Catholicism Explained/Theology

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church
2. The Spirit of Catholicism by Karl Adams
3. Spirit and Forms of Protestantism by Louis Bouyer
4. Christianity for Modern Pagans by Peter Kreeft
5. The Lord by Romano Guardini
6. Essay on Development of Christian Doctrine by Cardinal Newman
7. Parochial and Plain Sermons by Cardinal Newman
8. End of the Modern World by Romano Guardini
9. Rome Sweet Home by Scott & Kimberly Hahn
10. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott
11. The Four Cardinal Virtues by Josef Pieper

History and Culture

1. The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc
2. How The Reformation Happened by Hilaire Belloc
3. Survivals and New Arrivals by Hilaire Belloc
4. Christendom I: Founding of Christendom by Warren Carroll
5. Christendom II: The Building of Christendom by Warren Carroll
6. Christendom III: The Glory of Christendom by Warren Carroll
7. Christendom IV: The Cleaving of Christendom by Warren Carroll
8. Triumph : The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church by H. W. Crocker III
9. Enthusiasm by Ronald Arbuthnott Knox
10. Love of Learning and the Desire for God by Jean Leclercq
11. Christianity and European Culture by Christopher Dawson
12. Our Lady of Fatima by William T. Walsh

Holy Men and Women

1. Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge
2. Apologia Pro Vita Sua by John Henry Newman
3. Journal of a Soul by Pope John XXIII
4. The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day
5. St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox by G. K. Chesterton
6. St. Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton
7. Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
8. Mary of Nazareth by Federico Suarez
9. Cure of Ars by F. Trochu
10. Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Gerard B. Wegemer
11. Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II by George Weigel

Literary Classics

1. Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
2. The Diary of a Country Priest by George Bernanos
3. Hopkins: Poetry and Prose by George Manley Hopkins
4. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
5. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
6. Christianity and Culture by T. S. Eliot
7. The Idea of a University by John Newman
8. Silence by Shusaku Endo
9. Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz
10. Lost in the Cosmos : The Last Self-Help Book by Walker Percy
11. Love in the Ruins by Walker Percy
12. Kristin Lavransdatter I: The Bridal Wreath by Sigrid Undset
13. Kristin Lavransdatter II : The Wife by Sigrid Undset
14. Kristin Lavransdatter III: The Cross by Sigrid Undset
15. Flannery O’Connor: Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
16. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
17. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Spiritual Classics

1. Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine
2. Little Talks with God (modernized version of “The Dialogues”) by St. Catherine
3. City of God by St. Augustine
4. The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis
5. Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
6. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
7. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
8. The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton
9. Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton
10. The Greatest Story Ever Told by Fulton Oursler
11. Meditations from a Simple Path by Mother Teresa
12. Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
13. The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
14. Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
15. My Way of Life/Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas

Spiritual Reading

1. The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection by Alphonso Liguori
2. Uniformity with God’s Will by Alphonso Liguori
3. Spiritual Theology by Jordan Aumann
4. Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur
5. In Silence with God by Benedict Baur
6. Difficulties in Mental Prayer by Eugene Boylan
7. The Tremendous Lover by Eugene Boylan
8. Covenanted Happiness by Cormac Burke
9. The Soul of the Apostolate by Jean-Baptiste Chautard
10. Friends of God by Jose Maria Escriva
11. Christ is Passing By by Jose Maria Escriva
12. The Way, Furrow, The Forge by Jose Maria Escriva
13. Way of the Cross by Jose Maria Escriva
14. All for Jesus by Frederick W. Faber
15. Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Caussade
16. Introduction to Devout Life by Francis deSales
17. Treatise on the Love of God by Francis deSales
18. Three Ages of Interior Life Volume I by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
19. Three Ages of Interior Life Volume II by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
20. Sinner’s Guide by Venerable Louis of Grenada
21. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
22. True Devotion to the Holy Spirit by Luis M. Martinez
23. True Devotions by Louis-Marie Grignion De Montfort
24. The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence G. Lovasik
25. The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
26. The Sadness of Christ by Thomas More
27. Conversation with Christ by Peter T. Rohrbach
28. Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli
29. Theology and Sanity by Francis J. Sheed
30. Theology for Beginners by Francis J. Sheed
31. To Know Christ Jesus by Francis J. Sheed
32. Life of Christ by Fulton J. Sheen
33. Three to Get Married by Fulton J. Sheen
34. The Spiritual Life by Adolphe Tanqueray
35. Abba Father by Bonaventure Perquin
36. Transformation in Christ by Dietrich von Hildebrand

