Crucifixion Church
Faith Formation Dept.

 

 

 

 

Lord, Have Mercy: The Healing Power of Confession – Dr. Scott Hahn

Original publication year: 2003

Pages: approx. 214

Hidden in all of the Sacraments is the grace that God bestows on His children. Underneath the discomfort that many associate with Confession lies a rich biblical heritage that Hahn is most qualified to expound upon where the best possible, and most correct, association could only be that of mercy. For the Catholic who has not attended Confession in years, the Catholic defending and strengthening one's personal faith, or the non-Catholic wondering from where this seemingly strange practice originates, this concise, clear and clever book proves a valuable resource.

Some memorable quotes from Lord, Have Mercy:

“If our earthly fathers wish us to complete a task, they will make sure we have all that we need to do so. Our heavenly Father – Who owns all and is all-powerful – will surely do the same.”

“Each of us is God’s prodigal child. We run away from home, and we misspend the gifts that our Father has lavished upon us…We return to our Father whenever we return to the sacrament of penance.”

 

 

 

The Truth of Catholicism: Inside the Essential Teachings of Controversies of the Church Today – George Weigel

Original publication year: 2001

Pages: approx. 180

            To truly understand the Catholic Church, one cannot just look at it from the outside, but must immerse oneself in it. One of Her “insiders” in America is author and commentator George Weigel, who takes the most fundamental truths of the Catholic faith, which also happen to be the most controversial and presents them in clear and decisive way. Topics discussed range from theological, like belief in God, to current, confronting modern scandals in the Church, and personal, addressing the confounding problem of pain. To hear a faithful voice address the Catholic Church, from the inside, Weigel’s Truth of Catholicism is a great resource.

Some memorable quotes from The Truth of Catholicism:

“When the Son of God becomes man, the past, like the present and the future, is forever caught up in the great drama of God’s creative, redeeming, and sanctifying purposes.”

“Suffering, in the Catholic view of things, is a mystery…a reality that can only be grasped and comprehended in an act of love.”

“[S]ainthood is everyone’s destiny- sainthood is everyone’s purpose. In a world that often imagines itself purposeless, Catholicism proposes a dramatic, transcendent purpose for every human life: the life of a saint.”

 

 

The Catholic Perspective on Paul – Taylor Marshall, Ph. D.

Original publication year: 2010

Pages: approx. 270

            Other than Christ Himself, no one in Christian history appears more divisive than this Pharisee turned Apostle, responsible for much of the New Testament. Many words of St. Paul are used as the basis for non-Catholic Christian traditions, and it is for this reason that one must properly understand the ideas that helped provide the Church with the very basis for the priesthood and the Sacraments, as well as support for the doctrine of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. It is when one has this proper understanding of this great Saint that one realizes his role in the unification of Christians as he sought to bring all into the Church, the “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27). Rest assured, St. Paul was indeed Catholic in his beliefs and this book explains exactly how.

Some memorable quotes from The Catholic Perspective on Paul:

“This book presents…not a new perspective on Paul. In fact, it’s the oldest perspective on Paul – a perspective that is almost two thousand years old.”

“While salvation is a gift, it requires our effort. If you receive the gift of a bicycle, it is worthless until you actually get on the bike and start peddling.”

“If Paul were alive today and the Christian husband should ask the Apostle for a job description of husbandry, the Apostle might merely hand a crucifix to him and say, ‘Study this.’”

 

 

 

 

Seek My Face: Prayer as Personal Relationship in Scripture – William A. Barry, S.J.

Original publication year: 1989

Pages: approx. 135

            Relying on his Scripture-intensive Jesuit background as well as his experience as a spiritual director, Fr. Barry uses strong Bible verses to help us evoke the prayer that all of us need for the health of our soul.  Divided into short, easy to read chapters based on what you would like your prayer to be, Seek My Face allows the reader to focus one’s prayer on things like “Feeling Accepted,” “Revealing Our Needs,” and “Getting to Know Jesus”. The overarching theme of this book, as should be the theme of any prayer, is the development of one’s relationship with God.

