10 important books...

[stephenc]

...for faith. In no particulair order, and with no explanations, but "take my word".

1. Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
2. I and Thou by Martin Buber
3. The Great Divorce by C.S Lewis (worried my wife when she saw me reading this :o )
4. Desire of the Everlasting Hills by Thomas Cahill
5. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English
6. What I believe by EF Schumacher (also "Small is Beautiful")
7. Portal of the Mystery of Hope by Charles Péguy
8. Culture and Value by Ludwig Wittgenstein
9. Cathecism of the Catholic Church by Uh..the Catholic Church ;)
10. Those who trespass against us by Countess Karolina Lanckoronska

..oh, and throw in ol' Gilbert Keith's Orthodoxy, but you'll have heard that already.

[helenofbritain]

Ya know, I've only heard of two of them (The Great Divorce and the CCC) and I've only read one of them - the CCC - and even then only in patches!

[stephenc]

Hi HoB!
Nice of you to respond. I suppose a "list" like this can bit like "lazy journalism".

Books are very important to my faith. I'm one of those guys who needs/likes a lot of commentary and explanation. This is a fair selection. But of course some books suit certain tempraments better than others. I'll be happy to tell a bit more about the list, and why as I get time.

I don't wanna bore anybody, so it'll be short and I promise in own words, not cut n' paste.

It's one of those "wife working late and kids are playing with the paper knife" days.

[helenofbritain]

Hey there!

My point was more "I need to read more books" :)

[stephenc]

...and moderate this 24 hour catfight? ;)

[Pogue]

(not saying clever things, just subscribing for future reference)

[holysee]

What about-

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

The Story of a Soul by St Therese of Lisieux

Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson

The Confessions of St Augustine by er never mind

Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales

The Need and the Blessing of Prayer by Karl Rahner

Waiting for God by Simone Weil

The Violence of Love by Oscar Romero

Poems and Prose by Gerard Manley Hopkins

The Mother of the Saviour by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange

[resoto]

Good collection.
I add,
The Interior Castle by St Teresa de Avila.
Dark Night of the Soul by St John of the Cross.
Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis of Sales.

[CatholicFlame]

I wanna give a top ten list too! I hope that you do not mind stephen.

well here goes the catholicflame countdown:


10. An Introduction to the devout life (do the 10 days of meditation to receive a great blessing)

9. The Imitation of Christ (the last chapters are so holy)

8. Rome Sweet Home (The title is great and the book is better, did you know that Scott Hahn can hear the voice of Jesus? Read this book!)

7. The purpose driven life (has a little good ol zealousness encouragement power in it)

6. Pick a book by Pope Benedict so you can start getting to know him. Genius.

I am having fun writing this list!!!

5. The documents of Vatican II (deep deep DEEP)

4. The Story of a soul (I loved my family more after I read this one)

3. The Little Flowers of St. Francis (one of my all time favorite books on earth. He was a pentecostal in the year 1100. So many spiritual gifts, whoa.)

2. Anything about the catholic charismatic renewal! try "By a new pentecost."


and #1 is:

1. The Holy Scriptures each and every day (St. Jerome encourages us that "Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ")

And there's my list!

[stephenc]

Thanks for the contibutions!

Inspired by other OBOB thread, I thought I might add this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZWE9VNXCL._AA240_.jpg

Which I enjoyed and found very insightful, btw.

[JoabAnias]

Can I kick in my 2 cents and add to whats above?

Everything with a Nihil Ostat and Imprimatur

All Papal Encyclicals (http://www.papalencyclicals.net/index.htm)
All Fathers of the Church (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06001a.htm)
Code of Canon Law (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM)
Documents of Church Councils (http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Indices/subs/documents.html)


Anything by any Doctor of the Church (http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap040700.htm)

Anything by De Montfort (http://www.jesus-passion.com/TrueDevotion.htm)
Anything by the Confraternity of the Precious Blood (http://www.confraternitypb.org/books.html)


