Bucket List of good Catholic classic books we all should read

Catholic Living Spirituality
#1

This topic is from another thread.

Could you all list books, especially classic books, but contemporary books are OK, too, that all Catholics should try to read at least once in their lives? (Fiction is OK, too. Even kids’ books are OK.)

Kind of like a “Book Bucket List!”

The Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are at the top of the list, of course. But I’m looking for a good list of other books besides these two.

Thanks! I really need to do some more quality leading.

I’ll start by suggesting The Imitation of Christ.

#2

Lives of the Saints (or books about an individual Saint)
Story of a Soul – St Therese
The Bible
The Baltimore Catechism Series

#3

Radio replies, 3 volumes, for theology

Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales
Spiritual Combat by Dom Scupoli–both for the spiritual life and living.

#4

The Secret of the Rosary by Louis Marie De Montfort
True Devotion to Mary by Louis Marie De Montfort

and I will give a BIG second to already mentioned above
Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis
The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux

#5

The Way of Perfection, St. Teresa of Jesus
The Precautionsand The Counsels, St. John of the Cross

Both are excellent and understandable guides to progress in the spiritual life.

#6

The Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Chautard
Jesus King of Love by Mateo Crawley Boevey (Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus)

#7

Recommendations from my teenage son:

**Not classics (yet!) **but great for reference and for reading:

YOUCAT - (Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church)
The Fathers Know Best - Jimmy Akin

Classics

Aquinas’ Shorter Summa
A Song for Nagasaki (Mom’s selection)

#8

St Augustine “Confession”
William Carrol “History of Christendom”
St John of the Cross “The Collected Works of St John of the Cross”

#9

Orthodoxy-G.K. Chesterton
The Soul of the Apostolate-Dom Chautard
Jesus of Nazareth-Pope Benedict XVI

#10

How about :
The Consolation of Philosophy
The Servile State
Revelations of Divine Love
The Divine Comedy
Chesterton’s biographies of St Francis and St Thomas

#11

My additions to the bucket list:

Confessions by Saint Augustine
Jesus of Nazareth (Baptism to the Transfiguration) and Jesus of Nazareth (Holy Week) by Pope Benedict XVI
The Fathers(vol. 1 & 2) by Pope Benedict XVI
Holy Women by Pope Benedict XVI
Be Not Afraid by Pope John Paul II
The Rule of Saint Benedict
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton
The Mind’s Road to God by Saint Boneventure
Dark Night by Saint John of the Cross
The End of the Present World by Father Charles Arminjon

#12

Hey! You guys don’t get to claim C.S. Lewis!:stuck_out_tongue:

#13

God of surprises by Gerald Hughs SJ

#14

I’m currently reading World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God, by Bishop Fulton Sheen.

I think it’s awesome, especially for someone like me.

#15

catholicity.com/mccloskey/readingplan.html

amazon.com/Catholic-lifetime-reading-plan/dp/1581880006

#16

Fullfillment of all desire- Ralph Martin
Theology for beginners- Frank Sheed
Handbook of Catholic Apologetics - Peter Kreeft

#17

The Spiritual Life by A. Tanquerey
Pardon and Peace by Alfred Wilson, C.P.
Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux (I like FJ Sheed’s translation)
The Sinner’s Guide by Ven. Louis of Grenada
The Practice of the Presence of God
Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila

#18

Here are a couple books that have made a profound difference in my life:

Divine Mercy in My Soul: St. Maria Faustina
**
Introduction to the Devout Life:** St. Francis de Sales

Imitiation of Christ: Thomas A Kempis

#19

Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales great book
Mystical City of God
Meet Solanus Casey
Cure’ of Ars’
To Save a thousand Souls
The Priest is not his own

#20

The Letters to Elpidio by Fr. Felix Varela. I’ve been reading about Fr. Varela and he is inspiring.

The Life of Christ by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Confessions of St. Augustine

The Cross in the Sand: The Early Catholic Church in Florida, 1513-1870 by Michael Gannon

Memoirs of the Oratory of Saint Francis De Sales from 1815 to 1855: The Autobiography of Saint John Bosco by Don Bosco

St. John Bosco by F. A. Forbes

I have a special devotion to Don Bosco.

Pierced by a Sword by Bud McFarlane

Divine Mercy in my Soul: Diaries of St. Maria Faustina by St. Faustina

Seven Storey Mountain by Fr. Thomas Merton. A non-Catholic once told me it was very good.

I’m gonna go off now to read Don Bosco’s biography by F.A. Forbes, the Letters to Elpidio will be next on the list (I know the translator).