Some memorable quotes from See My Face:

“…while sermons and homilies whose theme is the love of God may help, ultimately people need to experience that love.”

“Between friends and lovers information is not important, but communication and transparency are. The same applies to our relationship with God.”

“It may well be that we are bored in prayer because we do not want to say what is really in our hearts.”

 

 

 

 

A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture – Scott Hahn

Original publication year: 1998

Pages: approx. 293

In his lifelong study of the Bible, Hahn found one recurring theme present throughout the Old and New Testaments: covenant, the promise that God make with humanity. This culminates in the new covenant promise that Jesus makes with us at the Last Supper. Follow Dr. Hahn as he leads you through the main points of the Bible, helping you understand how each story leads up to the fulfillment of Jesus and His Church. This book is incredibly helpful in seeing the “big picture” of the Bible and salvation, as well as understanding the “main idea” that the Bible is presenting.

Some memorable quotes from A Father Who Keeps His Promises:

“Because of grace, the gift of salvation if free, but it is not cheap.”

“[T]he Father stoops down to his children’s level in order to raise them up to his.”

“God calls for a free response of love from his people…he always respects our freedom – to an eternal degree – and so abides by our decisions, including the bad ones.”

 

 

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper – Dr. Brant Pitre

Original publication year: 2011

Pages: approx. 228

What is probably the most taken-for-granted aspect of Christianity, and especially Catholic Christianity, is its Jewish origin. Pitre, both a theologian and a seminary professor, beautifully synthesizes thousands of years and pages worth of Scripture and biblical commentary, both Christian and Jewish, to recreate the Last Supper as Jesus would have seen it, and how it not only confirmed His identity as the long-awaited Messiah, but also the “new Moses” and harbinger of the new Passover that was only realized in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. This is the first step for any Christian who wants to better understand the mysterious, or sacramental, words or phrases that Jesus uses on that last night with His Apostles and how it has shaped Christian Tradition, belief and practice for nearly 2,000 thousand years.

Some memorable quotes from Jewish Roots of the Eucharist:

“Jesus is not just a new Moses. He is also the new Israel, the chosen Son of God, who will undergo the new Exodus in his own person.”

“Jesus would brook no compromise on the mystery of his body and blood. It was the litmus test I'd discipleship.”

“When it comes to the richness of the Christian tradition, many of its most profound insights into the Bible have not been lost, only overlooked by those of us who do not know them. They are there, present, just waiting to be discovered and realized anew.”

 

 

The Mother of the Saviour – Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.

Original publication year: 1948

Pages: approx. 290

In following his Dominican tradition of rigorous theological insight and loving devotion to Our Blessed Mother, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange presents perhaps the most comprehensive, yet short and readable work on the Catholic Church’s teaching on Mary. With a mix of theology and devotion, Garrigou-Lagrange first explains our beliefs about the mother Jesus gave us, and then shows how we can use this belief to grow in our love for Mary, which leads to a greater love for her Son. There is also well-written chapter on her protector and spouse, Patron of the Universal Church, St. Joseph. Here you can gain timeless insights from the 20th century’s greatest St. Thomas Aquinas scholar.

Some memorable quotes from Mother of the Savior:

“If the masterpieces of human art contain unsuspected treasures, the same must be said…of God’s masterpieces.”

“Mary is, as it were, the aqueduct which brings us grace.”

“Without the priest the world returns to paganism…and Mary forms them in holiness.”

 

 

Theology for Beginners – Frank J. Sheed

Original publication year: 1958

Pages: approx. 252

            What is beautiful about the title of Sheed’s book is that it remains true to the title while still going beyond it. “Beginners” refers to the focus of the book, which is not the minutiae found in dense theology textbooks, but the big questions that concern the modern, lay reader as they have for thousands of years. Though the book is written for “Beginners,” it does not mean that it sacrifices the wisdom that brought Sheed into the Catholic Church. To invite the reader to better appreciate theology before understanding it, Sheed uses the first chapter to explain why theology, the study of God, is important and worthwhile in the first place. While Sheed is straightforward in his writing, making his points succinct and solid, he also provides valuable anecdotes from his real life experience defending the faith to non-Catholics.

