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Annie
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 07:03 pm |
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Category One: The Rules and How They Came To Be
The Holy Bible (whatever version you can read and understand the best  )
The Big Green Catechism Book
Category Two: Following the Rules
Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
(the above two titles are more than adequate for a beginner with no spiritual director)
The Real Presence by Peter Julian Eymard (I suspect the other 8 books of the Eymard library are also essential)
The Imitation of Mary by Thomas a Kempis (a collection of his writings on Mary put together by an editor)
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Intercessor
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 07:15 pm |
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| Annie, do you like Father Gabriel's Divine Intimacy?
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Annie
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 07:55 pm |
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I haven't read that as I tend to stay away from devotionals, even very good ones. My list only includes treatises, etc.
I am trying to read the older, classic materials first and then work forward. The Eymard book I found at my old parish in a pile so it's a little out of sequence.
Good news, my new parish has a BIG library. You can check out books and everything!
Last edited on Mon Apr 21st, 2008 07:57 pm by Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Intercessor
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 08:06 pm |
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Your approach here could be interesting.
Usually we get a title here, a title there. It would be fun to see what others listed if forced to limit themselves to "a very short list of essential books so far."
I'm hoping the active library in your new parish indicates the presence of others who read and study, as you do.
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Credo Catholic
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 11:09 pm |
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| Would you not include the Liturgy of the Hours, or Shorter Prayer? For me that would have to come after the catechism.
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Ali
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 12:41 pm |
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Annie wrote: Good news, my new parish has a BIG library. You can check out books and everything!
Shut Up! That is so not fair! {pouts} None of the three local ones seem to have a sharing library like this.
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Annie
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 01:29 pm |
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I would not include prayer books. I only include books useful for instruction in basic Catholicity.
Some edited works of the Church Fathers of course would be appropriate. Unedited would be better but I don't see myself reading the Summa in its entirety.
I noticed a large Aquinas section in the library. A section on Irish history. A large catechism section.
Help, my eyeballs are falling out. Oh, that's right, now I can pray to St. Lucy!
All encyclicals and documents of the councils would be fair game as well I suppose.
But the Imitation of Christ and Introduction to the Devout Life are the only two so far that really open the window into the Catholic mindset, at least before the Americanization of the Church. I neglected to mention that I am looking for books that most meet this description, we are all too much immersed in The American Church.  We need to find out what used to be the norm in order to find out what things would be helpful for us today.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Tina in Ashburn
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 01:46 pm |
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Annie wrote: But the Imitation of Christ and Introduction to the Devout Life are the only two so far that really open the window into the Catholic mindset, at least before the Americanization of the Church. I neglected to mention that I am looking for books that most meet this description, we are all too much immersed in The American Church. We need to find out what used to be the norm in order to find out what things would be helpful for us today.
Boy Annie I so agree with you there! I heartily believe that the very old books and missals teach us much more about basic Catholic principles. Not saying that some new ones aren't good like what Fr Hardon has written. But the good authors of late are good because they reinforce the old stuff.
Finding sources with Imprimaturs [so out of fashion now] before the 60s are an excellent indicator of good, safe books.
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Tina
Arlington Diocese
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 01:47 pm |
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Aquinas himself wrote a shorter version of his Summa Theologica. I'm always leery of reading a classic book that someone else has abridged, but since he abridged his own book, it's safe. It goes under different titles, and the one I have is called Shorter Summa published by Sophia Institute Press. It's very dense reading, yet very clear. It would definitely be on my short list of must reads.
Others on my list would be the works of Jewish historian Josephus, who was born about 4 years after Jesus died on the cross; Eusebius, whose history of the church was written in the 300's A.D; St. Augustine's Confession and The City of God written in the late 300's early 400's A.D.; Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People written in the 600's A.D.; and of course the writings of St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius, St. Justin Martyr and St. Irenaus. Justin Martyr's thoughts are sometimes hard to follow, but the others are as if they had written letters to us the day before yesterday.
