Happy 2018! I am not one for "New Year's Resolutions," but I am one for accountability when I make big plans. I am great at ideas and dreams, but projects and commitments that don't fall into crafts and artwork categories are highly at risk of not being finished. Ha! I love to read, but when it comes to spiritual reading, I am really good at *buying* the books...I'm even great at reading the first few chapters. Completely finishing them, on the other hand, I am horrible at. To prevent myself from buying anymore books from our parish bookstore and then just looking at them longingly, I am making myself accountable for reading the ones I already have! I started the first one just after Christmas, so I am including 13 books in my personal challenge! I will be sharing thoughts on each book as I finish them - but I do promise that many many other people have written profound thoughts and reviews...that's not me. Fair warning if you decide to follow along, it'll just be some basic Catholic mama thoughts. ;-)
Here's my complete list, in order of the photo, but not necessarily in the order I will read them (mostly because I am not sure what order I will read them in...that's too much planning for me!). I've started with Humility of Heart, and though some of the books may not be as heavy, I am realizing all 13 will be quite challenging. After Humility of Heart, I am going to dive into The Privilege of Being A Woman.
1. Humility of Heart (Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo)
This one was a gift from a thoughtful friend, and I've started and stopped it too many times! It's a heavy-hitter, and I've started with this one first!
2. The Imitation of Mary (Alexander De Rouville)
I've read this almost completely, but many years ago. I am looking forward to reading it again in my current stage of life.
3. The Glories of Mary (Saint Alphonsus Liguori)
My husband and I finished our Total Consecration to Mary in the fall, and I am realizing that I will never be able to learn enough about her! This book was recommended in a talk I listened to online!
4. The Privilege of Being a Woman (Alice von Hildebrand)
True femininity in the context of our Faith is not something I have learned much about until the last two years at our Traditional Latin Mass parish. It has been something I need a LOT of grace to put into practice, so I am especially looking forward to this one!
5. The Martins of Lisiuex - Saints Therese, Louis, and Zelie (Fr. Stephane-Joseph Piat O.F.M.)
I have a special love and admiration for Saint Therese, and in what little I've read of Saint Zelie's letters, I know that these three are Saints I need to get to know better! This is an intimidatingly sized book, but I am looking forward to stories and examples from this holy family.
6. An Introduction to the Devout Life (Saint Frances de Sales)
This book is so beautifully written, I can't wait to dive in! It is another that is recommended by a priest my husband and I listen to online often, and was recently recommended by one of our parish priests in our Women's Spirituality class as a cornerstone for spiritual reading!
7. The Mass Explained to Children (Maria Montessori)
I started reading this one out loud to my children during homeschool time, but with the two younger ones to hold and wrestle, I didn't keep it up! I want to finish it myself and see how I can best convey Maria Montessori's message to my five and seven year old!
8. What's Wrong with the World (G.K. Chesterton)
To be honest, this one is the book that is most likely to get bumped off my list, if I fall behind! I want to read it because there will be a time, soon, to explain to our children why we seem so strange! This is one, though, that falls more in line with my husband's state in life than mine, so we shall see!
9. A Mother's Rule of Life (Holly Pierlot)
Our parish's homeschool mom's group read this for the Fall semester and discussed it at the meetings, but I didn't read along. I will get through it this year!
10. The Latin Mass Explained (George J. Moorman and R. Michael Schmitz)
Another that I've read at least halfway through, but haven't finished for whatever reason. We've been attending the Latin Mass for about a year and a half, and I'm certain even in 20 years there will be more to learn about it!
11. True Devotion to Mary (Saint Louis de Montfort)
We used a different book for our Total Consecration to Mary, but both Daniel and I love Saint Louis de Montfort and this book seems like a necessity!
12. How to Really Love Your Child (Ross Campbell)
My confessor recommended this book to me, and our pastor recommended it again to the whole parish during a sermon! I read dozens of parenting and psychology books in my first few years as a new mom, but haven't read many since. I think this one will be very helpful for both my husband and I!
13. The Ways of Mental Prayer (Vitalis Lehodey O.C.R.)
Oh, this one. I've started reading it, and have skipped around to parts I thought might help me more immediately. The priest that I learned about it from says that it's a beast, but the very best single book to aid in mental prayer and meditation!
Find ALL of the titles here! (Not an affiliate link! I love me some Amazon, but if we can find these titles at our local Catholic bookstores, I'd rather see those small businesses flourish!)
If you have read some of these, which has been your favorite? Are any of these on your reading list for this year too?