Perhaps no other institution in history has had such a love affair with books than the Catholic Church. Yes, things like YouTube and online learning have emerged as prodigious forms of content distribution, but the “old media” of physical books still ranks as the supreme form of learning for most Catholics.
The following is a list of books that every Catholic should own. This is the starter list and beyond the obvious entries such as the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are our subjective suggestions.
When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us.
St. Jerome
Every home needs a bible, and the NRSV Catholic Bible contains the newest improved translations, and the version included in the link is the “Journal Edition” allowing for notetaking.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
You will be amazed at how easy it is to read the Catechism. It might not be a quick read, but the newest edition is beautifully written and a joy to read. Take just a few minutes a day and slowly work through the entire Catechism without a set finish date in mind. This is also great to have around when you want to research any aspect of the Church’s beliefs.
Study Bible: Word on Fire: The Gospels and Word on Fire: Acts, Letters and Revelation plus The Great Story of Israel: Election, Freedom, Holiness
Yes, these are three books, but we are counting them as one. The first two links here are the New Testament but all of the scripture is guided by a Catholic Bishop, along with the writings of the greatest scholars and Saints in Church history. The third link covers the first part of the Old Testament (the second part is coming soon) and doesn’t include all of the scripture, but guides you through the Catholic understanding of the Old Testament. These resources are indispensable for Catholics.
Every Catholic should study the lives of the Saints. These are the persons that were set aside by God and that we can learn from and imitate. The link above is for the shortened version, but also consider the classic, 4-volume set that will eventually turn into something you can pass down to children and grandchildren.
There are many wonderful Catholic Prayer books, and if you are so lucky, you may find that there is a family that someone has around. The link above is one to the traditional prayers, but there are many excellent ones available.
The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas A. Kempis
The second most popular spiritual book after the Bible, The Imitation of Christ, has had an astounding influence on the spiritual lives of innumerable saints, commoners, and popes for centuries. Unconstrained by space or time, the soul-searching words of the cleric Thomas à Kempis from the fourteenth century nevertheless ring true today. His four-part essay, which draws inspiration from the Bible, the Fathers of the early Church, and medieval mysticism, shrugs off the pull of the material world and combines beauty with bluntness in a very spiritual call to arms.
An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
For nearly four hundred years, Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life has remained a singularly accessible and timely treasure of devotion. Francis de Sales attended to the spiritual needs of everyone, from the most impoverished peasants to court ladies, while serving as Bishop of Geneva in the first three years of the seventeenth century. He compiled these guidelines on how to live in Christ because he observed that individuals from all strata of society desired to get nearer to God.
Saint Augustine of Hippo penned what is at once the first authentic autobiography in Western literature and among the most complex yet understandable theological arguments in the history of Christianity in the final years of the fourth century A.D. Augustine narrates his journey from a life of sensuality, Manichaean superstition, and empty careerism to a genuine spiritual epiphany with astonishing honesty and psychological insight. He also articulates ideas on marriage, morality, and faith that have influenced our conversation ever since. We can grasp Augustine’s thoughts’ surprising modernity as well as his voice’s indelible lyricism by reading his Confessions.
On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius of Alexandria
The difficult subject of Jesus’ incarnation is made easier to understand in Athanasuis’ On The Incarnation, which also establishes the nature of an ever-loving God by reaffirming its timeless validity and relevance.
In the fourth century, when the concept of a holy deity becoming human was completely absurd, Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373), an Egyptian bishop, church father, and Christian theologian, raised the issue of Jesus’ incarnation. Athanasius penned this passionate polemic on a topic that had never been discussed before in the midst of the upheaval of his time, using only the Bible and the Spirit of God as his sources of inspiration.
Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
He discusses a number of topics in this book, a spiritual masterpiece and classic of Christian literature and mysticism, including vanity, avarice, envy, and other flaws in people. The “dark night of the spirit,” which focuses on the suffering and sorrows experienced by the soul, is discussed before he goes into great detail on divine love and the soul’s joyful union with God.
Saint. John of the Cross, a famous Spanish mystic, joined the Carmelite order in 1563 and assisted St. Teresa of Avila in reforming the Carmelite order while facing persecution and incarceration. He effectively expressed his love for God in both his poetry and his daily life.