author
Francis Bernard Cassilly
1860–1938
A Jesuit priest and early 20th-century Catholic writer, he is best known for clear, encouraging books that speak directly to young readers about faith, vocation, and everyday religious life. His work has a practical, conversational tone that helped make serious spiritual questions feel approachable.
1 Audiobook
What Shall I Be? A Chat With Young People
by Francis Bernard Cassilly
About the author
Born in 1860 and died in 1938, Francis Bernard Cassilly was an American Catholic author and Jesuit priest. Library and catalog records connect his name with religious writing aimed at instruction and spiritual guidance, and some listings identify him specifically as Francis B. Cassilly, S.J.
His best-known book is What Shall I Be? A Chat with Young People (1914), a short work centered on vocation and life choices. Other books associated with him include Shall I Be a Daily Communicant?, A Story of Love, and Religion, Doctrine and Practice, showing a steady focus on explaining Catholic belief and practice in a direct, readable way.
A period newspaper notice also described him as vice rector of St. Ignatius College in Chicago and praised him as a strong speaker on social questions. Taken together, the surviving records suggest a writer-priest who wanted to make Catholic teaching useful and understandable, especially for students and young people.