AmericanPapist Comments
As a teen and recent Catholic convert (I was baptised and received my first Communion last October), I'd recommend C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity and Miracles (although I found Miracles harder to understand). I also received What Does God Want?: A Practical Guide to Making Decisions and
(I screwed up on my html and the last sentence was cut off in my previous post, so here it is.)
I also received What Does God Want?: A Practical Guide to Making Decisions and Good News About Sex and Marriage as high school graduation gifts, and I would recommend both highly.
Letters to a Young Catholic
Gut Check: Confronting Love, Work, and Manhood in your Twenties by Tarek Saab is a great read for young, Christian men.
# 1... The Holy Bible, especially the writings of St. Paul...
THE STRANGER by Albert Camus
THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISLAND by Michel Houellebecq
and...
THE RELIGIOUS SENSE by Luigi Giussani
How young? Most people consider me a young Catholic at 28.
Lamb's Supper by Scott Hahn is pretty good, as is Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly.
I love the Narnia series and the images in them especially in Dawn Treader, I am a fan of the order CS Lewis wrote them in, but it really doesn't matter!
Story of A Soul is always a good read!
I will have to go through my books and see what else I can think of.
I've been in youth ministry for over 10 years and the book that youth ask for over and over again is Jason Evert's, "If you really loved me"...101 questions on sex and dating. I can't keep it on my shelves!
Loved your reporting on Pope Benedict's visit....that's good stuff!
I would suggest Faith and Certitude by Thomas Dubay. Dr. Hahn had us read it in our Theological Foundations class. Excellent.
"Lukewarmness, the Devil in Disguise"
By Francis Carvajal. You will never want to live an idle faith after reading this book. G
i'm 18 and in the past few weeks have been absorbing as much catholic literature as possible. i find Q&A style books easy to read. i'm almost done with Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West. Right now I'm reading Scott Hahn's book about Opus Dei. The Collar by Scott Englevert was an interesting look into seminary life. I tried reading Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict but it was way to hard for me to read.
Christian Courtship in an Oversexed World. I've read quite a few Christian relationship books, but this one is by far the best I've found. Written by a Catholic priest, it is applicable and reasonable.
Also, CS Lewis's The Great Divorce. Gives a whole new perspective on the afterlife.
I would recommend any title by Michael O'Brien. He is a very orthodox, mostly fiction author, who tells wonderful stories. He is integrated in his theology, writing, and salvation history. He is more than addicting. I learn more about my faith from his books than from the commonly read non-fiction literature available. Plus, rumor has it that he writes absolutely everything in front of the Blessed Sacrament. (Hasn't been confirmed by himself, but based on the writings, is very, very likely!) Added bonus because it's inspired by the Holy Spirit. Good for young and old alike!
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look over them closely.
I don't get it, Jessica. Don DeLillo is a lapsed Catholic who as far as I know has never written a word in front of the Blessed Sacramaent, and yet he is a better novelist than O'Brien by about ten times!
Weigel's Letters To a Young Catholic...
XC...hmmm I wonder what that stands for?
No Ex-Catholic, if that's what you mean. I am a believer, and as such I believe that Christ is present everywhere -- sacramentally, in the Host, of course, but in just as real a way in the faces of my friends, in the beauty of the earth. In order to write with Christ one needn't go to the chapel.
Anyway, DeLillo is still better. So pfft.
G.K. Chesterton!
XC: Re. Christ is present everywhere and a writer need not go to the chapel to write well, I agree. Any way re. DeLillo vs. O' Brien, both you and Jessica were expressing opinions about authors and not objective truth or doctrine. So 'Vive la difference'! I 've never read works by either author but I have heard very glowing reviews of O'Brien's "Father Elijah". Sorry for the insinuation about your ID. God bless!
Commenting by HaloScan
