Book Recommendations
It is hard to recommend books for a number of reasons. First, some books are more difficult to read than others. Second, people have different levels of background knowledge, education, interest, desire, grit, etc. Third, the good God allows us to find certain books when we most need them. This is a grace that we cannot replicate for others. If I recommend certain works with special emphasis (***) they are accessible (take that with a grain of salt), influenced my life, or cover crucial topics. I hope this list serves you in some way. God bless!
Recommendations that are More Accessible
These books are accessible, useful, and impactful.
- Prayers Against the Powers of Darkness – effective deliverance prayers that come from the appendix of the rite of exorcism – very helpful when the enemy is trying to bring you into doubt, discouragement, and self-focus
- I Want to See God and I Am a Daughter of the Church – gives deep wisdom and advice about the entire journey of the spiritual life from its earliest stages until its full flowering
- Into the Deep – drives home the importance of mental prayer and introduces the method of lectio divina
- Time for God – puts many issues surrounding our prayer lives into clear perspective
- The Better Part – gives amazing material to use during mental prayer
- Searching for and Maintaining Peace – a life changing book that focuses us on a necessary ingredient in all spiritual growth: peace.
- Uniformity with God’s Will – puts holiness into clear perspective
- Confession: It’s Fruitful Practice – an extremely practical and concise guide to confession
- Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits – great introduction to the discernment of spirits
- You Did It to Me – an extremely practical guide to living out the works of mercy
- Theology for Beginners – an important step into seeing with the eyes of the Church
- A Father Who Keeps His Promises – puts salvation history into perspective and makes the Bible come alive
Recommendations that are Less Accessible
These books are more difficult but they lay an incredibly strong foundation
- Summa Theologiae – the most delectable straw a man could ask to chew on
- The Mysteries of Christianity – a strong and satisfying foundation for seeing reality with the eyes of the Church
- The Sources of Christian Ethics – strong foundation for moral theology
- A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament – gives a strong foundation in Scripture
- The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila (3 Volumes) – unrivaled clarity and insight on the stages of prayer
- The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross – unrivaled in his poetic teachings on active and passive purgation
- The Spiritual Life – this book alone could give you a lifetime of discipleship material
- Spiritual Theology – great bird’s eye view of spiritual theology
- The Theology of Prayer – this book changed my life and I will never see prayer the same
- Divine Intimacy – gives rich and deep meditations for use during mental prayer
- Discernment of Spirits – strong foundation for Ignatius’ first set of rules for the discernment of spirits
- Spiritual Consolation – strong foundation for Ignatius’ second set of rules for the discernment of spirits
- Handbook for Spiritual Directors – guide for discerning the will of God
- Introduction to the Science of Mental Health – a strong foundation for a Catholic view of the human person and how mental health interacts with the spiritual life
- Dominion – a strong foundation for understanding spiritual warfare
- The One and the Many– a helpful Thomistic metaphysical system
Plentiful Book Recommendations by Category
- You Can Understand the Bible (Peter Kreeft)***
- The Father Who Keeps His Promises (Scott Hahn)***
- A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: Old Testament (Bergsma and Pitre)
- The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Curtis Mitch and Scott Hahn)
- Catholic Bible Dictionary (Scott Hahn)
- Dr. Bergsma’s Basics Series
- Bible Basics for Catholics
- New Testament Basics for Catholics:
- Psalm Basics for Catholics: Seeing Salvation History in a New Way
- Love Basics for Catholics: Illustrating God’s Love for Us throughout the Bible
- Navarre Bible
- Pentateuch
- Joshua – Kings
- Chronicles – Maccabees
- The Psalms
- Wisdom Books
- Major Prophets
- Minor Prophets
- Gospels and Acts
- The Letters of Saint Paul
- Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters
- Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Old Testament
- Wisdom of Solomon (Giszczak)
- Sirach (Villeneuve)
- Ezekiel (Keating)
- Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: New Testament
- The Gospel of Matthew (Mitch and Sri)
- The Gospel of Mark (Healy)
- The Gospel of Luke (Gadenz)
- The Gospel of John (Martin and Wright)
- Acts of the Apostles (Kurz)
- Romans (Hahn)
- First Corinthians (Montague)
- Second Corinthians (Stegman)
- Galatians (Vanhoye and Williamson)
- Ephesians (Williamson)
- Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Hamm)
- First and Second Thessalonians (Eubank)
- First and Second Timothy, Titus (Montague)
- Hebrews (Healy)
- James, First, Second, and Third John (Anderson and Keating)
- First and Second Peter, Jude (Keating)
- Revelation (Williamson)
- Ancient Christian Commentary on Sacred Scripture
- OT Volume I: Genesis 1 – 11
- OT Volume II: Genesis 12-50
- OT Volume III: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- OT Volume IV: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 – 2 Samuel
- OT Volume V: 1 -2 Kings, 1 -2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
- OT Volume VI: Job
- OT Volume VII: Psalms 1 – 50
- OT Volume VIII: Psalms 51 – 150
- OT Volume IX: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
- OT Volume X: Isaiah 1 – 39
- OT Volume XI: Isaiah 40 – 66
- OT Volume XII: Jeremiah, Lamentations
- OT Volume XIII: Ezekiel, Daniel
- OT Volume XIV: The Twelve Prophets
- OT Volume XV: Apocrypha
- NT Volume Ia: Matthew 1 – 13
- NT Volume Ib: Matthew 14 – 28
- NT Volume II: Mark
- NT Volume III: Luke
- NT Volume IVa: John 1 – 10
- NT Volume IVb: John 11 – 21
- NT Volume V: Acts
- NT Volume VI: Romans
- NT Volume VII: 1 – 2 Corinthians
- NT Volume VIII: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians
- NT Volume IX: Colossians, 1 – 2 Thessalonians, 1 -2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- NT Volume X: Hebrews
- NT Volume XI: James, 1 – 2 Peter, 1 -3 John, Jude
- NT Volume XII: Revelation
- OT and NT Commentary Index and Resources
Summaries of Doctrine
- Theology for Beginners (Frank Sheed)
- Theology and Sanity (Frank Sheed)***
- A Tour of the Summa (Paul Glenn)
- Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (Ludwig Ott)
- Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)
- The Mysteries of Christianity (Matthias Scheeben)
Catechisms
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Catechism of the Council of Trent
- The Baltimore Catechism
- Catechism of St. Pius X
- Catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine
- Catechism of St. Peter Canisius (A Sum of Christian Doctrine)
- United States Catechism for Adults
- YOUCAT
- Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Christology
- The Mystery of Jesus Christ (Ocariz, Mateo Seco, Riestra)
Pneumatology
- The Sanctifier (Luis Martinez)
Grace
- The Glories of Divine Grace (Matthias Scheeben)
- Nature and Grace (Matthias Scheeben)
Sacraments
- The Hidden Manna: A Theology of the Eucharist (James O’Connor)
- Commentary on the Sentences
- Book I
- Book II
- Book III
- Book IV
- Summa Theologiae
- Prima Pars
- Prima Secundae
- Secunda Secundae
- Tertia Pars
- Supplementum
- Summa Contra Gentiles
- Book I
- Book II
- Book III
- Book IV
- Disputed Questions
- On Truth
- On the Power of God
- On the Soul
- On Spiritual Creatures
- On the Virtues
- On the Union of the Incarnate Word
- On Evil
- Quodlibetal Questions
- Book I
- Book II
- Book III
- Book IV
- Book V
- Book VI
- Book VII
- Book VIII
- Book IX
- Book X
- Book XI
- Book XII
- Commentaries on Scripture
- Psalms
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Job
- Matthew
- John
- Paul’s Letters
- Catena Aurea
- Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Catena Aurea on Mark
- Catena Aurea on Luke
- Catena Aurea on John
- Commentaries on Aristotle
- On Interpretation
- Posterior Analytics
- Physics
- On the Heavens
- On Generation and Corruption
- Meteorology
- De Anima (On the Soul)
- On Sense and What is Sensed
- On Memory and Recollection
- Metaphysics
- Nicomachean Ethics
- Table of the Ethics
- Politics
- Other Commentaries
- De Trinitate (Boethius)
- De Hebdomadibus (Boethius)
- On the Divine Names (Dionysius)
- Book of Causes
- Opuscula
- Treatises
- Compendium Theologiae
- On the Principles of Nature
- De Ente et Essentia (On Being and Essence)
