Recommended Reading:

These lists are not exhaustive, but should give you some good ideas for building your Catholic library.

Fundamental Tools

• Bible (we recommend the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition or the New American Bible)
• Catechism of the Catholic Church (the hardbound version has helpful features not found in the smaller paperback edition; now there is also a Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which provides an excellent summary of the Catechism in question-and-answer format)

Papal Writings

• Pope Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas (devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
• Pope Paul VI, Credo of the People of God (summary of what Catholics believe)
• Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae (contraception)
• Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, and Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio (evangelization and missionary activity)
• Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio (marriage and family)
• Pope John Paul II, Christifidelis Laici (role of the laity)
• Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (the Gospel of life)
• Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia (the Church and the Eucharist)
• Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (Christian charity)
• Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi (Christian hope)

*And be on the lookout here for Caritas in Veritate (“Love in Truth”), Pope Benedict XVI’s forthcoming encyclical on worldwide social justice concerns.

Click here for an index to online versions of these and other papal documents.

Spirituality

• Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence
• Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard, The Soul of the Apostolate
• Fr. Jean d’Elbee, I Believe in Love
• St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life
• St. Louis Marie de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary
• Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V.’s series on Ignatian spirituality
• Dietrich von Hildebrand, Transformation in Christ
• St. John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul
• Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
• Ralph Martin, The Fulfillment of All Desire
• Jacques Philippe, Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart
• St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castles
• St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul
• Fr. Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God

Scripture

• Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
• The Navarre Bible
• Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (“Dei Verbum”) and sources cited therein
• Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth
• Jeff Cavins, “Great Adventure” Bible timeline and other resources
• Edward Sri, Mystery of the Kingdom (Gospel of Matthew)
• Tim Gray, Mission of the Messiah (Gospel of Luke)
• Scott Hahn, A Father Who Keeps His Promises
• Henry G. Graham, Where We Got the Bible
• Patrick Madrid, Does the Bible Really Say That?
• Stacy Mitch, “Courageous” Bible study series for women
• Understanding the Scriptures (dynamic high school text)

Christian Living

• Pope John Paul II, Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body (translated by Michael Waldstein)
• Pope John Paul II, encyclical letter Veritatis Splendor (“Splendor of the Truth”)