Books on the Spiritual Life

Timeless words from the pen of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen inspire the heart and imagination as readers embark on a Lenten journey toward a better understanding of their spiritual selves. Covering the traditional themes of Lent--sin and salvation, death and Resurrection, sorrow and hope, ashes and lilies--these 50 passages and accompanying mini-prayers offer readers a practical spiritual program as a retreat from the cares and concerns of a secular world view.

Lent can be a time of bearing heavy burdens, of carrying the worries, pains, and sorrows that weigh on our hearts. Joyce Rupp reminds us that even though we may feel alone during these times of personal distress, we have the loving, empathetic, and ever-present companionship of Jesus by our side. In Jesus, Companion in My Suffering, Rupp--bestselling author of several books on grief, loss, and suffering, including Praying Our Goodbyes and Jesus, Friend of My Soul--will guide you to see Jesus ...

Sometimes discernment seems complicated, and we struggle to "be still" to listen to God's voice. Following the death of his spiritual director, St. Alphonsus Liguori penned timeless advice in a letter to one of his spiritual daughters, and it became the famous work titled Uniformity with God's Will. Now Dan Burke breaks open St. Alphonsus's eighteenth-century classic for you. He intersperses relevant explanations and insights within the text of this great saint and includes reflection questio...

This Spiritual Life Series title offers minute meditations for each day of the year. Each daily entry provides a quote on the life and legacy of St. Francis from the writings of either the Saint himself or one of his early brothers or from the Papal Bull Mira Circa Nos of Pope Gregory IX, which proclaimed the canonization of St. Francis; a reflection; and a scriptural prayer.

This long-awaited book from New York Times best-selling author Immaculée Ilibagiza teaches readers how to pray the rosary of the seven sorrows for greater wisdom, strength, and forgiveness. In this new book by New York Times best-selling author Immaculée Ilibagiza, readers will rediscover this important message from Mary. Mary wanted the whole world to know the seven sorrows rosary, and Immaculée not only shares it but explains Mary's specific teachings for how to pray it, as well as offers t...

We are all called to reject sin, to grow in virtue, and, above all else, to love God with all that we are. But some souls suffer from anxiety and feelings of guilt because they see sin where there is none and struggle to embrace God's love and mercy - a psychological and spiritual condition known as scrupulosity. In Scrupulosity: Heal Your Mind, Unbind Your Soul, and Let God Work, clinical psychologist Dr. Kevin Vost provides a comprehensive overview of the ancient and current psychological a...

A Practical Guide for Growing in Holiness If you're hoping to get to Heaven, you'll need a plan to reach your goal. This handy manual not only presents all the elements of a life well lived; it also helps you incorporate those elements into everyday practice. Straight to Heaven is the one guide you need to achieve holiness now and Heaven later -- all while eluding the traps and pains of Hell. Fr. Morrow explains that happiness is attainable now for those who live the gospel because they are b...

Here is the book you need to discover and develop the twelve virtues that St. John Baptist de La Salle (1651-1719) -- patron of teachers, education reformer, and founder of the congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools -- determined were most important for teachers. Br. Luke Grande, F.S.C., fleshes out the essence of each virtue as it relates to teaching and how educators can cooperate with God's grace to actualize the potentialities of students in their charge. In page after page...

To help celebrate the fourth centenary of the birth of St. John of the Cross in 1542, Edith Stein received the task of preparing a study of his writings. She uses her skill as a philosopher to enter into an illuminating reflection on the difference between the two symbols of cross and night. Pointing out how entering the night is synonymous with carrying the cross, she provides a condensed presentation of John's thought on the active and passive nights, as discussed in The Ascent of Mount Car...

Oraciones para que los laicos las utilicen en la guerra espiritual desde el dominio público y el tesoro de la Iglesia. El libro tiene un imprimatur de la Arquidiócesis de Denver. Versión de español Deliverance Prayers.

Sometimes it is difficult to understand God's will for our lives, especially when times are tough or when something happens that disturbs us. Mother Angelica counsels us in these pages to stop simply existing and start living. "You are called to be holy!" Beloved by many, the practical wisdom of Mother Mary Angelica radiates from this book as she guides you through Scripture and the writings of St. John, St. James, and St. Paul. Replete with stirring real-life examples, Mother Angelica both c...

Sexual abuse is not the only mistreatment that can happen in the Church. There is also spiritual abuse. Fr. Dysmas de Lassus, superior general of the Carthusian Order, comes out of his silence to denounce the unacceptable behavior of some religious superiors and founders of communities. Rooted in the monastic tradition and the robust theology of religious life, Fr. Dysmas presents elements that will assist everyone in evaluating the dangers of certain spiritual practices and methods of govern...