- On Angles, or on Separated Substance
- De Regno (On Kingship)
- Polemical Writings
- An Apology for the Religious Orders
- The Perfection of the Spiritual Life
- Refutation of the Pernicious Teaching of Those Who Would Deter Men from Entering Religious Life
- On the Unicity of the Intellect against the Averroists
- On the Eternity of the World
- Collations
- On Reasons for the Faith
- On the First and Second Decretals
- On the Articles of Faith and the Sacraments of the Church
- On the Catholic Faith of the Greek Fathers
- On the Form of Absolution
- On Secret Faults
- On Lots
- On Astrology
- On the Blend of the Elements
- On the Motion of the Heart
- On the Hidden Activities of Nature
- Letters
- to John of Vercelli on the 108 Articles
- to Bassiano of Lodi on the 30 Articles
- to John of Vercelli on the 43 Articles
- to Bassiano of Lodi on the 36 Articles
- to Brother Gerard of Besancon on the 6 Articles
- on Credit Sales and Usury
- to Abbot Bernard
- to Margaret of Flanders
- Prayers
- Hymns and Songs
- Office of Corpus Christi
- Sermons
- Treatises
- The Spiritual Life (Adolphe Tanquerey)
- Spiritual Theology (Jordan Aumann)
- A Practical Synthesis of Carmelite Spirituality (P. Marie Eugene):
- Volume I – I Want to See God***
- Volume II – I Am a Daughter of the Church***
- The Three Ages of the Interior Life (Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange)
- The Mystical Evolution (John G. Arintero)
- The Fulfillment of All Desire (Ralph Martin)
Studying Prayer
- Into the Deep (Dan Burke)***
- Time for God (Jacques Phillipe)***
- The Theology of Prayer (Joseph Clifford Fenton)
- Prayer and Meditation (Gallagher)***
- Little Catechism of the Life of Prayer (Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene)
- Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within (Thomas Dubay)
- Fire Within (Thomas Dubay)
- Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer (Thomas Dubay)
- Prayer for Beginners (Peter Kreeft)
- Personal Prayer (Acklin and Hicks)
- The Ways of Mental Prayer (Dom Vitalis Lehodey)
- Summa Theologiae: Secunda Secundae Question 83 (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Liturgical Prayer
- Shorter Christian Prayer
- Christian Prayer
- The Liturgy of the Hours (4-Volume Set)
- Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Meditations to Use in Mental Prayer
- The Abbey Psalms and Canticles
- Divine Intimacy (Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen)***
- The Better Part (John Bartunek)***
- An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer (Timothy Gallagher)
- Visits to the Blessed Sacrament (St. Alphonsus Liguori)***
Consecrations
- Preparation for Total Consecration to the Immaculate: according to Saint Maximilian M. Kolbe (Academy of the Immaculate)
- Consecration to St. Joseph (Calloway)
- Dialogues (St. Catherine of Siena)
- The Way of Perfection (St. Teresa of Avila)
- The Interior Castle (St. Teresa of Avila)
- The Ascent of Mt. Carmel (St. John of the Cross)
- The Dark Night (St. John of the Cross)
- The Living Flame of Love (St. John of the Cross)
- Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis de Sales)***
- Treatise on the Love of God (St. Francis de Sales)
- Uniformity with God’s Will (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)***
- The Ladder of Divine Ascent (St. John Climacus)
- The Spiritual Exercises (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
- The Rule of St. Benedict (St. Benedict)
- True Devotion to Mary (St. Louis de Montfort)
- The Imitation of Christ (Thomas a Kempis)***
- Spiritual Combat (Lorenzo Scupoli)
- The Soul of the Apostolate (Jean-Baptiste Chautard)
- The Sacrament of the Present Moment (Jean-Pierre de Caussade)
- The Discernment of Spirits (Timothy Gallagher)***
- The Discernment of Spirits in Marriage (Timothy Gallagher)
- Spiritual Consolation (Timothy Gallagher)
- Discerning the Will of God (Timothy Gallagher)***
- Handbook for Spiritual Directors (Timothy Gallagher)
- Ignatius of Loyola’s Second Rules for Discernment (Timothy Gallagher)
- Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits (Dan Burke)
- Confession: It’s Fruitful Practice (TAN Books)***
- The Examen Prayer (Timothy Gallagher)
- Rooting Out Hidden Faults (James McElhone)
- Searching for and Maintaining Peace (Jacques Phillipe)***
- The Seven Deadly Sins (Kevin Vost)***
- The Four Cardinal Virtues (Joseph Pieper)
- Faith Hope Love (Joseph Pieper)
