WELCOME PARENTS!

God has lent you his creation to raise up in virtue and the Faith. What an awesome responsibility! every child is a unique gift, and therefore, parents sometimes need help specific to their child. Whether your child is thriving or just surviving, check out the resources we offer and have gathered to help support you!

And please know of our CONSTANT love and prayers for you.

EVENTS

CHECK OUT OUR NEXT SUMMA EVENT!

RESOURCES

Marriage & Family

BOOKS (many can be found in the doc)

  • Love & Respect – Dr. Emerson Eggerichs | AMAZON

  • The Five Love Languages - GARY CHAPMAN | AMAZON

  • Marriage On the Rock – Jimmy & Karen Evans | AMAZON

  • A Daring Promise - Richard Gailardetz | AMAZON

  • 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage – David & Claudia Arp (revitalize your marriage/make marriage fun) ISBN 0310210917

  • Together At Baptism – Robert M Hamma (help parents appreciate the fuller meaning of baptism & their commitment) ISBN 9780877933472

  • Before I Do & Catholic Remarriage – Anthony Garascia ISBN 9781594711428

  • Finding Your Way Through Divorce – Kathy Brewer Gorham (encouragement for divorced people to deepen their faith in God) ISBN 9781594710742

  • Finding Your Way Through Domestic Abuse – a Guide to Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Healing – Connie Fourre ISBN 9781594710766

  • Miles From the Sidelines – Maura Weis (the wife of Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis shares the challenge & blessings of raising a special need child) ISBN 9781933495033

  • Healing the Wounds of Divorce – A Spiritual Guide to Recovery – Barbara Sherman Ryan (dealing with the aftermath of divorce: children, finances, relatives, fear, guilt & forgiveness) ISBN 9780877934837

  • Together for Life – Joseph M Champlin (challenge couples to plan & participate actively in their marriage ceremony & reflect together on the sacred commitment of marriage) ISBN 978087736169

  • Close – Musings on Intimacy, Marriage & God - Valerie Schultz (the essentials of Christian marriage) ISBN 9781594710735

  • Once More with Love - A Guide to Marrying Again – Bobbi Coyle-Hennessey (problems & issues of re-marriage/communication & conflict resolution) ISBN 9780877934981

  • Facing Forgiveness – A Catholic Guide To Letting Go of Anger & Welcoming Reconciliation – Laughlan Sofield, Carroll Juliano & Bishop GregoryAymond (explores the process of forgiveness & the sacrament of reconciliation) ISBN 9781594711220

  • Design for Wholeness – Dealing With Anger, Learning to Forgive, Building Self-Esteem – Loughlan Sofield, Carrol Juliano & Rosine Hammett (understand & deal with anger) ISBN 9780877934301

  • Are You Really Listening – Keys to Successful Communication – Paul Donoghue PhD & Mary Siegel PhD (a witty and useful look at the reasons people don’t hear one another) ISBN 9781893732889

  • The Good Listener – Rev. James Sullivan (the effects of listening) ISBN 9780877939436

  • Celebrate Marriage – Preparing the Wedding Liturgy – ISBN 1569290261

  • Tell Me Why – A father answers his emerging adults questions about God – Michael & Jana Novak

  • The Catholic Family Handbook – Ways to strengthen marriage and raise children in the Catholic faith – Lawrence Lovasik

  • If You Knew the Gift of God – The Classical Church Teaching on Grace | AMAZON

  • The Temperament God Gave You – Art & Laraine Bennet | Amazon

  • The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family – Patrick Lencioni | Amazon

  • The Art of Living – Edward Sri | Amazon

  • Man and Woman, He Created Them: A Theology of the Body, Michael Waldstein, Pauline Books & Media, 2006

  • Then Comes Baby: The Catholic Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the First Three Years of Parenthood, Gregory and Lisa Popcak, 2014

  • Parenting your Teens and Tweens with Grace, Gregory and Lisa Popcak, 2021

  • Parenting with Grace: The Catholic Parents’ Guide to Raising almost Perfect Kids, Gregory and Lisa Popcak, 2021

  • We and Our Children: How to make a Catholic Home, Mary Reed Newland, 2012

  • Theology of the Body for Beginners: Rediscovering the Meaning of Life, Love, Sex and Gender, Christopher West, 2018