Some memorable quotes from Theology for Beginners:

“[W]hile it is obvious that an ignorant man can be virtuous, it is equally obvious that ignorance is not a virtue.”

“[E]very new thing learned and meditated about God is a new reason for loving Him.”

“A medicine must be judged not by those who buy it but by those who actually take it. A Church must be judged by those who hear and obey, not by those who half-hear and disobey when obedience is difficult.”

 

 

 

Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration – Pope Benedict XVI

Original publication year: 2007

Pages: approx. 374

From his “personal search for the face of the Lord,’” Benedict takes a lifetime of study, teaching and preaching to compile his series of three books about the life of Jesus, the focus of this book being the ministry of Jesus. Using the three synoptic Gospels as a cohesive unit, Benedict integrates both theological insight and spiritual reflection on the words and actions of Jesus. While the majority of this book’s references come from Matthew, Mark and Luke, it devotes a chapter to significant points in John, focusing in its beautiful imagery. Always the teacher, Benedict also includes a glossary and bibliography, enabling the reader to both build a solid foundation to his theological writing and search further for more and wider reading in the study of Christ.

Some memorable quotes from Jesus of Nazareth:

“To ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’ – that is the path that lies open to everyone; that is the way that finds its destination in Jesus Christ.”

“When man begins to see and to live from God’s perspective, when he is a companion on Jesus’ way, then he lives by new standards…Jesus brings joy into the midst of affliction.”

“Only by touching Jesus’ wounds and encountering his Resurrection are we able to grasp them, and then they become our mission.”

 

 

On Heaven and Earth – Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) & Abraham Skorka

Original publication year: 2010

Pages: approx. 236

Before he was Pope Francis, Cardinal Bergoglio was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, an ethnically and religiously diverse culture. Written in an easy-to-follow dialog format reminiscent of Pope Francis’ inviting personality, On Heaven and Earth is a discussion between two learned, prayerful and compassionate area leaders of their respective faith traditions. Skorka, a leading Argentinean Jewish rabbi, provides a wise perspective perhaps little known to a modern American Catholic. If one wants to better know how our Pope feels about current issues of faith and morality, without secular media’s interpretation, On Heaven and Earth is a great place to hear from the Holy Father’s mouth.

Some memorable quotes from On Heaven and Earth:

“Sometimes, there are moments of silence that, in themselves, constitute a sort of answer.”

“If they do not hear about G-d, children get the idea that reality centers on people, on themselves.”

“If honoring our parents were easy, there would be no need for a divine commandment.”

 

 

Could You Ever Come Back to the Catholic Church? – Lorene Hanley Duquin

Original publication year: 1997

Pages: approx. 204

Written for both those who are estranged from the Church and those with loved ones estranged from Her, this book seeks to bring those people back and to help those in the Church bring others back. After compiling information from interviews of thousands of self-described “lapsed Catholics,” those who have left the Church for one reason or another, as well as interviews with numerous leaders of organizations seeking to bring lapsed Catholics back, Come Back mixes seamlessly personal accounts, theological insight and practical advice for the struggling or confident Catholic. The greatest conversations always start with a question, and this book asks the one that should be asked the world over by friends, relatives or maybe ourselves.

Some memorable quotes from Could You Ever Come Back to the Catholic Church?

“The decision whether or not to come back to the Catholic Church almost always involves a struggle.”

“…the question is not How am I to find God, to know God, and to love God? but How am I to let myself be found, known, and loved by him?”

“Doubts help you learn, but sometimes doubts force you to learn the hard way.”

