Catholic Growth

Why should you have a library?

Who doesn’t like to read! Well, a lot of people actually, especially in the world we live in today. With so much technology and entertaining distractions around, it’s easy to see why reading has become less popular. But books are so full of information, and you will soon see that the physical touch of a book is far better than the cold, flat, and hard screen on your phone. And the distinguished beauty of a shelf full of books far surpasses any computer or phone. How could you resist picking one up? This is why you need a library of books, a Catholic library.

The Catholic Faith can be so complex, but that’s to be expected considering its 2000 yrs old. It is so important to learn as much as we can about the Faith because to learn is to draw from that rich deposit of Faith placed in the Body of Christ from all those saints and writers who came before. So many tidbits of wisdom and profound revelations passed on to us in the form of the written word. This profound wisdom can only draw us closer to God.

Starting Point

When someone hears library, it invokes visions of great halls filled with books on tall shelves.  Most people do not have this kind of space, so your home library will most likely be much smaller. It would be more like a humble bookshelf in a room. Where you choose to put this shelf is up to you, and as you begin to build you may someday fill full bookcases.

In a Catholic library, it goes without saying that there needs a heavy amount of Catholic teachings, writings from the doctors, and letters from Popes. These are all very important, but the starting point comes from the two most important books for the Catholic home, the Bible and Catechism.

Finding a Bible for Your Catholic Library

The Bible and the Catholic Faith go hand in hand. The Catholic Church was responsible for compiling the Bible together. The 7 sacraments of the church are all based from the Bible. Catholic morality is based on the Bible. So in order to grow in our faith, we need to read the Bible regularly.

Make sure you do find a Catholic version of the Bible. There are many version of the English translation. The important thing to remember is that the Catholic Bible has all of the books in it, including the Deutorocanonical books. These are taken out in Protestant Bibles, and you need the full Bible in order to grow in the Catholic Faith.

The Catechism of the Church

Catechism means “instruction,” and contains a summary of the teachings of the Catholic Church. This is important when you read other books, you can use this as a reference for things you do not understand.

This book, combined with the Bible, will form a strong foundation for your faith. A foundation you can build your knowledge from and compare new information to.

Bringing the Wisdom of the Saints to your Catholic Library

After you have selected your Bible and Catechism, you have to fill those shelves with other books! There are so many writings in the history of the Church, but the best place to start looking would be the saints.

Start with your patron saints. Basically the saint you are named after, your confirmation saint, saints associated with your profession or hobby, or any saints you feel drawn too. Search for books or collected writings. Also look for biographies, you can learn so much from their lives.

There are a special group of saints called the Doctors of the Church. These saints have written such incredible and profound works that have impacted the Church. This has earned them a special place in Church history. The Doctors are a great place to look for book ideas. The most famous Doctor is St Thomas Aquinas, but there are more recent Doctors like St Therese of Liseux or St Augustine of Hippo.

Papal Exhortations and Council Documents

The pope’s job is to shepherd his people toward Christ. As part of this calling, they write documents and books that explain aspects of the Faith to their fellow Catholics.  Many of the popes have written very influential works. A great place to start is Pope St John Paul II. Pope Frances has also written many works, as well as Pope Benedict XVI.

In addition to papal documents, there have been many councils within Church history. The latest council is Vatican II, which took place in the 1960s, however, it would also be a good idea to look at earlier councils. Most of the Church councils had lengthy documents, so these may be for more advanced readers.

Current Theologians

There are many current Catholic theologians who have written books and continue to write books. Probably the most famous is Scott Hahn, however there are many others to choose from.

Non-Catholic Writers

The most famous and popular non Catholic writer is probably C.S. Lewis. Although he was Christian, he was actually Anglican and not Catholic. There is so much wisdom in his writings however, that it would be very smart to have some of his writings in your library.

There are certainly many Christian writers out there who could help you deepen your faith, however, it is important to remember that they do not have the Fullness of Truth the Catholic Faith has, and in order to delve into other Christian writings, you should have a good understanding of the Catholic Faith, and especially the Catechism, so you do not fall into error in your beliefs.

Now Start Collecting for Your Home Catholic Library!

Choose a bookshelf, and even fill up a whole bookcase, and pretty soon you will be overflowing with books. But remember, the books all stacked up or standing on the shelf may look beautiful, but the whole reason you’re doing this is to actually read them! Make sure you do read them. Here’s my list of books that I recommend, and hopefully you can find a few on this list you would love.

Tom’s Recommended Reading List

• NRSV – The Catholic Gift Bible (Black, Imitation Leather)
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church: Complete and Updated
• Doctors of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI
• The Virtues by Pope Benedict XVI
• Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) by Pope Francis
• Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad) by Pope Francis
• Shorter Summa by St Thomas Aquinas
• The Life of St Catherine of Siena by Blessed Raymond of Capua
• The Letters of St Catherine of Siena by St Catherine of Siena
• The Dialogue of St Catherine of Siena by St Catherine of Siena
• The Secret of the Rosary by St Louis De Montfort
• True Devotion to Mary by St Louis De Montfort
• The Spiritual Combat by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
• Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn
• Spiritual Warfare and The Discernment of Spirits by Dan Burke
• The Confessions of St Augustine by St Augustine of Hippo
• The Interior Castle by St Theresa of Avila