Book recomendations?

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Annie39

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I’m not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I am hoping to reach as many good apologists as possible.

I would like to give some reading material about the Catholic Church to a person who is Catholic but was very poorly catechized. I have the booklet PILLAR OF FIRE PILLAR OF TRUTH that I plan to offer him. Do you have any other suggestions? I have CATHOLICISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM but since he isn’t dealing with fundamentalists, I think that that may not be a good book for him. It would be good if the book was not very big. I like starting with POFPOT but a book the size of CAF would be okay.

Thank you,
Annie
 
i too was poorly catechized (that’s my excuse, but reality is that i was taught the Truth & rejected it because it was difficult & the world offered an easy way out!)

It depends on his (or her) learning preferences. Do they read, listen to speakers, watch videos or prefer interactive forums?

Have your friend read the CA Forums, listen to Catholic speakers on Catholic radio or CD’s (**Lighthouse Catholic Media is a great apostolate presenting incredible Catholic speakers on CD or mp3 lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/products/ )
**
Also music an be a great tool for evangelization, Danielle Rose & Jon Foreman of Switchfoot are 2 of my favorites! Danielle is now Joyful Sister Rose Therese, DLJC dljc.org/english/index.cfm?load=photoalbum&album=33 myspace.com/daniellerosemusic

Jon Foreman youtube.com/watch?v=uoXWIK1lfyo&feature=related

i was personally touched by St. Augustine & his mother St. Monica (who prayed for his conversion for 30 years) & his classic book **“The Confessions of St. Augustine” **books.google.com/books?id=DRMbsJAvsSIC&dq=Augustine%27s+Confessions+Ryan&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=yUwcCWDlvk&sig=G2GgoIxpoVdyHXKMuekFF5sNkXs&hl=en&ei=6qIrS6HNKo6csgOQ19HGBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Augustine%27s%20Confessions%20Ryan&f=false

i also was touch by Peter Kreeft’s “Catholic Christianity” Ignatius Press.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Anything by G.K. Chesterton. I love that man. Even his Father Brown stories are fun and interesting.

Also, I gave up secular reading one year for Lent and I started with Confessions by St. Augustine. (Another one I love!) Reading that book helped so much in reading others like The Dark Night of the Soul or even Dante’s Divine Comedy.

I also love Purgatory and the Means to Avoid It by Martin Jugie. It really strengthened my love and devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Hope that helps!
 
I would recommend books of conversion stories, like maybe Surprised by Truth. Since it’s different stories from different people, it’s not too heavy to read, even if it isn’t that short. And the converts discuss the reasons why they converted which may well be information that your friend needs to hear.

Good luck!

–Jen
 
Annie39 said:
I’m not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I am hoping to reach as many good apologists as possible.

I would like to give some reading material about the Catholic Church to a person who is Catholic but was very poorly catechized. I have the booklet PILLAR OF FIRE PILLAR OF TRUTH that I plan to offer him. Do you have any other suggestions? I have CATHOLICISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM but since he isn’t dealing with fundamentalists, I think that that may not be a good book for him. It would be good if the book was not very big. I like starting with POFPOT but a book the size of CAF would be okay.

Thank you,
Annie
Click to expand...
Believing in Jesus, by Leonard Foley, OFM is a good work, very easy to read and covers a lot of territory succinctly. Used copies abound on the internet.

The Teaching of Christ, by Archbishop Donald Wuerl is good, but rather scholarly. Much more detail than Foley’s book, but could be challenging to a casual reader.

The Compendium of the Catechism by the USCCB is very helpful; a question-and-answer format to the Catechism.

Why Do Catholics Do That? by Kevin Orlin Johnson is another good resource.
 
Annie39 said:
I’m not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I am hoping to reach as many good apologists as possible.

I would like to give some reading material about the Catholic Church to a person who is Catholic but was very poorly catechized. I have the booklet PILLAR OF FIRE PILLAR OF TRUTH that I plan to offer him. Do you have any other suggestions? I have CATHOLICISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM but since he isn’t dealing with fundamentalists, I think that that may not be a good book for him. It would be good if the book was not very big. I like starting with POFPOT but a book the size of CAF would be okay.

