Francis J. Finn

Father Francis J. Finn, (October 4, 1859 – November 2, 1928) was an American Jesuit priest who has been called the "Catholic Horatio Alger". He wrote a series of 27 popular novels for young people, which contain likeable characters and adventure, and emphasize the importance of prayer and keeping true to the values of the Catholic Faith.

Early life Francis J. Finn was born on October 4, 1859, in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents, John Finn and Mary Whyte Finn, were both Irish immigrants. (which became the fictional “St. Maure's” of his novels). Francis was ordained to the priesthood in 1891, and after some time at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he came to St. Xavier College (now Xavier University) in Cincinnati. Fr. Finn spent many years of his priestly life at St. Xavier's. There he was well loved, and it is said that wherever he went—if he took a taxi, ate at a restaurant, attended a baseball game—people would not take his money for their services, but instead would press money into his hand for his many charities. During the 1920s Fr. Finn served as a trustee of Xavier University.

In 1904 he served as the first director of the St. Xavier Commercial School for girls, which offered a two-year course of study including stenography, book-keeping, and typesetting.

Father Francis J. Finn died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 2, 1928.

Children's author Before 1865, most American Catholic Literature was either translated from French, German, or Flemish books, or reprints from English and Irish works.

At St. Mary's College Finn learned how to teach and discipline boys. He would offer to tell stories to the students in exchange for good behavior. He began with Oliver Twist. One afternoon while supervising a class busy writing a composition, he had the idea to write about young male, Catholic students and their lives. Shortly there after, he created the first Tom Playfair novel.

The American Catholic Who's Who, called Fr. Finn is “the foremost Catholic writer of fiction for young people.” His books were available in Braille, and were translated into French, German, Flemish, Italian, Polish, Bohemian, Hungarian, Spanish, Caledonian and Portuguese. It was Fr. Finn's lifelong conviction that "One of the greatest things in the world is to get the right book into the hands of the right boy or girl. No one can indulge in reading to any extent without being largely influenced for better or worse."

Finn's children's stories continue to be read, particularly in home school curriculums.