What Books About Catholicism Should I Read?

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I’d suggest that you perhaps divide these suggestions up into sections and work your way in this manner):

Doctrine, Theology:
Trent Horn “Why We’re Catholic”
Introduction to Christianity by Ratzinger
The Light of Christ by Fr Thomas White O.P.
The Sheed and Kreeft works

History: “From Apostles to Bishops” by Francis Sullivan

Apologetics/Conversion Memoirs (Ray, Keating, Hahn, Barron, Madrid, Pitre, Beaumont)
Devotional works (Francis de Sales, Ligiouri, A Kempis, I’d suggest Fr Dubay or Fr Jacques Phillipe to begin on devotional practices before going to the “romance language” of Ligiouri)
Mystics (Catherine of Seina, A Kempis)
 
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How about the Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine?

A series of hagiographic stories, not terribly hard reading.
 
Theology For Beginners by Frank Sheed
This Is The Faith by Canon Francis Ripley
 
I heard about the Golden Legend in a High School Literature course, so I hope I can find a copy of this one!
 
I converted at this year’s Easter Vigil from the United Methodist Church.

If you can, start going to thrift stores and digging in their Religion section. I bet I’ve bought thirty Catholic books in thrift stores over the last six to eight months - including a Catholic Bible (granted, it was a youth Bible, but it was a brand new copy still in the shrink wrap and I paid $1 for it), a copy of the catechism, about six of the books listed in this thread, and a host of other ones. I think I’ve bought maybe four books in stores (I did buy a “grown up Bible”, LOL) and spent no more than $4 a pop on the others.

The first four books I read were:

Something Other Than God by Jennifer Fulwiler (this is one of the few I bought in a Catholic bookstore; I’ve not stumbled across it in a thrift store yet, and when I do, I’m picking up a second copy so I can give it to someone like you - she’s a convert from atheism and now has her own show on SiriusXM’s 129, The Catholic Channel)

Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn (found at Goodwill)

Positively Catholic by Michael Leach (Goodwill)

The Mass: Four Encounters with Jesus That Will Change Your Life by Dr. Tom Curran (Goodwill)

The first book I bought (don’t laugh) was actually Catholicism All-in-One for Dummies . My dad was Catholic so I had peripheral knowledge for starters, but from prior experience with the Complete Idiot’s Guides and the For Dummies books I knew that it would possibly be a great place for a broad overview in a very approachable style.

(Later I actually found The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism at a thrift store.)
 
Good suggestions, “Catholicism for Dummies” sounds like the right book for me! 🙂
 
Good suggestions, “Catholicism for Dummies” sounds like the right book for me!
 
Ayden said:
Good suggestions, “Catholicism for Dummies” sounds like the right book for me! 🙂
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Get the All-In-One one - it contains:

Catholicism for Dummies, 2nd Edition
Catholic Mass for Dummies
Saints for Dummies
Women in the Bible for Dummies
JP II For Dummies (yes, I’m serious LOL - in a section “All About the Pope”, 50 pages chock full of info)

That book touches on everything - from the liturgical year to an overview of the CCC to the different rites within the Catholic Church…it’s a great reference book!
 
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I don’t know what your status/situation is, but if you have a Kindle or even just the app, there’s an amazing number of these books available on Kindle as well if the electronic thing is more your speed. Sorry - just thinking of other stuff that’s been helpful to me.
 
Yeah, I actually do have a Kindle. By the way, do you know where I could find a free download of the Catholic Catechism for my Kindle? I can’t seem to find one.
 
I don’t believe a download is free; you can only download an app to access the online ebook direct from your device with an Internet connection. The app will jump directly to the web book.
 
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Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis DeSales is a good one. The work converted many, many protestants in his time.
 
I am a recent convert, and when I felt God was telling me “Catholic church” as an answer to my prayers of “where do you want me God” the first book I read was Catholism for Dummies. After that I knew I had to join (I was anti Catholic and that book was an easy read to blow away all my misconceptions)
My most favorite book is Scott Hahn’s "The Lamb’s Supper:The Mass as Heaven on Earth "
And I know this isn’t a book, so please excuse me, but Fr. Larry Richards “The Mass Explained” is a favorite talk, that I have probably listened to 30 times. You can get it online or free CD from the Mary Foundation.
 
Vonsalza said:
This is also great. Quite a bit lighter.

https://www.avemariapress.com/product/0-87793-653-6/This-Is-Our-Faith/
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They gave us this one in RCIA. It’s like a condensed CCC in a way. It makes the CCC far more approachable and less overwhelming.

The other book Vonsalza mentioned was also given to us in RCIA. It’s like a step up with more detail from This is Our Faith, but still not the full-on CCC. It’s like a textbook of sorts on the CCC.

Speaking of online resources, there’s a church called Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, Michigan that actually has shared their RCIA classes to YouTube. If you Google them on YouTube, you’ll find a priest named Fr. John Riccardo. As I was searching to find my way to the Catholic Church, this man played a massive role, and I’ve never even met him. If you’re up to sitting through classes (LOL), his Becoming Catholic series (there are two, one from this past RCIA year 2017-2018 and one from the year prior) is very good.

I also watched Masses from the National Basilica in Washington, DC, so I could “see” what I was reading in action (before I got up the nerve to actually start going - ha ha). Those are also on YouTube.
 
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Ok, thanks. Maybe this is a stupid question, but are there multiple catechisms? I thought there was just one. And also, who writes it/them?
 
I think Catholicism for Dummies was my third purchase. lol

It is a good starting point.
 
Scott Hhann the spelling might be off but it is close enough, is a decent Author on things related to Catholocism.
 
Ayden said:
Ok, thanks. Maybe this is a stupid question, but are there multiple catechisms? I thought there was just one. And also, who writes it/them?
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The US Catechism for Adults is a simplified version of the actual CCC that is more like a textbook designed for people taking RCIA classes. We used it in conjunction with the CCC.

There is only one current CCC.

This is Our Faith is a privately authored book that is almost a Sparknotes or condensed version of the CCC that presents the CCC as answers to specific questions.
 
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