Book Recommendations for a Lapsed Catholic

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Hello! I would like a book recommendation for my sister.

She’s in a situation right now that immediately reminded me of my patron saint, Saint Ignatius de Loyola. She just had surgery and is going to be spending a few weeks convalescing at home. I spoke to her yesterday, and she mentioned that she expected to be incredibly bored while home alone (she lives with her fiancée, but he works and goes to school) during the day. Her hope and intent was to get lots of reading done, and I told her I would try to find a book for her to read.

She is a cradle Catholic, but growing up, like myself, never really had a profound experience of or connection to our Catholic faith. While in basic training in the military, she experienced a conversion and awakening of the faith, but that unfortunately withered and appears to have died over the years. The last we spoke on the subject of religion, several years ago, she described herself as spiritual, but not religious. Unfortunately, we’ve never explicitly discussed the subject after that, and I have not seen any evidence of religious inclination or spiritual practice.

So, can any of you think of a holy, inspiring, Catholic book that a late-twenties, engaged, lapsed Catholic, who may think of herself as spiritual, might find interesting? Compelling? Non-threatening enough to actually read?

I’ve prayed to St Ignatius to help out in anyway that he can in this situation. So if any book comes to mind for any of you, I would certainly appreciate it if you would suggest it so that I may consider it. Obviously, none of you know anything about her beyond the very rough overview I provided, but I’m throwing out the question in the hopes that God will provide, through you, a book that may help my sister towards salvation.

Thanks, and God bless!
 
Hi! It’s hard to recommend a book for someone I know almost nothing about, but I can think of three books offhand that surely impressed me.
  1. If she likes stories of the supernatural, I can highly recommend “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry: True Stories of Padre Pio” by Diane Allen. It’s filled with short testimonials of many different people’s true encounters with Padre Pio, and these stories are real humdingers! I happen to be good friends with a woman who’s aunt had a mystical encounter with him that caused her to convert to Catholicism.
  2. If she is has negative opinions of the Catholic Church, she might change her mind after reading “How The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization” by Thomas E. Woods. Years ago, I had a very negative opinion of the Church because of the sex abuse scandals. After reading this book, it opened my eyes. The Catholic Church truly is the foundation of Western Civilization and I never knew it until I read this. It’s what led me back to the Church, ultimately.
  3. Does she like American history? Stories about explorers and Indians? She might like “The Life of Father De Smet, SJ: Apostle of the Rocky Mountains” by E. Laveille S.J. I thought it was fascinating. It tells the story of Fr. Pierre-Jean de Smet, a Jesuit missionary who brought Christ to the Indians of the Rocky Mountains. The Indians loved him, but ultimately his missions were taken away and given to protestants by Pres. Grant. The Indians did NOT like the protestant missionaries. They wanted the “Black Robes.” Really good book.
There are a lot of books written by exorcists, if she is into scary stuff.

That’s all I can think of right now. Good luck.
 
When I was in a similar situation to your sister, late twenties, lapsed Catholic, a few spiritual experiences behind me, but not willing to live it - I read the diary of St Faustina, it changed everything for me.
 
Gliggle said:
When I was in a similar situation to your sister, late twenties, lapsed Catholic, a few spiritual experiences behind me, but not willing to live it - I read the diary of St Faustina, it changed everything for me.
Click to expand...
Any of Mathew Kelly’s books but especially, “Rediscover Catholicism.” Prayers, God Bless, Memaw
 
dahbeegs said:
Hello! I would like a book recommendation for my sister.

She’s in a situation right now that immediately reminded me of my patron saint, Saint Ignatius de Loyola. She just had surgery and is going to be spending a few weeks convalescing at home. I spoke to her yesterday, and she mentioned that she expected to be incredibly bored while home alone (she lives with her fiancée, but he works and goes to school) during the day. Her hope and intent was to get lots of reading done, and I told her I would try to find a book for her to read.

She is a cradle Catholic, but growing up, like myself, never really had a profound experience of or connection to our Catholic faith. While in basic training in the military, she experienced a conversion and awakening of the faith, but that unfortunately withered and appears to have died over the years. The last we spoke on the subject of religion, several years ago, she described herself as spiritual, but not religious. Unfortunately, we’ve never explicitly discussed the subject after that, and I have not seen any evidence of religious inclination or spiritual practice.

So, can any of you think of a holy, inspiring, Catholic book that a late-twenties, engaged, lapsed Catholic, who may think of herself as spiritual, might find interesting? Compelling? Non-threatening enough to actually read?

I’ve prayed to St Ignatius to help out in anyway that he can in this situation. So if any book comes to mind for any of you, I would certainly appreciate it if you would suggest it so that I may consider it. Obviously, none of you know anything about her beyond the very rough overview I provided, but I’m throwing out the question in the hopes that God will provide, through you, a book that may help my sister towards salvation.

Thanks, and God bless!
Click to expand...
This little book helped me…
catholiccompany.com/pieta-prayer-book-i15307/?sku=1033086
 
First book that I thought of was St. Faustina’s Diary, also. Boomerang has some suggestions that I need to check on 🙂 thanks for sharing those.

I am a history buff, and though I can totally relate to St. Faustina, the practice of the faith in her time is dramatically different today.

A book that helped me understand how important and deeply vital the Catholic faith is, interestingly through the eyes of evangelical Protestants, Scott and Kimberly Hahn. A deeply spiritual Catholic gave this book to my husband when he was contemplating conversion. The book was Rome, Sweet Home. They ploughed through all the misconceptions to reveal the true Church of Christ. Made me understand what I had lost, even though I have not found it in the local church.
 
While I have not read the Hahns’ “Rome, Sweet Home”, I had read many of Scott Hahn’s other books and it aided in my becoming Catholic.

I would think that this book by both the Hahns might help one to see the Church for the both of them rather than for her as an individual. (Sometimes loving someone else helps you with the direction of your own life, so the other person benefits by your changed directions.)
 
The content of the book doesn’t matter. It’s the hard or soft cover, thickness etc. it needs to be strong enough to get their attention but not so strong it’s classified as assault when it hits the back of their head as you are telling them to return to God…

I’ve found certain editions of the Bible work nicely,
I suppose they could read it as well…
 
Memaw said:
Any of Mathew Kelly’s books but especially, “Rediscover Catholicism.” Prayers, God Bless, Memaw
Click to expand...
Agreed! Rediscover Catholicism should definitely be at the top of her list. It is inspiring and a good place to start in rediscovering the Faith. It is also not too much for her first delve back into Catholicism.

May God bless her journey! 🙂
 
I second Scott Hahn’s “Rome Sweet Home” or “A Father Who Keeps His Promises”.

If she is a “thinker”, I would also recommend “Theology for Beginners” by Frank Sheed, which in my opinion every Catholic should have.
 
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