Knowing Your Strengths

Catholic Blogs

Catholic Podcasts

Media & Technology

Younger Children 

Books

Teens

BOOKS

  • Your Questions, God's Answers, Prayer for Beginners | AMAZON

  • Did Adam and Eve Have Belly Buttons? | AMAZON

  • Did Jesus Have a Last Name? | AMAZON

  • Desiderata: A Teenager's Journey to God by David Paul Eich | Amazon

  • Letters to a Young Catholic (Art of Mentoring) | Amazon

  • Swimming With Scapulars: True Confessions of a Young Catholic | Amazon

  • Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit: A Young Catholic's Search for Meaning | Amazon

  • Endow Youth Studies – Youth Studies – Endow Groups (endow-groups.myshopify.com)

  • If You Really Loved Me: 100 Questions on Dating, Relationships, and Sexual Purity | Amazon

  • Not Ready for Marriage, Not Ready for Sex: One Couple's Return to Chastity | Amazon

  • Understanding The Scriptures: A Complete Course On Bible Study | Amazon

  • Ask the Bible Geek: Answers to Questions from Catholic Teens | AMAZON

  • Ask the Bible Geek 2: More Answers to Questions from Catholic Teens | Amazon

  • Everything – Experiencing the Power of the Creed | Amazon

  • Zealous – Following Jesus with Guidance from St. Paul | Amazon

Pornography

College

Movie Reviews

Same-Sex Attraction & Gender Identity

Mental Health

  • National Institute of Mental Health | NIMH

  • Teens, Social Media Use & Mental Health | cnet.com

Suicide – Depression – Self-Hurt

Eating Disorder

GENERAL

Spiritual Reading Recommendations

  • The Cloud of Unknowing – Anonymous (14th Century work in which the theology of contemplative prayer is based/seeking God through blind love) ISBN 0385030975

  • Spiritual Exercises – Ignatius Loyola (purify the soul – meditate on the life of Jesus – the Passion/compassionate love poured out – the Risen Lord/unselfish love & trust) ISBN 14235325629

  • Finding God – In All Things - Introduction and guide to the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius

  • The Pilgrim’s Journey – Autobiography of St Ignatius of Loyola – Joseph Tylenda

  • Meditations on Christ – a model for holiness – Romano Guardini

  • The Lord – Approaching Christ through the Gospels – Romano Guardini

  • Life of Christ – Spiritual Jesus exegesis – Fulton J Sheen

  • Call & Mission – Jesus’ call/reflections on Scripture – Maria Rosa Poggio

  • The Dark Night – John of the Cross (the journey from self-centeredness to union with God/seeking God’s light) ISBN 1573229741

  • The Interior Castle – Teresa of Avila (a great argument for prayer/interior life – surrender to love) ISBN 0385036434

  •  Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer – An Approach to Life in Fullness – Brother David Steindl-Rast (learn to bless all there is/develop a grateful heart) ISBN 0809126281

  • Waiting for God – Simone Weil (a collection of letters & writings/spiritually inspiring) ISBN 0060959703

  • Open Mind, Open Heart – Thomas Keating (a theological, historical, & practical introduction to centering prayer) ISBN 0826406963

  • The Confessions of Saint Augustine – Translated, with Introduction & Notes by John Ryan (extremely unique work for understanding the spiritual life) ISBN 0385029551

  • Imitation of Christ – Thomas Kempis (the interior disposition of a person is what really matters) ISBN 0357700188 

  • City of God – St. Augustine (for better understanding our world) ISBN 0385029101

  • The Dialogue – Catherine of Siena (the joining of heart & mind-both love & truth- in the pursuit of holiness) ISBN 0809122332

  • Death on a Friday Afternoon– Richard J Neuhause (meditations on the last words of Jesus from the Cross) ISBN 046504932X

  • Sadhana – A Way to God – Anthony De Mello (prayer & meditation techniques/awaken prayer & lead to contemplation) ISBN 0385196148

  • Seek God Everywhere - Anthony De Mello - Reflections on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius 

  • Anthony De Mello – Modern Spiritual Series – (selected writings of the spiritual storyteller – Anthony De Mello) ISBN 1570752834

  • Wellsprings - Anthony De Mello     - Spiritual Exercises – Self-Awareness

  • Gospel Light – John Shea (teachings of Jesus from a spiritual point of view) ISBN0824517091

