Spiritual Reading List
Forming ourselves in the faith through good reading is essential to becoming a saint. As St. Josemaria Escriva once remarked,
“Don’t neglect your spiritual reading. Reading has made many saints.”
This remark is literally true, as St. Ignatius of Loyola’s conversion was due to reading biographies of Sts. Francis & Dominic, among other good books, and the conversion of Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) was due in a big way to reading St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography.
Our chaplain, Fr. Mattingly, has listed his top 10 general books for spiritual reading, as well as his top 10 biographies of saints (coming soon!).
To help you navigate, here is a 3-star system to understand the difficulty of reading for each of these works.
1 star = no significant formation in philosophy or theology necessary to understand the gist of the book
2 stars = a solid grasp of the primary doctrines of Catholicism, and some exposure to other spiritual reading will be necessary and/or helpful
3 stars = some formal philosophical and/or theological training (college level), or else a whole lot of great self-formation over the years, will be necessary to comprehend all the different aspects of what the author is describing.
He Leadeth Me, Fr. Walter Ciszek, SJ (1973)
An extraordinary tale of a priest from Philadelphia who spent nearly 50 years in Soviet Russia, over 20 of them in the gulags (prison camps) of Siberia. In this masterpiece, Fr. Ciszek spends each chapter illustrating some critical aspect of the Christian life, illustrating it by his experience in Russia.
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star
Life of Christ, by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1958)
Follow the Life of Christ as Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) breaks down the Gospels in an extraordinarily insightful, informative, and inspiring way. If you want to get to know Christ, this book is an absolute must.
Difficulty level of reading: 1-2 stars
This Tremendous Lover, by Fr. Eugene Boylan (1946)
This book has been called a modern “Introduction to the Devout Life” (a classic written by St. Francis de Sales in the 17th century). It walks the reader through the grandeur and majesty of the love story between God and man, focusing especially on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of the Christ which shows forth the union that Christ has with His members (the Church).
Difficulty level of reading: 1-2 stars
The Way, by St. Josemaria Escriva (1939)
“The Way” is a book of roughly 1,000 small spiritual “sound-bites” which are great as points for meditative prayer or general inspiration. Just flip to the table of contents, look for a topic that’s of interest, and go to that section ready to be challenged, surprised, and inspired.
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star
In Sinu Iesu, by an anonymous Benedictine monk (2016)
Description: This very recent work is the actual journal of an anonymous Benedictine monk who is (presumably) still alive today. In it, he receives what are called “locutions” from Jesus, and sometimes Mary. Locutions are actual words spoken to someone by Our Lord. In this instance, there is a book full of paragraphs and paragraphs of Our Lord’s words to this monk. The primary themes of these messages center around prayer, the Holy Eucharist, and the priesthood. This book is likely to become one of the great spiritual classics of all time.
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star.
Discernment of Spirits, by Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V. (2005)
In this work, Fr. Gallagher gives a very thorough explanation of the first 14 rules of discernment as written by St. Ignatius of Loyola nearly 500 years ago. St. Ignatius’ “Rules,” as they’re called, can be considered the first “systematic” (comprehensive) explanation of how to determine the origin of one’s thoughts and movements of the heart (...are they from the Lord or from the world, flesh, or devil?). Then, once one has determined the origin, Ignatius provides guidance regarding how to react. Fr. Gallagher masterfully explains these rules of discernment, which are some of the most practical pieces of spiritual advice ever written in the history of the Church.
Difficulty level of reading: 1-2 stars.
Searching for and Maintaining Peace, by Fr. Jacques Philippe (2002).
A very short and simple book that explains masterfully the true nature of peace of heart (news flash -- it isn’t the absence of conflict or suffering, but something much deeper and more abiding). This is a book you will read over and over again and discover new things each time. If you enjoy this book, you’ll enjoy any of the other many books from Fr. Jacques Philippe. Many of them are compilations of various retreats that he has led over the years, as he’s a much sought-after retreat master.
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star
Prayer for Beginners, by Dr. Peter Kreeft (2000).
As indicated in the title, this is an introductory book to prayer, yet is, at the same time, very profound and convicting. If you’re wondering about the value of prayer, or how to approach prayer in general, this book will lead you to a decision point. After reading it, you’ll either be convicted that prayer is more necessary than eating, or you will think prayer is a waste of time. You won’t walk away from this little book unchanged, that’s for sure!
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star.
The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (late 1600s).
This tiny spiritual classic, written by an otherwise unknown monk of the late 1600s, is a force to be reckoned with. When St. Paul said “pray without ceasing” (1 Ts 5:16), he was serious. The way we do this outside of our times of “formal prayer” is by a continual awareness of the presence of God (in our souls, in the providence of the present moment, in the Eucharist, in others, etc.). If you want deeper communion with God throughout the day, this book will teach you how.
Difficulty level of reading: 1 star.
Happy are You Poor, by Fr. Thomas Dubay (1981).
This book is an absolute kick in the pants, so read at your own risk! Fr. Dubay breaks down what the gospels and the saints have to say about every Catholic’s call to live material poverty. While the way we live material poverty depends on our state in life (lay, priest, religious), the bar is much higher than most of us think it to be, especially in the United States, the wealthiest nation the world has ever seen. If you want your standards of how to deal with money & possessions to be rocked to the core, read this book. If you don’t want to be challenged regarding our use of money and possessions, definitely don’t read this book!
Difficulty level of reading: 1-2 stars.