 

 

 

Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis

Original Publication Date: 1952

Pages: approx. 256

Based on a series of talks that he gave between 1942 and 1944, Lewis sought not to say which denomination of Christianity was right or wrong, but to say what “mere Christians” believe. He described these talks not as something to divide Christians further, but to unite them. Lewis discusses some of the most fundamental questions related to Christianity such as, “Does God exist?” “How can one know if God exists?” “Is there a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and what is it?” and “What does it mean to be a Christian?” A modern champion for reasonable faith, Lewis passes along the reasons that led him to Christ. Read this book for a better appreciation for “mere Christianity,” but always be on the search for “more Christianity,” found in the Church.

Some memorable quotes from Mere Christianity:

“No man who bothers about originality will ever be original, whereas if you simply tell the truth […] you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.”

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

“Nothing you have not given away will ever really be yours.”

 

 

 

 

The Seven Storey Mountain – Thomas Merton

Original Publication Year: 1948

Pages: approx. 423

It is fitting that Merton uses the imagery of Dante’s poem, Purgatorio and the seven storey mountain to show his spiritual journey. Very much a product of his age, he indulged in every vice the roaring 20’s had to offer. Though adamantly opposed to anything Catholic in his debaucherous youth, he satisfied an academic curiosity regarding a book on medieval philosophy. This proves to be the first and monumental step in a conversion that brought Merton from the brink of suicide to a life of charity and contemplation as a Catholic monk. In this autobiography, one can look into the brilliant mind of one of the 20th century’s most profound spiritual writers and social commentators.

Some memorable quotes from The Seven Storey Mountain:

“Souls are like athletes that need opponents worthy of them, if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers, and regarded according to their capacity.”

“There is not a flower that opens, not a seed that falls into the ground, and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk in the wind that does not preach and proclaim the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world”

“The beginning of love is truth, and before He [God] will give us His love, God must cleanse our souls of the lies that are in them.”

 

 

 

Hail Holy Queen: Understanding the Mother of God in the Word of God – Scott Hahn

Original publication year: 2001

Pages: approx. 191

         Many converts to Catholicism will cite the Church’s devotion to Mary as the primary obstacle to overcome, especially the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption as well as the title “Queen of Heaven”. For Hahn, a biblical scholar and minister, this was the case. It was when he started to recognize the “types,” or symbols, of Mary present throughout the Old Testament that he understood what the Church has always taught; the product of this realization is this book. Discover for yourself what he did about Jesus’ mother, and our mother too.

Some memorable quotes from Hail Holy Queen:

“For Mary fills the pages of Scripture from the beginning of the first book through the end of the last. She was there, in God’s plan, from beginning of time…and she will be there at the moment everything is fulfilled.”

“If we are to come to know the brotherhood of Jesus Christ, we must come to know the mother whom we share with Jesus Christ.”

“…when I look down at my own beads [of the Rosary]…It suggests a queen’s crown, a mother’s encircling arms.”

 

 

The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis

Original Publication Year: 1940

Pages: approx. 176

          Considered one of mankind’s most profound problems, and what many writers describe as the greatest argument against God’s existence, is examined with the critical eye and worldview of the great Christian scholar, writer and teacher. Here, Lewis looks at the many questions associated with pain like the distinction of physical and emotional pain, animal pain, purpose in pain and, most importantly, God’s presence in human suffering. In this work, Lewis takes a philosophical view of the problem of pain as opposed to a personal struggle. This being the case, Pain will help one understand the problem from an objective point of view, providing principles that can be applied to one’s personal experience.

Some memorable quotes from The Problem of Pain:

“Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal.””A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.”“It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.”

 

 

A Study of the Gospels – Monsignor Thomas Bird, D.D., Ph. D.

Original publication year: 1945

Pages: approx. 278

           Originally written for young adults, Msgr. Bird expounds on well-known stories of all four Gospels so the burgeoning Catholic will have a fuller understanding of Christ. This is not simply a retelling of stories in his own words, but an explanation of the impact of what Jesus did in His life, ministry, death and resurrection. With some photographs and maps, Bird uses these aids to help the reader in absorbing the Gospels in a much deeper way, as thought the reader is experiencing them. Because we were not born in this time period, area or culture, it is very hard for us to grasp the significance of many of the things Jesus said or did. This book is a relatively short and easy to read way to begin to better understand the true message of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Some memorable quotes from A Study of the Gospels:

“Our Lord knew the human mind perfectly…He wanted His hearers to use the brains that God had given to them.”