Dr. Ray Guarendi directs us to the root of all healthy counseling: the words of the Redeemer. Rightly regarded as America's leading Catholic psychologist and family counselor, EWTN's Dr. Ray Guarendi details here the fundamentals of Christian psychology in his incomparable down-to-earth style. In some teachings, Jesus is two millennia ahead of what psychology is only now coming to understand. In others, He directly contradicts what today's psychology preaches. In these pages, Dr. Ray explores...

The Hundredfold is a tapestry of hymns, monologues, and short lyrics knit together as one book-length poem in praise of Christ in his startling humanity. Using all the riches of the English poetic tradition--meter, rhyme, music--the poet ponders the mysterious man from Nazareth and the world he came to set on fire with splendor. Having made a career of translating the Italian masters Dante and Tasso, Anthony Esolen puts on the dusty mantle of such English craftsmen as Donne, Milton, and Hopki...

"Many of us give up on prayer when we don't get the answer we want WHEN we want it." For nearly two decades, Saint Monica prayed for her wayward son. Years and years of prayers, seemingly unanswered. Countless tears shed with no relief. Yet she would not give up. That very act of persistent prayer blessed the entire Church, for we have all benefitted from the conversion of her son, Augustine, who became one of the most revered saints of all time. Parents of any age or at any stage can cultiva...

Catholic theologian Paul Chaloux's follow-up to Why All People Suffer focuses on the natural and spiritual concerns encountered in dying and death. Theologically rich yet easy to read, this book is emotionally charged and will speak to the needs of your heart, whether you are facing terminal illness, caring for a dying loved one, or grieving a loss. Dr. Chaloux uses his own experiences in dealing with Parkinson's disease and the dying and death experiences of his family members going back fou...

Make no mistake about it: the father of lies is waging a war against your soul. At the end of your life, it will be either he who has won - or you, through God's grace. Here is the book that pulls the curtain back on the devil's strategies and shows you how to safeguard yourself and your family against his deadly methods. In this spiritual classic, Fr. Godfrey Raupert unveils the true aim and character of those dangerous forces seeking to destroy your peace and your way of life. You'll learn ...

Discover the power of evangelizing with Scott Hahn's Evangelizing Catholics. As Catholics, we are all called to a higher level of friendship – the New Evangelization. By gaining insights into the New Evangelization and learning how to effectively reach others, you'll feel prepared to confidently share your faith with those around you. Scott Hahn presents a roadmap to understanding his book in an easy-to-follow manner so even if you are new to evangelization you can get up to speed quickly and...

In this beautiful thirteen-page booklet, you will learn what the Sacred Scriptures and Church Fathers said about wearing a veil, as well as the rich theological and symbolic meanings behind the tradition. Discover how wearing a veil reveals woman's esteemed vocation in God's creation, intimate spousal relationship to Christ, sacredness as a tabernacle of life, mystery as a "garden enclosed", adoration for God and praise of His glory, humility and receptivity to God's love. Most significantly,...

How do I handle difficult family members? What do I do if I can't control my emotions? When do I correct others, and when do I hold my tongue? Too often we are late in realizing that we mishandled a situation, causing both resentment and frustration. But what if you could approach every situation with the mind of Christ? Distilled from his decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and a practicing Catholic, Dr. Ray Guarendi, popular radio and TV host, offers here dozens of bite-sized r...

This is the book you need to master your anger so your anger won't master you. Popular TV host, clinical psychologist, and best-selling author Dr. Ray Guarendi incisively cuts to the heart of the matter to help you determine whether your anger response is justified -- and what to do when it isn't. Dr. Guarendi unpacks for you the many types of anger and the types of people who suffer most from anger. For some, anger is a trait; for others, it is a state. Some are "wired fiery," with an anger ...

The Church is a city set on a hill and on that hill there is a lighthouse. The Church directs her light this way and that as occasion warrants. That we might not make a shipwreck of our faith (see 1 Tm 1:19), she illuminates dangerous crags and reefs when all the world would tell us the water is clear. Each age has its heresies, and ours is a hatred of origin, of fatherhood. But if we come from somewhere and someone, we cannot be self-made. As an anchor against the wave of patricide, a light ...

We all want true friends. But how many of us really know what friendship is, or where to find it? In these pages, philosopher John Cuddeback weaves together the timeless wisdom of Scripture, of the ancient Greeks, and the saints to map out the steep and beautiful path to man's greatest joy--true friendship.Following Aristotle's teachings on the unbreakable connection between happiness and virtuous living, Cuddeback sees friendship at the very center of the human drama. Although there are diff...