  • Life & Holiness – Thomas Merton (principles of the spiritual life)

  • Love & Living – Thomas Merton – (become familiar with oneself & comfortable with your true self) ISBN 0156538954

  • Thomas Merton’s Essential Writings – Modern Spiritual Masters Series – Christine Bochen ISBN 1570753318

  • The Wounded Healer – Henri Nouwen (an interpretation of modern ministry/our wounds are not barriers to ministry, but doors) ISBN 0385148038

  • A Restless Soul – Henri Nouwen (the endless search for intimacy & beauty) ISBN 9781594711633

  • Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming - Henri Nouwen (an inspiring call to transformation) ISBN 0385473079

  • A Listening Heart – Brother David Steindl-Rast (the senses as gateways to Spirit) ISBN 0824517806

  • The Holy Longing, The Search for a Christian Spirituality – Ronald Rohlheiser (what it is to live a spiritual life during daily challenges/happiness is not found in overcoming, but in making peace) ISBN 0385494181

  • Prison Writings - Alfred Delp (inspiring meditations & reflections of a Jesuit priest imprisoned by Hitler before he was executed/deep truth is found in solitude/the relevance of the Gospel amid violence) ISBN 1570755248

  • The Practice of the Presence of God – Lawrence of the Resurrection ((a way of life – simple, positive & heartfelt/the secret of moment-by-moment fellowship with God) ISBN 100941478297

  •  The Phenomenon of Man – Pierre Teilhard De Chardin (a mystical commentary on the workings of nature/man’s place in the universe) ISBN 006090495X

  • Teilhard’s Mass - Thomas King - Exploring the cosmic meaning of the Mass                 

  • The Screwtape Letters – C. S. Lewis (an ironic portrayal of human life) ISBN 0060652934

  • The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross – translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. & Otilis Rodriguez, O.C.D. (close look at the mystical) ISBN 0935216146

  • The Way to Love – Therese of Lisieux – Ann Laforest, O.C.D. (the interior call of God) ISBN 1580510825

  • The Great Mysteries – Andrew Greeley (mysteries are found in humanity and can lead one to reality/getting past obstacle of faith) ISBN 9781580511315

  • Life in a Jewish Family – Edith Stein (transition of life/celebrating all facets of life – written while transitioning into the convent) ISBN 9780935216042

  • Witness to Hope – George Weigel (biography of John Paul II) ISBN 006018793X

  • Choosing to be Catholic - William J. O’Malley   - How’s, why’s & what it means to be Catholic  

  • Radical Compassion - Fr. Gary Smith, S. J.    A priest’s journal of working with the poor 

  • Finding God – In All Things     William Barry, S.J.   - Introduction and guide to the Spiritual Exercises – St Ignatius         

  • The Pilgrim’s Journey - Jospeph N. Tylenda, S.J.  - Autobiography of St. Ignatius of Loyola

  • Into Your Hands, Father   - Wilifri Stinissen   - Three Stages of Abandonment to God      

  • Man Is Not Alone - A Philosophy   - Abraham Heschel - How Man Senses God’s Presence              

  • The Prophets – Abraham Heschel – Deep knowledge of the prophets. A masterpiece of biblical scholarship.

  • Befriending the Stranger   - Jean Vanier - Compassion                                                      

  • Salvation is from the Jews - Roy Schoeman - Deeper Insight into Judaism 

  • Francis – Man of Prayer - Mario Escobar   - Biography of Pope Francis                          

  • A Concise Guide – Vatican II Docs - Edward Hahnenberg   - Outline of the 16 Documents

  • Something Other Than God - Jennifer Fulwiler                    

  • City of Saints - George Weigel - A spiritual travelogue of Krakow & its saints  

  • Second Greatest Story Ever Told - Michael Gatley MIC - A time of mercy

  • Priestblock 25487 - Jean Bernard - A priest’s survival at Dachau Concentration Camp              

  • The Name of God Is Mercy - Pope Francis - Pope’s teaching on mercy  

  • Tattoos on the Heart - Fr. Gregory Boyle S.J.

