Lives of the Saints
Reading the lives of the saints has proven to make saints, including St. Augustine, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Books
Great for Catholic Schools. Starts at creation, and gives a history of the world, specializing on the era B.C.
From the preface: “[Fr. Cochem] devoted himself, in addition to his pastoral duties, to the writing of pious books in a popular style. … His best and most popular work was the ‘Life and Sufferings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother Mary,’ of which this volume is an abridgment and rearrangement.”
- The Book of Saints: A Dictionary of Servants of God Canonised by the Catholic Church: Extracted from the Roman & Other Martyrologies
Short entries on many saints; a dictionary
This might be missing a fourth volume. I’m not sure. An amazon.com result seems to suggest there is a fourth volume. But I haven’t found one on archive.org yet.
Important: This book does not have any explicit approbations. It is included in this library because it seems to be useful. That said, it may contain heretical opinions. Be careful when reading it, and especially compare it with the other books in this library, which take precedence in authority over this book, since the other St. Joseph books here do have approbations.
According to Wikipedia, this is the author’s “most important literary work, […] on which he had spent endless pains”.
- The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude: Virgin and Abbess, of the Order of St. Benedict
Caution: this book has no official approbations, but is sold by TAN Books, and has a general recommendation by Bishop David Moriarty of County Kerry, Ireland, on 1870.
This book does not have approbations, but it is written by a priest and disciple of St. Charles, and has a preface by Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, who had an active interest and role in this book’s publication.
The biography of St. Francis by his contemporary St. Bonaventure.
This book does not have approbations, but was written by a priest and edited (and probably translated) by another priest. It also says “Authorised Translation” on the title page. It’s also published by Burns, Lambert, and Oates, which are generally safe publishers. So it’s probably safe to read.
Book Snippets
Life of Christ, by Fr. Cochem
Don Bosco, a Sketch of His Life and Miracles
Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More
p.n21 Evolutions in languages can give a false sense of differentness in writers of previous ages
p.274 St. Thomas More predicting the destruction of society when it rejects truth and morals
p.277 St. Thomas More foretelling the downfall of English Christendom
p.301 Since the Fathers of the Church admitted the Pope’s Supremacy, so can we, despite insults
Life of Sir Thomas More
p.n196 The last letter of St. Thomas More to his daughter the day before his martyrdom
p.81 St. Thomas More and his wife debating the necessity of his imprisonment
p.82 The accusing conversation of St. Thomas More by Richard Rich
p.85 The final accusation, defense, and condemnation of St. Thomas More
p.90 St. Thomas More’s thorough refutation of the Act of Supremacy
p.95 St. Thomas More’s farewell to his daughter after sentencing
Life of St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
Life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Life of St. Teresa of Avila written by Herself
p.1 St. Teresa of Avila’s purpose for writing her autobiography
p.2 St. Teresa of Avila’s brief portrait of her holy parents
p.3 A portrait of the hearts of St. Teresa of Avila and her brother as children
p.5 The humility of St. Teresa of Avila in retrospect to her childhood
p.6 St. Teresa of Avila cautions parents about bad books and dressing up
p.10 St. Teresa of Avila recounting being sent to a monastery at about age 16
p.12 St. Teresa of Avila’s lost devotion begins to return during her stay in the monastery
p.14 St. Teresa of Avila begins to see the vanity of the world, and to resolve to be a nun
p.15 St. Teresa of Avila’s various struggles in her resolve to become a nun
p.16 St. Teresa of Avila is filled with an everlasting joy the moment she becomes a nun
p.19 St. Teresa of Avila’s illness leads her to a Book on Prayer and Recollection
p.21 St. Teresa of Avila begins, at 23 years old, to learn and profit from mental prayer
p.24 St. Teresa of Avila’s interior life during her novitiate
p.25 St. Teresa of Avila prays for patience in illness and receives both
p.26 St. Teresa of Avila’s harmful experiences with imprudent and unknowledgeable confessors
p.27 St. Teresa of Avila and a Priest who both needed prudence and purity
p.30 St. Teresa of Avila suffers immensely from an illness and lets it conform her will to God’s
p.31 St. Teresa of Avila nearly falls into Hell during a dangerous illness
p.35 St. Teresa of Avila avoids the sin of detraction and encourages others to do the same
p.36 St. Teresa of Avila lacks resignation to God, and takes St. Joseph as her patron
p.41 St. Teresa of Avila begins to fall through false humility
p.43 St. Teresa of Avila strongly warns of the dangers of lax monasteries and cloisters
p.47 St. Teresa convinces her father to pray, though she does not pray herself
p.53 St. Teresa of Avila recommends befriending those earnestly seeking God also
p.57 St. Teresa of Avila begins to pray after many years of avoiding it
p.60 St. Teresa of Avila reassures us that it’s far better to pray, even when we really don’t want to
p.66 St. Teresa of Avila describes her simple methods of meditation
p.69 St. Teresa of Avila describes being drawn by God away from spiritual dangers
p.70 St. Teresa of Avila explains the mercy of God’s gifts and our true humility in admitting them
p.75 St. Teresa of Avila wishes out of true humility for her writings not to be published except her sins
Lives of the English Martyrs
Lourdes, A History of Its Apparitions and Cures
Saint Joseph of Jesus and Mary
St. Rose of Lima, the Flower of the New World
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P.
