I asked Catholic YouTubers for book recommendations... 12 responded (2023)

To be exact, I sked them to name the three to five top Catholic books, excluding the Catechism and the Holy Bible, because I thought it would be boring if everyone just said: “the Bible” and “the Catechism”., 12, YouTubers, responded, and I will talk about their book recommendations ranked by number of subscribers, starting with the lowest at about 700 subscribers.

Up to more than seven hundred thousand.

I received a personal response from “Searching the Archives”; “A Message of Hope”; “the Religious Hippie”, “Renee Shumay”; “Catholic, Truth”;, “Keith, Nestor”, “the, Tomistic, Institute”, “Brian, Holdsworth”;, “Trent, Horn”;, “Classic, Catholic, Audiobooks”;, "Fr., Mark, Goring", and I also received an answer from Bishop Robert Barron, but not from him personally.

But from someone who works for him.

And at the end.

I will also talk about Fr.

Mike’s book recommendations, which he talks about in a YouTube video, as I didn't receive an answer from “Ascension Presents”.

I will add screenshots of the response.

So you can pause the video and read the whole thing, or you can take a screenshot of the screenshot as a form of notetaking.

I will mention briefly my top three books at the very end of this video—and, by the way.

Whenever I make a video about a book that has been recommended by some well-known person, I’ll, let you know in the thumbnail, like I, did with “I believe in Love”: that was recommended by Matt Fradd.

and maybe you’ll find some new Catholic channels.

You like, through this video, so I’ll link them in the description.

And.

Now, let's get started.

Now.

The first channel on my list is “Searching the Archives” with currently around 700 subscribers, and he does book reviews, which I sometimes watch for inspiration for my own channel, or to get a second opinion on a book.

And.

The good thing about his channel is that he focuses more on reviewing the books, while I focus more on summarizing them;, and what I like most about his videos is that you see how much he actually loves the books and how he's excited to talk about them., For me.

The focus is to deliver the facts.

Well; I feel, like his videos, are more a mission to share the beauty of the books.

He recommended “Searching for and Maintaining Peace” by Fr.

Jacques Philippe, which is probably the book.

I, have received most recommendations for since I started.

This channel.

The next book on his list is “True Devotion to Mary” by St.

Louis Marie de Montfort, (which I have made a video about already) Then.

He also recommended “Fire within” by Fr.

Thomas Dubay, which I haven’t read: yet.

And "The Story of a Soul" by St.

Therese of Lisieux.

Next on my list is “A Message of Hope” with currently around 1 500 subscribers, and we actually made a collaboration in December when my channel had, I think, only 80 subscribers and she's such a warm and kind person, I really enjoyed our Zoom collaboration.

And on her channel.

She interviews all sorts of people about topics that are relevant in the lives of Christians, especially for young people in high school and college.

She recommended “Hope to Die” by Scott, Hahn;, “Abba’s Heart” by Neal, Lorenzo;, and also “Searching and Maintaining Peace” by Fr., Jacques, Philippe, and I.

Think that’s a really strong sign that I should read this book.

I’m telling you.

You have no idea how often this book has been recommended to me.

Then.

We have “the Religious Hippie” with currently around 20 000 subscribers.

We also made a collaboration in March, I think, and we also had a really interesting conversation on Zoom that I really enjoyed.

She also is a bookworm and really smart and kind.

On her channel.

She talks about practical issues.

Catholics might have, like what movies Catholics should watch or shouldn't; what consecrations are and how to do them; and how to build a prayer routine and so on.

She wrote that her favorite books would be “The Imitation of Christ”, the “Jewish Roots of the Eucharist” and “How to converse with God” by St.

Alphonsus Liguori.

I actually made a video on “The Imitation of Christ” as well.

I didn't like it that much, I preferred “The Introduction to the Devout Life” for reasons that I explain in that video.

I haven't read the “Jewish Roots of the Eucharist”, nor “How to converse with God” by St.

Alphonsus, but I will probably read them, because St.

Alphonsus is usually a good choice, and also the “Jewish Roots of the Eucharist” sounds pretty interesting.

Then.

We have Renee Shumay with “New Catholic, Generation” or “Reborn Pure”, which are both channels.

She founded, I, think, andboth channels have an average of 24 000 subscribers.

She was one of the first, if not the first, Catholic YouTuber and the channels are actually more or less inactive now.

But Renee was an inspiration for me and my channel, and so I thought that it would be important to ask her for her opinion.

As well.

She mentioned, the “Summa Theologica” or the “Light of Faith”, which is a simpler version of the Summa, which I think is a great idea, because the Summa is, like, three times the Bible lengthwise, and so it can be pretty discouraging to read.

It.

I haven't read it myself.

She recommended “The Imitation of Christ” and “the Story of a Soul”, both of which I have summarized in separate videos.

Then.

She recommended The ”Divine Comedy”, which I haven’t read yet;, “Theology and Sanity” by Frank Sheed, which is something that has been recommended to me.

Multiple times; and the last book on her list is “Rome, Sweet Rome” by Scott Hahn, which I also have heard that it's a pretty good book.

I also asked “Catholic Truth”, which is a YouTube channel with currently around 45.000 subscribers.

It’s a channel about Catholic apologetics.

And what I like about him is that he gets to the point pretty fast, as his videos often are 10 to 15 minutes, long, and I.

Like those video lengths and formats.

He also has really many videos on book recommendations, and he says in his email that it was hard to choose only three to five, because there are so many great books—which I, totally believe.

Now.

He recommended for spirituality, “A Fire Within” by Fr.

Doubay for apologetics, “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” by Karl Keating;, then an inspirational book: “No, turning back” by Fr.

Calloway;, an interesting book.

“An exorcist tells his story” by Fr.

Amorth; and then a book about Church, history:, “The History of Christendom”, which is a six volume set by Warren H.

Carroll, or “How.

The Catholic Church built Western Civilization” for a one volume, choice.

Yeah, I’m, not sure.

If I’m going to read the six volume, set, I’m sorry.

But I might review the one volume choice.

Next.

We have “Keith Nester” with also around 45 000 subscribers.

And I’ve discovered his channel actually relatively recently, and so I haven't watched that many videos by him.

He converted to Catholicism.

After having been a pastor for 20 years, I think.

In his videos, he mostly talks about reasons to convert to Catholicism, or he debunks arguments for Protestantism, and in general helps people understand.

Catholicism.

His recommendations are “the Faith of our Fathers” by James Cardinal Gibbons; “The, Fathers, Know Best” by Jimmy Akin; and “Born Fundamentalist, Born, again Catholic” by David, Curry—and I, actually haven't heard of any of those books.

Then.

We have the “Tomistic Institute” with currently around 70 000 subscribers, and they have a really professional channel.

That I would compare to “Ascension Presents”, with the difference that they talk about more abstract topics, especially theological or philosophical problems or questions, where they explain an answer based on the teachings of St.

Thomas Aquinas.

And here I’ve been asked to say that the recommendations are not the official recommendations of the “Tomistic Institute”, but rather the recommendations of Fr.

Jonah Teller.

Who was the person who responded to my email.

Now,? He recommended “Theology and Sanity” by F.J.

Sheed (which, someone already recommended today in this video) "the Presence of God” by Fr., Anselm, Moynihan… You, know what? I’m, not going to read the title's authors--so, the “Theology and Sanity” and “the Presence of God”; “God and his image”; “Only Jesus” and “the Sanctifier”.

As I’ve announced before, I also received a response from Brian Holdsworth, who currently is approaching 100 000 subscribers, and he makes short videos about relevant topics for Catholics, like homeschooling, modesty, climate change, whether you should kill your phone;, the difference between the magic in “Harry, Potter” and “the Lord of the Rings”, and many more.

He also said it was hard for him to choose only three to five book, and I.