“The Church would grow gradually – like corn grows; first the blade, then the ear, then the full spike ready for the harvest.”

“The Eucharist is the touchstone of the true Christian Faith.”

 

 

On the Way to Jesus Christ – Pope Benedict XVI

Original Publication Year: 2005

Pages: approx. 185

            The prominent focus in the writings of Joseph Ratzinger, better known as Pope Benedict XVI, is seeking the face of Christ. It is this focus upon which he centers throughout the book, written in response to the need to return to the true Jesus, the Jesus given to us by God, understood through the Bible and the Church, and to turn away from the one formed by in our minds, a “God made in the image of man”. This is seen most vividly in the image of Christ Crucified, because there, in the midst of torture, He loved us enough to fulfill the will of God. It is also seen in the Eucharist at the Mass, as here we truly remember the Sacrifice of Jesus.

Some memorable quotes from On the Way to Jesus Christ:

“Yet we can recognize Jesus in the poor only if we have already become well acquainted with his face, and this face is very close to us especially in the mystery of the Eucharist.”

“…for the Christian message, the most persuasive proof of its truth, offsetting everything that may appear negative, are the saints, on the one hand, and the beauty that the faith has generated, on the other.”

“the truth does not destroy; it purifies and unites.”

 

 

Memorize the Faith! (And Most Anything Else) – Kevin Vost, Psy. D

Original publication year: 2006

Pages: approx. 248

Perhaps at one time you have felt you could be a better Christian, or defend your faith better to a non-Christian, if you could just remember some of that important, foundational information regarding our faith. Memorize the Faith gives everyone the ability to memorize this, and any other, information with a simple and relatable system that caters to our lives. The practices that Vost gives in this book can be applied to 8 year olds or 80 year olds. If you have ever wished you could remember the Ten Commandments, the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, the books of the Bible or any verse from Scripture, this book is your means of doing so.

Some memorable quotes from Memorize the Faith!

“…memory mastery is about more than intellectual gifts or raw ability”

“…true intelligence is more than just an IQ score. Intelligence is not something you simply have; it is something you do, something you can improve and enhance with effort and practice."

"Memory does not oppose understanding. We need them both."

 

 

Orthodoxy - G.K. Chesterton

Original Publication Year: 1908

Pages: approx. 168

In perhaps his most quotable work, which is considered a classic in Christian apologetics, G.K. Chesterton shows how Christianity is not just a reasonable faith to hold, but the most reasonable and how it is actually unreasonable to hold beliefs contrary to it. While it is used and revered amongst all Christian denominations, Chesterton also shows his Catholicism in defending his Orthodox or traditional beliefs. Chesterton also defends the idea of objective truth, which today is constantly under attack by the idea of relativism. He states that when one is honestly seeking the Truth, without the impediment of one's desires, one will find God, Jesus and His Church.

Some memorable quotes in Orthodoxy:

"The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits."

"The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them."

"Tradition is only democracy extended through time."

 

 

Scripture Matters: Essays on Reading the Bible from the Heart of the Church – Scott Hahn

Original publication year: 2003

Pages: approx. 191

          Though not as well-known as many of Hahn’s other works, Scripture Matters may be his most fundamental as it deals with the main theme present in his other books: how is a Catholic to read the Bible? Considered by many the most notable Catholic biblical scholar and theologian in America, as well as convert to the Church, Hahn has always drawn from his own personal intensive biblical heritage from his days as a Protestant. Here he takes his incredible knowledge of the Bible and imbues it with the beautiful, rich Catholic Tradition of reading, contemplating and understanding God’s written Word. Written in short, easy to read “essays,” this is the perfect tool to help in one’s study of the Bible.

Some memorable quotes from Scripture Matters:

“God writes the world as men write words.”