- Humility (Dietrich von Hildebrand)
- Happy are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom (Thomas Dubay)
- Finding Peace in the Storm (Dan Burke)
- Summa Theologiae: Prima Secundae Questions 55-89 (St. Thomas Aquinas)
- Summa Theologiae: Secunda Secundae (St. Thomas Aquinas)
- Moral Theology: 2 Volumes (John McHugh and Charles Callan)
- Prayers Against the Powers of Darkness (Appendix II of the Current Rite of Exorcism)***
- Dominion (Chad Ripperger)***
- The Devil in the Castle (Dan Burke)***
- The Liber Christo Method (Dan Schneider)
- Deliverance Ministry (ICCRS Doctrinal Commission)
- Deliverance Prayers: For Use by the Laity (Chad Ripperger)
- Auxilium Christianorum (Chad Ripperger)
- Catholic Handbook of Deliverance Prayers (Jose Francisco Syquia)
- The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis)
For Spiritual Directees
- Navigating the Interior Life (Dan Burke)
- Getting the Most Out of Spiritual Direction (Antonio Villahoz)
- Seeking Spiritual Direction (Thomas Dubay)
For Spiritual Directors
- Spiritual Direction (Acklin and Hicks)
- Handbook for Spiritual Directors (Timothy Gallagher)
- Ignatius of Loyola’s Second Rules for Discernment (Timothy Gallagher)
- Iuvenescit Ecclesia: the Relationship between the Hierarchical and Charismatic Gifts in the Life and Mission of the Church (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
- Guidelines on Prayers for Healing (ICCRS Doctrinal Commission)
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit (ICCRS Doctrinal Commission)
- Deliverance Ministry (ICCRS Doctrinal Commission)
- Healing (Mary Healy)
- Charisms and the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church (ICCRS)
- Pray Lifting Up Holy Hands: The Prayer of Intercession (Cyril John)
- The Charismatic Graces (Martin Hagen and Chad Ripperger)
- Speaking in Tongues: 3 volumes (Philip Blosser and Charles Sullivan)
General Apologetics
- Handbook of Catholic Apologetics (Kreeft and Tacelli)
Against Skepticism/Materialism/Atheism
- Knowledge and Christian Belief (Alvin Plantinga)
- How do You Know You’re Not Wrong? (Paul Copan)***
- Answering Atheism (Trent Horn)
- Faith and Certitude (Thomas Dubay)
Defense of Scripture
- Hard Sayings (Trent Horn)
- The Case for Jesus (Brant Pitre)***
Against Eastern Orthodox Attacks
- The Papacy (Erick Ybarra)
- The Filioque (Erick Ybarra)
- Rome and the Eastern Churches (Aidan Nichols)
Against Protestant Attacks
- Rome Sweet Home (Scott Hahn)
- Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History (Rodney Stark)***
Evangelization
- Evangelizing Catholics (Scott Hahn)***
- How Not to Share Your Faith (Mark Brumley)
- A Heart for Evangelism (Joseph Hollcraft)
- How to Win Friends for Christ (Thomas Cavanaugh and John Love)
- Radiating Christ (Raoul Plus)
- Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel (Pope Francis)
Works of Mercy
- You Did It to Me: A Practical Guide to the Mercy in Action (Michael Gaitley)***
- DOCAT
- Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace)
- Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage (David O’Brien and Thomas Shannon)
- Rerum Novarum (Leo XIII)
- Quadragesimo Anno (Pius XI)
- Mater et Magistra (John XXIII)
- Pacem in Terris (John XXIII)
- Gaudium et Spes (Vatican II)
- Populorum Progressio (Paul VI)
- Octogesima Adveniens (Paul VI)
- Justice in the World (Synod of Bishops)
- Evangelii Nuntiandi (Paul VI)
- Laborem Exercens (John Paul II)
- Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (John Paul II)
- Centessimus Annus (John Paul II)
- Caritas in Veritate (Benedict XVI)
- Brothers and Sisters to Us (U.S. Bishops)
- The Challenge of Peace (U.S. Bishops)
- Economic Justice for All (U.S. Bishops)
- Laudato Si (Francis)
- Fratelli Tutti (Francis)
- Church, State, and Society: An Introduction to Catholic Social Doctrine (J. Brian Benestad)
- Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body (St. John Paul II)
- Love and Responsibility (Karol Wojtyla/St. John Paul II)
- Living Waters: Restoring Relational Integrity through the Broken Body of Christ (Andrew Comiskey)
- Sex and Virtue: An Introduction to Sexual Ethics (John Grabowski)
- The One and the Many: A Contemporary Thomistic Metaphysics (W. Norris Clarke)
- The Selfhood of the Human Person (John Crosby)
- Knowledge and Belief (Alvin Plantinga)
- Summa Philosophica (Peter Kreeft)
- Socratic Logic (Peter Kreeft)
- History of Philosophy (Frederick Copleston)
- Volume 1: Greece and Rome