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Tina in Ashburn
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 02:11 pm |
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Good suggestions Jane! I especially like The Confessions of St Augustine.
One thing I'll add is some of the old stuff may not be edited by Catholics or may be edited by "new" Catholics with incomplete education.
For instance I have a book of Eusebius' writings found in a used bookstore. Reading the preface I realized the book was written by an Anglican because he made statements about saints and martyrs at odds with our Faith. This makes me wonder if the edits throughout would not be slanted against Catholic tenets of Maryiology, Martyrology, the Eucharist and the Mass and so on.
So everybody keep in mind, editors can leave out or mistranslate statements to better align with the editor's perspective. Stick with good Catholic editors and writers. Again, an Imprimatur is a best bet. Last edited on Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 02:12 pm by Tina in Ashburn
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Tina
Arlington Diocese
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Annie
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 03:31 pm |
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I am noticing a real difference in our belief in the Real Presence vs. what is written in St. Peter Julian Eymard's book. It is most instructive to see the attitude that we are supposed to have. And the thorough theology of the Real Presence which usually is barely touched upon these days around here.
This book was written back when people prostrated themselves before the monstrance. I have known for a while now just how Lutheranized is our belief in that respect at some parishes around here. Part of my transfer to St. Kneeling-at-the-Rail.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Annie
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 03:58 pm |
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| Jane, I like your list.
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Annie
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CajunRick
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 05:26 pm |
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Ali wrote: Annie wrote: Good news, my new parish has a BIG library. You can check out books and everything!
Shut Up! That is so not fair! {pouts} None of the three local ones seem to have a sharing library like this.
You could start one! 
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Steven Barrett
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 01:30 am |
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Here's three books to add:
Karl Keating's The Usual Suspects: Answering Anti-Catholic Fundamentalists (if you don't have this, a Crucifix and some garlic will do.)
Cardinal Newman's last Protestant book, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (Newman never finished it. He started it as a Protestant to prove the ancient Catholicity of Anglican Church, but the more he kept writing it, the more he knew he HAD to become a Catholic. An unfinished book with a happy ending!)
Thomas Howard's On Being Catholic (I bet this isn't required reading at Wheaton College, or Gordon-Conwell.)
Tolle legge
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For anyone suffering from a mental illness or has a loved one with a mental illness, my book "Lead kindly Light: A Devotional For The Mentally Ill" might be of some help: http://www.lulu.com/ (Use search box at the top of page.)
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Ali
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:09 am |
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CajunRick wrote: Ali wrote: Annie wrote: Good news, my new parish has a BIG library. You can check out books and everything!
Shut Up! That is so not fair! {pouts} None of the three local ones seem to have a sharing library like this.
You could start one!
Yeah, I could. Unfortunately, until my funds are built up, it would only be stocked with those cheap little St. Joseph children's books I buy for Q. ROFLOL. At least the library would be simple, to the point, and easy to understand! LOL
Now if my parish would give a blank check with permission to purchase whatever I saw fit, that would different. {imagining it now} I love spending other people's money But I just don't see that happening, do you? I didn't think so. But if they do, I will run right over hear and use all the suggestions listed in this thread and others.
Ali
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CajunRick
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:25 am |
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Ali wrote: CajunRick wrote: You could start one!
Yeah, I could. Unfortunately, until my funds are built up, it would only be stocked with those cheap little St. Joseph children's books I buy for Q. ROFLOL. At least the library would be simple, to the point, and easy to understand! LOL
I didn't say you'd have to pay for it.
We started a library in our parish several years ago, and within weeks we had donations of more books, videos, etc., than we could handle. We ultimately had to give it up due to a lack of volunteers. Our librarian was a Methodist and when she took ill, there was no one to replace her.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
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Ali
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:40 am |
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CajunRick wrote: I didn't say you'd have to pay for it.
We started a library in our parish several years ago, and within weeks we had donations of more books, videos, etc., than we could handle. We ultimately had to give it up due to a lack of volunteers. Our librarian was a Methodist and when she took ill, there was no one to replace her.
