Journeys Home (49 page)

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The Biblical Basis for the Papacy.
Huntington, IN:
Our Sunday Visitor, 2006. Drawing upon the Old and New Testaments, Sacred Tradition, and the words of the Church Fathers, Salza presents a comprehensive and compelling story of the papacy from a biblical perspective. Arguments against the papacy are weighed and refuted in a charitable but convincing manner, making this a valuable resource for anyone intrigued or confused by the nearly 2,000-year-old papal office -- regardless of faith background.

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The Mystery of Predestination: According to Scripture, the Church and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Charlotte, NC: TAN, 2010. A welcome and important addition to the body of Catholic theological literature exploring the question of why some people go to heaven and others to hell. With attention to the complexities and subtleties entailed in this Catholic doctrine, John Salza's
ad fontes
approach provides rich fare for theological reflection.

Kocik, Thomas M.
Apostolic Succession in an Ecumenical Context.
New York: Alba House, 1996. A thorough and enjoyable study of the historical roots and current implications of apostolic succession.

Bunson, Matthew, gen. ed.
Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac.
Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, annual. Published yearly, this is a must reference book. Probably the most complete one-volume source of facts and information about
the Catholic Church.

Stravinskas, Peter M. J.
The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Huntington,
IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 1995. A thorough one-volume compendium of everything Catholic.

Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994. The first universal catechism of the Church to be published since the sixteenth century, this volume is the standard reference for learning Catholic teaching today. Every Catholic should have one.

The Companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
San Francisco:
Ignatius, 1994. A convenient compendium of all the texts referred to in the footnotes of the new
Catechism.

Denzinger, Heinrich.
The Sources of Catholic Dogma.
Translation by Roy J. Deferrari of the 30th edition of Denzinger's
Enchiridion Symbolorum.
New York: B. Herder, 1957. Also reprinted by Loreto Publications (Fitzwilliam, NH). The standard source of official documents used by Catholic theologians.

Flannery, Austin, O.P., ed.
Vatican II.
2 vols. Northport, NY: Costello, 1987. The official documents of the Second Vatican Council and many other magisterial pronouncements.

Trouve, Marianne Lorraine, ed.
The Sixteen Documents of Vatican II.
Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1999. The Ecclesial Classics series presents essential documents on topics of vital importance to the life of the Church today. Each volume is dedicated to a particular theme and includes explanatory introductions to the texts. This volume contains a number of documents of the Second Vatican Council with helpful introductions.

The following Vatican documents and encyclical letters are extremely important for understanding the essential issues facing the modern Church. They may be accessed at
www.vatican.va
.

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Dominus Iesus
(On the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church). 2000. This document is a theological and doctrinal explanation of the necessity of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church for the salvation of man. It also discusses other non-Catholic traditions and how they relate to the salvific mission of the Catholic Church.

Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI).
Deus Caritas Est
(On Christian love). 2006.

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Spe Salvi
("Saved in hope"). 2007.

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Verbum Domini
("The Word of the Lord"). 2010. This apostolic exhortation is a reflection on the 2008 synod of bishops devoted to "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church." It is one of the most important Church documents on Sacred Scripture to be published since Vatican II.

Wojtyla, Karol Jozef (Blessed Pope John Paul II).
Christifideles Laici
("The Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People"). 1988.

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Dominum et Vivificantem
(On the Holy Spirit in the
life of the Church and the world). 1986.

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Redemptoris Mater
(On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church). 1987.

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Tertio Millennio Adveniente
(On the coming of the Third Millennium. 1994.

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Ut Unum Sint
(On commitment to ecumenism). 1995.

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Veritatis Splendor
("The Splendor of Truth"). 1993.

Many of the specific topics in this resource list are treated
in these surveys as well.

Adam, Karl.
The Spirit of Catholicism.
1954. Reprint, Steubenville,
OH: Franciscan University Press, 1996. A classic study of the
essence of Catholic faith.

Baker, Father Kenneth.
Fundamentals of Catholicism.
3 vols. San
Francisco: Ignatius, 1985. A thorough discussion of all the major teachings of the Catholic Church in a readable and conversational style.

D'Ambrosio, Marcellino.
Exploring the Catholic Church: An Introduction to Catholic Teaching and Practice.
Ann Arbor, MI: Charis, 2001. A primer for studying selected essential Catholic beliefs and practices. It deals with topics such as what it means to be a Catholic, the importance of the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, understanding the Mass, dealing with sin, and Mary and the saints.

De Lubac, Henri.
Catholicism: Christ and the Common Destiny of Man.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988. This book and the following one represent classic Catholic teaching by an eminent French Jesuit who was one of the premier theologians of the twentieth century. Challenging material but well worth the effort.

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The Splendor of the Church.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988. Like the previous volume, this book is richly grounded in the Church Fathers.

Gibbons, James.
The Faith of Our Fathers
. Rockford, IL: TAN, 1980. A classic study first published in 1876 that reads as freshly as if it were written yesterday. Cardinal Gibbons was one of America's greatest bishops.

Howard, Thomas.
On Being Catholic.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 1997. The author, a layman, provides meditations on Catholic teaching and practice, opening up in practical and simple terms the richness at work in virtually every detail of Catholic prayer, piety, liturgy, and experience.

Kreeft, Peter.
Fundamentals of the Faith.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988. In this helpful book, the author -- a prolific writer and convert to the Catholic faith -- considers all the fundamental elements of the Christian tradition and the Catholic faith, explaining, defending, and showing their relevance to our life and the world's yearnings.