The Autobiography of St. Ignatius of Loyola
The Greek Fathers
The Life and Glories of St. Joseph
p.116 God gave Mary the pure virgin Joseph to hide and protect His Sacred Mysteries
p.117 Mary and Joseph were probably betrothed by the highest Jewish authorities themselves
p.119 Discussion on the Blessed Virgin’s Vow of Virginity in relation to her Espousal to St. Joseph
p.121 Joseph’s rare virtues and holiness probably led the authorities to betroth him to Mary
p.123 Two Doctors of the Church on the Espousal of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary
p.126 The Blessed Virgin willfully and deliberately consented to marriage with Joseph
p.126 Mary and Joseph probably knew about each other’s vow of virginity before being espoused
p.127 Mary chose Joseph as her spouse freely and deliberately
p.128 Mary’s consent to marry Joseph was the highest honor he could receive
p.131 Conclusion of the chapter on the Blessed Virgin’s betrothal to St. Joseph
p.132 Reasons St. Joseph was probably a young man when he married the Blessed Virgin Mary
p.136 St. Joseph’s early artistic depiction and very young do not prove that he was very young
p.138 St. Joseph was probably the most comely and well-disposed of the sons of men
p.144 St. Francis de Sales declaring that St. Joseph was perpetually a virgin as well
p.145 How Joseph and Mary were true spouses despite being also perpetual virgins
p.147 Reasons the marriage of Joseph and Mary wasn’t invalid despite their vows of virginity
p.148 More reasons it was fitting that Mary and Joseph should be both married and virgins
p.149 The marriage of Joseph and Mary was intended to hide their virginity until the appointed time
p.150 Mary was given as wife not to the man with most worldly advantages, but to the holiest man alive
p.152 Theories about when Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem after their marriage
p.153 How Joseph and Mary both also practiced the Evangelical Counsels of Poverty and Obedience
p.158 How Joseph and Mary honored, served and loved one another as the holiest and most devout spouses
p.159 St. Leonard of Port Maurice on the dignity of St. Joseph as the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
p.161 The many blessings and consequences of Joseph being the most blessed spouse of Mary
p.165 Joseph and Mary were truly married before the Annunciation
p.168 On the Archangel Gabriel entering Mary’s room to greet her
p.171 Mary by faith remained a Virgin yet became Mother of God
p.176 Meditations on the hearts of Mary and Joseph right after the Annunciation and Incarnation
p.178 Reasons why Mary did not tell Joseph about the Incarnation
p.372 Joseph’s Interior Life of Prayer and Contemplation (part 2)
p.377 Joseph’s Singular Faith
p.387 St. Joseph was a far more perfect father to Jesus than natural fathers are
The Life of St. Francis de Sales
The Lives of the Saints of Egypt and Principal European Saints
The Spirit of St. Francis de Sales
p.49 Losing everything but having God is having more than everything
p.50 Love of God is the purpose and goal of Christian Perfection
p.51 Advice of St. Francis de Sales on how to love God better
p.55 Love of God should be the highest motive of all our works
p.65 St. Francis de Sales on the Fire of Love and of Charity
p.70 St. Francis de Sales on Love of God being greater than Faith and Hope
p.74 St. Francis de Sales on the Love of God in relation to the Passion of Christ
p.77 St. Francis de Sales on two different motives for love of others
p.79 St. Francis de Sales on bearing patiently with one another
p.84 Examples of how St. Francis de Sales handled fault-finding in others
p.89 St. Francis de Sales on Judging Ourselves instead of Others
p.93 Judging whether our neighbor has the habits of virtue or vice
p.103 We ought to help others out of sin, but with charity and prudence
p.113 St. Francis de Sales giving advice on discerning marriage
p.116 Those who call Almsgiving by the name “Charity” are very mistaken
p.117 How St. Francis de Sales treated those in error before and after their conversion
p.120 How much St.Francis de Sales trusted in the goodness of God towards sinners
p.127 How St. Francis de Sales obeyed superiors and encouraged others to do the same
p.131 St. Francis de Sales on how poverty is happier than riches
p.134 St. Francis de Sales explaining the superiority of poverty
p.137 Upon Poverty of Spirit
p.141 We must avoid the near occasion of sin, especially chastity, when our duty before God allows it
p.142 Purity is not Chastity
p.144 How Modesty preserves the sweet perfume of our Virtues
p.148 An example of true humility in the life of St. Francis de Sales
p.150 Humility in Word vs Deed
p.151 Humility cannot be in knowledge only, but must also be in the will
p.152 We ought to love the humiliations God sends us, since by it He will draw nearer to us
p.153 Those with greater charity prefer humiliations to honors
p.155 Speaking in praise or blame of ourselves both usually come from pride
p.156 True and false humility
p.161 Upon our Good Name
p.162 Reasons we should be content with the contempt of others
p.165 More virtues to practice when we are falsely spoken evil of
p.181 The patience needed for a long illness or to help one through it
p.191 How St. Francis de Sales converted a sinful priest by meekness and humility
p.193 How St. Francis de Sales won over a malicious creditor with patience and charity
p.195 How St. Francis de Sales defended his relative poverty against accusations
p.197 The fearlessness of St. Francis de Sales in receiving insults and contempt
p.199 St. Francis de Sales patiently refuses a demand to bestow a benefice unjustly
p.201 A short debate about whether we will actually turn the other cheek
p.202 Those who suffer for righteousness’ sake are very blessed and dear to God
p.203 The effects of affability, gravity, and devotion in a saintly soul
p.204 How St. Francis de Sales converted a hardened criminal sentenced to death and without hope in God
p.207 The devil doesn’t fear our austerities or mortifications, but our obedience to God
p.208 Penances too severe may weaken our ability to effectively fight temptations
p.210 We must love the crosses God gives us more than the ones we choose
p.211 We may pause our sacrifices to fulfill brotherly love and to conceal our virtues
p.213 Advice from St. Francis de Sales on whether to fast as a personal mortification
p.219 It is a good sign of spiritual health to welcome correction
p.221 Perfection of consecrated life is not in austerities but purely in Love of God
The Spiritual Conferences of St. Francis de Sales
Wisdom and Wit of Blessed Thomas More