Anything by: Peter Kreeft (http://www.inhisname.com/by.php?cat=Books&bylast=Kreeft&byfirst=Peter), Patrick Madrid (http://www.surprisedbytruth.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1780), Stephen Ray (http://www.inhisname.com/by.php?cat=Books&bylast=Ray&byfirst=Stephen%2520K.), Mitch Pacwa (http://www.fathermitchpacwa.org/), Scott Hahn (http://www.salvationhistory.com/bookstore/scott_books.cfm), Peter Stravinskas (http://www.catholicstjosephbooks.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Peter+Stravinskas), Karl Keating (http://shop.catholic.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/cgi-local/wwwwais.exe?U+scstore+vffx0581ff91e291+configure=/u/web/shop96/merchant/swish/scstore.wcf), Benedict Groeshel (http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?S=R&wauth=Benedict+Groeschel&siteID=1JSk6CbYEf0-BuzqDTASrU3Q761E2R0D9A), George Wiegel (http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/Weigel/), Thomas Howard (http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/authors/thomashoward.asp#howardbooks), Dave Armstrong (http://socrates58.blogspot.com/), and on and on and on....

Also the following list of writings that were considered for the Canon of Scripture which can for the most part be found on-line:

Gospels

Infancy of Jesus Christ
Infancy (by Thomas)
Lost Gospel of Peter
Nicodemus
Philip
The Protevangelion
Thomas
Truth

Epistles

Barnabas
Clement to the Corinthians (1)
Clement to the Corinthians (2)
Herod and Pilate
Igantius to the Ephesians
Igantius to the Magnesians
Igantius to the Trallians
Igantius to the Romans
Igantius to the Philadelphians
Igantius to the Smyrnaeans
Igantius to the Polycarp
Jesus and Abgarus
Paul to the Laodicians
Paul and the Seneca
Polycarp to the Philippians

Books by

Hermas (His Visions 1)
Hermas (His Commands 2)
Hermas (His Similitudes 3)

Other

The Didache

Peace and happy reading.

[stephenc]

Thanks for weighing in...but aren't many of the apochrypha you mention considered "spurious"?

[JoabAnias]

Thanks for weighing in...but aren't many of the apochrypha you mention considered "spurious"?

No more than anything else without an Impimatur and Nihil Obstat like CS Lewis I would suppose. Though I have heard that his writings leads to Chesterton which is a bonus. I would avoid the Gnostics or anything new age or heretical though. Would just be a waste of time.

I especially enjoy "The Birth of Mary" and the "Didache" though I don't take them as Gospel as should we take any book that isn't in the Canon of Scripture.

Oh and I forgot a couple too:

The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church by Jesuit theologians J. Neuner and J. Dupuis. (Staten Island: Alba House, 1982).

Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, by German theologian Ludwig Ott (Rockford: TAN, 1974).


Peace.

[sweetMelody]

this is a terrific thread.. thanks for the recommendations. I have read some of these and am always looking for more.

I bought and read Mother Teresa, come be my light. It is amazing!

[stephenc]

I do have a collection of Apocrypha; I like the Gospel of Thomas, but the infancy Gospels are not for me.

[holysee]

The Little Catechism of the Cure of Ars is a delightful collection of homilies by the patron saint of parish priests which can still instruct us about our faith.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/CATECHSM/CATARS.HTM

Do you see, my children, except God, nothing is solid - nothing, nothing! If it is life, it passes away; if it is a fortune, it crumbles away; if it is health, it is destroyed; if it is reputation, it is attacked. We are scattered like the wind. . . . Everything is passing away full speed, everything is going to ruin. O God! O God! how much those are to be pitied, then, who set their hearts on all these things! They set their hearts on them because they love themselves too much; but they do not love themselves with a reasonable love - they love themselves with a love that seeks themselves and the world, that seeks creatures more than God. That is the reason why they are never satisfied, never quiet; they are always uneasy, always tormented, always upset. See, my children, the good Christian runs his course in this world mounted on a fine triumphal chariot; this chariot is borne by angels, and conducted by Our Lord Himself, while the poor sinner is harnessed to the chariot of this life, and the devil who drives it forces him to go on with great strokes of the whip.


My children, the three acts of faith, hope and charity contain all the happiness of man upon the earth. By faith, we believe what God has promised us: we believe that we shall one day see Him, that we shall possess Him, that we shall be eternally happy with Him in Heaven. By hope, we expect the fulfilment of these promises: we hope that we shall be rewarded for all our good actions, for all our good thoughts, for all our good desires; for God takes into account even our good desires. What more do we want to make us happy?

