Best Gifts for Catholic Teens

Struggling to decide on a meaningful Confirmation gift? Can't find a good Catholic gift for a teen? You've come to the right place. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Theology from Franciscan University, and have been a youth minister for the last five years. Thanks for visiting!

The One Year Bible is basically the entire bible (all 73 books) divided into 365 chunks. You read one chunk per day. For example, on January 1st there will be selections from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and a Psalm. The translation is the New American Bible, which is the bible you will hear in most cases at Mass in the United States.

I read a one-year bible in College, and although it took me more than a year to get through it, I don't think I would have been able to do it otherwise. The format of this bible makes it flow so much better.

So why is it a good gift for a Catholic Teen? Chances are they have a regular bible gathering dust, and if they try to read the bible straight through they will probably get frustrated right around the book of Leviticus. There are quotes from Saints for each day, and this is a much easier way to read the whole bible in a year. One final tip, write a personal note of encouragement inside the cover. It will make this gift much more special.

"Bella" is an incredibly moving film. It is my second favorite movie of all time. It had a limited release, yet smashed expectations. The soundtrack is amazing, and the cinematography is awesome. In the film, a young male soccer star abandons the game after a tragedy, and works instead as a cook for a restaurant. A female co-worker shows up late for work, is fired by the boss, and he drops everything to spend the day with her.

***SPOILER ALERT***

This is a prolife film, and has already saved a number of children from abortion. Pregnant women who planned on aborting their child have changed their minds after watching this film. This is however not a "preachy" film. It sends a powerful pro-life message without ever mounting a soap-box.

***END SPOILER***

I think most teens would watch a DVD given to them at least once, and this one is definitely worth watching. This film does not have any language or nudity, however there is a disturbing accident scene with graphic results. This is nothing the average American teen hasn't seen hundreds of times on TV, but for younger or less media-exposed teens, use your judgement.

C.S. Lewis is one of the greatest authors of the 20th Century, and while not a Catholic (he was Anglican), his work has been a blessing to countless people. This book is an incredible deal, you can currently buy it used on Amazon for 1 cent plus shipping, and it contains all seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia (768 pages). Teens will have heard of or seen the recent films based on books in the series. "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe", and "Prince Caspian". These books are Christian allegories, for example, the talking lion in "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe", is the "Jesus" of Narnia. They are beautiful stories, and will be much more helpful to a Catholic Teen than Harry Potter or the Twilight series. The links below include the one volume edition (all 7 books in one volume) in hardback or paperback, as well as the box set (7 individually bound books), and the full cast audio production (rave reviews) which is 19 CD's long. I highly recommend this series!

WOW Hits is released yearly (like the secular counterpart "Now That's what I call Music"). However this is only Christian music. If you haven't heard Christian music in a while, it has completely caught up with mainstream music in quality. There is Christian rap, rock, alternative, anything you can think of. This CD does a nice job of mixing all the styles, and only choosing the absolute best releases of the year. If the teen you are buying for is not familiar with Christian music, this CD is a good sampling of current releases. The teen mind is a battleground, and I am not one to say they should only listen to Christian music, but most would agree that some secular music can definitely lead the listener to sin. Check it out!

This book is a collection of real questions from Catholic teens. It has completely faithful and orthodox questions to all kinds of questions. It is easy to read, because the answers are only a few pages long, and the teen could flip to the question they are wondering about. I would bet a teen is far more likely to open this than to crack the "Catechism of the Catholic Church". It is written at a level much more suited to teens. There is also a sequel, "Did Jesus have a Last Name?", also an excellent book.

These rosaries can last a lifetime. They are made from nylon twine, each "bead" is a carefully made knot. These are wonderful for carrying with you everywhere. Metal link rosaries can break in the pocket or in the washing machine. These are made for the most active teen. Check the website for the fun colors available. The rosary is a powerful method of prayer, and this one won't get left in their dresser.

This is a compact leather-bound edition of the "Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition" translation of the Bible. This has all 73 books, which includes the Deuterocanonicals. This is the best translation in the English language, and the cover zips closed to keep the pages clean and protected. This can be thrown in a bookbag, purse, or wherever, without fear of getting the pages wrinkled up. This is a great gift for a teen who is familiar with the bible. Again, a personal note written inside is a great idea to make this gift special.

Developed with the help of young Catholics and written for high-school age people and young adults, YOUCAT is an accessible, contemporary expression of the Catholic Faith. The appealing graphic format includes Questions-and-Answers, highly-readable commentary, summary definitions of key terms, Bible citations and inspiring and thought-provoking quotes from Saints and others in the margins. What's more, YOUCAT is keyed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so people can go deeper. It explains:

What Catholics believe and why (doctrine)

How Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the faith (sacraments)

How Catholics are to live (moral life)

How they should pray (prayer and spirituality)

The questions are direct and honest, even at times tough; the answers straightforward, relevant, and compelling. YOUCAT will likely become the "go-to" place for young people to learn the truth about the Catholic faith.

This is a great gift for a young person, to help them go deeper in their faith. My favorite element is a flip book animation in the lower right of the pages, what a fresh approach!

These novels are absolute page-turners. The beauty of Catholic fiction is that they are fun to read, yet they deepen your faith at the same time. If the teen you are buying for is a reader, these novels are a good bet. These books are meant for teens/young adults, so there are some frightening and serious situations. As always, read them yourself first if you are concerned about this. You won't be sorry, I enjoyed them a great deal as an adult. They are imaginative and modernized versions of classic fairy tales. The first three have the same group of characters, and the fourth and fifth installments follow minor characters from earlier books on their own adventures.

Here is the order of the books:

Book 1: The Shadow of the Bear: A Fairy Tale Retold

Book 2: Black as Night: A Fairy Tale Retold

Book 3: Waking Rose: A Fairy Tale Retold

Book 4: The Midnight Dancers: A Fairy Tale Retold

Book 5: Alex O'Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves

These books are beautifully drawn and very entertaining, this is a great gift that will be sure to get read. Read the glowing Amazon reviews!

This would be a creative gift for a teen who already has a Smart phone. The confession app guides you through the process of confession, and will provide a customized examination of conscience, as well as a reminder for when you should consider going again. Find out more through the link!

This is a great graduation book for a teen heading off to college. The information is well written, informative, and well researched. 85% of Catholic teens leave the Catholic Church within 5 years after Confirmation. Help make sure your special teen isn't one of them!