Second in a series

Reading Don Brophy’s “One Hundred Great Catholic Books: From the Early Centuries to the Present” (Blue Bridge, An Imprint of United Tribes Media, Inc.) has set me thinking about books that have deeply influenced me.

I made up a list of 10 books that, when I read them, had a strong impact on me. In the list I did not include any novels because I write so often about novels in this column that I decided to limit my list to books in theology, spirituality and philosophy. I am not sure how some of these books would stand up if I read them today but when I read them, some as long as 50 years ago, they played an influential role in my life. I think all of them qualify as coming from what Brophy calls a “spiritual tradition.” Reflecting on the important role books can play in our lives Brophy writes:

“Books from a religious or spiritual tradition have a special place in such a list. They do more than simply impart information: Like C. S. Lewis’ wardrobe, they take us into another realm, into mystery. They are not merely words – they bring us closer to the original Word beyond language. The best and most memorable of them burn with an inner fire, burn without being consumed. Take off your shoes when you read them.

“This volume names one hundred books that have nourished Catholic Christians and many other seekers over the centuries. There is no claim being made that these are the one hundred ‘best’ books or the one hundred ‘most important’ Catholic books.…They are not ranked in any way or compared to one another. They are simply one hundred books, chosen because they approach classic status (at least the older ones) and are considered worthy by readers to this day.”
The 10 books that I will list are not necessarily the 10 books that have had the greatest impact on me but they are the 10 that have come to mind as I decided to write this column. If I spent more time reflecting on my experience of books, probably some would fall off the list and others might be added. I have decided to divide the list into two groups: the first group of five, which I will mention in this column, I read while a seminarian, the second five, which I will mention in next week’s column, I read after I was an ordained priest.

I can still recall the feeling of excitement when I received Jacques Maritain’s “True Humanism” in the mail. I can almost remember the aroma that came from the package that was sent from England. I had ordered the book from the offices of Sheed & Ward. A third-year college student but a seminarian in my first year of studying philosophy, Maritain’s book helped me realize how important philosophy is though at the time I could not guess that I would spend over 40 years teaching it.

Clifford Howells’ “Of Sacraments and Sacrifice” led me into the liturgical movement and Leo Trese’s “The Many Are One,” probably more than any book I have ever read, helped me appreciate the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ. Dom Abbot Marmion’s “Christ in His Mysteries” gave me wonderful insights into both Christ’s special presence in liturgical prayer and the meaning of the Catholic doctrine of sanctifying grace.

I can recall reading Marmion’s book in chapel and wondering if I correctly understood what he was saying about grace. What he was saying seemed to be too good to be true. I made an appointment to speak with my spiritual director, Father James Coffey, who was also my philosophy professor, to check if I was grasping Marmion’s meaning correctly. When Jim assured me that I was, I was in awe at the truth that we are called to share God’s intimate life of love.

Romano Guardini’s “The Church and the Catholic and the Spirit of the Liturgy” was a powerful influence in my seminary days as I tried to enter more deeply into liturgical prayer and to appreciate it as the lifeblood of the Church. The book is made up of two essays by the great Guardini.

After ordination, I found that Howells’ book and especially Trese’s book had an enormous impact on lay people. Both books gave people a new understanding of the mystery of the Mystical Body and of the liturgy. Observing people being changed by reading Trese was one of the most exciting experiences I had as a young priest.

Writing this column has brought back some wonderful memories. It has made me grateful for the gifts that have come to me through authors.