Books I should read while discerning Priesthood

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I was just wondering if any of you could recommend any books that I could read that could help me along the journey of my discernment to the priesthood? Right now I am reading The Joy of Priesthood by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti. It is a great book. If there is another thread about this, can you redirect me there? Thank you so very much 👍

~Gabe
 
Hey there,

The Joy of the Priesthood is great. I have it sitting on my shelf.

I would recommend “Priests for the Third Millennium” by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Fantastic book compiled from various talks he gave to seminarians while he was rector of the North American College in Rome. The chapters are broken up into a number of virtues and how you should live them in the priestly life. I find myself just randomly re-reading parts when I’ve got a few minutes.

Another book that I can’t speak of first-hand yet but came highly recommended to me by a wise old priest friend is “The Spiritual Life” by Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey. As it calls itself, it is a ‘treatise on ascetical and mystical theology’. He said it was the best book on spirituality he’s ever read. It’s very structured and thorough, but I’ve read the first 20 pages and it’s not a terribly hard read, though it’s not casual reading either. I plan to take read more on vacation next week.

Hope this helps.
 
Epsilon_Omega said:
I was just wondering if any of you could recommend any books that I could read that could help me along the journey of my discernment to the priesthood? Right now I am reading The Joy of Priesthood by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti. It is a great book. If there is another thread about this, can you redirect me there? Thank you so very much 👍

~Gabe
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Hi Gabe,

Don’t limit yourself to books. There are a lot of other sources to look at and pray over as well.

Here are my recommendations, divided by type of media.

Books:

The Unchanging Heart of the Priesthood, by Thomas Aklin, O.S.B. This book is concerned with exactly what the title says.

The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos. This novel was one of Pope John Paul II’s favorite books. The priest of the title is, by most wordly measures, a pathetic excuse for a man. By embracing his nothingness before Christ, though, he becomes a true priest.

The Priest in Union With Christ. One of the true classics on the priesthood. No wishy-washy stuff here.

Maurice and Therese: The Story of a Love This book contains the correspondance between St. Therese of Lisieux and a young, weak priest named Maurice. It is a humbling reminder that those of us who may someday wear the collar will not do so because of any merit on our part. It also demonstrates how those of us who would wear the collar desperately need the support of our beloved sisters who take the habit.

Documents

The Congregation for the Clergy has an excellent compilation of nearly all Magisterial documents touching on the priesthood. The catecheses by Pope John Paul II are particularly beautiful and inspiring.

I also highly recommend The Ministry and Life of Priests by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, (our beloved Pope Benny). I’ve attached it in “pdf” format to this posting.

Videos:

Here are two videos that I recommend as showing exactly what a priest is, and how he should live his life.

Pope John Paul II This film was made with close cooperation from the Vatican.

Padre Pio Miracle Man. A simply beautiful film which lovingly depicts one of our more Christ-like saints. Don’t worry yourself whether every detail is precisely accurate – just watch and see how a true priest lives his live in absolute fidelity to Christ and His Church, even when that same Church persecutes him.

Hope these help,

Augie
 
The Priest is not his Own- by Abp. Fulton J. Sheen
Those Mysterious Priests- by Abp. Fulton J. Sheen
 
m134e5 said:
The Priest is not his Own- by Abp. Fulton J. Sheen
Those Mysterious Priests- by Abp. Fulton J. Sheen
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I haven’t read “Those Mysterious Priests” but I agree with m134e5 that “The Priest is not his Own” is a must. I know a handful of people who discovered their vocation while reading that book.

God Bless
 
search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780618251469&itm=6

This was a short excerpt from the intro:

I wrote about men who believed they had a calling and acted on
it. Early on, I remember Father Benedict Groeschel, the cofounder of the
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, cautioning me to avoid mere anecdote.
This is good advice in general but would have been more applicable if I had
been conducting a study and attempting to capture every hill and divot of the
American seminary system. That was never my aim.
Over time and many visits to seminaries and seminarians, the
idea was refined into a richer concept. The cast of characters expanded, as
did the scope, and many of my initial assumptions — both conscious and
subconscious — were set aside.