Miscellaneous

1. Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Pope John Paul II
2. Companion Guide to Rome by Georgina Masson
3. The King’s Good Servant but God’s First by James Monti
4. 50 Questions on the Natural Law by Charles E. Rice
5. The Intellectual Life by A. G. Sertillanges
6. Essays on Woman by Edith Stein

Picture taken from http://gospelgifs.com

Writing up after a long time. But had to give vent to what i was thinking. So here it goes…

Today opened my system and thought it would be a good Idea if I get some wonderful picture on my desktop to inspire me during this Christmas time. Did what the majority of the people all over the world would do. Hoped on to the images section of Google and wrote ‘Christmas time’ and then ‘Christmas’. Now before you read on, I invite you to increase Google’s ratings on Alexa.com (not that they need it…) and search the site for these words
Please note the following:

• What do majority of the images signify…
• Which row do we have a picture which adequately signifes Christmas come on…

Since these are my thoughts, I will take the liberty to answer the second one. i am yet to find that row…

… which led me to write this and invite you all to read…

The question that formed in mind as I was searching was…
Why is the meaning of Christmas so different that what it was originally meant to be.

• A celebration of Incarnation,
• A celebration of God’s humility,
• A celebration of the Creator becoming the Created,
• A celebration of ‘The Infinite’ being bound by the Finite so that he could show the Way to walk this journey called life the RIGHT WAY.

Why I said Celebration, coz this was the event that set into motion the final act of the Great plan of God – Our Salvation I would like you all to refer to the Gospel of St John Chapter 3 verse 16-17 as a source for my conculsion – those who know it by heart… cool. For the rest here it goes:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

At the beginning of my rambling I had said I am writing to give vent to my feelings… what feelings…
Crass commercialisation has made the world sit up and notice the brands that have made Christmas what it is today and this reflects in a very big manner in the search results…

• you have Santa and you have Santa’s clothes.
• you have Christmas Tree and you have its decorations.
• you have parties and you have the fun that follows.
• you have the World and the inns..

You see where I am getting to…

Have heard that History repeats itself. Today I realised that it has habit of repeating itself every year… around the 25th of December.

Today around Christmas time if we have Joseph and Mother Mary travel around seeking a place where Jesus can be born, then both of them would be talking about a sense of deja vu. And the reporters (those who would really care…actually some would also say there is a novelty factor to this report na) would be reporting “they found no place”

Let our hearts this year be that manger which welcomes the unknown Father and the immaculate Mother, both of them who said Yes to God’s will and become part of History this year – in giving birth to the Immanuel in our Hearts. Since the wisdom of hindsight gives us the opportunity to prepare our mangers (read hearts) to welcome the King, lets welcome His birth by making our hearts worthy of Him whom the Universe cannot contain…

And when we wish our friends “Merry Christmas” on Christmas eve/ day, may it be with the joy of having witnessed a MIRACLE unfold in our hearts.

Have a blessed time preparing…

Posted via email from Ashish’s Thoughtlets

• Knowledge that I am loved and that I belong to God the creator, saviour and sanctifier.
• Knowledge That I am a child of the Father in Heaven who created the Universe and thus owns it. Me being His child makes me the owner of everything that I see as as every other person on this earth.
• Knowledge of the Brotherhood in the Father's only Son, Lord Jesus Christ – the one who saves us from our sins. It was coz of his salvific act on the Cross that I can call myself my Father's son/ Daughter
• Knowledge of the Son's Gift to us, the Paraclete – the one who sanctifies us and is the giver of all knowledge. The One who enables us to Call Jesus as our Saviour and God

Posted via email from Ashish’s Thoughtlets

Posted via email from Ashish’s Thoughtlets

Priest a Likeness of Jesus

Read a mail from a priest friend of mine who sends me some beautiful messages. This one was oddly titled. So I looked up with great curiosity. It contained a questionaire developed by Bishop José Ignacio Munilla, the Bishop of  Palencia, Spain. Tried out and was surprised that atleast one or 2 questions did set me thinking.

 

How about you guys trying it out. Pls feel free to share this with your friends coz I feel it is very important for each catholic to really understand the vocation of a priest and pray for them especally in the ‘Year of Priests’

I would also love if after reading it you would share with me your views or some of your thoughts with me on my blog. God Bless you

The questionaire for your reading and thinking pleasure. 

