Way back 2004 I was a young priest with only 4 years from ordination assigned then in Casa Miani in Sorsogon City serving the orphans. One day I was walking in downtown and happened to see a small bookstore and right there an old copy of Dr. Scott Hahn’s conversion story “Rome Sweet Home” was on display. The book was used and the cover was unappealing but the title was captivating. After getting it, I read immediately and didn’t sleep almost the whole night devouring it from cover to cover. My eyes were on tears. I couldn’t believe that a Born Again minister will become Catholic and even become defender of the Church.

Then, I got the conversion story of Steve Ray “Crossing the Tiber” and once again the book moved me to tears. It reminded me of my high school days when I was defending the faith in school from Born Again and Iglesia ni Cristo classmates.

The story of Dr. Hahn and Steve Ray made me realized that having finally fulfilled my dream of becoming a priest I need to do something in order to bring back those souls deceived by heretics from the true Church founded by the Lord Jesus on St. Peter. But I don’t know how. Before I know of the St. Peter’s Men Society who were defending the faith in Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila but I hardly hear of them. I noticed that in the back of Rome Sweet Home there is a notification for those who are interested to learn how to defend the Catholic Faith and more materials from Dr. Hahn.

I immediately contacted the number and I was fortunate to be in live communication with no less than, the owner of the Totus Bookstore, who became instrumental for me to be active in Catholic Apologetics in Metro Manila.

He invited me to visit the store which I did during my Christmas break. We immediately clicked as a friend. We were like long-lost brothers sharing our hope and aspirations for the good of the Church similar to the works of Catholic Answers in the United States. He invited me to join the Defensores Fidei Foundation (DFF) and speak with them in series of apologetics that became very successful annual event in San Juan, Metro Manila. These seminars are gems of Catholic apologetics in Manila. It brought out the best of the best from our young apologists then: Atty. Marwil Llasos, Carlos Palad, Sir Ed De Vera, myself and many others. Converts started pouring in and it inspired many young participants to be Catholic apologists themselves on their own rights.

The DFF provided the seed for the establishment of CFD Metro Manila and the Know the Truth TV program in TV Maria. It was like a Mustard Seed that fell on the ground and brought forth countless fruits for the glory of God and for the splendor of the Church.

As our DFF apologists and their students were deepening the foundation of Catholic Apologetics in Metro Manila at the age of modern technology, we found our fountain of knowledge in TOTUS BOOKSTORE. That small but very beautiful Catholic bookstore became our meeting center, place of encounter and became the heart of DFF. It gave us windows to the other works of Dr. Hahn, Steve Ray and also of other great apologists like Karl Keating, Dave Armstrong, Jimmy Akin, Tim Staples and other converts. It gave us opportunities to listen or watch to the famous Catholic-Protestant Debates such as those of Patrick Madrid, Jesse Romero or Fr. Mitch Pacwa. The Totus Bookstore provided spiritual water to our unquenchable fire for knowledge in Catholic theology, Biblical Exigesis, Church History and Patristic studies. Because of Totus Bookstore, DFF apologetics has acquired a reputation of solid scholarship.

Thus, I highly recommend the Totus Bookstore to Catholics to learn more about our Church and our faith. I also recommend it to non-Catholics so that you know exactly what we Catholics truly believe and our reasons for doing things not from second hand sources but from our own faithful Catholic authors. We encourage them to read our primary sources so that they are not boxing a mere shadow of the Church but the real face of Catholicism. In addition, for those who aspire to be Catholic apologists please study well our faith and learn accurately. To achieve that easily I suggest: Go to Totus Bookstore. You will never be disenchanted, believe you me.

To the owners, thank very much for giving us the TOTUS BOOKSTORE. To our beloved secretary/saleslady, thank you so much for being so caring and helpful for each of our visits.

GOD BLESS DFF AND GOD BLESS OUR TOTUS BOOKSTORE!

Rev. Fr. Abe P. Arganiosa
Associate Member DFF
Founder CFD Metro Manila
Co-host Know the Truth