There was another one I read about men from America that got to to the the seminary in Rome…who made it through, who didn’t. Very interesting. One funny side note I remember is that one of the priests old girlfriends becomes a nun in Mother Angelica’s order…when he found out, he just laughed.🙂 When I remember the exact title (a few good men??) I’ll post it.
 
ISBN Number :[%between%](javascript:document.producto.submit())**Peter on the Shore **

By Fr. Anthony Bannon, LC. An excellent tool in the discernment of God’s special plan for you, your path to holiness and true happiness. pp 182 softcover.
Price: $9.95

Circle Press
 
KCT said:
ISBN Number : 0-9651601-0-6 [%between%](javascript:document.producto.submit())**Peter on the Shore **

By Fr. Anthony Bannon, LC. An excellent tool in the discernment of God’s special plan for you, your path to holiness and true happiness. pp 182 softcover.
Price: $9.95

Circle Press
Click to expand...
He’s also got the text of this book on-line if you don’t mind reading off a computer screen:

vocation.com/content-n3rg.htm
 
True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin - by Saint Louis de Monfort

Introduction to the Devout Life - by Saint Francois de Sales

There are just two of my suggestions, and what I am currently reading at present.
 
Besides things about the priesthood in general, anything you can read by the saints is good–especially their writings concerning the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Cross, since a priest’s life is intimately united to these things.

Concerning the latter, I found St. Robert Bellarmine’s Seven Words from the Cross to be incredibly inspiring.

Also, I found St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography and St. Catherine of Siena’s “Dialogue” to be very inspiring as well. They provide a great third-person viewpoint. They encounter various good and bad priests, and it is very inspiring to see the kind of impact a good priest can have in making saints, and likewise, the dangers of being a bad priest.
 
Soul of The Apostolate - Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O,

Our Bishop reads, studies and re-reads this and many of the concepts therein are the essence of apostolic work. You do not read this book, you study it,mark passages and absorb it and it becomes part of your soul.
 
Read the book, Priest - Portraits of Ten Good Men, by Michael S. Rose.

I started to do a series on this on my blog, and this post reminds me that I need resume that series with the second of the “ten good men”.

What you will find here are some of the most inspiring stories involving ordinary men who have accomplished magnificent things through simplicity, devotion, and more. These ten priests will show you how to make it through the seminary, and through many of life’s ordinary obstacles.

Here is my introductory post with a review of the book.

And, my post on the first priest, well worth reading about, Fr. Albert Lauer.

I have read only three of the ten stories in this rather short book and I can tell you that each of them had me on the edge of my seat because there were so many twists and turns to their lives.

My own pastor, Fr. Eduard Perrone, is featured in the book as one of the ten.

If God is calling you to be a priest, this book will inspire you with the lives of very holy and ordinary men indeed.
 
A Priest Forever by Fr. Benedict Groechel

Thy Will Be Done: A Spiritual Portrait of Terrance Cardinal Cooke by the same author might well be a good read, also.

The Cardinal Bernardin books might well be worthy, too.

I’m presently reading Diary of a City Priest by Fr. John P. McNamee, which I find of value in presenting the story of a man who has lived his priesthood for a good while and struggles honestly with faith and ministry from a perspective that is genuine and real, but not necessarily of the total outlook or ideology that some on this messageboard might prefer. It’s a good, honest, human take on things which represents how a lot of priests in the thick of things (and particularly of a certain age/era) have approched and handled this life.
 
Timmay said:
Hey there,

The Joy of the Priesthood is great. I have it sitting on my shelf.

I would recommend “Priests for the Third Millennium” by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Fantastic book compiled from various talks he gave to seminarians while he was rector of the North American College in Rome. The chapters are broken up into a number of virtues and how you should live them in the priestly life. I find myself just randomly re-reading parts when I’ve got a few minutes.
Hope this helps.
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Amen
 
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