Catholic books, catholic book recommendations

Catholic Book Recommendations

Here is a list of great Catholic books by topic to help you on your faith journey:

Bible and Catechism

The most important book to own is a good Catholic Bible, such as the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (Ignatius Press) or the New American Bible, Revised Edition.

Another essential book to have is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.

 

Catholic Conversion Stories

  • Atheist to Catholic: Stories of Conversion, Rebecca Vitz Cherico.
  • Night’s Bright Darkness: A Modern Conversion Story, Sally Read.
  • Not God’s Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms, Holly Ordway.
  • The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton.
  • Something other than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It, Jennifer Fulwiler.

 

God

  • Answering Atheism, How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity, Trent Horn.
  • The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence that Points toward God, Lee Strobel.
  • The Gift of Faith, Fr. Tadeusz Dajczer.
  • Grace & Justification: An Evangelicals Guide to Catholic Beliefs, Stephen Wood.
  • Made for Love, Loved by God, Fr. Peter John Cameron, OP.
  • New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy, Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, SJ.

 

Jesus

  • The Bible Compass: A Catholic’s Guide to Navigating the Scriptures, Edward Sri.
  • The Gospel of Mark (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture), Mary Healy.
  • Jesus of Nazareth, three volumes, Pope Benedict XVI.
  • Jesus: What Catholics Believe, Alan Schreck.
  • The Life of Christ, Abp. Fulton Sheen.
  • Time for God, Fr. Jacques Philippe.
  • To Know Christ Jesus, Frank J. Sheed.

 

The Catholic Church

  • Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Peter Kreeft.
  • The Compact History of the Catholic Church, Alan Schreck.
  • Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II.
  • Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church, Stephen K. Ray.
  • Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words, Rod Bennett.
  • Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic, Patrick Madrid.
  • Where We Got the Bible: Our Debt to the Catholic Church, Henry Graham.
  • Why Catholic Bibles Are Bigger: The Untold Story of the Lost Books of the Protestant Bible, Gary G. Michuta.
  • Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too), Brandon Vogt.
  • Yours Is the Church: How Catholicism Shapes Our World, Mike Aquilina.

 

Sacraments

  • 7 Secrets of Confession, Vinny Flynn.
  • The Catholic Church Saved My Marriage: Discovering Hidden Grace in the Sacrament of Matrimony, Dr. David Anders.
  • From Darkness to Light: How One Became a Christian in the Early Church, Anne Field, OSB.
  • Marriage: The Rock on Which the Family Is Built, William E. May.
  • Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled with the Fullness of God and Sober Intoxication Part Two: Born Again of Water and the Spirit, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap.

 

Mass

  • A Biblical Walk Through The Mass: Understanding What We Say And Do In The Liturgy, Edward Sri.
  • God Is Near Us: The Eucharist, the Heart of Life, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).
  • Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper, Brant Pitre.
  • The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, Scott Hahn.

 

The Blessed Virgin Mary

  • Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines, Tim Staples.
  • Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God, Scott Hahn.
  • The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God, Abp. Fulton Sheen.

 

Angels and Saints

  • Angels of God: The Bible, the Church and the Heavenly Hosts, Mike Aquilina.
  • Saints: A Closer Look, Fr. Thomas Dubay, SM.
  • Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings, Bert Ghezzi.

 

Challenging Topics

  • Chastity Is for Lovers: Single, Happy, and (Still) a Virgin, Arleen Spenceley.
  •  The Four Last Things: A Catechetical Guide to Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell, Fr. Wade L. J. Menezes, CPM.
  • Made for Love: Same-Sex Attraction and the Catholic Church, Michael Schmitz
  • Making Sense Out of Suffering, Peter Kreeft.
  • The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis.
  • Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance, Neal Lozano.
  • Why I Don’t Call Myself Gay: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Reality and Found Peace, Daniel Mattson.

 

Life and Theology of the Body

  • Men & Women Are from Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Mary Healy.
  • Persuasive Pro-Life, Trent Horn.
  • Theology of the Body for Beginners: A Basic Introduction to Pope John Paul II’s Sexual Revolution, Revised Edition, Christopher West.
  • Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line, Abby Johnson.

 

Catholic Practices

  • Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon, Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC.
  • The Sign of the Cross: Recovering the Power of the Ancient Prayer, Bert Ghezzi.
  • Why Do Catholics Genuflect? And Answers to Other Puzzling Questions About the Catholic Church, Al Kresta.

 

Other Gems

  • 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat In Preparation for Marian Consecration, Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC.
  •  An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer: Scriptural Reflections According to the “Spiritual Exercises”, Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV.
  • Beatitudes: Eight Steps to Happiness, Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap.
  • Behold, He Comes: Meditations on the Incarnation and The King, Crucified and Risen: Meditations on the Passion and Glory of Christ, FR. Benedict Groeschel, CFR.
  • Catholic and Loving It: Traditions for a New Generation, Sabitha Narendran and Andrew Salzmann.
  • Contemplative Provocations: Brief, Concentrated Observations on Aspects of a Life with God, Fr. Donald Haggerty.
  • Feast! Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year, Daniel and Haley Stewart.
  • Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People, Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ.
  • The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis.
  • Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World, Mary Healy.
  • Heaven Starts Now: Become a Saint Day by Day, Fr. John Riccardo.
  • The Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis.
  • Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales.
  • Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis.
  • Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within, Fr. Thomas Dubay, SM.
  • St. Joseph Guide to the Bible: Becoming Comfortable with the Bible in Four Simple Steps, Karl A. Schultz.
  • Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
  • Walk Humbly with Your God: Simple Steps to a Virtuous Life, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR.
  • You Did It to Me: A Practical Guide to Mercy in Action, Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC.

 

Would you like to suggest more Catholic books for this list? Contact us and we can add it!