Thank you,
Annie
Click to expand...
Actually ‘Catholicism and Fundamentalism’ is a good book to be given.
Given as a ‘dont expect you to read it but keep it around’ kind of book.
It serves as an inoculation when these things will come up. and these things come up all the time. We live in a Protestant Country where we are the minority.

Actually for just such purposes I choose from 3 similar books
and for just reason:

Some people will be influenced by either a priest or a former ‘fundie’ type of guy depending on their background.

So ‘Protestant Fundamentalism and the Born Again Catholic’ written by Fr. Robert J Fox is a choice for being written by a priest.

As is ‘Born Fundamentalist: Born Again Catholic’ by David B. Currie who is your self converted ‘Fundie’ type.

Karl Keatings book I rank rather low amonst the three for targeting a book to a particular type of persons background and I actually prefer the other two regardless of target because they are written at a lower scholastic level and dont deal with debunking alot archaic psuedo-history that most have not heard of. However, all three books cover roughly the same material.
With Fox’s book and Curries book being roughly the same book and very excellent, just written by a different author.

Other than that unless someone is aware of the bite size of a readers appetite its really hard to make a recommendation. Some books are too dry but full of relevance and would cause most casual non-committed catholics to just drop it. Maybe the Cathecism is what you are looking for?
 
What is POFPOT?

cant find any good internet refs for this.

P of Faith,P of Tradition : looks like it figures in?
 
RB2 said:
What is POFPOT?

cant find any good internet refs for this.

P of Faith,P of Tradition : looks like it figures in?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut RB2. POFPOT is PILLAR OF FIRE PILLAR OF TRUTH and is actually advertised on this site.

Annie
 
Peter Kreeft has numerous good books on Catholicism that are approachable and readable, even for someone not well taught in the Faith.

The autobiography of St. Therese might be a good choice for inspiration.
 
You might try Catholicism for Dummies (I know, I know, the title is off-putting) by Father Trigilio. A basic survey of Catholicism with a light touch. It deals with Church history, the sacraments, Chuch structure, theology, practices and devotions and more.
 
I’d just like to add a second voice for “Catholicism for Dummies”. It’s a fairly easy read - which can be important to folks just starting out.

Also - any of the “Surprised by Truth” series - which are stories of conversions.

And finally the “Catholic for a Reason” series is great - but for that I’d actually start with book 1 and work my way along.
 
InternetWoman said:
I’d just like to add a second voice for “Catholicism for Dummies”. It’s a fairly easy read - which can be important to folks just starting out.

Also - any of the “Surprised by Truth” series - which are stories of conversions.

And finally the “Catholic for a Reason” series is great - but for that I’d actually start with book 1 and work my way along.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was thinking of getting one of Kreeft’s books but I just might look into Catholicism for dummies.

Annie
 
Annie39 said:
I’m not sure if this is the correct forum for this question but I am hoping to reach as many good apologists as possible.

I would like to give some reading material about the Catholic Church to a person who is Catholic but was very poorly catechized. I have the booklet PILLAR OF FIRE PILLAR OF TRUTH that I plan to offer him. Do you have any other suggestions? I have CATHOLICISM AND FUNDAMENTALISM but since he isn’t dealing with fundamentalists, I think that that may not be a good book for him. It would be good if the book was not very big. I like starting with POFPOT but a book the size of CAF would be okay. Thank you,
Annie
Click to expand...
  1. Catholic Bible
  2. This is the Faith Canon Francis Ripley
  3. Moral Theology by Fr. Heribert Jone
  4. Heliotropium Conformity of the Human Will to the Divine by Fr. Jeremias Drexelius. This book changed my life in ways I can’t even describe. After the Bible and CCC I think every Catholic should read it.
  5. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by Fr. Michael Muller
  6. Hell: The Dogma of Hell, Illustrated by Facts Taken from Profane and Sacred History. This book also is priceless
  7. Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo
  8. Life of Christ by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. This book is absolutly amazing and really anything by Fulton Sheen for that matter.
  9. Victory over Vice by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
 
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