The story teaches us once again that the pain of coming of age is the purchase price of mature joy.

    St. Edmund Champion, "hero of God's underground" during the persecutions of the Catholic Church in England in the 1500s. This exciting story is reprinted from the famous "Vision Books" series of lives of the saints that is one of the most popular and well-told stories for young people.Champion, the most celebrated young scholar of his day, was on his way to becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury until a crisis of conscience turned him back to his Catholic faith, He fled England, became a Jesuit priest, and was sent back to be the leader of the underground ministry to the persecuted Catholics until, after a long and frustrated search, the government finally captured him and brutally executed him. His daring and brilliant underground ministry to Catholics all over England, his zeal for the faith, and his great courage and joy in the face of martyrdom are all related in this compelling story for youth.