What special book helped you spiritually?

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This is a good question for me. It is reading that brought me to the Church. The two books I read that helped me make the decision to join the Church were “The Confessions of St. Augustine,” and “Apologia Pro Vita Sua,” by John Henry Newman. I was almost finished reading the Apologia when I got the nerve to call a Church and make an appointment to talk to a priest. I then bought a Bible and read it from cover to cover. I also read from “Butler’s Lives of the Saints.” I was reading everything I could at the time. Still do, approxiamately two or three books at a time. I love reading the stories fo the saints. Let’s see, what am I currently consuming? My Daily Bread, Secrets of the Rosary, and of course my Bible. Can’t help it - I’m a book worm. 😃

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
As a cradle Catholic I am impressed with the stories of converts who have had to overcome great obstacles while finding their way into the Church. “Rome Sweet Rome” by Scott Hahn is one of those stories.
 
It may sound crazy, but the Summa Theologica had the most profound effect on my spiritual life. For anyone who thinks that Catholicism/Christianity is anti-intellectual, this is the perfect gift!

(Note: Just don’t throw the thing at them, as bruising and broken bones are the potential of such an action.)
 
I’d have to rate the Bible as number one on my list.

Messages and Teachings of Mary at Medjugorje by Rene Laurentin and Rene Lejeune would be second. That was a life changer for me.

A few of my other favorites are:
Imitation of Christ
The Little Flowers of St. Frances
Mother Angelica’s Answers, Not Promises
etc.
 
peace be with you!

I Believe in Love
Descending Fire
First Letter of St. John
Abandonment to Divine Providence (Joy of Full Surrender is an okay translation…but lacks the letters Fr. Caussaude wrote)
 
Fire Within

The Interior Castle

The Poems of St. John of the Cross

Carmel and Contemplation

The letters of Edith Stien
 
Super Mom:
Hi all;

Years ago when I came to learn and love the Catholic faith a certain book was a great help to me spiritually. It is called "The Way of Divine Love by Sr. Josefa Menendez.(Available from Tan Publishers) It is about Our Lord giving her messages of His love for us and all the experience she had trying to spread this message. In one part He has a special message for those living in the world. It is a great book and I was wondering what special book has really been a help to you? Was there a special book you read that led you to think about the church or were you a lukewarm Catholic and a special book just fired you up with love of God? Maybe others who haven’t read these books can take time during the summer and read them.
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Hmm I wish I had the time to read the whole book but Im real busy. I read a summary of Our Lord’s words in February and learned a lot about prayer, about how every second of ones life can be a prayer to God if done out of love and obedience. Id have to say My Daily Bread helped me a big deal in January 2003, Sean Forrest’s From Happy Hour to Holy Hour and Freedom; Seans story of his conversion and summary of the faith; he just draws so many lessons from his life, his conversion, and from what he learned while doing retreats with teens.
 
The complete works of St Teresa of Jesus (of Avila)

The complete works of St John of the Cross

The Cloud of Unknowing

The sign of Jonas by Thomas Merton
The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton

Merton’s works (along with the novels “The End of the Affair” & “Brighton Rock” by Graham Greene) were what started me on my long journey into the Catholic Church when I was still at secondary/high school, around the age of 17. (LONG time ago!!!) Also I was reading the Apologia pro Vita Sua by Newman, works by Ronald Knox & Arnold Lunn (both English converts), so these books and tons of others were all stepping stones for me.

Not forgetting the Bible!!!

Thanks be to God for books!
A Te numquam separari permittas
 
Many years after I had lost my faith in Catholicism, Christianity, then God, a friend gave me “Man’s Search for Meaning” and **" The Unconscious God"**by Viktor Frankl. Dr. Frankl was a pscychoanalysist who survived the Nazi concentration camps. It is not a book about Christianity, but it allowed me to believe in God again.

Later, I bought a book by James Helminiak, SJ, **“The Same Jesus.” ** This book gave me a more intellectual (vs fundamentalist) view of scripture and led me back to the Catholic Church with a love for the Mass.

Other books I have found spiritually beneficial are “Peace is Every Step” and “Living Buddha, Living Christ” by Thich Nhat Hanh a Vietmanese Buddhist Monk. These books have led me to a deeper understanding of living Christianity in a positive way.

I can never stop reading about theology, faith etc. I love Teilhard De Chardin’s “Divine Milieu” as well.

Peace,

Nod
 
With Burning Hearts by Henri J. M. Nouwen, a meditation on the Eucharistic Life. Truly, the best written book, so captivating, inspiring, and you can’t help but see the connection between the Eucharist and the Eucharistic Life.
 
Early in my inquiry period I came across a book on prayer by Msgr. Romano Guardini, published by Sophia Institute Press as The Art of Praying. It’s one of those amazingly readable yet dense books that has to be digested; every sentence is pithy, wise, compelling. I’m still reading it! :hmmm:

I am also reading St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, which is a lovely spiritual primer.
 
The books of C.S.Lewis, especially *Mere Christianity *and The Weight of Glory, were especially helpful in my initial searching period(I was raised with no religion). Since joining the Catholic Church eight years ago, my constant companions are the old Baltimore Catechism and *The Imitation of Christ. *
 
“Just Like Jesus” by Max Lucado…yes, he’s Protestant, but he was just what I needed 6-7 years ago. At that time, I had been Catholic for 14 years, but understood so little about not only OUR faith, but faith in general. That book made it real for me. After that book, I read five or six others by him, but none of them hit me like the first. After that, I stumbled upon Karl Keating…and the rest is history! I’m fully entrenched in Catholic books now. Most are about apologetics, but I did really enjoy “Return of the Prodigal Son” also. Other favorites are “The Gospel Without Compromise” by Catherine Dougherty and St. Therese’s “The Story of a Soul”
 
First Book was the Life of Christ by Bishop Sheen. The Imitation of Christ is a classic and now I am really getting into Therea of Avila’s Interior Castle.

Scripture reading using Lecto divina is my main stay for spirituality though.

God Bless
 
<<<Later, I bought a book by James Helminiak, SJ, **“The Same Jesus.” **This book gave me a more intellectual (vs fundamentalist) view of scripture and led me back to the Catholic Church with a love for the Mass.>>>

"The Same Jesus" is also one of my favorites. I love the title…

We used this as a text in my Christology class when I was working on my Master of Arts in Religion, and I have used it in my own teaching (RCIA). Good choice.
 
The Rule of St. Benedict, which I have read through three times a year for 4 years now.
 
Story of a Soul by St Therese of Lisieux… I don’t know why, but I can relate to her much better than any other saint…

Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis… especially the teachings on humility… I"m a terribly proud person and those really help bring me down to earth.
 
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