  • A Call to Mercy - St. Mother Teresa       

  • Evangelizing Catholics - Scott Hahn - A guide to understanding Catholic evangelization

  • A Biblical Walk Through the Mass – Dr. Edward Sri

  • Walking with Mary – A Biblical Journey from Nazareth to the Cross – Dr. Edward Sri

  • Who Am I To Judge – Dr. Edward Sri

  • Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist – Dr. Brant Pitre

  • Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary – Dr. Brant Pitre

  • Paul – A New Covenant Jew – Dr. Brant Pitre

  • The Case for Jesus – Dr. Brant Pitre

Creating A Great Catholic Parish Today

  • Divine Renovation - Fr. James Mallon | Amazon

  • Rebuilt | Amazon

  • Growing an Engaged Church - Albert Winseman | Amazon

  • Soul Searching - Christian Smith & Melinda Lundquist Denton | Amazon

  • Lost in Transition – The Dark Side of Emerging Adulthood – Christian Smith | Amazon 

Death & Bereavement

  • Our Greatest Gift – Henri Nouwen (meditation on dying/the gift death can be to the living) ISBN 00663553

  • The Gift of Peace – Cardinal Joseph Bernadine (a personal & spiritual look at healing & peace) ISBN 0829409566

  • Toward Peace – Prayers for the Widowed – Beverly S Gordon (33 nourishing prayers for anyone experiencing the death of a spouse) ISBN 0867161299

  • From This High Place – Reflections on Living a Life of Courage & Purpose – (reflective and comforting) Ken Standley (ISBN 0399522867

  • The Path Through Grief – Marguerite Bouvard ISBN 1573921890

  • Gentle Keeping – Prayers & Services for Remembering Departed Loved Ones

  • Nobody’s Child Anymore – Grieving, Caring & Comforting When Parents Die – Barbara Bartocci (finding meaning beyond grief) ISBN 9781893732216

  • Throughout the Year - Mauryeen O’Brien (comfort for the grieving – prayers for particular people & occasions) ISBN 9781594711305

  • Grant Us Peace – Rosary Meditations for Those Who Mourn – Beth Mahoney (a devotional book) ISBN 9781594711640

  • Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies – Marta Felber ISBN 9780877939320

  • Seasons of Hope – Creating & Sustaining Catholic Bereavement Groups – M. Donna MacLeod ISBN 9781594711725

  • The Ministry of Consolation – A Parish Guide for Comforting the Bereaved – Terence Curley ISBN 0818906510

Marian

  • catholic-pages

  • Mary Resources Page | udayton

  • The Reed of God – Caryll Houselander (the reality of the incarnation in our lives/meet God in ones own body & in the messiness of life) ISBN 100870612409

  • True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin – St. Louis Marie de Montfort (from Mary to Jesus) ISBN 0910984492

  • The Rosary of Pope John Paul II: The 20 Mysteries – ISBN 8820974088

  • The New Rosary in Scripture – Biblical insight into praying the rosary – Dr. Edward Sri

  • The Mysteries of Light – The Bible & the Luminous Mysteries – Roland J Faley (Christocentric, but through the intercession of Mary) ISBN 0809142937

  • The Secret of the Rosary – St. Louis de Montfort (explains why it is a sacred treasure) ISBN 089550563

  • Praying the Rosary Like Never Before – Dr. Edward Sri

St. Joseph

  • Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father | Amazon

Social Justice

  • Faithful Citizenship – A Call to Political Responsibility – USCCB Publishing -3211 Fourth Street – NE Washington, DC 20017-1194 www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship or Phone: 800/235-8722 (the calling of faith & citizenship – political questions answered with Scripture & principles of Catholic Social teaching)

  • Radical Compassion – A priest’s journal of working with the poor & marginalized – Fr. Gary Smith

  • Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching – Kenneth R Himes, O.F.M. ISBN 08091402X

  • Vote Catholic – Beyond the Political Din – Bernard Evans (principles from Catholic Social teaching to guide the decision-making process) ISBN  9780814629468

  • The Long Loneliness – Dorothy Day (the autobiography/conversion to Catholicism & fight for social justice) ISBN 0060617519Living God’s Justice – Reflections & Prayers ISBN 0867167424 St. Anthony Messenger

  • The Catholic Worker After Dorothy – Dan McKanan (works of mercy in a new time) ISBN 9780814631874