Saint John of the Cross is the Church's premier teacher on contemplative prayer. Catholic tradition even calls him the Mystical Doctor. The sixteenth-century Carmelite priest not only wrote four massive treatises on the spiritual life, along with some of the finest poetry in the Spanish language, but also worked alongside Teresa of Ávila in renewing the Carmelite order. Thérèse of Lisieux claimed she found no other spiritual reading that could satisfy her soul like John of the Cross.Yet the v...

The fruit of much pastoral experience, this book addresses both perennial and current challenges facing Catholics, giving reasons for hope and joy. Touching on a wide range of topics, from prayer to evangelization, it offers insights into living the Catholic faith with humility and heroism as it focuses on the person of Jesus Christ--his identity, mission, and presence in our lives. Having been a pastor of souls in a variety of settings--the suburbs, the inner city, the mission field, and the...

In this second volume of the Called Out of Darkness trilogy, Father Robert Spitzer, S.J., draws together some of the best advice given by Catholic spiritual masters across the ages and brings it into harmony with modern scientific research, offering practical ways to live out the gospel in our busy days. It is a roadmap to a deeper relationship with the Lord and to authentic transformation through the imitation of Christ.Giving evidence that Jesus established just one Church, with Peter as it...

With the luminous insight that we have come to expect from his writings, Robert Cardinal Sarah helps spouses rediscover the deep source of their love--God Himself--and the means for letting love between them grow.This book presents the essentials of a retreat that the cardinal preached to married couples in Lourdes, France. It is meant for all couples, including those who are struggling. There is a path to renewal for everyone, and couples in every situation can find again the preciousness of...

Spiritual writer, theologian, and philosopher Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., tackles the topic of recognizing and overcoming spiritual evil. His focus is the human heart. His goal: our spiritual and moral transformation, which leads to true peace and genuine happiness.The book is divided into two main parts: (1) the realities of God's goodness and of spiritual evil, and (2) recognizing and overcoming the diabolical tactics of deception, temptation, and sin. The author synthesizes the best a...

What can the lay person learn from the life of a monk? Solitude and Silence are two pillars of monastic life that many people quickly point to as the hardest and most confusing parts of this kind of religious consecration. However, the great spiritual writer Thomas à Kempis, author of The Imitation of Christ, helps us to understand that all Christians are called to some solitude and silence in our lives while not taking on a complete eremitical life. He recommends the systematic and intention...

Do you feel as though you're in the midst of a storm? Your life, your children's lives, and your country--they may cause you to feel like a storm is raging. In this powerful new book, Fr. John Riccardo breaks open the Scriptures to give us tangible hope for our lives. Discover how you can live with unshakable hope today!

Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It's a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth. All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord -- those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happe...

"The Sacred Heart of Jesus" by Monsignor Louis Gaston de Ségur, translated by Ryan P. Plummer, is a profound work of devotion offering over thirty lessons and meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Inspired by the revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the teachings of St. John Eudes, this book aims to deepen the reader's love and worship of the Sacred Heart. With an apostolic letter from Pope Pius IX commending Mgr. de Ségur's zeal, this work seeks to be a refuge for souls, alignin...

"Aquinas's Lenten Meditations: 40 Days with the Angelic Doctor" by Saint Thomas Aquinas is a profound journey through Lent, guided by one of the Church's greatest minds. This book offers a collection of sixty-three Scripture-based sermons tailored for the Lenten season, from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. Aquinas explores themes such as deepening prayer life, conquering temptation, and the virtues cultivated through reflection on Christ's Passion. Designed to detach readers from worldly conc...

Imagine some personal hours face to face with Pope Benedict XVI, one of the greatest Catholic thinkers and spiritual writers of the twentieth century. In this slim volume, hundreds of short quotations and sayings taken from Benedict's papal writings, addresses, and homilies have been classified by the Christian virtues of which they speak, and then categorized according to the mysteries of the Rosary and the great themes of prayer, the Church, the Mass, the papacy, Sacred Scripture, the pries...

Here’s the motivational book that provides a comprehensive approach to true healing—not cheap gimmicks masquerading as inner peace. Ian Murphy shares the story of his healing from obesity, a journey not about weight loss but about transformation, showcasing the life-changing truths of the Christian faith in action. Unsatisfied with typical “self-help” books, Murphy demonstrates through his own quest for well-being that there is a path to true betterment—one that recognizes and celebrates a pe...

