This is the time of year many parents say goodbye to their college freshman and hello to worries about whether that child will maintain his or her life of faith while gone. For freshmen, this new chapter in life provides many opportunities to grow in faith as well as new challenges. Though it may seem difficult to find time to read beyond the assigned course material, these five simple, entertaining, and spiritually profound works are sure to help any college student grow in faith this upcoming school year.
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How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard: 40 Tips for Faithful College Students – Aurora Griffin (2016)
College is a time of substantial growth in one’s life, but many parents worry that their child’s faith will be “grown out of” in this process. What makes this book helpful is that it is not just a list of arguments or instructions; instead, all of Griffin’s advice is told through stories of her time at Harvard, where she served as president of the Catholic Student Association. She addresses issues that relate to every young person, like finding an authentic Catholic community and paying attention to when potential mentors reveal their own Catholic identity. College is a balance between staying connected to the you that had been previously formed and the you that you are becoming, and Griffin shows where one’s faith can help strike that balance.
A Canticle for Leibowitz – Walter M. Miller (1960)
The post-apocalyptic genre is still incredibly popular among readers of all faiths, and it is especially relevant for college students, who are asking questions about the rise and fall of political and cultural institutions. In this powerful novel, readers follow a fictional religious order as it seeks to preserve the memory of the Catholic faith, specifically the work of its saintly founder, across multiple centuries and civilizations. Miller explores questions of science vs. faith, Divine Providence, the ethics of nuclear war, and the role of the Church in the world. It is a novel that continues to challenge and inspire readers, possibly even more now than when it was first written.
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Jesus-Shock – Peter Kreeft (2008)
One of the biggest reasons anyone, including college students, falls away from faith after leaving home is because they never truly met the person of Jesus. They may have attended Catholic school or sacrament preparation, but they never developed an authentic personal relationship with Christ. In this book, Kreeft focuses on the Gospel passages that would have shocked those who originally heard Jesus’ message, and that still challenge us today: claims like Jesus’ divinity, his foundation of a Church, the Eucharist, and the Resurrection. This book reintroduces Jesus to readers who may think they already know everything Christianity has to offer, and presents Christ’s invitation to faith in a way that makes sense. This is not just a retelling of the Gospel stories, but a succinct, profound reflection for popular audiences wanting something more.
The Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis (1942)
This correspondence between a senior demon and a junior tempter is technically imagined by Lewis, but the temptations and struggles that it depicts are all too real. It hauntingly shows Screwtape’s “advice” for how to secure the soul of the human subject. Even though it was written over eighty years ago, its insights into human nature are timeless, and continue to highlight the ways we can be tempted today. Fortunately for the college freshman, it can also provide help in resisting those temptations as one grows in virtue. Because it is written as a series of letters, chapters are short and the themes are clear, so a person can easily revisit topics and gain wisdom they can use on campus.
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The Reed of God – Caryll Houselander (1944)
One of the biggest issues in the modern world, which may be especially acute for the college student, is isolation and loneliness. While many deal with this by looking outward, to new experiences and surroundings, these feelings can also be an opportunity to look inward and reflect on how God might be forming us. This is one of the primary themes of Houselander’s book-length reflection on Mary, the Mother of God. The emptiness one feels when lonely, Houselander posits, is an opportunity to invite God to fill one’s soul. When a student is homesick or struggling making friends, Mary, and the loving words of Houselander, can help them see how God is preparing them for something great.
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St. Josemaría Escrivá claimed that “Reading has made many saints.” We can see this in the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who, while bedridden, had access to only two books, The Life of Christ and The Lives of the Saints, both of which inspired him to lead a life worthy of sainthood. Similarly, St. Edith Stein’s conversion was partially stirred by her own reading of the life of St. Teresa of Avila. Hopefully, these five books will help, guide, and spur the life of grace in the new crop of freshmen this fall.
Happy Reading!
