Any recommendations on religious reading?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jeanne71350
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jeanne71350

Guest
I’m a teenage girl looking to do some reading on religion: Saints, Historical events, whatever. Stories like Fatima, the one with Sister Faustina, Lourdes, and such fascinate me.

Anyone have any good reccomendations?
 
I highly recommend “Be Intolerant” by Ryan Dobson. It’s not Catholic, but I think that it’s great for teen readers. It’s about standing up for Christianity in general even if people think you are being intolerant.

I also loved Scott Hahn’s “Reasons to Believe.” I am a believer and did not need reasons to believe in the Catholic faith, but this book reinforced my faith. It also gives young people the knowledge they need to defend Catholicism as needed.

When it comes to the saints, St. Augustine’s “Confessions” is great, but really deep. I’m currently reading “Interior Castle” by St. Theresa of Avila - talk about give you a perspective on how women viewed themselves in the 1500’s!

Good luck! I am a former high school English teacher and love to see teens reading!
 
Diary of Saint Faustina: saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS1.shtml

Life and Revelations of Saint Gertude the Great: my.homewithgod.com/gertrude

The Confessions of Saint Augustine: newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm

Writings of the Church Fathers: newadvent.org/fathers/index.html

Story of Fatima: ewtn.com/fatima/index.htm

Message of Fatima: vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html

Our Lady of Laus: catholictradition.org/Mary/laus.htm

Saint Francis: ewtn.com/padrepio/franciscan/st_francis.htm

Saint Padre Pio: ewtn.com/padrepio/index.htm

Padre Pio celebrates the Eucharist: youtube.com/watch?v=cqLxUExgZVQ

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus: ewtn.com/therese/therese.htm

Mother Teresa: ewtn.com/motherteresa/index.htm

Books I recommend:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Dues Est Caritas (Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI)
Autobiography of Saint Magaret Mary
Behold The Heart Which Has So Loved Men
Counsels and Exhortions of Saint Padre Pio

You can also visit the offical website of the Holy See, www.vatican.va

There you can use the Search bar to find almost anything Catholic: Encyclicals, documents, Bible translations, the Catechism, etc.

For example, the Vatican website includes Saint Francis’ The Body of the Lord
 
Here are some books that have helped me.
  • “Story of a Soul” by Saint Therese of Lisieux. This is my favorite book (other than the Bible), and I have read it so many times over. I think you will really like this one.
  • “Complete Spiritual Doctrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux” by Francois Jamart. This is my second favorite book. It is an excellent guide to understanding what holiness is and how to achieve it in the most simple terms. I read it very slowly, studying all it says, and have learned so much.
  • “The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila” by Saint Teresa of Avila. This should perhaps be listed as my favorite book, because it changed my life when I read it. It is a spiritual classic and very fascinating.
The above three books have been very instrumental to me. But the ones below have been exceedingly helpful as well.
  • “The Glories of Divine Grace” by Matthias Joseph Sheeben. This is a new one I started to read, and it is very good.
  • “The Diary of Saint Faustina.”
  • “Saint Bernadette Soubirous: 1844-1879” by Francois Trochu is a good book on Saint Bernadette.
  • “The Little Flowers of Saint Francis.” The story of Saint Francis of Assisi.
And, of course, the best book to read of all, is…
  • The Bible This is the best book, and I am learning that more and more. If you want to grow close to Christ, this book will do you so much good as it brings you to Him, and to His life, as He is the way, the truth, and the life 🙂
It is wonderful you are doing this reading!
 
I just finished reading “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander.

It was amazing and has really helped me on my path to grow in devotion to our Blessed Mother.
 
I would read the following books by Pope Benedict XVI:

God is Near (on the Holy Eucharist)
The Spirit of the Liturgy (on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)
The God of Jesus Christ
Daughter Zion (on the Blessed Mother)
Seek that Which is Above
God’s Revolution (his entire addresses and homilies from the Cologne World Youth Day)

If you are going to read the Bible, I would suggest that you get a Catholic Bible with a solid translation. The best one is the Ignatious RSV-CE, 2nd edition. I would also read it as the Church reads it. Don’t begin with Revelation; rather, read the Gospel of Mark, first, since this is the Gospel that we will be hearing throughout this liturgical year. Use the Sunday readings as a guide. You might want to check to see if your parish has a Bible study group and consider joining them. Make sure, though, that they are reading the Bible with the Church.

I hope this helps.
 
