Great Catholic Books

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Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics:

This is the primer for Thomistic Philosophy. Read it slowly and take notes after each chapter. I am trying to more fully understand Natural Law theory. This work is the place to start.

God Bless,

Shemp
 
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DominvsVobiscvm:
Franco:

I believe Brian asked for* good*, Catholic poetry.

:rolleyes:
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What does your user name mean? Were you home schooled? For a 19 year old, you seem to know an awful lot! (I’ve seen your assorted postings)

Recommendation: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
The Faith Applied by…?
 
If you would like to read something quick and inspirational, try the Amazing Grace series edited by Jeff Cavins. Particularly, Amazing Grace for those who Suffer was great in teaching the value of suffering. It is similar to the “Surprised by Truth” series giving around a dozen individual stories. :yup:
 
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punchie1:
St. Teresa of Avila’s writings have been very inspiring for me and Mother Teresa’s life and writings have also been, but the book that made practicing my faith real to me was “Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Jean-Pierre De Caussade. Just a couple of lines for a teaser… “Without Him everything is nothing, and with Him nothing is everything.” and… “To become perfect we need not understand the designs of God, but only obey Him.”
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Thanks for reminding me of Caussade. I love that book. I also want to chime in with those who mention a Kempis’ Imitation of Christ and Therese’s Story of a Soul. For poetry, Eliot’s Four Quartets is sublime.
 
In my recent conversion studies, I read a lot of apologetics books, the Navarre New Testament, “Story of a Soul”, the Catechism, “Collected Works of St. John of the Cross”, some of Teresa of Avila, Fr. Dubay, Sheen, Chesterton, and others. There were many of these I would highly recommend.

However, I’m going to take a different tack here, and suggest a book that’s not a Catholic book, but I believe is indispensable in the debate about atheism and evolution. It’s called “Darwin’s Black Box”, by microbiologist Michael Behe.

Without going into detail, essentially he describes the many complex systems in each cell, and, by using analogies such as a mousetrap, demonstrates in no uncertain terms how evolution could not possibly account for getting all the pieces of these cellular systems in place in the correct proportions, orientations, etc. It would be the equivalent of all the pieces of the mousetrap (base, spring, latch, etc.) coming together in the right sizes and in the right places without intelligent intervention. “Where there’s a watch, there must be a watchmaker.”
 
Larry:

“Darwin’s Black Box” may not be a “Catholic book,” but it is by a Catholic–and by a one-time guest on “Catholic Answers Live.”
 
<< in the debate about atheism and evolution. It’s called “Darwin’s Black Box”, by microbiologist Michael Behe >>

Its been answered, Finding Darwin’s God by Kenneth Miller. Both Behe and Miller are Catholics. Not that I understand all the scientific arguments, they get a bit technical. :confused:

I remember when Behe was on at the beginning of CA Live. Someday you guys should get Ken Miller on. Evolution doesn’t require or lead to atheism as Miller shows in his book. But accepting evolution doesn’t necessarily lead to traditional Catholicism, I’ll agree 😛

Phil P
 
I recently finished “The Great Heresies” by Hillaire Belloc and just started his “The Crusades”. I also just started St. Francis De Sales “An Introduction to the Devout Life”.
 
I am reading “Catholicism and Fundamentalism…The Attack on Romanism by Bible Christians” by Karl Keating. More than learning what to say to Protestants ( and there are many in the bible belt), I am learning more about the Catholic faith.
Thanks everyone for the recommendations!
Gina
 
Trial, Tribulation & Triumph Before, During and After Antichrist by Desmond A. Birch

When you dont have much money and cant buy every Catholic book on solid prophecy regarding, end times, the era of peace, and the second coming of Christ… this little tome has it ALL. It sifts out the legitimate, credible prophecies from the false. It contains only those revelations and prophecies that have been approved by the church. The author traveled to Rome and translated stuff that was contained in the Vatican Library. The book is over 700 pages and is nothing short of a masterpeice. I am currently on my third reading… after owning it for 5 years now.

I’d also like to recommend, Mystical City of God by venerable Mary of Agreda. It is simply fascinating. The Final Hour by Michael Brown.