- Volume 2: Medieval Philosophy
- Volume 3: Late Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy
- Volume 4: The Rationalists
- Volume 5: British Philosophy
- Volume 6: The Enlightenment
- Volume 7: German Philosophy
- Volume 8: Utilitarianism to Early Analytic Philosophy
- Volume 9: French Philosophy
- Volume 10: Russian Philosophy
- Volume 11: Logical Positivism and Existentialism
- Introduction to the Science of Mental Health (Chad Ripperger)***
- A Catholic Christian Meta Model of the Person (Vitz, Nordling, and Titus)
- Summa Theologiae: Prima Secundae Questions 22-48 (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Pope Francis
- Dilexit nos ( 2024)
- Fratelli tutti (2020)
- Laudato si (2015)
- Lumen fidei (2013)
Pope Benedict XVI
- Deus caritas est (2005)
- Spe salvi (2007)
- Caritas in veritate (2009)
Pope John Paul II
- Ecclesia et Eucharistia (2003)
- Fides et ratio (1998)
- Ut unum sint (1995)
- Evangelium vitae (1995)
- Veritatis splendor (1993)
- Centesimus annus (1991)
- Redemptoris missio (1990)
- Solicitudo rei socialis (1987)
- Redemptoris Mater (1987)
- Dominum et vivificantem (1986)
- Slavorum Apostoli (1985)
- Laborem exercens (1981)
- Dives in misericordia (1980)
- Redemptor hominis (1979)
Pope John Paul I
Pope Paul VI
- Humanae vitae (1968)
- Sacerdotalis caelibatus (1967)
- Populorum progressio (1967)
- Christi Matri (1966)
- Mysterium fidei (1965)
- Mense maio (1965)
- Ecclesium suam (1964)
Pope John XXIII
- Pacem in terris (1963)
- Paenitentiam agere (1962)
- Aeternae Dei sapientia (1961)
- Mater et magistra (1961)
- Princeps pastorum (1959)
- Grata recordatio (1959)
- Sacerdotii nostri primordia (1959)
- Ad Petri Cathedram (1959)
- The Papal Encyclicals (Claudia Calen)
- Volume I: 1740 – 1878
- Volume II: 1878 – 1903
- Volume III: 1903 – 1939
- Volume IV: 1939 – 1958
- Volume V: 1958 – 1981
Saint Autobiographies
- The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus (St. Teresa of Avila)
- Story of a Soul (St. Therese of Lisieux)
- The Confessions (St. Augustine of Hippo)
- The Confession (St. Patrick)
- Memoirs of the Oratory (St. John Bosco)
- Autobiography of St. Gemma Galgani (St. Gemma Galgani)
- Autobiography of St. Ignatius of Loyola (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
- The Autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)
Saint Biographies written by other saints, blesseds, or venerables
- The Life of St. Catherine of Siena (Bl. Raymond of Capua)
- The Life of St. Dominic Savio (St. John Bosco)***
- Life of St. Columba (St. Adomnan of Iona)
- The Life of St. Gemma Galgani (Ven. Fr. Germanus)
- The Life of St. Francis of Assisi (St. Bonaventure)
Other Saint Biographies
- The Life of Mary: as Seen by the Mystics (Raphael Brown)***
- St. Thomas Aquinas (G.K. Chesterton)***
- St. Francis of Assisi (G.K. Chesterton)***
- For Greater Things: The Story of Saint Stanislaus Kostka (William Kane)
- St. Francis de Sales: A Biography of the Gentle Saint (Louise Stacpoole-Kenny)
- Saint Joseph of Copertino (Angelo Pastrovicchi)
- Blessed Solanus Casey: The Official Account of a Virtuous American Life (Michael Crosby)
- The Teacher’s Saint: John Baptist de La Salle Patron Saint of Teachers (George Grieken)
Saint Biographies by Frances Alice Forbes***
- St. John Bosco (F.A. Forbes)***
- St. Vincent de Paul (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Monica (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Columba (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Catherine of Siena (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Pius X (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Athanasius (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Benedict (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Ignatius of Loyola (F.A. Forbes)
- St. Paul (F.A. Forbes)
Butler’s Lives of the Saints
- Original Version: Seven Volume Set (Loreto Publications)
- Revised Version: Four Volume Set (Thurston and Attwater)
- Church History (John Laux)
- Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History (Rodney Stark)***
- History of Christendom Set (Warren Carroll)
- Volume 1: The Founding of Christendom
- Volume 2: The Building of Christendom
- Volume 3: The Glory of Christendom
- Volume 4: The Cleaving of Christendom
- Volume 5: The Revolution against Christendom
- Volume 6: The Crisis of Christendom
- The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)***
- Patrology (Johannes Quasten)