“Scripture is not merely raw material for theology; it is theology.”

“[T]he tightest bond exists between the incarnation of God’s Word in Christ and the inspiration of God’s Word in Scripture…neither one can be truly known without the other.”

 

 

The One Thing is Three: How the Most Holy Trinity Explains Everything – Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC

Original publication year: 2012

Pages: approx. 300

            Called the “Central Mystery” of Christianity, the Trinity is one of the many paradoxes of our faith as well. It is both accessible to all, yet wholly comprehendible to none. With this in mind, Fr. Gaitley looks at the main aspect of the Trinity, its relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit called communio. It is this relationship from which everything, love, grace, faith, originates; and it is because of this relationship that we can return our love, and ourselves, back to God, thus participating in that relationship. As Christians, we are called not to be spectators to God’s will, but participators. This participation starts from the same source as the faith itself, our better understanding and relationship with the God who “is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).

Some memorable quotes from The One Thing is Three:

“For faith is the means, charity the end; faith is the way, charity the destination; faith is the instrument, charity the goal.”

“If they’ll [the laity] just wake up, they’ll set the world ablaze with a fire so great that even bishops and priests will stand in awe and be warmed by its beautiful flames.”

“For when one’s sense of God disappears, so also does his sense of man, the sense of his being made in the image of God…And if we can’t love such images of God, then how can we love the creature made in God’s own image?

 

 

The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) – Pope Francis

Original publication year: 2013

Pages: approx. 224

            While his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, was largely the work of his predecessor, this apostolic letter has Francis’ fingerprints all over it. In his time as Pope, Francis has stressed the need for Christians to help the poor on an individual level, making himself a prime example. Evangelii Gaudium stresses this same need and includes mankind’s need to also help on an institutional level. In his short time as Pope, Francis has inspired people of all cultures and faiths with his actions. Here, he does the same thing with his words.

Some memorable quotes from The Joy of the Gospel:

“With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”

 “For if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?”

“God asks everything of us, yet at the same time he offers everything to us.”

“The Church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems.”

 

 

Jesus and His Times: Vol. 1 – Henri Dainel-Rops

Original publication year: 1954

Pages: approx. 314

            Giving an incredible profile of “Jesus and His Times,” renowned 20^th century Catholic author Daniel-Rops gives a comprehensive look, from a variety of historical, non-biblical sources, into the cultural climate in which Jesus lived and preached. This helps Christians today, with 21^st century, American lenses, better understand what the message of Jesus truly was then and how it was heard by His Apostles, so that they can apply it  today. This knowledge of the culture also helps one better appreciate the specific purposes of each author in writing his particular Gospel. Jesus spoke to the people on their level. To put oneself on this level and know Jesus better, this book is extremely helpful.

Some memorable quotes from Jesus and His Times:

“No single subject has inspired more of the great masterpieces of art than that of the young mother holding her child up before the world because he is God…”

“Those who meet the eye of God are often cast for tragedy on earth.”

“The parables are little masterpieces of literature…deriving solely from the genius of the heart.”

 

 

 

Mary: The Womb of God – George A. Maloney, S.J.

Original Publication Year: 1976

Pages: approx. 208

            Drawing on the Catholic Church’s 2,000 year tradition of devotion to the Blessed Mother, Father Maloney examines some of the many facets of Mary, including her role in prayer as well as her relationship with the holy Spirit and the Church.  He also takes a special look at particular points of devotion that the Russian Church has, many of which are little known by Roman Catholics in the United States. To get an informed idea of how Christians saw Mary, then and now, on a variety of different subjects, this book is extremely helpful.

Some memorable quotes from The Womb of God:

“Mary is the image or sign of what God has destined us human beings to become in Christ Jesus.”

“By God’s grace she [Mary] is what God wants all of us to become.”

