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Pythons
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I don’t have hundreds but I pushing 50 serious tomes that treat Catholicism…
…It’s the only good habbit I currently have
…It’s the only good habbit I currently have
Am I the only one who has accumulated hundreds of Catholic and other religious books over the years?
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Clare2412
Guest
I am a kindred spirit, Christofirst. I haven’t counted my titles though. I’m not sure I’m ready to face my obsession. And we’re not only keeping Catholic publishers in business, but supporting and encouraging the authors, too! Put that way, it doesn’t sound like too bad an obsession.
Via con Dios!
Clare
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Clare2412
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Clare2412
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Two parishes I have belonged to over the years established parish libraries by providing a home for books that the parishoners no longer had room for, or were selling, and in a couple cases when a parishoner died and the family didn’t want the books. This was a great way to save a lot of quality works from the dumpster and we got a number of older works that were long out of print (one a complete set of the Catholic Encyclopedia!!). Now other parishoners can browse through the bounty, discover all the wonderful writing available, try a new author or topic and not have to buy it. With as many books as I have, I still loved wandering among those shelves and discovering so much more that I never knew of before. It was also a great place to meet and become acquainted with the other big readers in the parish. This is what I will do with my own collection when I pass away as our current parish doesn’t have its own library.I know I’ll have to find a home for this stuff eventually! It’s a disease.
Via con Dios!
Clare
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GKC
Guest
We established a similar library. I didn’t contribute any books, but it is housed in 5 book cases I contributed.
GKC
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GKC
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I would give duplicates of stuff I think they would use. But I can’t think of any such.You have 25,000 books and you didn’t give any to the parish library? Spread the love, man!
Just ribbing you.I’ve got far more books than I will likely ever read.
But there are those bookcases. Big ones.
If I manage to read all I own, I’ll make it into the Guinness record book: oldest person still reading.
GKC
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GKC
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My kid has raided my library over the years, for a variety of topics that interest her. When she graduated from college, I gave her about 150 books, inscribed to her (mostly) from the authors.I’m hoping my kids want my books when I’m gone… don’t know if they would though.
My SIL has all my German history, some of my medieval history, some of my history of philosophy, and all my St. Augustine.
Both of them get books as presents; 4 each this Christmas. I’d estimate they have 6-8 thousand total by this time.
I was raised in a book owning, book loving family. That often is passed down.
GKC
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GKC
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You are correct.
After I retired from the AF, I worked 4 years in the rare book business, and about 7+ in the new book business.
And my wife collects them, too. I was lucky.
GKC
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Pepband_Mom
Guest
We established a parish library but not many seem to use it. I think I will give a couple 100 year copies to the local Diocese’ historical collection & the local Jesuit Univ. Library. the rest will go to our parish I guess?
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Jimmy_B
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fordhamstudent
Guest
Most of my collection came from a parish whose parishoners never read and to also get rid of pre-conciliar books which did not reflect the teaching of the Second Vatican Council–books which are mostly found through TAN books and other traditional Catholic booksellers. I have also bought and been given many Catholic books, both pre and post-conciliar, aside from my required theology and religious studies books from college. I think it is important to have a good Catholic, ecumenical, and interfaith library and one which is composed of the great books. Is it a Catholic thing to give away everything from books to sacramentals? I do this all the time and wonder if it is ontologically a part of our Catholic spirit.
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centurionguard
Guest
Speaking of myself only, sure I own a huge collection of Catholic books, spiritual classics from the Saints of the Church. Two 6ft x 3ft filled with books purchased and given to me in the last 30 years.
But what’s to gloat over saying one owns such even if one reads and understands the valuable spiritual knowledge of what they contain?
Knowledge, without charity and humility, serves only to puff up the ego of a persons heart
Since all that the faculty of understanding can conceivably think, or through its purely synthetic activity possibly imagine, is, eo ipso, not God, the soul aspiring to knowledge of the Absolute must proceed paradoxically, through a process of unknowing – a process, we shall find, that will ultimately translate the natural faculty of understanding into its corresponding theological virtue of faith. The epistemological doctrine of unknowing is, of course, but one of the many iridescent aspects of the via negativa which finds its clearest expression in Saint John of the Cross, Book One, of the The Ascent of Mount Carmel:
“In order to arrive at pleasure in everything
Desire to have pleasure in nothing.
In order to arrive at possessing everything,
Desire to possess nothing.
In order to arrive at being everything
Desire to be nothing.
In order to arrive at knowing everything,
Desire to know nothing.
In order to arrive at that wherein thou hast no pleasure,
Thou must go by a way wherein thou hast no pleasure.
In order to arrive at that which thou knowest not
Thou must go by a way thou knowest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou possest not,
Thou must go by a way that thou possesst not.
In order to arrive at that which thou art not,
Thou must go through that which thou art not.
When thy mind dwells upon anything,
Thou art ceasing to cast thyself upon the All.
For in order to pass from the all to the All,
Thou hast to deny thyself wholly in all.
And when thou comest to possess it wholly,
Thou must possess it without desiring anything.
For, if thou wilt have anything in having all,
Thou hast not thy treasure purely in God.”
But what’s to gloat over saying one owns such even if one reads and understands the valuable spiritual knowledge of what they contain?