  • In the Footsteps of Jesus – USCCB Publishing www.usccbpublishing.org (God calls us to make a difference in the world)

  • Communities of Salt & Light – USCCB Publishing www.usccbpublishing.org (the social mission of the parish)

  • Migrant Information – www.usccb.org/mig/nmw.shtml

  • Befriending the Stranger - Jean Vanier

Apologetics Resources

  • By What Authority? A Primer on Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Sense of the Faithful – Richard Gailardetz (what it means to say the Bible is inspired/ Scripture & tradition) ISBN 0814628729

  • Teaching With Authority: A Theology of the Magisterium in the Church – Richard Gailardetz (understanding of doctrinal teaching authority) ISBN 0814655297

  • Catholic Q & A – Answers to the Most Common Questions About Catholicism – John J Dietzen ISBN 0824523091

  • Choosing To Be Catholic – William O’Malley, S.J. (apologetics book – relevance the Church has to the world and to personal life) ISBN 9781594710438

  • Mere Christianity – C. S. Lewis (a look at our radical faith) ISBN 0060652926

  • The Language of God – A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief – Francis Collins (written by the head of the U.S. Genome Project – science is not threatened by God, rather it supports there is a God) ISBN 9780743286398

  • Handbook of Christian Apologetics – Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli (hundreds of answers/a good resource for research & writing/preparation) ISBN 0830817743

  • Fundamentals of Faith: Essays in Christian Apologetics - Peter Kreeft (beliefs, duties, & liturgy) ISBN 089870202X

  • Adventures in Orthodoxy – Dwight Longenecker (the Creed is explored in a powerful & meaning way) ISBN 1928832660

  • The One Minute Apologist – Essential Catholic Replies to Over Sixty Common Protestant Claims – Dave Armstrong (quick & credible) ISBN 9781933184234

  • A Biblical Defense of Catholicism – Dave Armstrong (role of the Bible related to faith - whether doctrine develops – Eucharist - veneration of Mary - prayer to saints – purgatory – penance - nature & infallibility of papacy) ISBN 1928832954

  • Christianity Pure & Simple – Dwight Longenecker (who Jesus is: all power & meaning, the object of all hope/preaching – teaching – healing) ISBN 1933184078

  • The Philosophy of Jesus – Peter Kreeft (the difference of Jesus’ philosophy) ISBN 101587316357

  • Truth Be Told - Hart & Cady    - Apologetics – Controversial Doctrines    

  • Beginning Apologetics 2 – How to Answer Jehovah Witnesses & Mormons –Rev, Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN 1930084013

  • Beginning Apologetics 3 – How to Explain & Defend the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist – Rev. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN193008403X

  • Beginning Apologetics 4 – How to Answer Atheists & New Agers – Rev. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN1930084056

  • Beginning Apologetics 5 – How to Answer Tough Moral Questions: Abortion, Contraception, Euthanasia, Test-Tube Babies, Cloning & Sexual Ethics – Rev. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN 1930084064

  • Beginning Apologetics 6 – How to Explain & Defend Mary – Rev. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN 19300084218

  • Beginning Apologetics 7- How to Read the Bible – Rev. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham ISBN 1930084196

  • Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus – A devout Muslim finds Jesus – Nabeel Qureshi

  • Rome Sweet Rome – A Protestant minister and wife’s journey to Catholicism – Scott & Kimberly Hahn  

  • Bible Basics for Catholics - John Bergsma -Bible Stories & Their Connection to Salvation

  • Will Many Be Saved - Ralph Martin - Deeper Doctrinal Vatican II Teachings 

Vocations

  • United States Catholic Conference of Bishops | usccb

  • On The Road Together | usccb

  • vocation.com

  • Stewardship & Teenagers – (a brochure for teenagers to help learn how to identify the gifts God has given them) ISBN 1601370164

  • What’s My Vocation – Fr. Mike Schmitz | youtube

  • I Will Follow – Fr. Mike Schmitz | youtube

  • How To Discern – Fr. Mike Schmitz | youtube

  • Fishers of Men Part 1 - Vocations Video | youtube

  • Fishers of Men Part 2 - Vocations Video | youtube

  • consecratedvirgins.org

  • To Save a Thousand Souls – Fr. Brett Brannen

  • What Does God Wants – Fr Michael Scanlan

Catechism of the Catholic Church