[stephenc]

That's great! The emphasis on the three virtues remind me a lot of Charles Péguy, actually. You should pick up "Portal of The Mystery of Hope"; the personification of the three virtues in it is awesome. I loved it, anyway.

[JoabAnias]

I do have a collection of Apocrypha; I like the Gospel of Thomas, but the infancy Gospels are not for me.

Haven't read that one because I have heard it contradicts the dogma of purgatory. I especially like the Didache, the Protevangelion and the lost gospel of Peter.

Peace.

[stephenc]

Haven't read that one because I have heard it contradicts the dogma of purgatory.


I though it was the one you meant on your recommandions list.

Are there other Thomas Gospels?

I suppose there's a lot of Apocrypha kicking about; I have a substantial collection called "Lost Scriptures" (Oxford University Press). Much is from the Nag Hammadi find, and Gnostic in content. That stuff is, as you say, largely whacky.

[CatholicFlame]

Stephen,

What are all the virtues besides faith hope and love?

Thank you

[JoabAnias]

I though it was the one you meant on your recommandions list.

Are there other Thomas Gospels?

I suppose there's a lot of Apocrypha kicking about; I have a substantial collection called "Lost Scriptures" (Oxford University Press). Much is from the Nag Hammadi find, and Gnostic in content. That stuff is, as you say, largely whacky.

Thats a good question. I am unsure. That list is pulled from what the Church considered for the canon of Scripture in the 4th and 5th centuries.

If its the same Gospel of Thomas I am unsure. I would still recommend it nevertheless. I just have avoided it for the afore mentioned reason which was a very long time ago, before I even knew what a Gnostic Gospel was. But now you have peeked my curiosity, I wonder if it is one and the same. I am trying to remember what else it was I heard about it. Perhaps there is a Gnostic Gospel of Thomas as well and thats what was refered to. I will do some research when I get more time and get back to you. Right now I have to go on a road trip and will be out of the loop for a several hrs.

Peace.

[JoabAnias]

Stephen,

What are all the virtues besides faith hope and love?

Thank you

Ben dude, your the only one who changes his clothes on here. The rest of us must all be ripe by now. :D

Do you mean the cardinal (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03343a.htm) virtues (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15472a.htm)?

How ya been anyway, haven't heard from you in days and days? Everything been ok?

Peace brother.

[CatholicFlame]

LOL I change my clothes more than I change the books on my shelf.

Doing fine brother Joab, maybe I need some new reading. I liked your link but I also think I need a book on the virtues of the faith.

As your link stated "virtue means: something on which everything else hinges"

[JoabAnias]

LOL I change my clothes more than I change the books on my shelf.

Doing fine brother Joab, maybe I need some new reading. I liked you link but Ialso think I need a book on the vitures of the faith.

As your link stated "virtue means: something on which everything else hinges"

I have a good one I could recommend. I don't see it in the stacks immediately arround and I really have to run. People are waiting on me. I will find it and cite it for you later tonight. It was a good one as I recall. Remind me if I forget to get you the ISBN, Title and Author.

Peace brother,

TTYL.

[JoabAnias]

LOL I change my clothes more than I change the books on my shelf.

Doing fine brother Joab, maybe I need some new reading. I liked your link but I also think I need a book on the virtues of the faith.

As your link stated "virtue means: something on which everything else hinges"

I have two books on virtue both I would recommend.

1.) The Heart of Virtue [Donald DeMarco, 1996]

2.) Back to Virtue [Peter Kreeft, 1986]

both from Inatius Press San Francisco.

I haven't checked to see if they are still in print.

The first one touches specifically on the following virtues:

Care
Chastity
Compassion
Courage
Determination
Faith
Fedelity
Generosity
Gratiousness
Gratitude
Holiness
Hope
Humility
Integrity
Justice
Loyalty
Meekness
Mercy
Mirthfulness
Modesty
Patience
Piety
Prudence
Reverence
Sincerity
Temperance
Wisdom


The second one by Kreeft touches on culture, hisotry and civilization in its current state while addressing;

The four cardinal virtues
The three theological virtues
How the Beatitudes confront the seven deadly sins
Poor in Spirit vs, Proud in Heart
Mercy vs. Avarice
Mourning vs. Envy
Meek and Peacemakers vs. the Anger driven
Hunger for Righteousness vs. Satisfaction with sloth
Pure of heart vs. Lustful of heart
etc etc...