I also finished Catholic Replies 1 & 2 by James A Drummey. 🙂
 
I’m reading The Catholic Warrior , and was impressed with his sacramental version of how to put on the armor of Christ. (Most charismatics recommend just praying the words.) However, chapter 9 changed my opinion. He seems to have a problem with the Saints and Mary and the Rosary, a typical charismatic problem. I don’t know if I’ll bother to finish it or not.
:eek:
 
Not a book, but great reading…
“Salvifici Doloris”, JPII’s encyclical on suffering.
 
What does your user name mean? Were you home schooled? For a 19 year old, you seem to know an awful lot! (I’ve seen your assorted postings)
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Actually, I’m a product of 12 years of the South Florida public school system! (I went to a “Catholic” school for 6th and 7th grade).

I’ve always had somewhat of an inclination to philosophy, and had a reversion to Catholicism in high school. (I was baptized Catholic, but raised in no religion. My father’s agnostic, and my mother a liberal Protestant!) I’ve basically read what I can on the Catholic faith and the Great Books of Western Civ.

After high school, I entered the postulancy of the Society of Saint John Cantius. During that time, I was sent to Magdalen College, where I learned to appreciate the Great Books.

The most important lesson I learned during the experience was that I actually know nothing!

It’s putting this lesson into practice that I have problems with, of course. Part of my problem is my youth; the other that I’m Sicilian . . .

I have to admit, acting isn’t always conducive to an acquisition of humility. Besides all the debauchery of the “Business,” theatre and other forms of acting tend to encourage egoism.

Oh well. 'Nough about me. Carry on . . . 😃
 
I am just starting to read *The Acting Person * by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla. It was written in the 70’s before he became JPII.

It’s volume X of Analecta Husserliana: The Yearbook of Phenomenological Research.

It’s not the easiest of reads, so it will probably take a while. Remind me later and I might have some comments.
 
I decided after finally getting around to reading the whole Catechism I should try some encyclicals. For me they like the Holy Bible are love letters from God.
 
Out of all the responses, I’ve only seen one other person mention “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” written by our gracious host Mr. Keating. This book played a fundamental role (no pun intended) in my conversion process, and I still reference it when speaking to non-Catholics about Biblical inspiration and Sacred Tradition. Another book I read during my conversion was Scott Hahn’s “Rome Sweet Home”.

For Church history, I would recommend “The History of Christendom” by Warren Carroll. I like the “Radio Replies” books for Q&A about the Catholic faith. And of course, there’s the greatest book of all, the Holy Bible.

God bless,
Tom
 
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larsont7:
Out of all the responses, I’ve only seen one other person mention “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” written by our gracious host Mr. Keating. This book played a fundamental role (no pun intended) in my conversion process, and I still reference it when speaking to non-Catholics about Biblical inspiration and Sacred Tradition. Another book I read during my conversion was Scott Hahn’s “Rome Sweet Home”.

God bless,
Tom
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In my post listing the many good books I’ve read, I referred to Keating, Hahn, Madrid, etc. collectively as “apologetics books” in order to save space. However, their books were an absolutely wonderful discovery on my journey home to the Church. I can’t say enough about them, and I will be happy to someday sign the petition nominating Hahn, Keating and Madrid for sainthood!
 
My favorite: The Holy Bible, canonized by the Catholic Church 🙂

Other great books are the writings of the early Church Fathers. Actually I’ve been recently reading works by St. John of Damascus. He’s not exactly an EFC but anyway… his work on the divine images really made me fall in love with liturgy (particularly eastern) all the more, as it centers upon implication of the Incarnation! 🙂

And, like some others, every book by Scott Hahn was instrumental in my conversion to Catholicism. Other apologetic books like Madrid, Armstrong, Shea, Akins, etc were very helpful as well. But I had a particular preference for Hahn’s work. Hahn’s teachings push me to follow in his footsteps if it were possible 🙂
 
I am reading Hope of the Wicked. This is a great book. It tells us about real history and about the inner workings of the few that are really in power.

Go to maxkol.org/hope_review.htm
for more info on the authors and other books.
 
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DominvsVobiscvm:
Lest we scandlize our Protestant brethren, I’m sure I speak for us all when I say that the greatest of the “Great Catholic Books” is the Holy Bible!

I know nothing else that compares.
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Using the Church to guide us in the understanding of the Great book.
 
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