Friends,
I am trying to renew my catholic faith by learning more. I would like to know what books I should read about my faith. I would like to learn all I can. I am very interested in our Blessed Mother.
Thanks in advance.
Catholic Exchange Forums » Faith and Life
Help--what books should I read?
(18 posts)
Posted 9 months ago #
Proud mommy of one little boy.
Posted 9 months ago #
Immaculate Conception and the Holy Spirit: The Marian Teaching of St. Maximilian Kolbe by H. M. Manteau-Bonamy
A little heady but an outstanding read. Not too long either.
In Christ,
Michael
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried"
- GK Chesterton "The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - also GKC
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried"
- GK Chesterton "The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - also GKC
Posted 9 months ago #
Hail Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
True Devotion to Mary by Louis De Monfort
Posted 9 months ago #
I'll second True Devotion.
Michael
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried"
- GK Chesterton "The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - also GKC
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried"
- GK Chesterton "The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." - also GKC
Posted 9 months ago #
More excellent Catholic reading.
The Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ
Several months ago CE (Brendan Hickey) provided Fr. John McCloskey's Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan. All of these books are good keepers.
Posted 9 months ago #
Could we expand this discussion?
What magazines and books are you reading (or have read) that are helpful?
From time to time I look at America and find it informative and useful (http://www.americamagazine.org/).
When Mark Shea was here I bought from him his book Making Sense out of Scripoture. I would recommend this to those interested in the Bible.
Also I have found The Way and Friends of God by St Josemaria Escriva helpful.
God bless,
NoelFitz.
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In necessariis, unitas; in dubiis, libertas; in omnibus, caritas.
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Posted 9 months ago #
Pround mommy
Thanks so much for all these suggestions. Have any of you read the Glories Of Mary? Just wondering. Also, what are good books on passing on the faith to your children? Sorry, about all the questions, but I feel you guys are the experts.
thanks in advance.
Posted 9 months ago #
Try http://www.mariology.com for reading about our Blessed Mother
Posted 9 months ago #
Also try Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Charles Keating
Tarheel (Dave)
Posted 9 months ago #
For learning about my faith (when I returned) I found these authors particularily helpful: Scott Hahn, Karl Keating, Mark Shea and Patrick Madrid.
God Bless!
Posted 9 months ago #
A "must have" is the beautiful book just out by Heidi Hess Saxton, "Behold Your Mother." Visit Heidi's website and get an autographed copy. How fun is that?
http://beholdyourmotherbook.blogspot.com
Posted 9 months ago #
I will definitley check out Heidi's site.
thanks. I guess no one has read the Glories of Mary
Posted 9 months ago #
Dear eli1118, Without a doubt the first book you should read as a Catholic would be the Catechism of the Catholic Faith. This should be read before you read the Bible as the Catechism will give you the correct context in which to interpret Holy Scripture. After that I would warn you that any book not approved by the Vatican is dangerous to your spiritual health. Far more educational and correct is the Vatican website www.vatican.va which contains every document published by the Catholic church beginning with Peter the first Pope.In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
Posted 9 months ago #
How do you check which books are approved or not?
Posted 9 months ago #
eli1118,
I think it is an exaggeration (to say the least) that "any book not approved by the Vatican is dangerous to your spiritual health."
You can find an imprimatur and a nihil obstat in the front of many books on the Catholic faith. "imprimatur" means "let it be printed" and "nihil obstat" means "nothing stands in the way".
You cannot say that these are "from the Vatican" since they are often (but not always) marks of bishops in a diocese. While they certainly are a part of the Church's magesterium, they are not the magesterium in an of themselves.
Bottom line, when you find these marks, you can rest assured that what you are reading does not contain error. (However, it may not contain direct doctrine either...it just means that it does not contradict Church doctrine...do you see the difference?)
Now, there are plenty reasons an author will write, yet not seek the 2 marks.
Not a prayer book or a catechism? Don't need the marks.
Not going to be used as a textbook? Don't need the marks.
Not going to be sold in churches? Don't need the marks.
So you see, there can be some excellent books out there without the marks that will also lead you to a closer relationship with God with the Truth. But there are even more books out there that may contain errror, so you do have to be careful (which is why you have come to ask recommendations).
Posted 9 months ago #
Dear eli1118, The problem with reading any written material is not what is written in the book, it is what you come to believe after reading an opinion presented by an author. If you are not firm in what you believe, you may be persuaded to come to believe evil. In order to become firm in what you believe, it is best to start with books that are firmly Catholic and approved by the Catholic church, which are marked in the book cover as previewed and approved in the section of the book that recognizes the dedications.
It is not I who says that books not approved are dangerous to your spiritual health but Father John Hardin who made the statement with the approval of Pope John Paul 11.
If you are firm in your faith you can easily read the deception of wicked providers of false doctrine. Much of the false doctrine is presented on television as well. If you go to the Vatican website www.vatican.va and search for "some questions regarding the doctrine" you may read Pope Benedict's analysis of non Catholic doctrines as he regards them as "defective".
Reading a book is sort of like watching a movie. Would you watch an X rated movie or watch a tv show depicting Christ as the husband of Mary Magdalene? Of course not if you are Catholic however you may watch those movies if you were required to be knowledgeable of the deceit presented there and needed to defend the faith against false doctrine.
Normally, most Catholic's are not required to be knowledgeable regarding the errors of evil nor the defective doctrines of those who pretend to be "Christian". Catholic's are required to be knowledgeable of the Catholic faith and so the Catechism is primarily the place to start in order to guide you to the Truth and also the answer to the question you posted, the answer you seek is stated firmly in the Catechism.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
Posted 9 months ago #
Ave Maria!
Yes, to True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort and yes to The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori. And to add to the Marian list, I would suggest Mother of our Savior by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-LaGrange.
Other books? The Catechism for one. Story of a Soul about St. Therese for two. To get into the mystical side of things there are the Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila and The Dark Night of the Soul from St. John of the Cross.
I recommend the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.
And also to begin reading biographies of saints; the more you know of the saints then the wonderful example they have left for us can be applied to our very lives.
God bless!
Posted 8 months ago #
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