Books on the Spiritual Life

An Encyclopedia of the Church's Prayers, Dogmas, Devotions, Sacramentals, and Feasts Honoring the Mother of God She is history's most famous woman, venerated in each corner of the globe. Cathedrals have been built in her honor. Schools, states, cities and religious orders bear her name. Apparitions of her have captured the attention of the world, and miracles have been attributed to her intercession.For over two thousand years, the Catholic Church has spread devotion to the Mother of God, bri...

"O my soul, contemplate the surpassing beauty of these citizens of paradise! They shine like a vast constellation of radiant stars, or even like the sun itself, in the splendid city of God."--St. Aloysius Gonzaga In the history of the Church, there are few saints who wrote with such angelic purity and devotion on the subject of angels as Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Much has been written on this Jesuit novice who died at the young age of twenty-three while caring for plague victims, but little has...

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...

40 Days with the Angelic Doctor There's a multitude of Lenten meditation books but only one that's packed with the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas. Journey through Lent with the Church's greatest philosopher-theologian. This unrivaled spiritual master will guide you in encountering Our Lord and experiencing the type of fruitful Lent that he often experienced. You will relish this magnificent treasury of sixty-three of Aquinas's Scripture-based sermons specially selected for the holy season. From...

Thinking on death is the most profitable meditation we can make.Indeed, Our Lord's most holy passion and death offers us the greatest meditation, but pondering our own imminent death can bring us great fruit as it prepares us for the most important thing we will do: enter into eternity."Remember man that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."By meditating on their deaths, many have renounced this fleeting world for the monastery and cloister. By meditating on their deaths, many have con...

To the initial astonishment of Catholic moral theologians a century ago, purging psychology of its amoral and antireligious errors was found to actually confirm age-old Catholic teaching about the nature of man while providing invaluable guidance on the development of personality. In this trail-blazing book, first published in 1958, Fr. G. Emmett Carter has assembled the wisest Christian thought showing how psychology can aid the Christian in achieving maturity, overcoming character defects, ...

Priestly Holiness on Earth and in Eternity In this powerful retreat-in-a-book for priests, Fr. Ezra Sullivan, a Dominican professor at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, reflects on the inestimable gift and responsibility of the priesthood. Utilizing the examples and teachings of the saints, Fr. Ezra explores how "fathers of souls" should shepherd their flocks with God's self-giving authority and why the Church needs strong, masculine priests to form her children on the ...

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 ...

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...

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...

The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta This historic work reveals the inner spiritual life of one of the most beloved and important religious figures in history--Mother Teresa. During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religions; her extraordinary contributions to the care of the sick, the dying, and thousands of others nobody else was prepared to look after has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world....

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...

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...

Mother Angelica revolutionized Catholic media and popularized the universal call to holiness, bringing this fundamental Catholic teaching to generations of the faithful. Here is the essence of Mother's thought on this topic, presented in ways that only she can teach. It's Mother Angelica at her best as teacher and mother informing you about holiness while deftly but gently guiding you along the narrow path to sanctity. Imbued with all that Mother learned from her decades in cloistered religio...

Hope for the World, a book by Cardinal Raymond Burke, examines pressing issues of our times in an engaging and thoroughly researched discussion. Presenting his thoughts and insights on relevant topics such as the role of the Catholic Church in today’s world, spiritual renewal, marriage and family, respect for human life, and more, Cardinal Burke puts forth deep faith perspectives grounded in sound reasoning. Using his personal upbringing in a devout Catholic family and early years as a priest...

Introducing the Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life, a revolutionary guide written by Fr. Spitzer, President of Gonzaga University and esteemed spiritual teacher and writer. Perfect for those who strive to maintain a regular spiritual life while leading hectic lifestyles, this book offers insights on how to both grow closer to God and stay engaged with everyday life at the same time. Drawing from years of experience in organizing successful retreats and seminars, Fr. Spitzer has distilled key ...