The books Catholics buy in print to strengthen their faith

The books Catholics buy in print to strengthen their faith

What does a Catholic who wants to deepen their faith read when they don't know where to start? The question runs through the bookshelves of anyone looking for something beyond the Bible, and the answer that emerged from a recent conversation among readers is unanimous on the starting point: the Gospels, specifically the Gospel of Mark for first-timers. From there, the map branches out between classics of spirituality, Anglican apologetics and the occasional bestselling mystery about Marian apparitions.

The original request was specific: printed works, not too dry to read, for someone still in the middle of their conversion process who needs a push. The list that was gradually built mixes centuries and denominations. From Saint Thomas's commented Catechism to The Story of a Soul by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, taking in C.S. Lewis, Chesterton and Cabodevilla along the way.

C.S. Lewis, the Anglican everyone cites

The most frequently mentioned author is not a Catholic. C.S. Lewis, an Anglican, appears with up to three titles: Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain and Miracles, recommended in that order. The warning comes immediately: being Anglican, "his take on Mary and the saints should be taken with a grain of salt." The same caveat applies to Chesterton, also an Anglican, whose Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man appear among the recommendations. The paradox is striking: two of the most cited authors for strengthening the Catholic faith did not practice Catholicism.

Classics that are hard to swallow

Not everything is enthusiasm. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, a crown jewel for some, is for others a text aimed at monks seeking perfection that recommends physically isolating oneself. "It can be very tough," the warning goes, and a layperson may find certain things jarring. Saint Augustine's Confessions don't escape criticism either: the vocabulary and language used make them hard to understand. Some readers simply gave up halfway through.

The apocryphal gospel and the nun of Ágreda

The conversation also opens up to less canonical readings. A compendium of Apocryphal Gospels by Pierre Crepón, published in 1989, is cited as interesting reading, though it is acknowledged that many new works on the subject have appeared since then. And at the opposite end, The Lady in Blue by Javier Sierra, about Sister María Jesús de Ágreda, comes up as a light option. For those interested in early Christianity from a scientific angle, Antonio Piñero's books are mentioned in two separate posts.

The Bible always comes first

The strongest consensus is methodological: the Bible in question must be a Catholic edition and one should start with the Gospels, never with Genesis. Mark's Gospel, because of its brevity and simplicity, is pointed out as the entry point for those unfamiliar with Scripture. John's Gospel, on the other hand, is recommended for its depth: it manages to draw the reader into the heart of Jesus. The Imitation of Christ, Saint Teresa's Interior Castle and Fr. Leonardo Castellani's Catechism for Adults round off a list that, in truth, has no end.

In the end, the question was about one or two books. The answer is an entire library. And most of it is still waiting in print.