Growing in Devotion
This page contains a selection of books geared towards helping us grow in our devotion and piety towards God, and encouraging us on the path of virtue and the love of God.
Books
The world-renowned and universally recommended devotional / prayer book. Read often by St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Thomas More, St. Ignatius of Loyola.
An explanation of the Song of Songs by a saint, the bride being the Church Militant (or the soul). From this version “This book treats of the way to arrive at a perfect form of mental prayer”.
This book, also known as “The Book of Divine Doctrine”, was dictated by God to the Saint while in an ecstasy. It consists of four treatises, on Providence, Discretion, Prayer, & Obedience.
- The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Hell, Heaven.
Excellent treatise on human destinies that doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable and sometimes horrifying. Inspires a lively fear of eternity, and can be effective at making the reader change their life.
A masterpiece of spiritual writing. Highly recommended by St. Francis de Sales. According to St. Teresa of Avila, it converted over a million souls.
St. Catherine of Genoa is often known mostly for this book.
This saint’s theological and devotional masterpiece. Very heavy on theological and philosophical terms, which can be difficult for some. (e.g. goes into the subject of the Trinity)
- Life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque: or, Revelations of the Sacred Heart
Latin for “golden chain”, the Catena Aurea is St. Thomas Aquinas’s masterful weaving together of the commentary of the Fathers of the Church on all four Gospels. This edition was translated by St. John Henry Newman into English.
- Minor Works of St. Teresa of Avila: Conceptions of the Love of God; Exclamations, Maxims and Poems of St. Teresa of Jesus
Also contains a short account of the Saint’s death and canonization, etc., by the translator
- The Bread of Life, St Thomas Aquinas on the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar: Arranged as Meditations with Prayers and Thanksgivings for Holy Communion
Recommended by the authors of With God and Henry Edward Cardinal Manning as a continuation of the mission of his books The Temporal Mission of the Holy Ghost and The Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost.
Note: This is not the same as “The Imitation of Mary” sold by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. The content is entirely different.
This is an abridged version of True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
This work has no approbations, but is by Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, who was very zealous in Catholic doctrine, having converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism along with St. John Henry Edward Manning. That said, this book may contain opinions of his which are not necessarily doctrines of the Catholic Church. It is included in this library because of its historical and theological interest.
- Fountain of Living Water: or, Thoughts On The Holy Ghost For Every Day In The Year
This book is included because it has good approbations, and quotes several other approved authors, and seems useful and good based on its contents.
- The Creed Explained: or, An Exposition of Catholic Doctrine, According to the Creeds of Faith, and the Constitutions and Definitions of the Church
This book is included because it has good approbations, and generally looks interesting and useful.
See also The Temporal Mission of The Holy Ghost.
This book does not have approbations, but was written by a priest and edited (and probably translated) by another priest. It also says “Authorised Translation” on the title page. It’s also published by Burns, Lambert, and Oates, which are generally safe publishers. So it’s probably safe to read.
- A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul: And the Bridegroom of Christ
- Holy Souls Book, Reflections on Purgatory: A Complete Prayer-book, Including Special Prayers and Devotions in Behalf of the Poor Souls in Purgatory
- Maxims and Counsels of St. Francis de Sales: For Every Day of the Year
- My Prayer Book, Happiness in Goodness: Reflections, Counsels, Prayers, and Devotions
- The Little Office of Our Lady: A Treatise Theoretical, Practical, and Exegetical
Down to earth explanations of a wide variety of Catholic truths, principles, concepts, and devotions, without watering them down.
From the preface: “[Fr. Cochem] devoted himself, in addition to his pastoral duties, to the writing of pious books in a popular style. … His best and most popular work was the ‘Life and Sufferings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother Mary,’ of which this volume is an abridgment and rearrangement.”
