Doctors of the church to read

[stmax]

Which doctors of the church are the easiest to read and understand?

 

[puzzleannie]

Ste Therese, the Little Flower

 

[Joannm]

Ste Therese, the Little Flower

I agree. Aquinas, whose feast is today, is probably the most difficult theologically and John of the Cross the most difficult spiritually.

 

[ProVobis]

Not necessarily the easiest to read but

St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. Thomas Aquinas

 

[svid2]

Ste Therese, the Little Flower

Agreed. Start with The Story of a Soul. Also, St. Augustine’s Confessions. Wait on St. Thomas Aquinas until you’re working on your Master’s.

 

[Sirach2]

Yes, St. Thomas can be difficult. I was deeply moved when I saw read that he had a spiritual experience that was so powerful that he said that all he had written was nothing compared to what he envisioned. And he quit writing.

 

[w_s_s]

Doctor of the Church St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote many books and pamphlets aimed at the average Catholic layman, so he’s an excellent choice in this regard. I really think that every Catholic should read a few of the works of St. Alphonsus.

I don’t think all of his books have been translated into English, but there the most popular works were translated and you can find most of them for free download at Google Books or other websites such as these:

goodcatholicbooks.org/alphonsus.html
wallmell.webs.com/Liguori.htm

 

[azerty]

St Gregory of Nyssa “Life of Moses”

 

[paul11b]

St. Francis de Sales is probably my favorite. Introduction to the devout life is a good read.

 

[Genesis315]

The devotional works of Sts. Alphonsus Liguori and Francis de Sales were directed often to lay people, so they are easy to understand.

Sts. Peter Canisius and Robert Bellermine wrote catechisms designed for the laity which are basic, yet helpful–again, also easy to understand.