Deacon Ed's Suggested Reading List

Divine Renovation
Fr. James Mallon

Rethinking the parish models that don't work and focusing on mission. Moving from membership-based communities to assemblies of disciples of Jesus who proclaim and share the good news with people in and beyond our walls.

 

The Little Way of Saint Therese of Lisieux
John Nelson

Explores the five core elements of St. Therese's Little Way: humility, confidence in God's mercy and love, peaceful trust, persistence in prayer and daily practice of the ways of love.

 

Truth Be Told
Mark Hart & Joe Jody

Unpacks the most beautiful and controversial Catholic doctrines in a simple and understandable manner. This book will help anyone to articulate better the truth of what we hold dear.

 

Healing - Bringing the Gifts of God's Mercy to the World
Dr. Mary Healy

Explains healing from a theological, historical, and scriptural perspective. An excellent read in a world with so much hurt and brokenness. 

 

Restless Heart - Struggle with Life & Sexuality
Kim Zember

A raw transparency of one's struggle with their sexuality and fear of being alone. A powerful read that reveals the struggle of the soul to understand God's purpose for their life and know love.

Forming Intentional Disciples 
Sherry A. Weddell
This book will help anyone who struggles having conversations about faith. It offers keen insight into how to ask faith based questions and to establish trust. Knowing the correct time to talk to someone about Jesus is very important, as is being able to help someone to respond to God's call to discipleship. Jesus calls each of us to the mission to evangelize, this book is one of the best resources to assist in all areas of what it means to be an intentional disciple.

The Interior Castle - Study Edition 
Translated by Kiernan Kavanaugh, OCD
This book explores both mystical graces and the mystery of our humanity. This specific version of the Interior Castle is most insightful, because it provides chapter by chapter review of St. Teresa's principal revelations. And the questions at the end of each chapter do a great job of helping you theologically reflect on her deep revelations. There is an excellent description of the castle imagery in the books summary. This book is for those who really want to go into deep waters!

Sticky Faith
Dr. Kara Powell & Dr. Chap Clark
In a time where our youth are leaving the Church in vast numbers, Sticky Faith presents down-to-earth ways for a parent to share their faith story and plant deep seeds of spiritual growth. It also provides a means for parents to empower their teens to stick around and let faith shape them, so they can grow into who they were created to be.

Search for an Maintaining Peace
Fr. Jaques Philippe
This book focuses on responding to the Gospel in the upsetting situations of life. It provides concrete examples of overcoming fear and stress and ultimately finding peace. This is an easy read and well worth it. I sense, Fr. Philippe will go down as one of the greatest spiritual writers of the last century!

The Lord's Prayer
Romano Guardini
In case you ever wanted to know why God permits sin, even when the innocent suffer from it. This book helped me personally gain a much deeper love for Jesus' gift to us of the Our Father. Not to approach Christ through the Gospels is an enormous miscalculation and this book is one of the most powerful meditations on Christ you will ever read.  

i-Gen
Jean M. Twenge, PhD
Not to comprehend our latest generation is to blind one's self from the future. This book will help you take a surprising look at young people's attitude towards religion, sexuality, and politics. It will also help you grasp better their incredible anxiety, loneliness, and difficulty adulting.

Interior Freedom
Jacques Philippe                  
A more complete understanding of freedom  
      
The Lord    
Romano Guardini 
Approaching Christ through the Gospels 

Becoming Human  
John Vanier
Radical vision for creating common good. This book provides a generative look at creating good, the good that will potentially change everything about one's relationships. It explores how one  puts on Christ.  And for those that are already a fan of Henri Nouwen, he personally acknowledged that the course of his life was altered forever by his encounters and spiritual direction of John Vanier.  
        
Everybody Always 
Bob Goff
What it means to love without inhibition 
          
Tattoos on the Heart
Fr. Gregory Boyle
Stories from the barrios of L.A. – inspiring mercy  

The Mass 
Dr. Edward Sri
Exploring, discovering and experiencing the Mass

Living the Truth in Love 
Edited by Janet Smith and Fr. Paul Check
Pastoral approached to same sex attraction

Something Other Than God
Jennifer Fulwiler
An atheist journey to Catholicism

Toxic Charity 
Robert Lupton
How to better serve the marginalized and those in need