Sister Andrew Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 not about Nuns specifically...: [u]When God asks for an Undivided Heart[/u] By: Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR If you've read anything about the Theology of the Body there are some beautiful parts about consecrated life! Start with something like: [u]Theology of the Body for Beginners[/u] by Christopher West (I thinks there's a section or chapter just on consecrated life!) I also recommend lives of the Saints! They can be great inspirations for us as we continue our journey toward heaven! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3LSOP Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 [quote name='ameliabedelia' timestamp='1317446154' post='2313290'] [i]I Believe in Love[/i] <3! A retreat based on the teachings of St. Therese. [i]The Great Divorce[/i] [i]Four Loves[/i] -CS Lewis [/quote] I believe in love is great!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPetiteSoeur Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 [quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1317442695' post='2313264'] Catholic Sisters and the Making of America - if you can ignore the women's rights rhetoric, it is an exciting story of passionate and exciting efforts of apostolic women trying to bring the Church to the poor and forgotten... if you can't ignore the agenda... don't read it .. it will just upset you. I enjoyed the stories of the women who had the guts to do what they could with no money and no guarantee of success... It's certainly inspiring! [/quote] I love that book! It's so interesting to see how involved sisters were in America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPetiteSoeur Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 [quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1317442695' post='2313264'] Catholic Sisters and the Making of America - if you can ignore the women's rights rhetoric, it is an exciting story of passionate and exciting efforts of apostolic women trying to bring the Church to the poor and forgotten... if you can't ignore the agenda... don't read it .. it will just upset you. I enjoyed the stories of the women who had the guts to do what they could with no money and no guarantee of success... It's certainly inspiring! [/quote] I love that book! It's so interesting to see how involved sisters were in America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIWW Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 [b][u]CATCH US THOSE LITTLE FOXES[/u][/b] by a Carmelite Nun, A tiny little gem of a book I used to serially take out of the Abbey library, she has written several others, but this is my favorite.Hard to find Even today, I go back to [b]Thomas Merton[/b], and I think his [u][b]Seeds of Contemplation[/b] [/u]is a true classic. For converts, and those thinking about religious life, [b]Seven Story Mountain[/b] is also good. These are classics in the US, not sure about other places. I must confess, I have a huge library of Theology, Spirituality and Prayer books. Even the monks complained and teased when they helped me move ...".jeez we don't even have that one" . . .fill up another box. But for me, books are like friends, there are just certain times I need to revisit something I know helped, encouraged, sustained or enlightened me, and I just can't give them up. There is a series from[b] THE CLASSICS OF WESTERN SPIRITUALITY,[/b] which has for example, Catherine of Sienna, the Dialogue, all the great Monastic founders, plus more. Again those are great foundational reads here in the US, but not sure how/if they are available out of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3franciscans Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 OH! new book!!! I am reading Called By Name. It is AMAZING!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfishy Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I've lately been reading [i]They Followed His Call: Vocation and Asceticism[/i] by Adrienne von Speyr. It's a good overview/guide to discernment, and it discusses the evangelical counsels in depth which I've found helpful. She really enters into the processes of thought and prayer which contribute to vocational decisions. Anyway, I'm enjoying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen'sDaughter Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [i]My Sister Saint Therese [/i]by her sister Celine. (I forget what her religious name was). Utterly beautiful, and shows another side of Saint Therese from her first "convert" to the Little Way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureCarmeliteClaire Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) [i]Story of a Soul[/i] (You've probably thought of that, though) [i]Imitation of Christ[/i] (My absolute FAVORITE book, and it has some things about religious life in there) [i]Saintly Women of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (My Consecrated lay religious friend recommended this to me, it was really good.) [i]Saintly Youth of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (Same as above note) Edited October 27, 2011 by FutureCarmeliteClaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen'sDaughter Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote name='FutureCarmeliteClaire' timestamp='1319743447' post='2327806'] [i]Story of a Soul[/i] (You've probably thought of that, though) [i]Imitation of Christ[/i] (My absolute FAVORITE book, and it has some things about religious life in there) [i]Saintly Women of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (My Consecrated lay religious friend recommended this to me, it was really good.) [i]Saintly Youth of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (Same as above note) [/quote] [i]My Imitation of Christ [/i]is the best. So beautiful, and the version I have is small enough to fit in my purse. Here is my favorite quote from it: "For strong as death is love; relentless as the netherworld is devotion." Sums up religious life perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatitude Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote name='FutureCarmeliteClaire' timestamp='1319743447' post='2327806'] [i]Story of a Soul[/i] (You've probably thought of that, though) [i]Imitation of Christ[/i] (My absolute FAVORITE book, and it has some things about religious life in there) [i]Saintly Women of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (My Consecrated lay religious friend recommended this to me, it was really good.) [i]Saintly Youth of Modern Times[/i] by Joan Carol Cruz (Same as above note) [/quote] I share your love for the [i]Imitation[/i]. I re-read it in full every Lent, and it's always close by my bedside throughout the rest of the year. I wish I had known you when I was thirteen - we could have been terrific friends! (Except for the fact that you would have been two years old then, and probably not reading much of anything, but you get the idea.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Flower Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Thanks so much for all the suggestions! [quote name='FutureCarmeliteClaire' timestamp='1319743447' post='2327806'] [i]Story of a Soul[/i] (You've probably thought of that, though) [/quote] Yup. love that book. actually i used it as the main source for a research report that I did on St. Therese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sophia13 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Seconding (thirding, fourthing, whatever!) [i]Story of a Soul, The Seven Storey Mountain, [/i]and [i]Imitation of Christ[/i]. I also like [i]The Life of Theresa of Jesus [/i](St. Theresa of Avila) and [i]Interior Castle[/i], although I admit that I haven't quite made it all the way through the latter. Another great book about religious life is [i][url="https://www.avemariapress.com/product/1-59471-198-4/The-Foundations-of-Religious-Life/"]The Foundations of Religious Life[/url] [/i]put out by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious. I've just started reading through it a second time, and am loving it even more than the first time. From the Ave Maria Press site: [indent=1][color=#800080]The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) has maintained the historical form of religious life, with sisters living in community and wearing the habit. While many religious orders are currently facing marked decline in novitiates and the aging of their members, the communities of the CMSWR are experiencing growth on a worldwide scale.[/color][/indent] [indent=1][color=#800080]In this collection of foundational articles, the CMSWR articulates how its perspective is in keeping with the vision set forth by Vatican II, suggesting that its commitment to a more visibly countercultural life and ministry is what sustains its orders and attracts young women to the CMSWR communities. [i]The Foundations of Religious Life[/i]is ideal reading for sisters and those in formation, as well as their counterparts in men's communities.[/color][/indent] ~Sophia Edited October 29, 2011 by sophia13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfishy Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 [i]The Seven Storey Mountain[/i] is great, and if you like it I'd recommend its continuation, [i]The Sign of Jonas[/i]. It's basically Merton's diaries from his first years in the monastery. It's one of my favorite books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceUk Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I really liked a Right to be Merry. Quiite a few folk will know this one I think. It was written quite a long time ago but has been reprinted. Two lesser known books I've read fairly recently are Heaven by the Hems and The Secret ladder. Both about nuns who didn't stay in their convents but reluctantly had to leave and both are very good I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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