys’ and Girl’s Prayer Book (1926)
• Father Finn, S.J.: The Story of His Life Told by Himself for His Friends Young and Old (edited and with an introduction by Daniel S. Lord, S.J.) (1929)