"Rendezvous with God" by Vincent P. Miceli is a spiritual guide designed to enhance your prayer life and bring you closer to God. Published posthumously, this book embodies Fr. Miceli's spiritual wisdom, rooted in the Jesuit tradition. Through a structured series of Ignatian meditations, explorations of key Faith aspects, and vivid narratives from Christ's life, the book aims to inspire readers towards greater imitation of Christ. It's an uplifting eight-day retreat that invites you to immers...

"A Treatise on Perfection" by Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu, offers profound insights into nourishing a fruitful and sustainable spiritual life. This masterpiece, overflowing with wisdom for balancing prayer and devotion with secular responsibilities, is presented in English for the first time. It covers topics such as the tortures of hell according to Saint Augustine, the joys of heaven, distractions at prayer, and twenty spiritual counsels, aiming to stir readers' heart...

"The Road to Bethlehem" offers a daily prayerful pilgrimage from Advent through the birth of our Lord to the Epiphany, guided by St. Alphonsus Liguori. Drawing from Sacred Scripture and his saintly counsel, it presents a reflection that places readers at the feet of the infant Lord, focusing on the incarnation and nativity of Christ with a blend of joy for His birth and sorrow for the salvation He will bring. This work, taken from the original book "The Incarnation, Birth, and Infancy or the ...

This classic work from Thomas à Kempis, author of The Imitation of Christ, is now available in English for the first time. It is a simple truth that, without the virtue of humility, we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It simply cannot be done. Just as pride is the root and source of all sin, so is humility the foundational virtue in which all other virtues must be grounded if they are to bear fruit. Humility is the heartbeat of the saints. It is the virtue that conforms us most closely to ...

For years, there have been no books of St. Augustine's prayers available. Finally, in this treasure trove, you will find select prayers from his works -- some of the most potent prayers ever composed. As you read the innermost thoughts of the greatest Church Father, you will be transported in time and learn how to pray with the heart of a saint. St. Augustine's timeless words will help you encounter the "Beauty of ancient days, yet ever new" face-to-face and experience the relationship betwee...

St. Louis de Montfort inspired a spiritual revolution in teaching us about Marian consecration and giving us a thirty-three-day plan to prepare our souls for that big step in our relationship with Jesus. In these pages, Fr. Boniface Hicks guides you through this 'retreat' to help you gain a deeper trust in and childlike dependence on our loving God. "What this consecration teaches us is that we have a sweet, loving, perfect Mother who actually wants to live in this intense relationship with u...

Whatever you're struggling with, you're not alone: there's a saint who is not only praying for you before the throne of God, but who went through the same thing you're going through. In Saintly Solutions, Fr. Joseph Esper introduces you to over 350 saints who suffered in ways that you and I suffer every day, and who will bring you, too, to peace! Fr. Esper considers over forty of life's common problems, showing how saints overcame these challenges and difficulties, and even grew holier as the...

There have been thousands of books written about prayer and millions of sermons preached about it, yet people continue to wonder: Why doesn’t God answer me when I cry out to him? In light of all the problems we face in life, we want to know why God is often so “silent” when we pray to him. Anthony DeStefano, author of the bestsellingA Travel Guide to Heaven, knew there had to be an answer to this mystery, so he set out on a quest to find prayers that God says yes to all the time. The result i...

Essays on the Beatitudes and The Gifts of the Holy GhostThe Collected Works of Carol Jackson Robinson, Volume 2 This book is the second in Carol Robinson's Collected Works series. Her penetrating and original analysis of the modern world shows the fruit of a mind absorbed in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas— her life-long companion. We hope that these essays will help Catholics understand how the Faith has importance for the totality of their lives which must not be hidden away from the publ...

Letters to the Duchess of Orléans and Meditations on Christian Life The present volume presents a wide selection of letters glowing with affection that Mectilde addressed to Marguerite de Lorraine, Duchess of Orléans (1615-1672).

Many of us fail to recognize that obtaining the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to getting to heaven. We often block their reception through our own faults. We fail to see how they are passed on or strengthened in the sacraments. And, sadly, we forget to petition God in prayer to bestow these gifts upon us.In these pages, Dr. Kevin Vost best-selling author of The One-Minute Aquinas provides us with a substantive yet readable introduction to the seven gifts and how we ca...

What does it mean to live as a child of God? In this book, Fr. Piotr Rostworowski offers timeless advice and spiritual counsel to a nun under his direction, aimed at helping her live a life of perfect unity with God. In simple, loving, honest language, this holy father sets out clear guidance and practical methods for how to attain perfection. Likewise, the universality of the issues with which Fr. Rostworowski deals, issues ranging from how to overcome one's own will in temptation to recogni...