Beck, Edward L., God Underneath: Spiritual Memoirs of a Catholic Priest, Image, 2002.

This collection of short stories takes an innovative approach to religion and spirituality. Father Beck's vignettes are touching and hilarious but deeply esoteric. The book brings together preaching and storytelling to deliver a profound, yet entertaining message.

Bokenkotter, Thomas, A Concise History of the Catholic Church, Doubleday, 2003.

This critically acclaimed history covers the most important events that have shaped Catholicism over the past two thousand years. It is a useful reference book and one of the best-selling religious histories of the past two decades.

Craig, David, and McCann, Janet, eds., Place of Passage: Contemporary Catholic Poetry, Story Line Press, 2000.

This is a diverse and intriguing collection of modern poems on Catholic themes arranged around the Christian calendar. Selections include writings from Thomas Merton, Robert Fitzgerald, and Annie Dillard.

Martin, James, ed., Awake My...