Eucharisted said:
Diary of Saint Faustina: saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS1.shtml

Life and Revelations of Saint Gertude the Great: my.homewithgod.com/gertrude

The Confessions of Saint Augustine: newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm

Writings of the Church Fathers: newadvent.org/fathers/index.html

Story of Fatima: ewtn.com/fatima/index.htm

Message of Fatima: vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html

Our Lady of Laus: catholictradition.org/Mary/laus.htm

Saint Francis: ewtn.com/padrepio/franciscan/st_francis.htm

Saint Padre Pio: ewtn.com/padrepio/index.htm

Padre Pio celebrates the Eucharist: youtube.com/watch?v=cqLxUExgZVQ

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus: ewtn.com/therese/therese.htm

Mother Teresa: ewtn.com/motherteresa/index.htm

Books I recommend:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Dues Est Caritas (Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI)
Autobiography of Saint Magaret Mary
Behold The Heart Which Has So Loved Men
Counsels and Exhortions of Saint Padre Pio

You can also visit the offical website of the Holy See, www.vatican.va

There you can use the Search bar to find almost anything Catholic: Encyclicals, documents, Bible translations, the Catechism, etc.

For example, the Vatican website includes Saint Francis’ The Body of the Lord
Click to expand...
Thank you all so much. I got Sister Faustina’s diary today from my school library. Going to Catholic school means religious reading is always at hand.
 
Anything on St Maria Goretti would be good for you too. She is truly a special saint for teens.
 
Here are some more:

any biography that you can get on St. John Bosco
Blessed Miguel Pro by Ann Ball
Catholic Matters by the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus (it may be a little deep, but, it gives a solid read on being Catholic in the US).
 
“The Cloud of Unknowing”

and whatever you can find on Padre Pio.
 
You have already received some wonderful powerful recommendations, some of which I am going to check out myself such as the apparitions on Fatima. 😛 👍 🙂 😃

However, the safest, surest, most powerful way to Jesus, followed by Catholic saints such as St. Maria Faustina - Apostle of Divine Mercy -, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque - received revelations/apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguroi (Doctor of the Church), St. Maximilian Maria, St. Louis Mary de Montfort(deeply inspired four popes, most especially His Holiness Pope John Paul II), and St. Therese of Liseux (one of the three female Doctors of the Church) is through our Blessed Mother. 🙂 :eek:

Some of my favorite devotional works related to our Blessed Mother, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Savior of the World, Sacred Heart of Jesus. 👍

Online Adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament louisville-catholic.net/WebCameras/AdorationChapel/tabid/825/Default.aspx
True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin fisheaters.com/totalconsecrationmontfort.html
The Love of Eternal Wisdomewtn.com/library/Montfort/lew.htm
**Secret of the Rosary ** montfort.org.uk/Writings/Rosary.html
Preparation for 33 day consecration to the Blessed Virgin saintlouisdemontfort.com/consecration.cfm
Reflections on True Devotion to Mary by His Holiness Pope John Paul II http://www.michaeljournal.org/montfort.htm
**The Glories of Mary, ** by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, one of the 33 Doctors of the Catholic Church, explains Hail Holy Queen http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/glories.htm
On the Dolors of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, one of the 33 Doctors of the Catholic Church, explains the sufferings of Our Lady http://writer.zoho.com/public/immaculate/Seven-dolors
Marialis Cultus (Apostolic Exhortation for the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary of His Holiness, February 2, 1974 by His Holiness Pope Paul VI ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P6MARIAL.HTM
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus en.wikisource.org/wiki/Devotion_to_the_Sacred_Heart_of_Jesus#FIRST_POINT._.E2.80.94_The_ardent_desire_Jesus_Christ_feels_to_be_with_us.
Divine Mercy Chaplet ewtn.com/Devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm
Rosary Confraternity Enrollment rosary-center.org/nconform.htm (As Pope Leo XIII said in his encyclical on the Confraternity, *“Whenever a person fulfills his obligation of reciting the Rosary according to the rule of the Confraternity, he includes in his intentions all its members and they render him the same service many times over.” * Each member includes deceased fellow members as well; and thus he knows that in turn he will be included in the prayers of hundreds of thousands both now and hereafter.
Cathechism of the Catholic Church vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
Litany of Humility ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/humility.htm
**Cathechis of the Popes on Mary, Mother of God, ** catechesisofthepopes.wikispaces.com/Mary
Commentary on Jonah: litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Jonah+Chapter+3

Take care! 🙂

*Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. *

Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse. Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse.

For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top