“Her [Mary’s] spiritual perfection shines like a beacon to all of us as we battle the darkness of the sea […]”

 

 

 

 

The Best Things in Life – Peter Kreeft

Original publication year: 1984

Pages: approx. 190

            Showing his wit and wisdom through the entertaining writing style of dialogue, renowned American Catholic philosophy professor Peter Kreeft uses one of history’s greatest questioners to examine the modern claims towards happiness. This book is very easy to read because it is written like a conversation that flows nicely. After dismantling the myth that the three Ps, profit, power and pleasure, are the way to happiness, Kreeft argues that only one thing will bring humanity true happiness, the Truth, which, as another great Man has told us, “will set you free” (Jn. 8:32).

Some memorable quotes from The Best Things in Life:

“Doubt can be a way to find truth, the soul’s food.”

“[W]ith regard to morality…there are two kinds of people: sinners, who think they are saints, and saints, who know they are sinners.”

“[T]he point of my method is not to win the argument but to win the truth, not to defeat the opponent but to defeat the error.”

 

 

 

 

 

The Orthodox Imperative – Avery Cardinal Dulles

Original publication year: 2012

Pages: approx. 224

            In a collection of his best essays contributed to the publication, First Things, Cardinal Dulles expounds upon many subjects related to the Church and our world. Here are some of the thoughts from one of the most profound theologians and converts in American Catholic Church History and a great resource to better understand a wide variety of current issues. Ranging from Christians interactions with the Jewish people, to the death penalty, to the relationship between the Church and the State, the topics are both timely, but also timeless and his wisdom is the true application of the wisdom of our Church.

Some memorable quotes from The Orthodox Imperative:

“The man is always more than the sum of his ideas.”

“The truly free person is one who does what is good out of love of goodness itself.”

“The Church must be herself, and must not strive to become what nonbelievers might like her to be.”

 

 

Mackerel Snappers: How to Explain Even the Most Difficult

Teachings about God and His Catholic Church – Spencer Allen

Original publication year: 2013

Pages: approx. 352

            While quality books on Catholic apologetics are not in short supply, not all are written with the intent to both connect with and inform the reader. Allen’s vocation as an educator, he’s a principal of a Catholic school in Missouri, shows in this readable, comprehensive and experience-tested work. Though seemingly daunting in length, this book works best as a resource material that one can refer to whenever a specific question arises (Why do Catholics believe in Purgatory, again?). What’s particularly beneficial to the reader is that each chapter begins with a personal story related to the content and ends with a summary of that content. This will help you develop what the author describes as a “stubborn” love for the truth that Christ said “will set you free”.

Some memorable quotes from Mackerel Snappers:

“A Christian should never leave the truth of Jesus because of the scandal of Judas.”

“[T]he first centuries did not give us a Bible-based Church, but a Church-based Bible.”

“If we desire for the Church to stop inventing rules, perhaps we just need to stop inventing sin.”

 

 

The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Christianity – Taylor Marshall, Ph. D.

Original publication year: 2009

Pages: approx. 236

            It is joked that Judaism is the second most Jewish religion in history…behind Catholicism. This is because of the rich Jewish heritage from which the Church draws many beliefs and practices. These practices and beliefs are examined by Marshall, a convert to Catholicism who cites its Jewish roots as what sparked his openness to the Church. Starting with the fact that Jesus and His Apostles, all practicing Jews, laid the foundation of the Catholic Church and the first converts to Christianity considered themselves fulfilled Jews. In Crucified Rabbi, Marshall uses his extensive knowledge in philosophy and the Sacred Scriptures to connect the ancient faith of “father Abraham” to its fulfillment in the “Son,” Christ Jesus. This book is a great introduction to one who wants to have fuller appreciation of where our faith came.

Some memorable quotes from The Crucified Rabbi:

“Just as Clark Kent rips away his business suit and reveals that he is Superman, so everyone hopes that there is someone, somewhere with a little something extra…Every child is waiting for a Messiah. Every tragedy calls for one.”

“Baptism is not something ‘we do for God.’ Rather, it is something ‘God does for us.’ Baptism is something we receive, not something we perform.”

“[T]he Catholic priest clothes himself in the Messiah and in the world for which the Messiah died.”