3 Books All Single Catholics Should Read
Bookworms will tell you – there are a lot (and I do mean, a lot) of books out there trying to vie for your attention. Everything from self-help books to novels, there is something out there for everyone. For single folks, this is especially true. There are books on how to attract a spouse, on what to do while you’re still single, etc. Even if you were to narrow it down to books aimed specifically towards a Catholic audience, there are still a staggering number of books to choose from. What’s a single Catholic to do?
Luckily for you, this writer is a voracious reader and has read many of the books usually recommended towards young (and young at heart) single Catholics. Here are my top 3 picks for singles; Catholic or not, male or female.
The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett
Personality tests are everywhere online. You can get sorted into a Hogwarts House, find out your MBTI, your Strengths, and even which flavor cupcake you’re most like. Sure, they can be fun but, most of the time, they don’t give us a full picture of our personalities and character traits. The beauty of this book is that it not only gives you an idea of which of the four basic temperaments you are, it gives you advice on how to use your temperament to better your spiritual life and your relationships with others based on both of your distinct temperaments. This Catholic book is one to keep in handy while discerning your relationship and learning how to best handle disagreements with someone with a differing temperament.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
We all express our feelings in diverse ways. Some of us love to express our affection through physical touch (e.g. hugs, hand holding) rather than words of affection. Others prefer to spend quality time with others over receiving physical gifts. This book will help you figure out which love language is your primary one and which are of lesser importance to you. Sometimes there’s a conflict in a couple because their love languages are completely different. While not written specifically for a Catholic audience, this book will help couples figure out which is their primary languages and how they can express their love for someone whose love language may be completely different.
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
One of the hardest things to learn in any relationship, romantic or otherwise, is boundaries. We all have them, yet each of us may differ in which boundaries we consider most important. Some of us are great at expressing them while many of us struggle with making them clear for a variety of reasons. This book is geared towards those who perhaps need a little help in expressing or defining our personal boundaries. There is a second book geared specifically towards those who are dating but this one will be helpful not only with establishing healthy boundaries with your future spouse, but also your future in-laws and your future children. While some of the advice is geared towards a non-denominational Christian audience, it’s still a great book for everyone to read.
Whichever book you choose to start with, may these books help you not only in your vocation discernment but also throughout your lifetime.