Knowledge, without charity and humility, serves only to puff up the ego of a persons heart
Since all that the faculty of understanding can conceivably think, or through its purely synthetic activity possibly imagine, is, eo ipso, not God, the soul aspiring to knowledge of the Absolute must proceed paradoxically, through a process of unknowing – a process, we shall find, that will ultimately translate the natural faculty of understanding into its corresponding theological virtue of faith. The epistemological doctrine of unknowing is, of course, but one of the many iridescent aspects of the via negativa which finds its clearest expression in Saint John of the Cross, Book One, of the The Ascent of Mount Carmel:
“In order to arrive at pleasure in everything
Desire to have pleasure in nothing.
In order to arrive at possessing everything,
Desire to possess nothing.
In order to arrive at being everything
Desire to be nothing.
In order to arrive at knowing everything,
Desire to know nothing.
In order to arrive at that wherein thou hast no pleasure,
Thou must go by a way wherein thou hast no pleasure.
In order to arrive at that which thou knowest not
Thou must go by a way thou knowest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou possest not,
Thou must go by a way that thou possesst not.
In order to arrive at that which thou art not,
Thou must go through that which thou art not.
When thy mind dwells upon anything,
Thou art ceasing to cast thyself upon the All.
For in order to pass from the all to the All,
Thou hast to deny thyself wholly in all.
And when thou comest to possess it wholly,
Thou must possess it without desiring anything.
For, if thou wilt have anything in having all,
Thou hast not thy treasure purely in God.”
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GKC
Guest
Like your tag lines, esp.Speaking of myself only, sure I own a huge collection of Catholic books, spiritual classics from the Saints of the Church. Two 6ft x 3ft filled with books purchased and given to me in the last 30 years.
But what’s to gloat over saying one owns such even if one reads and understands the valuable spiritual knowledge of what they contain?
Knowledge, without charity and humility, serves only to puff up the ego of a persons heart
Since all that the faculty of understanding can conceivably think, or through its purely synthetic activity possibly imagine, is, eo ipso, not God, the soul aspiring to knowledge of the Absolute must proceed paradoxically, through a process of unknowing – a process, we shall find, that will ultimately translate the natural faculty of understanding into its corresponding theological virtue of faith. The epistemological doctrine of unknowing is, of course, but one of the many iridescent aspects of the via negativa which finds its clearest expression in Saint John of the Cross, Book One, of the The Ascent of Mount Carmel:
“In order to arrive at pleasure in everything
Desire to have pleasure in nothing.
In order to arrive at possessing everything,
Desire to possess nothing.
In order to arrive at being everything
Desire to be nothing.
In order to arrive at knowing everything,
Desire to know nothing.
In order to arrive at that wherein thou hast no pleasure,
Thou must go by a way wherein thou hast no pleasure.
In order to arrive at that which thou knowest not
Thou must go by a way thou knowest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou possest not,
Thou must go by a way that thou possesst not.
In order to arrive at that which thou art not,
Thou must go through that which thou art not.
When thy mind dwells upon anything,
Thou art ceasing to cast thyself upon the All.
For in order to pass from the all to the All,
Thou hast to deny thyself wholly in all.
And when thou comest to possess it wholly,
Thou must possess it without desiring anything.
For, if thou wilt have anything in having all,
Thou hast not thy treasure purely in God.”
59 years collecting Chesterton and Lewis, inter alia.
GKC
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andrewstx
Guest
I fear for the death of printed books with Ebooks and the Kindle and other electonic ‘readers’.
Even our only dedicated bookstore Barnes & Noble is shrinking the number of actual books stocked. Part of the store has become a Starbucks, and another is filled with stuffed toys, and board games.
And the first thing that comes to view is a big section devoted to selling the Kindles.
Even our only dedicated bookstore Barnes & Noble is shrinking the number of actual books stocked. Part of the store has become a Starbucks, and another is filled with stuffed toys, and board games.
And the first thing that comes to view is a big section devoted to selling the Kindles.
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Prairie_Rose
Guest
I may not have hundreds, but I do have alot!
My absolute favorite is “Catholicism” by Fr. Robert Barron.
I also have quite a few books by Mother Angelica and books about her, written by Raymond Arroyo.
Author Scott Hahn is a particular fav. as well.
Not all my religious/spiritual books are Catholic in nature or by Catholic authors, but the ones that aren’t are very selective in topic.
I’ve purchased alot of my books thru Amazon - and I like their wish list feature - when I hear of a great book, I can add it to my wish list for future consideration.
Great topic!!
~~PR
My absolute favorite is “Catholicism” by Fr. Robert Barron.
I also have quite a few books by Mother Angelica and books about her, written by Raymond Arroyo.
Author Scott Hahn is a particular fav. as well.
Not all my religious/spiritual books are Catholic in nature or by Catholic authors, but the ones that aren’t are very selective in topic.
I’ve purchased alot of my books thru Amazon - and I like their wish list feature - when I hear of a great book, I can add it to my wish list for future consideration.
Great topic!!
~~PR
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GKC
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fordhamstudent
Guest
I also am a Gutenburg traditionalist–paper only please:thumbsup:
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