30 Books to Share

Five essential books to buy and keep for a lifetime
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1. The Bible: Make sure it is a complete Bible and not one with some of the ‘books’ left out. It should be a ‘Catholic’ Bible, or one with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books included. Good modern translations include: The Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible, the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible. And there are many others. The CTS Catholic Bible has the scripture readings from Mass listed for easy reference.

2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church: Get the Revised Second Edition (which has a few improvements on the first). There are different editions published. This full catechism is actually a bit easier to read and understand than the shorter Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is often very dense.

3. The Sunday Missal: This contains the scripture readings and prayers for all the Sunday Masses of each year, and for some other big feasts. It means that we can look at the readings at home, and pray with them during the week. There are different versions of the Sunday Missal. The St Paul Sunday Missal is a cheaper paperback ‘disposable’ version that is reprinted each year with the correct readings and prayers just for that year.

4. A Simple Prayer Book (London: Catholic Truth Society): This contains all the traditional Catholic prayers; as well as the prayers of the Mass, Stations of the Cross, summary of Christian doctrine, etc. There are many other prayer books like this too.

5. Butler’s Lives of the Saints: There are many different versions of this book too, and in fact any good book which contains lives of the saints will help you.
 
 Simple introductions to the Catholic Faith
1. Christianity: An Introduction to the Catholic Faith and Living Life to the Full: An Introduction to the Moral and Social Teaching of the Catholic Church, by David Albert Jones: (Oxford: Family Publications, 1999). [Two short pamphlets that form a pair. Clear and systematic explanations]

2. A Catechism of Christian Doctrine (London, Catholic Truth Society). [Traditional ‘Penny Catechism’, now updated, with famous succinct answers. E.g., Question 1: Who made you? Answer 1: God made me].

3.  Catholic and Christian by Alan Schreck: (Cincinnati, Ohio: Servant Books, 2004). [One of the best popular introductions to the Catholic faith. The kind of book you would give to a friend asking questions]

4. Catholicism for Dummies by Rev. John Triglio and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti (Wiley, 2003). [Accessible, engaging guide].

5.  What is the Catholic Church? by Stephen Wang (London: Catholic Truth Society, 2007). [Small pamphlet which explains why it is important to belong to the Catholic Church]

6. The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions by Aquilina and Flaherty (Our Sunday Visitor, 2000). [Step-by-step guidelines to the Church’s devotions]. A Way of Life for Young Catholics  37

 More in-depth Books about the Catholic faith
7. An Intelligent Person's Guide to Catholicism by Alban McCoy (London and New York: Continuum, 2001). [University talks about basic Catholic questions].

8. Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel (Leominster: Gracewing, 2004). [Full of stories and examples from Catholic lives].

9. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (London: Catholic Truth Society, 2006): [Official shorter catechism of the Church in question and answer format. Quite dense and difficult in places].

10. Credo: The Catholic Faith Explained by Fr Marcus Holden (London: CTS, 2007) [Beautifully illustrated pocket catechism].

11. The Teaching of Christ: A Catholic Catechism for Adults, 5th edition, edited by Donald W. Wuerl and Ronald Lawler: (Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, 2005). [Massive book. One of the best and most comprehensive catechisms; very clear. With references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church]
 
Spiritual classics – often available in different translations and editions.
12. The Rule of St Benedict [How to be holy in community…]

13.  The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis [How to know Christ and stay close to him…]

14. Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales [How to be holy in ordinary life…]

15.  Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Caussade [How to find God in the present moment…]

16. Story of a Soul by St Thérèse of Lisieux [How to love in the little things…]

17.The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis [Spiritual advice in reverse: a senior devil explains to his junior how to trap and bring down a new Christian].

18. Something Beautiful for God: Mother Teresa of Calcutta by Malcolm Muggeridge (HarperCollins 1997). [An early biography that brought Mother Teresa to the attention of the world].
 
Practical advice
19. Seventeen Steps to Heaven: A Catholic Guide to Salvation by Leo J. Trese (Sophia, 2001). [Practical steps which will help you to live your faith more fully].

20. Gangster’s Guide to God by John Pridmore and Greg Watts (xt3 Media, 2007). [Honest, practical advice about all aspects of the Christian life – especially for young people].

21.  Catholic Student Guide: Essential Reading for Life at University, 2nd Edition, edited by Peter Kahn (Family Publications, 2006). [Written by chaplains and students themselves, covering gap years, accommodation, student lifestyle and study, Catholic chaplaincies and times of Mass].
 
 Relationships, Chastity, and Dating
22. Pure Love by Jason Evert (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2007). [Excellent pamphlet about love, chastity, dating, sex, etc].

23.  If You Really Loved Me: 100 Questions on Dating, Relationships, and Sexual Purity by Jason Evert (Cincinnati: St Anthony Messenger, 2003).

24. Real love: Answers Your Questions on Dating, Marriage and the Real Meaning of Sex by Mary Beth Bonacci (San Francisco, Ignatius Press, 1996).

25.  Good News about Sex & Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching by Christopher West (Servant, 2004).

26. Theology of the Body for Beginners: A Basic Introduction to Pope John Paul II's Sexual Revolution by  Christopher West (Ascension, 2004).

27. I Loved a Girl: A Private Correspondence Paperback – March 1, 2001 by Walter Trobisch

28. Art of Loving by Eric Fromm

29. I Married You by Walter Trobisch

30. The Catholic Family Handbook by Lawrence G. Lovasik (Manchester, NH: Sophia, 2000). [“Time-Tested Techniques to Help You Strengthen Your Marriage and Raise Good Kids”].