I see many people online asking about the best way to begin to learn the Catholic faith. I looked over my shoulder to the stack of books I keep at hand nearly all the time, even when I must dig through piles of books, these three stay on top:

The frog helps to prevent other books from being placed on top to annoy me when I reach for my Bible.  That is THE DIDACHE BIBLE put out by Ignatius Press in partnership with the Midwest Theological Forum. The translation is the RSV-CE, considered by many Catholic scholars to be one of the finest translations for study.  I like that it has lots of footnotes to Catholic teaching, with the use of the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. The CCC as we often call it, is a concise rendition of Catholic Teaching. The basics! We need to return to basics often. There are other “catechisms” but this big one is a major gift to the lay person!

I keep my NEW COMMENTARY ON THE CODE OF CANON LAW handy not so much because I reference it all that often anymore, but because if I do need to check on something I have it handy. I do not think anybody really needs one of these, but I like having it, and other books not kept right at my desk, because I geek that way.

Really, those top two books:

Are the two best investments to learn the Catholic Faith.

Dear Lord, thank You for good study Bibles and the excellent Catechism of the Catholic Church. Please help us to reference them often and learn to know and internalize the faith in our every moment. +Amen.