Lawler, Ronald, Donald W. Wuerl, Thomas Comerford Lawler, eds.
The Teaching of Christ: A Catholic Catechism for Adults.
Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 1991. A cooperative work of a large number of faithful Catholic scholars, this book is more than a catechism. This invaluable tool is a precise and clear presentation of a complete vision of Catholic faith and life.

Newman, John Henry.
An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.
1878. South Bend, IN: Reprint, University of Notre Dame Press, 1986. Newman's classic study, in which he originally set out to prove that the Anglican Church was the "via media" or middle way between the Catholic Church and the Protestant movement, but in the process became convinced that only in the Catholic Church is found the fullness of the deposit of faith as delivered by Jesus to His apostles. This book has proved a great source of inspiration and conviction for many converts.

Noll, John Francis. Centennial Edition.
Father Smith Instructs Jackson.
Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2009. This new edition of a classic by the bishop-founder of Our Sunday Visitor publishing company has sold more than three million copies since its first publication in 1913. Updated and revised by Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., it presents a series of imaginary conversations between a priest and a non-Catholic inquiring about the Catholic faith.

Ott, Ludwig.
The Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma.
4th ed. Rockford, IL: TAN, 1960. A translation of a pre-Vatican II theology manual that was standard in the German-speaking Church. Pithy but excellent reference.

Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI).
Introduction to Christianity.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 2004. One of the most important and widely read books by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, that places the question of God and the question of Christ in the very center, leading to a "narrative Christology" and demonstrating that the place for faith is in the Church. This remarkable elucidation of the Apostle's Creed provides an excellent modern interpretation of the foundations of Christianity. Benedict's profound treatment of basic Christian truths combines a spiritual outlook with a deep knowledge of Scripture and the history of theology.

Schreck, Alan.
Basics of the Faith: A Catholic Catechism.
Ann Arbor, MI: Servant, 1987. A highly readable guide to the basic teachings of the Catholic Church.

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Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs.
Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger, 2004. An extremely well-written presentation of all the basic Catholic beliefs that are so often misunderstood.

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Your Catholic Faith.
Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1989. A concise, question-and-answer catechism that is particularly helpful for parents trying to teach their children the basics.

Sheed, Frank.
Theology and Sanity.
1947. Reprint, San Francisco: Ignatius, 1978. One of Sheed's most popular books, this is the ideal volume for helping the layman to take a more active role in the Church by showing him the practical aspects of theology and the role it has in the life of Christian believers.

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Theology for Beginners.
3rd ed. Ann Arbor, MI: Servant, 1982. Acclaimed as one of the outstanding modern introductions to theology, this little book is a clear, precise, and inspiring compendium of the central doctrines of the Christian faith.

Thigpen, Paul, Father Francis Hoffman, and Father Ray Ryland.
Catholic Answers to Catholic Questions.
Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2010. An intriguing collection of answers to both common and unusual questions about Catholic faith, practice, and history posed by readers of the national magazine
The Catholic Answer.

Trese, Leo.
The Faith Explained.
1959. Reprint, Philippines: Sinag-Tala, 1995. A concise and straightforward account of Catholic teachings. The author illuminates the central elements of the Catholic faith in a lively, clear, and direct style. Updated to include changes since the Second Vatican Council, this is an increasingly popular book for giving classes on basic Christian doctrine, as well as for personal study of the faith by interested non-Catholics.

Cochini, Christian.
Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy.
Trans. Nelly Marans. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1990. The definitive scholarly examination of the topic of clerical celibacy in the first seven centuries of the Church's history.

Stravinskas, Peter M. J.
Priestly Celibacy: Its Scriptural, Historical,
and Psychological Roots.
Mt. Pocono, PA: Newman House, 2001. The practice of celibacy has come under attack at various times throughout history, and sometimes the debates have obscured the great gift that celibacy represents for both the individual practitioner and the Church. An excellent presentation on the gift of celibacy for clergy and laity alike.

Grodi, Marcus.
Steps to Happiness
. Zanesville, OH: CHResources, 2009. We are inundated these days with opinions about how to achieve happiness.
Steps to Happiness
is a brief guide that summarizes step by step how by grace we can attain true happiness through Jesus Christ and His
Body, the Church.

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Thoughts for the Journey Home.
Zanesville, OH: CHResources,
2010. This collection of essays is drawn from the author's published columns in the Coming Home Network International's newsletter and in
The Catholic Answer
magazine. His thoughts provide wisdom and strength for those who are exploring the claims of the Catholic Church, those who are on the path to the Church, and those who have already entered the Church yet need encouragement.

Hahn, Scott,
First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity.
New York: Doubleday, 2002. Using the idea of the family to explain Catholic thought about the Trinity, the author shows the divine reality found in the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as the nurturing embraces of Mary, the mother of all Christians.

Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI).
God and the World: A Conversation with Peter Seewald.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 2002. As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, gave an interview with Peter Seewald that took place over three days at the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy. For this meeting the future pope answered a stimulating, well-prepared series of wide-ranging questions on profound issues. He responded with candor, frankness, and deep insight, giving answers that are sometimes surprising and always thought-provoking.

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Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions.
San Francisco: Ignatius, 2004. Is truth knowable? If we know the truth, must we hide it in the name of tolerance? Pope Benedict XVI engages the problem of truth, tolerance, religion, and culture in the modern world. Describing the vast array of world religions, he embraces the difficult challenge of meeting diverse understandings of spiritual truth while defending the Catholic teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ.