Books on the Spiritual Life

This book presents an integral approach to formation during the vocational synthesis stage, weaving together the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions of priestly preparation. It is responsive to the Church's vision articulated in Pastores Dabo Vobis, the Ratio Fundamentalis, and the Program of Priestly Formation (6th edition), offering formators a comprehensive framework for accompanying transitional deacons in their final preparation for priesthood. By providing formators ...

This book explores the deep and often surprising ways humor and metaphor shape communication, spirituality, and human connection. Drawing from Scripture, cultural stories, and theological insight, Fr. Azorji shows how humor is more than entertainment—it is a gift that reveals truth, fosters healing, and helps us face life’s difficulties with renewed perspective. Through an engaging and reflective narrative, the author invites readers to see laughter as a language of grace and a doorway to wis...

Reflecting daily on the completely updated writings of St. John Henry Newman, surrounded by a Scripture verse and brief prayer, will give readers a good deal to ponder and appreciate about the Catholic faith and God's enormous love. This contemporary version of convert, Catholic priest, and recently-canonized Saint's classic and timeless thoughts is for every reader who desires deeper faith and a closer walk with the Lord.

Countless graces flow from the use of Holy Water when you understand its role in God's plan of salvation, and how it brings new graces into your life.In clear, convincing language, Father Theiler lays out for Christians countless surprising, but long-forgotten truths about Holy Water, and explains the interior acts and dispositions that are necessary for this blessed gift of God to have the sanctifying effect our Lord intends for you.Read these pages attentively; consider them thoughtfully; i...

This book addresses important moral questions people commonly face when they or their loved ones experience life-threatening injuries, end-stage illnesses, or advanced old age. Due to modern medical technology, patients and their family members often confront such questions as: What medical procedures are morally required, and what procedures are optional? Is providing food and water to a patient an optional medical treatment, or is it basic care necessary for all human beings? What roles do ...

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...

This book introduces the reader to thirteen Christian spiritual classics that illustrate the ordinary steps we can take toward living the Gospel life more fully.Drawing on the rich teaching of a particular saint or mystic, each chapter helps us grow in a different aspect of holiness, of intimacy with God. Archbishop Hughes offers an itinerary for becoming a good disciple of the Lord, giving the reader access to an impressive spiritual library that can support and strengthen progress in discip...

"They should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ" (John 17:3).Sometimes we become so consumed with "activism" that God becomes a mere concept, an uplifting idea we try to wrap our minds around, and we forget that He is really present and in love with us. Far too many souls, even good religious souls, tend to forget that God is a Person -- a Trinity of Persons, in fact -- longing to enter into a relationship with us.Fr. Wayne Sattler awakens us and places us in...

Are you ready to stop suffering from fear and unworthiness? To heal the pain in your closest relationships? To finally love and be loved as God intended? For more than a decade, “Scripture Evangelista” Sonja Corbitt has helped Catholics encounter the transforming power of God’s Word. In Love Heals, she draws on her years of biblical study and ministry to reveal how the commandment to love God, neighbor, and self (Mark 12:30) holds the key to total healing—emotional, spiritual, and even physic...

This is a simple, comprehensive guide for men seeking to grow daily in their relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ. It introduces men to the rhythm of prayer throughout their entire day - from the moment they wake to their last conscious thought. It offers quick insights and prayers for common concerns facing men throughout their day/life. It also introduces men to traditional devotional practices and prayers of the Church. Prayers for Catholic Men supports men in their primary vocations in...

Many faithful Catholics greet God and give Him thanks and praise when they arise in the morning and retire at night. How they stay connected with Him and the Faith throughout the day, however, varies widely. Many forget that He is right there to call upon whenever the need or impulse arises. Others see Him all around, in the flowers of the field, the birds of the air, the smile of a child. Uniquely, Catholicism Everywhere treats the reader to the many expressions of God in the hobbies, foods,...

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...

St. John Henry Newman, regarded as the most important English theologian of the nineteenth century, poignantly reflects on the thoughts that tormented Jesus as a result of His friends' betrayals and the anguish of His Heart in willingly suffering all for love of us. These penetrating meditations will enable you to enter more deeply into our Savior's Passion through multiple vantage points.This work features three of Cardinal Newman's most esteemed classics: Meditations on Lent: Hope in God, R...

Aquinas's Practical Principles for Reaching Heaven and Avoiding Hell Are we truly striving for heaven or merely avoiding hell?The human heart's greatest longing is to see God as He is. And yet, many people simply want to escape hell's pain, or even worse, they follow our disordered fallen nature in choosing sinful pleasures. Our Lord said the road to heaven is narrow, but the road to hell is wide (see Matt. 7:13). Is choosing the road to heaven merely to avoid pain, or is it actively pursuing...

Does your mind often wander when you recite the Holy Rosary? Spiritual master Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo― called “a saint” by Padre Pio― will teach you to deepen your powers of recollection as you reflect upon the sacred mysteries. Here is the Rosary companion that will help you develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by entering into the events of His life through the prism of your own. These brief, compelling reflections― written as conversations between Jesus and the soul― will move you...

"It is very good and holy to consider the Passion of our Lord and to meditate on it, for by this sacred path we reach union with God." -- St. Paul of the Cross In Passion Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Suffering, Cross, and Death of Jesus, you will discover a treasure trove of quotes on the Passion of Jesus from Sacred Scripture, saints, popes, mystics, and revered laymen. On every day of the year you can meditate and ponder a particular thought or theme, shedding light on the life-changing power ...

Meet a Doctor of the Church whose wisdom on health and nutrition will aid you in everything from better digestion and sleep to improved mood, memory, and pain relief. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a mystic and scholar who chronicled more than six hundred pages of visions, wrote cantatas, and even devised her own language. She authored The Book of Divine Works, Causes and Cures, and Scivias and corresponded with the greatest intellectuals, theologians, and royals of her time.As a pioneer...

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...

In this game-changing book, Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., reveals how you can actively listen and open yourself to receive God's personal love for you in the Mass, where our Lord waits to quench your deepest longing and heal your wounds. Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, modern-day spiritual giants, and his own penetrating reflections, you will learn how to quiet your mind, stretch your heart, and become childlike in the sense of experiencing the sacred mysteries with wonder and awe. The M...

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...

Many Catholics view fasting as hard, burdensome, weird, or only for Lent. This little book demonstrates that fasting can be so much more than that! It's an opportunity for prayer, reflection, and solidarity with the suffering of the world. The Handy Little Guide to Fasting is your easy-to-read, down-to-earth introduction to this ancient practice. Author, speaker, and award-winning journalist Deacon Greg Kandra presents a way to blend faith and fortitude to make fasting more spiritually fulfil...

The Psalmist wrote: "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10). Coming from the deep silence and asceticism of mediæval Carthusian monasteries, this book's prayers and meditations have a unique ardour that reflects the genuine spirituality of their authors. The piety of these monks, strongly grounded in Sacred Scripture and the early Fathers of the Church, cannot fail to impress and to inspire. Like that of Jesus, Carthusian prayer, but also any authentic prayer, is anchored in interiority,...

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...

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...

 "Blessed be the Child who today delights Bethlehem. Blessed be the Newborn Who today made the humanity young again. Blessed be the Fruit Who Bowed Himself down for our hunger. Blessed be the Gracious One Who suddenly enriched all of our poverty and filled our need." Ephrem the Syrian (c.306-373) Ephrem was born in the Mesopotamian city of Nisibis toward the end of the third century. An outpost of the Roman Empire, Nisibis and its Christian citizens were to be formed by the reign of Constant...

Pope John Paul II called Elizabeth of the Trinity “a vibrant prophet of the presence of God.” This book enters deeply into her life and spirituality to show why her message remains urgently relevant in a secular age. Attractive, lively, talented, and deeply human, Elizabeth was not a plaster saint. Her life shows how God works patiently with our real nature, transforming us gradually into Himself when we surrender to His grace. Far from presenting holiness as something reserved for religious ...

For more than fifteen centuries, Christianity has cultivated a profound tradition of interior stillness and contemplative prayer aimed at healing inner turmoil and restoring peace of heart. This work presents that tradition as a living response to the modern psychological struggle for calm, clarity, and meaning. Jean-Yves Leloup offers a clear and accessible exploration of the contemplative path known as hesychasm, drawing especially from the wisdom of the Desert Fathers, Evagrius, St John Ca...

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 ...

A daily offering of one's life to God is an indispensable practice for every serious Catholic. In this book, Fr. James Kubicki, S.J., a longtime spiritual guide on Relevant Radio, presents a 366-day experience of morning offerings for busy laypeople. This rich array of reflections, based on the liturgical calendar and inspired by Ignatian spirituality, will help you develop--or reinvigorate--the habit of beginning each day by sincerely offering it to Christ. For each day of the year, Fr. Kubi...

Acquiring wisdom is both a human task and a divine gift. Wisdom aims at the formation of character, and there is no better guide than the Book of Proverbs. The Proverbs teach us how to be wise and self-controlled, and how to do what is honest, right and fair.In these pages, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, host of EWTN Live, will help you make the most of the treasure-trove of practical advice found in the Book of Proverbs. He explains in a succinct and readable way how God's blessing is related to our behav...

In Luke's Gospel, God humbles the proud and blesses the lowly. In Luke 1, skeptical Zechariah is struck mute while Mary, the simple "handmaid of the Lord" is honored by both Gabriel and Elizabeth. In Luke 18, Jesus explains that the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and his own disciples does not win Heaven, where humble prayers are heard and pure hearts are welcome. Author Sara Beth Meyer and illustrator Allison Hsu perfect a format and design created in their first books, The Gospel of Ma...

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...

Written especially for Catholic teens and young adults who may be questioning their faith, The Alluring Voice of God invites readers to encounter God as One who speaks personally and lovingly to the human heart. By cultivating an intentional relationship with God, readers of all ages who long for deeper intimacy with Christ will discover that He already dwells at the center of their lives. Through guided prayer exercises, structured lesson plans for group leaders, and thoughtful prompts for p...

Who, having witnessed a miracle, can deny the power of God?This awe-inspiring compendium of testimonies of the miraculous reinforces the role of supernatural grace in the life of the Church. The stories demonstrate how miracles prove the omnipotence of God, who speaks through His saints to heal and convert souls.Miracles of the Saints is a colorful treasury that includes stories of well-known saints as well as new intercessors in the Church Triumphant.Illustrated with holy images and photogra...

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...

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...

In every century of Christianity, lives of serious discipleship have been lived in response to--not in isolation from--the state of the Church and the world. The inherent link between history and Catholic spirituality, between holiness and the dark forces at work in a given era, is as real and pertinent today as ever. In this powerful work that may very well prove prophetic, renowned spiritual writer Fr. Donald Haggerty plumbs the depths of this connection, offering a profound reflection on t...

All of us are wounded and in need of healing. In these pages, Dr. Gerry Crete accompanies you on your journey to overcome anxiety and traumas, big or small. You will benefit from his "parts work" therapeutic approach to find inner harmony, greater life fulfillment, and a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Through this specialized technique, you will experience growth, transformation, and ultimately, restoration. This book stands alone in its seamless integration of advanced trauma-b...

St Philip Neri (1515-1595) is known as the Apostle of Rome and the founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. This translation of his maxims and sayings is the work of Fr Faber, first published in 1847. His Maxims emphasise the constant teaching of the masters of the spiritual life, going back to the Desert Fathers (themselves always the favourite reading of St Philip). Full of good sense, they present us with an essential spirituality, presented as easily accessible reflections for each mon...

Finding Our Way to God offers a practical and compassionate approach to spiritual direction rooted in mental prayer and the teachings of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists. This method helps create healing and peace for those seeking spiritual guidance. Fr. Dennis Billy examines the moral life within the context of spiritual direction, highlighting the pastoral wisdom of St. Alphonsus, whose focus on the poor and marginalized makes his approach accessible across religious and...

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori (1696–1787), Doctor of the Church, was a legal prodigy who earned a double doctorate at the age of sixteen. Born into a noble Italian family, he abandoned his legal career to serve the poor and sick of Naples. In 1732, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Redemptorists, dedicating his life to preaching missions and guiding souls. Remarkably, his literary career did not begin until he was nearly fifty. From then on, he wrote tirelessly, producin...

Monastic Tradition invites readers—especially those new to the spiritual life—into a deeper search for God through three classic monastic “books”: the book of nature, the book of Scripture, and the book of one’s own lived experience. Drawing from thirty years of monastic life, Sr. Laurentia weaves these strands together in a series of meditative poems that resonate with the rhythms of both the natural and liturgical seasons. Beginning with Advent, the poems unfold through the year, reflecting...

Doctors and nurses have a unique view into suffering and pain. Day after day, they see people at their most vulnerable, not only physically but often emotionally. By taking responsibility for the lives of others, they are blessed with the privilege of comforting and healing, but they also carry a burden that can be overwhelming--unless they are strengthened by the Divine Physician. Adrienne von Speyr, one of the freshest and most original spiritual writers of the twentieth century, draws from...

There has been no greater promoter of the family Rosary than Venerable Patrick Peyton. Known around the world as “the Rosary Priest,” he dedicated his life to the Blessed Mother and to the prayer that most powerfully unites families in faith. In The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, readers are invited to pray the Rosary along with Peyton, entering into the rhythms and mysteries of this devotion to deepen their relationship with Mary and strengthen their bond with her Son, Jesus Chri...

Remember when prayer felt peaceful? You'd find a quiet corner, light a candle, and take your time with God. Now, as a mom, life looks a little different. Your prayers might sound more like “Lord, please just get me through dinner!” Between carpools, snack requests, temper tantrums, nonstop Nerf battles—the list goes on—finding time for intentional prayer feels impossible. In Sacred Chaos, Ablaze Families missionary Jennifer Stavinoha invites you to rediscover intimacy with God right where you...

Praying with the Saints invites you to embark on a spiritual journey through the words and prayers of one hundred beloved saints. Spanning two millennia, this beautifully curated anthology offers encouragement, solace, and inspiration from holy men and women whose lives continue to illuminate the path to God. Through their heartfelt prayers and reflections, you’ll discover a bridge to the divine and a companion for every season of life—times of joy, suffering, and contemplation alike. Prais...

With Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s motto Verso l’alto (“To the Heights”) as its inspiration, The Frassati Field Guide challenges you to rise above mediocrity and live your Catholic faith with courage, joy, and action. Are you ready to take your faith to new heights? In this eight-day journey, author and retreat leader Bobby Angel invites you to walk in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio Frassati—a passionate mountain climber, servant to the poor, and fearless witness to Christ. Each day focuses ...

When Tara McMullen said “yes” to marrying an Air Force fighter pilot, she knew she was entering a life defined by unpredictability, sacrifice, and separation. Between constant relocations, long deployments, and raising children far from family, military life quickly became more than a job—it was a calling that demanded faith, resilience, and trust in God. In The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith, McMullen offers heartfelt reflections and spiritual enco...