Top 10 Papal Writings

A very dear friend recently asked what I thought were the top ten Papal writings available in English from the web site of the Holy See.

It is a very good question, because there is presently a wealth of papal preaching and teaching available to us; it is also a difficult question, because there is presently a wealth of papal preaching and teaching available to us.

That being said, after browsing around a bit, I have selected these, in no particular order:

1. Deus caritas est (on Christian love), by Pope Benedict XVI;
2. Haurietis Aquas (on devotion to the Sacred Heart), by Pope Pius XII;
3. Fides et Ratio (on the relationship between faith and reason), by Pope John Paul II;
4. Humanae Vitae (on the regulation of birth), by Pope Pius VI;
5. Nono Millennio Ineuente (at the close of the great Jubilee of the Year 2000), by Pope John Paul II;
6. Salvifici Doloris (on human suffering), by Pope John Paul II;
7. Evangelii Nuntiandi (on evangelization), by Pope Paul VI;
8. Mystici Corporis (on the Mystical Body of Christ), by Pope Paul VI;
9. Address to the Roman Curia, by Pope Benedict XVI; and,
10. Redemptor Hominis (on the Redeemer of man), by Pope John Paul II.

To be sure, I have not read every available papal document.  If I missed one that you would have placed among the top ten, please suggest it by leaving a comment.