Welcome aboard. Some useful links (well, I think they’re useful)
http://www.ewtn.com/
http://www.tldm.org/
Join the Catholic ping list here; you'll learn something new each day.
Seven Storey Mountain
Why Do Catholics Do That? Kevin Orlin Johnson
Fides et Ratio, JP2
Veritatis Splendor, JP2
The books aren't perfect, but they're not useless. The Enyclicals are for the ages, and deserve to be.
You've done RCIA or the pastor is letting you be confirmed without it or what? I hear some RCIA programs are lethal. But I like the one they do at my parish, where I've sponsored one catechumen and one convert, so they're not ALL bad. But they're not enough either.
Scott Hahn is good and very popular.
Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. I wouldn't have believed it until I experienced it.
The Journey Home Network begun by Marcus Grodi has some great materials. Also, Fr. John Trigilio has a book entitled "Catholicism for Dummies" which is one of those titles of the series by that name but which is fantastic.
As luck would have it, I found a site about a Catholic Reading List for the Summer. It is here on Aquinas and More.
You have the rest of your life to read. Instead, think only of receiving the Lord, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in the Eucharist. I have been told by converts that they wept when they first received Christ's Body and Blood. He'll take care of the rest!
May God be with you!
Anything and everything by Scott and Kimberly Hahn
Handbook of Catholic Apologetics by Tacelli and Kreeft
"Theology and Sanity" , Theology for Beginners", Frank Sheed.
Mass of the Early Christians, and the Fatehrs of the Church. Both by Mike Aquilina
Try the Bible
Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, by Ludwig Ott
It may not be in print but you should be able to land a copy somewhere. This is a fascinating volume outlining in greater but concise detail the faith and how such dogmas and doctrines were arrived at from Holy Scripture and the Church fathers. What makes it particularly riveting is that the author compares and contrasts the Catholic position with the Protestant thoughts, all without polemics or vitriol. VERY HIGHLY recommended!
other than books and just as important, monthly confession and daily Mass if possible, even just one in the middle of the week helps enormously.
Moments like this prove to me that God truly watches out for every opportunity! Not 3 days ago, I thought, “why don’t I post to Freepers regarding my journey back to God.” I have been thinking this over for approx. 2 years, have several books to guide me and have talked to several people, all very encouraging. Not sure why it is taking me so long to act on what I know in my heart is the right path for me. Anyway, your post has motivated me to act! Good Luck to you and know that you have freeper kin walking the journey with you.
Being familiar with many faiths I have only one suggestion. Before you study the Word of God, pray that He will reveal the truth to you, no matter the cost to all previous beliefs and in doing so will reveal Himself. If in your journey towards getting to know God, you do not understand something, leave it in His hands and He will explain it to you when the time is right. “Knowing God” by JR Packer is a wonderful book.
I became Catholic this past Easter Vigil. I have been using the Magnificat missal ever since early last summer.
Have you been attending Catholic Mass? Attending Mass and studying the missal every day is a great way to begin to immerse in Catholicism. It is a gradual process, a mystery that reveals itself bit by bit, when you are ready and sincere.
In my experience, you wouldn’t be able to “join” right away and that is part of the beauty of the process of becoming initiated. I thought I couldn’t wait one week, let alone one year, to receive Holy Communion..... but I began to appreciate the time frame. In fact, the modern way of a 6 mos.-1 yr. initiation is considered fast compared to former times of 2-5 yrs. preparation for adults.
You have received more than enough reading suggestions, and I confess I haven’t read most of them myself. I would recommend going to a Pauline bookstore and browsing, talking to one of the sisters. There are small booklets of basic Catholic prayers, on the Rosary, and by and about particular saints.
My taste is more mystical than theological, though. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Congratulations. I did two years ago at the age of 46. For some study on the weekly readings, I like the following link... http://www.my.calendars.net/scb_bible_study
Congratulations... Most Devout Evangelicals wind up being Catholics Ultimately!
Don’t eat the brown acid.
God bless and keep you.
I was brought up in the Episcopal Church. My parents were not religious, but I gained a great deal spiritually from the Episcopal prep school I attended, by good fortune. I converted to Catholicism in college, persuaded that it was the “one, true, catholic, and apostolic” Church of the creed. I’ll always be grateful for what the Episcopal Church gave me in my youth, however, and sorrowful that that Church is undergoing such troubles now.
There are a ton of good Catholic books. It’s hard to know where to start. I’d second most of those already mentioned. Maybe Christopher Dawson’s “Understanding Europe,” on the place of Catholic Christianity in building our civilization. I’d suggest reading some G. K. Chesterton, notably “Orthodoxy” and his biography of Aquinas, not to mention his novels.
I agree that Scott Hahn is always excellent. If you can read an account in the high Victorian style there is also Cardinal Newman’s “Apologia.” There are many good books put out by Ignatius Press. If you check out their catalog or website it might give you some ideas, depending on your interests.
Much depends on what a person’s interests are. For instance, I love Dante’s Commedia, and first read it in an interlinear Italian edition, but it may not be something everyone wants to confront unless they love poetry, for instance.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21
According to Christ Himself, hell will be full of many very religious people. Many who call Him Lord and do many wonderful works in His name. Do you understand this? If not, then you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re headed for serious trouble.
anything by frank sheed.
The Story of a Soul...St. Therese, the one they call the Little Flower.