The Most Popular and Best Selling Catholic Religious Classics of All Times

(5th Century to the 19th)

1) "Soliloquies" (2 books) (St. Augustine)

2) "Moralia in Job" (Pope St. Gregory the Great)

3) "On the Nature of Things" (St. Isidore of Seville)

4) "On the Catholic Faith in the Old and New Testament"

(St. Isidore of Seville)

5) "Etymologies" or "Origins" (St. Isidore of Seville)  

6) "Sayings" (Bl. Giles of Assisi)

7) "Summa Theologica" (St. Thomas Aquinas)

8) "Summa Contra Gentiles" (St. Thomas Aquinas)

9) "The Golden Legend" (St. James of Voragine)

10) "Imitation of Christ" (venerable. Thomas a Kempis)

(The most widely read spiritual book after the Bible)

11) "The Little Flowers of Saint Francis" (author unknown, the book went through 90 editions in the past 600 years)

12) "Dialogue" (St. Catherine of Siena)

13) "Utopia" (St. Thomas More)

14) "A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation" (St. Thomas More)

15) "Sermons" (St. Thomas of Vilanova)

16) "Spiritual Exercises" (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

17) "On Prayer and Meditation" (St. Peter of Alcantara)

18) "Autobiography" (St. Teresa of Avila)

19) "Interior Castle" (St. Teresa of Avila)

20) "Catechism" (St. Peter Canisius)

21) "Epistles and Gospels" (St.Peter Canisius)

22) "Letters of St. Jerome" (St. Peter Canisius)

23) "Mystical City of God" (ven. Mary of Agreda)

24) "A Brief Tract of Christian Doctrine" (St. Robert Bellarmine)

25) "A More Copious Declaration of Christian Doctrine"

(St. Robert Bellarmine)

26) "An Introduction to the Devout Life" (St. Francis de Sales)

27) "Treatise on the Love of God" (St. Francis de Sales)

28) "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary" (St. Louis de Montfort)

29) "Secret of the Rosary" (St. Louis de Montfort)

30) "The Secret of Mary" (St. Louis de Montfort)

31) "True Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus" (Jean Croiset SJ)*

(The only book in existence known to have been personally recommended and praised by Jesus Himself in a revelation to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)

32) "Way of the Cross, Simplified and Explained" (St. Leonard of Port Maurice)

33) "Holy Mass: The Hidden Treasure" (St. Leonard of Port Maurice)

34) "Proposals" (St. Leonard of Port Maurice)

35) "The Great Means of Prayer" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

36) "The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

37) "The Glories of Mary" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

38) "The Glory of the Martyrs" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

39) "Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

40) "Moral Theology" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

41) "Selva" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

42) "The True Spouse of Jesus Christ" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

43) "The Way of Salvation" (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

44) "The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus Christ"

(St. Alphonsus de Liguori)

45) "Preparation for Death" (St.Alphonsus de Liguori)

46) "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ"

(venerable Ann Catherine Emmerich)

47) "Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (venerable Ann Catherine Emmerich)

48) "Life of Our Lord" (venerable Ann Catherine Emmerich)

49) "The Priest: the Man of God" (St. Joseph Cafasso)

50) "The Real Presence" (St. Peter Eymard)

51) "A Retreat at the Feet of the Eucharistic Jesus" (St. Peter Eymard)

52) "Holy Communion" (St. Peter Eymard)

53) "The Eucharist and Christian Perfection" (St. Peter Eymard)

54) "Autobiography" (St. Anthony Mary Claret)

55) "Via Media" (venerable John Henry Newman)

56) "Development of Christian Doctrine" (venerable John Henry Newman)

57) "Idea of a University" (venerable John Henry Newman)

58) "Apologia Pro Sua Vita" (venerable John Henry Newman)

59) "Grammar of Assent" (venerable John Henry Newman)

60) "Story of a Soul" (St. Theresa of Lisieux)