Hope this is helpful.


Talent is nurtured in solitude; character is formed in the stormy billows of the world. - Goethe

Phi 4:8 For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever honorable, whatever is right, whatever pure, whatever lovely, whatever of good report, if of any virtue, and if of any praise, think on these things.


Peace.

[stephenc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CatholicFlame http://www3.christianforums.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=42746193#post42746193)
Stephen,

What are all the virtues besides faith hope and love?

Thank you


Faith, Hope and Love/Charity are the three theological virtues. Peguy's work is specifically concerned with Hope, as "the most difficult, and most pleasing to God". Or to put it another way; his work is all about learning to accept Hope, and as such is wonderful and uplifting.

The other virtues have been summarised by JoabAnias, but in Cathecism the 4 cardinal virtues (I translate) are:

Wisdom, Justice, Courage and Temperance.

[JoabAnias]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CatholicFlame http://www3.christianforums.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=42746193#post42746193)
Stephen,

What are all the virtues besides faith hope and love?

Thank you


Faith, Hope and Love/Charity are the three theological virtues. Peguy's work is specifically concerned with Hope, as "the most difficult, and most pleasing to God". Or to put it another way; his work is all about learning to accept Hope, and as such is wonderful and uplifting.

The other virtues have been summarised by JoabAnias, but in Cathecism the 4 cardinal virtues (I translate) are:

Wisdom, Justice, Courage and Temperance.

I don't remember where I heard it now (maybe some can help) but I recall a quote from a saint that said all virtued proceed from humility. I believe it is so as it seems humility is lacking in denial of any of the others or in any sin as well.

Peace.

[stephenc]

OK, I've started on "Rome, Sweet Rome" by Scott Hahn. It's a well-written, easyish read. May make fuller "judgement" when I've finished the book.

[CatholicFlame]

Oh Stephen I hope that you love that book. I couldn't put it down. I used to take a bus to a library just to read it because I had library fees that kept me from taking it home. But I would go there just to read a few more chapters! Loved that book.

[holysee]

Pope Benedicts first two Encyclicals have been on Love and Hope so I'm guessing the next will be on Faith. BTW I love Spe Salvi his second Encyclical and recommend it.

I think that since Pride is the sin that led Satan to fall its opposite virtue, Humility is at the root and foundation of all virtue in the same way that Pride is at the root of all sin. Jesus and Mary are both notable for their great humility. I think this, by Saint Francis of Assisi is a great illustration of that and other virtues http://www.franciscan-archive.org/index2.html
The same (fr. Leonard) recalled there that one day blessed Francis, while at St. Mary's (of the Angels), called friar Leo and said: "Friar Leo, write." · Who responded: "Behold I am ready." · "Write—he said—what is perfect gladness?" · A messenger comes and says that all the masters of Paris have entered the Order, write, "not true gladness." · Likewise that all the prelates beyond the Alps, archbishops and bishops; likewise that the King of France and the King of England: write, "not true gladness." · Likewise, that my friars went among the infidels and converted them all to the Faith; likewise that I have from God this grace, that I heal the infirm and work many miracles: I say to you that in all these things there is not true gladness. · But what is true gladness? · I return from Perugia and in the dead of night I come here and it is winter time, muddy and what is more, so frigid, that icicles have congealed at the edge of my tunic and they always pierce my shins, and blood comes forth from such wounds. · And entirely (covered) with mud and in the cold and ice, I come to the gate, and after I knock for a long time and call, there comes a friar and he asks: "Who is it? I respond: "Friar Francis." · And he says: "Go away; it is not a decent hour for travelling; you shall not enter." · And again he would respond to (me) insisting: "Go away; you are a simpleton and an idiot; you do not measure up to us; we are so many and such men, that we are not in need of you!" · And I stand again at the gate and I say: "For the love (amor) of God take me in this night." · And he would respond: "I will not! Go away to the place of Crosiers and ask there." · I say to you that if I will have had patience and will not have been disturbed, that in this is true gladness and true virtue and soundness of soul.

