10 Catholic Books Every Man Should Read
Every man on his journey must dive deep into great spiritual books. In my own spiritual journey back to the Catholic faith, some books changed my life forever. In this post, I have outlined 10 Catholic books every man should read and have added Amazon links as well.
1. Wild at Heart - John Eldredge
This book sparked my reconversion to the Catholic faith. John Eldredge’s words slapped me in the face with a dose of Christian masculinity. I grew up thinking my faith was soft, feminine, and boring. After reading Wild at Heart, I began to change my ways. John is Protestant and although I wish it contained more of a Catholic focus, the book is still well worth the read for any man on his faith journey.
2. Rescued - Fr. John Riccardo
Most Catholics haven’t opened their Bibles. Do we truly understand the story? Why are we here? What happened to our world in the Garden of Eden? Why did Jesus come? What does this mean for us? Father John Riccardo has been a major player in my faith journey and reeducation. This book is a perfect companion for understanding the gospel.
3. The Spiritual Combat - Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
We have an enemy. We live in a world of good vs evil. As St. Paul says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” -Ephesians 6:12
The Spiritual Combat is a training manual for Catholic spiritual warfare. This stuff is intense and it’s a must-read. Understand the enemy's tactics. Know how to enter the fight against sin and evil. Become the Catholic warrior you are called to be. We are in a war. Begin to act like it and die a hero.
4. St. Joseph Consecration - Fr. Don Calloway
There is a reason why St. Joseph is called “Terror of Demons”. When I read this book, I had absolutely NO idea how epic of a man St. Joseph is. Think about this. God Himself, had to choose who would be His earthly father. The Father Himself chose St. Joseph to father Him, teach Him, feed Him, clothe Him. This book dives deep into a 33-day consecration to St. Joseph. It is sure to be one of the greatest things you do.
5. The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis is a master of words. The Screwtape Letters is a famous account of two demons. One master demon, Screwtape mentoring and teaching Wormwood. A young, novice demon is responsible for securing the soul of a man. This incredible piece of work shows us all the ways the demons tempt, trick, and lie to us in their attempts to secure our souls in Hell. It is sure to be an eye-opener and made me think multiple times “wow, the same exact thing has happened to me!” This is one of those classics you need to have on your bookshelf.
6. The Confessions - Saint Augustine
The greatest spiritual autobiography of all time. St. Augustine was once a man overcome by lust, sex, orgies, drunkenness, and sin. He changed his life completely. Surrendering his life to God and later became a doctor of the church. As men, we live in a world that grips the passions like an anchor gripping the sandy seafloor. This book shows us the journey of a sinful man turned a Saint. A path we can all by the grace of God take after him.
7. The Imitation of Christ - Thomas A. Kempis
I love this book and devotional because it’s one made up of small passages that hit you in the gut. The Christian life is no easy walk. You better have a highlighter and sticky notes because this book you’ll mark up ten times over. It is full of wisdom and one that I will come back to till the day I die.
8. True Devotion to Mary – St. Louis De Montfort
True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin is one of the greatest and most celebrated books ever written about Our Lady. Praised by popes, mystics, and theologians, this profound and powerful book presents Mary as the essential and infallible key to the heart of Jesus. Nowhere will you find a deeper and more life-changing book on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Christian and the life of the Church. Look at any great Saint and you’ll very likely see an incredible devotion to our Blessed Mother.
9. Uniformity with God’s Will – St. AlphonsUS Liguori
A huge part of carrying our crosses is dying to ourselves and giving God control of our lives. Putting God’s will above our own is a critical, everyday decision we must make. As men, many of us are control freaks. Learning to hand over control to the One who controls ALL things is a major step in our spiritual life. This is not easy but is a major step towards the freedom we all desire in our hearts.
10. The Bible
Conclusion
These books are placed in no particular order. With that said, I did read Wild at Heart first when going through my reconversion. I am sure there are other amazing spiritual books I am missing. Please feel free to send to me andrew@carryyourcross.com.
Many of these books have changed my life and I know they will for you as well.
As men, we must read more. As for myself, I love to read at Eucharistic adoration in the presence of our Lord. Reading in silence is a great way to train your mind and soul. Today we are too distracted. I believe reading allows us to slow down and digest material in a way other mediums do not provide.