Duh! LOL What a great idea 
Ali
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:59 am |
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I once catalogued a church library of about 700 volumes. Once people knew there WAS a library, donations flooded in. The problem became the disposal of multiple copies of some things. Clandestine "disappearings" were in order.
sneakily smuggling black plastic bags,
PS- the list would not include apologetics books, etc. as the purpose of it is to foster a view of Catholicity from the ad intra perspective. And by definition, books by converts are also out, though Newman is an exception. Look at the difference between the Imitation of Christ and Catholicism for Dummies. That is one obvious comparison.
Last edited on Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 12:06 pm by Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 02:03 pm |
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If you can get past the title, Catholicism for Dummies is actually a thorough explanation of the Catholic faith in a much simpler writing style than the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I wonder sometimes how people who read few books ever make their way into the Church. Some of us are blessed with the capacities to read and understand St. Augustine and St. Aquinas and the Early Church Fathers, and some people need less dense writing in order to grasp the truth. I have recommended Catholicism for Dummies to Protestant friends who are seeking. It's Catholics who seem to find the title offensive. You should have seen the look on our deacon's face when I suggested the book for those in RCIA who were struggling!
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 02:32 pm |
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I have read CFD but it doesn't meet the criteria of the list, being a secondary source. I gave CFD to a friend, even. But it doesn't go on the little shelf of essentials.
The list I am forming is for those who want to delve into the mindset previously described. It does assume a high level of desire to read the material. Some things actually require re-reading. In fact all the books on the list by definition would require periodic re-reading. St. Therese of Lisieux's copy of the Imitation became dog-eared and she could quote passages from memory.
Last edited on Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 02:40 pm by Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 03:33 pm |
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| Maybe we could think of this as "The List for Annie's Bookshelf in her 10x20 Foot Retirement Cabin."
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Annie
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Tina in Ashburn
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 04:51 pm |
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I'd add
Douary-Rheims Bible [along with other translations to clarify odd phrases]
The Catechism of the Council of Trent
The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius
Butler's Lives of the Saints, the old unedited version, mine is 1956 [examples of real lives are unendingly effective for me in understanding how exactly to behave]
Lugwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma
The Diary of St Faustina [I do need to read intense devotionals at times to re-invigorate, and remember God's mercy in occasional moods of fear]
Some old hymnals and chant books of sung Mass parts such as The Pius X Hymnal, The Graduale Romanum, etc. [gotta sing with the angels from time to time too]
I'd add apparitions of Our Lady. I enjoy frequently re-reading the words of Mary in her apparitions. Not only am I admonished to pray and do penance, her prophetic words exhibit a new twist everytime I read them. I find Mary's words at Guadeloupe "You are in the crossing of my arms" so comforting when I need a hug. Or in her power against the Muslims as Our Lady of Ransom and at the battle of Lepanto. Also Mary's warning at La Salette that the Church will suffer a "frightful crisis " also is comforting, as it exhorts me to patience with the lack of Faith I see everywhere.
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Tina
Arlington Diocese
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 05:15 pm |
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Oh, I think all of those go on the shelf, especially Butler and Dogma and Ignatius. The Trent catechism is a very good idea.
Music, yes, need music.
Cool. I need a bigger bookshelf now, or a bigger cabin.
Last edited on Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 05:16 pm by Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Ali
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 05:25 pm |
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Annie wrote: Maybe we could think of this as "The List for Annie's Bookshelf in her 10x20 Foot Retirement Cabin."
Gosh, Annie, 10x20 won't quite hold us all for the CHN Forum reunion I'm sure you'll be hosting. You may want to rethink this.
Ali
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 05:33 pm |
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I'm sure it will spill over into the carport and pool cabana. Oh, that pool cabana is bigger than the cabin, maybe I should rethink this whole thing!
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Ali
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 05:47 pm |
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Annie wrote: I'm sure it will spill over into the carport and pool cabana. Oh, that pool cabana is bigger than the cabin, maybe I should rethink this whole thing! |
