František Reyl (1865–1935) was one of the most prominent figures in both regional and national Catholicism, including political Catholicism, of his time. However, this immensely inspiring personality has faded from public consciousness (including that of the Catholic community) due to the passage of time. A critical monograph places all of his diverse work within the context of his life and the era. A dedicated priest and educator, he devoted his life to the education of the clergy and other youth; in Hradec Králové, he left behind, among other things, a new building for the Borromaeum church boarding school. He was a tenacious apologist and tirelessly participated in public discussions, often we could say arguments, especially about the position of religion in society. The most famous of these discussions was the debate held with T. G. Masaryk in Hradec Králové in 1906. In the scientific field, he was one of the pioneers of Christian sociology, published extensively in the press, and also published his own writings. Throughout his life, he held many political positions; the pinnacle of his political career was a long-term senatorial mandate during the First Republic. The most inspiring, yet logically the least visible, is Reyl's work in charity and philanthropy. A historical perspective gives us...