1. HAVE YOU PRAYED RECENTLY FOR YOUR PARISH PRIEST, YOUR BISHOP OR THE POPE?
   1. I don’t even know their names.
   2. At Mass there is usually prayer for them, and I add myself in that petition.
   3. I do so every day in my personal prayer.
2. HAVE YOU DISCLOSED YOUR CONSCIENCE TO A PRIEST, TRUSTING THAT HE CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR PROBLEMS?
   1. Each one has to solve his problems.
   2. “Four eyes see more than two.” It is always good to listen to and accept the advice of someone who can help us.
   3. The greatest help I have received from a priest has been when his advice was joined to God’s forgiveness in the sacrament of confession.
3. WHEN I HEAR AMONG MY FRIENDS COMMENTS CRITICIZING PRIESTS …
   1. I followed their lead, so as not to stand out.
   2. I tuned out, and pretended to think of something else.
   3. I said what I thought, giving witness to my faith.
4. I SEE IN A PRIEST …
   1. A “relic” of the past.
   2. A “professional” of religion.
   3. A minister of God; “another Christ” among us.
5. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU INVITED THE PARISH PRIEST TO YOUR HOME?
   1. The priest is only called when someone has died.
   2. When grandmother is with us, he usually brings Communion.
   3. Several times. I was delighted when he told us the story of his vocation at the dinner table.
6. WHEN YOU HEAR A PRIEST GIVE A HOMILY …
   1. I listen, if he has good oratorical skills.
   2. I listen, I am interested in the topic he is addressing.
   3. I see him as an instrument through which God is speaking to me.
7. WHEN A COLLECTION IS TAKEN UP FOR SEMINARIES …
   1. I think, “Priests” are always begging.
   2. I say to myself, there are collections for so many things! One more!
   3. I collaborate gladly, because I believe no vocation should be frustrated because of lack of financial means.
8. WHEN I SEE AN ELDERLY PRIEST IN THE CHURCH OR ON THE STREET …
   1. I think the Church is on the decline.
   2. I hope he says the Mass quickly.
   3. I thank God for his fidelity and for all the good he might have done.
9. WHEN I SEE A YOUNG PRIEST AT THE ALTAR …
   1. I mistrust his lack of experience. What is he going to say to me?
   2. I observe what he does and “classify” him.
   3. I thank God for his vocation and pray intensely for him.
10. HOW WOULD YOU REACT IF YOUR SON SAID HE WANTS TO BE A PRIEST?
    1. I would ask him if he’s gone mad, and I would remind him that we must take into consideration what others might think.
    2. I would ask him to give it considerable thought and to have a university degree first.
    3. It would give me one of the greatest joys of my life, and I would support him fully.
11. HAVE YOU ASKED A CHILD, ADOLESCENT OR YOUNG MAN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING A PRIEST SOME DAY?
    1. I don’t get into jams. Let everyone live his life.
    2. I am of the opinion that all vocations must be appreciated, even if they are different from our own.
    3. Yes, I have thought of someone specifically, and I pray for him … One of these days, “I will let him know.”
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE EXPRESSION OF THE SAINTLY CURÉ D’ARS: “THE PRIEST IS THE LOVE OF JESUS’ HEART”?
    1. I think it is a disembodied spiritualism.
    2. I think that can only be said of a saintly priest.
    3. I believe it is exactly so, though “they have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Now for the evaluation

If the number “1″ appears in the majority of your answers, I am surprised that this test reached your hands. But, I thank God that this happened so that I can tell you as the priest that I am, that God loves you the point of folly and that he expects from you an answer of love.

 If you have responded to the majority of questions with the number “2,” I would like to tell you that you are not enjoying the treasures that God is offering you through the priesthood.

 But if the number “3″ is yours, then I ask you not to cease to pray to God for the sanctification of priests and for the increase of priestly vocations, because I am very sure that God is going to listen to you.

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The female version of St Dominic Savio.
She has definitely fulfilled the Plan that God had for her in this Life.
Check out Catholic News Agency’s report on her.

Life of young, vibrant Catholic, inspires many to come back to the Church

Dear Gloria,

You Little child of God, during your short life time on earth, you inspired so many to the Truth through your vibrant and unfailing Yes to God’s plan in your Life inspite of the pain and the suffering.
Now that you are with our Wonderful Lord, Pray for me that I may understand and accomplish the plan that the Good Lord has for me in my Life.

Thank you very much for living you life that way you did and inspiring me.

Ashish Jacob

God Bless you.