The following books I believe to be helpful in developing a truly Catholic understanding of the spiritual life. This is a work in progress: I hope to better categorize, expand, and annotate this bibliography. For now, the list is in no particular order.
Where available, I have provided links to a source for purchasing/obtaining the materials. All Amazon links are affiliate links and any purchase made through that link will benefit the upkeep of this blog. Thank you.
My favorite source for out-of-print titles is Loome Theological Booksellers.
The Bible Especially: Psalms, the Gospels, the Epistles, the Apocalypse
Louis De Montfort
True Devotion to Mary: With Preparation for Total Consecration (Illustrated)
The Secret of Mary
Love of Eternal Wisdom
John Paul II
On The Most Holy Rosary
Novo Millennio Ineunte
The Gospel of Life: Evangelium Vitae
Letter to Families from Pope John Paul II: 1994 Year of the Family
(All Church documents are available, free, at www.vatican.va)
Josef Pieper
The Four Cardinal Virtues
John Cassian
The Institutes
John Cassian: The Conferences (Ancient Christian Writers Series, No. 57)
Pope Francis
Any homily
Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
The Three Ages of the Interior Life (2 Volume Set)
The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life
The Mother of The Saviour
Predestination
Providence
Charles De Koninck
Ego Sapientia…La Sagesse Qui est Marie
La Piete Du Fils: Etudes Sur l’Assomption
On the Primacy of the Common Good: Against the Personalists
Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P.
The Mystery of Joseph
Wherever He Goes: A Retreat on the Gospel of John
Le Mystere Du Christ Crucifie Et Glorifie
St. Therese of Lisieux, O.C.D.
Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, Third Edition
Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity, O.C.D.
Complete Works: Letters from Carmel (Vol. 2)
Thomas à Kempis
Imitation of Christ
Pierre-Thomas Dehau, O.P.
Fountains of Living Water
John of the Cross
Ascent of Mount Carmel
Dark Night of the Soul
Jean Leclercq, O.S.B.
The Love of Wisdom and the Desire for God
History of Medieval Spirituality
St. Josemaria Escriva
The Way: The Essential Classic of Opus Dei’s Founder
St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P.
Summa theologiae, Secunda Secundae, questions on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, passim
St. Bonaventure
The Life of St. Francis (Harper Collins Spiritual Classics)
Malcolm Muggeridge
Something Beautiful for God
Also: the 1986 documentary on Mother Teresa
Flannery O’Connor
“Parker’s Back”
“Introduction to a Memoir of Maryann”
Both also available in this volume.
Benedict XVI
The Word of the Lord: Verbum Domini
The Spirit of the Liturgy
Romano Guardini
The Lord
Vatican II
Lumen Gentium
Gaudium et Spes
Dei Verbum
Sacrosanctum Concilium
Vatican Council II, Vol. 1: The Conciliar and Postconciliar Documents
Servais Pinckaers, O.P.
The Sources of Christian Ethics
Morality: The Catholic View
Dante Allighieri
Inferno (Modern Library Classics)
Guy Bedeouelle, O.P.
In the Image of Saint Dominic: Nine Portraits of Dominican Life
Sigrid Undset
Catherine of Siena
Henri Daniel-Rops
Heroes of God: Eleven Courageous Men and Women Who Risked Everything to Spread the Catholic Faith
Leonard Feeney
Mother Seton: Saint Elizabeth of New York (1774-1821)
Pope Pius XII
Mystici Corporis: Encyclical Letter Of Pope Pius XII On The Mystical Body Of Christ
Pope Pius XI
Quadragesimo Anno
Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent
St. Augustine
On the Trinity
City of God (Penguin Classics)
Sacramental Theology
Abbot Vonier
A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist
Colman O’Neill
Sacramental Realism: A General Theory of the Sacraments
Meeting Christ in the Sacraments
John Paul II
On The Eucharist in Its Relationship To The Church
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I love this kindly send me more post on a PDF format so that I can print and teach others.
I’m still working on ways to make stuff more available. PDF is a good idea. I hope this summer I’ll have some time to figure out ways to package things–and what to package.