Understand that, but I thought that it would be overwhelming for you and for me if we got 20 recommendations from each of the 12 YouTubers, so he narrowed it down and he recommends “Mere Christianity”; “the Everlasting Man” and the “Summa”.

And actually, I made a video about “Mere Christianity” on this channel.

I'm, definitely going to read “the Everlasting Man”, because that has been recommended to me a couple times.

Already, and the Summa… he admits that he hasn't read the entire Summa, but that the portions he had read have stayed with him--which, again.

The whole Summa is three times the Bible, so it's understandable if one doesn't finish the whole thing.

Then.

We have Trent Horn, whose YouTube channel is “the Council of Trent”, and he also works for “Catholic Answers”; and both channels have an average 100 000 subscribers.

You, know, I chose to pick the average if people have two YouTube channels, so that I could rank them in this video.

He is also a Catholic apologist and makes apologetic videos here on YouTube—and I love, Mr Horn, especially for his gentleness.

You know.

There, are some apologists who insult Atheists, or are aggressive in the way they talk, and I.

Really don't like that.

So, I appreciate Mr Horn for explaining the issues calmly and gently: I think we need more of that.

He recommended “Brideshead Revisited”, an excellent novel about grace from a Catholic perspective;, the “Summa Theologica”, the probably best systematic treatment of theology, ever, and “the Imitation of Christ”, one of the best spiritual books of all time.

Then I asked “Classic Catholic Audiobooks” with currently around 120 000 subscribers, and they provide Catholic audiobooks for free.

So they are more or less the reason my channel can exist: and they are my main source for free Catholic audiobooks, which I’m immensely grateful.

For.

They recommended more than 11 books and you can find all, or at least most, of them on their channel.

They recommended “the Imitation of Christ”; “the Story of a Soul”; “the Secret of the Rosary”, which I am planning to make a video about soon; "On Union with God"; “Introduction to the Devout Life”.

(I definitely agree with that: one); "Abandonment to Divine Providence" , the “Confessions” of St.

Augustine (I’m, also planning on making a video about that one); “Preparation for Death, or considerations on Eternal Truths”, which is an excellent book that I’ve already made a video about; “the Spiritual Combat” by Lorenzo Scupuri, which was a 10 out of 10.

I’ve, already made a video about that one.

As well.

“The Dark Night of the Soul” (I’m planning to read it) and "the Cloud of Unknowing".

Then.

We have Fr.

Mark Goring with more than 200 000 subscribers, and he is the most concise Catholic YouTuber I know.

In his videos.

He says what it is and the video is over.

His videos often are less than five minutes long and it's really refreshing to see someone who gets so straight to the point with such brutal honesty.

As.

He also found it difficult to pick the three to five best Catholic books of all time.

He chose the five with the greatest impact on his life.

Those are “St.

Joseph of Coppertino”; “the Diary of St.

Faustina”; “the Curé of Ars"; "the Sayings of our Desert Fathers"; and “Our Lady of Kibeho”… I’m, not sure I’m pronouncing that right.

I also asked Bishop.

Robert, Barron, and I didn't receive a personal answer, but someone mailed me the link with his recommendations, which I won't read in this video, because it's, like, five pages long.

I will just link it in the description.

And.

Then I also asked “Ascension Presents”, but they didn't respond.

Fortunately though, I found a video where Fr.

Mike Schmitz talks about three book recommendations and those are “Fulfillment of all Desire”; “the Heart of Perfection” and “Hell” by Anthony de Stefano., I’ve actually started to read the first two already and I can tell you that they're pretty good.

When.

It comes to my own book.

Recommendations, I’d like to mention that I have a playlist on YouTube, where I put all the books that I have rated a 10 out of 10, and if I'd have to choose only three I'd say it would be "the Introduction to the Devout Life", "Humility of Heart" and "Uniformity, with God's Will".

That's, been it for today.

Hope you liked the video.

See you next week, God bless and-- bye!.