[CatholicFlame]

HolySee,

That was from The Little Flowers of St. Francis, one of my all time favorite books. Any catholic who reads that will fall in love with the way of St. Francis of Assisi.

Thank you for that quote!

[stephenc]

Oh Stephen I hope that you love that book. I couldn't put it down. I used to take a bus to a library just to read it because I had library fees that kept me from taking it home. But I would go there just to read a few more chapters! Loved that book.


I do like it; and it's helped me very much with problems I've had about Marian veneration.

[CatholicFlame]

I do like it; and it's helped me very much with problems I've had about Marian veneration.

Oh if that is the case, pick up Hail Holy Queen next, one of Scott Hahn's other awesome books.

He was so anti-catholic before that he ripped his late grandmother's rosary beads in two.

[MoNiCa4316]

HolySee,

That was from The Little Flowers of St. Francis, one of my all time favorite books. Any catholic who reads that will fall in love with the way of St. Francis of Assisi.

Thank you for that quote!

That sounds good! :thumbsup: I really like St. Francis....maybe I'll read that book! :)

[MoNiCa4316]

Oh Stephen I hope that you love that book. I couldn't put it down. I used to take a bus to a library just to read it because I had library fees that kept me from taking it home. But I would go there just to read a few more chapters! Loved that book.

^_^ I just have to comment on this: I owe the library a whole fortune LOL I can't take books out either! Aren't we just so punctual :D

[JoabAnias]

^_^ I just have to comment on this: I owe the library a whole fortune LOL I can't take books out either! Aren't we just so punctual :D

I was a librarian assistant for a year in college. They used to be very forgiving of back dues. Now, if you lost books, that might be a different story but if they are just dues you might ask for a reprieve. If you had got me at the counter I would just give you a clean slate. ;)

Peace.

[stephenc]

Enjoying the letters of Karl Rahner; recommended to me here.

I like Karl Rahner. He senses the struggle many of us have.

[holysee]

I would now add "The Prayer of Love and Silence" by A Carthusian to my list. It is a wonderful wonderful really profound reflection on the Carthusian way of silence, prayer and contemplation. And it says such lovely things about Our Lady too.

[petergar]

I'm a newbie around here - as well as being a renewed Catholic. Here are my favorite books:

Anne Rice (Yup, the gal who wrote the Vampire Lestat series and others)
--Out of Egypt
--The Road To Cana

Walter Wangerin
-The Book of God
-Paul - A Novel
-Jesus - A Novel (Although I've yet to read it, i cant wait)

Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict)
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Good reference book)

40 Authors
Bible (where it all starts!) :)

[petergar]

Oh. I forgot the following:

Christ Among Us
Wilhelm.

Great book on explaining the Catholic church after Vatican II.

[MoNiCa4316]

Divine Mercy in My Soul by St. Faustina :D

[MoNiCa4316]

btw, I started Rome Sweet Home!! :) I love it so far. :thumbsup:

[CatholicFlame]

btw, I started Rome Sweet Home!! :) I love it so far. :thumbsup:

I know that you are loving Rome Sweet Home Monica.

It is a great testimony of seeking God's will in one man's life. Scott Hahn gives a great testimony to the Lord's presence with him.

And he really encourages catholics to read the bible too! I love that guy. ;)

What part are you on?

I don't have the book anymore but I think that I remember most of it.

[someoneshy]

Divine Mercy in My Soul by St. Faustina :D

thats the diary one correct? i asked for the book for my birthday and i have read it here and there since i got it this month..its one HEAVY book..i would recommend if someone doesnt like heavy(i realized how heavy in just 2 pages!) not to read it..it gets quite heavy..althou it is a lovely book i like it alot (and i am not much of a book person at all) it keeps me glued to the book..i like the fact you can read from anywhere in the book..
i been dabbling into becoming catholic for a bit and i got this book and its made me want to go further and most likely become one now..that is how much of a powerful affect it had on me!!!:thumbsup: