The Carmelite nuns at Pontoise invited Père Jacques to give conferences and to preach as retreat master. They received from him a seven-day retreat in the late summer of 1943. This book contains the talks he gave to the nuns: they are inspiring, but also warm-hearted reflections, on questions of key interest to his audience. Among the topics were love for Christ, for His Blessed Mother, the nuns’ Carmelite contemplative prayer life, and their religious observance, but all received deft tre...

The classic collection of essays for those seeking spiritual wisdom from the religious scholar, Trappist monk, and author of The Seven Storey Mountain.A recapitulation of his earlier work Seeds of Contemplation, this collection of sixteen essays plumbs aspects of human spirituality. Merton addresses those in search of enduring values, fulfillment, and salvation in prose that is, as always, inspiring and compassionate. "A stimulating series of spir...

Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life features the wisdom that spiritual leader and counselor Henri J. M. Nouwen brought to the essential question asked by every Christian and seeker: What should I do with my life?Nouwen emphasizes listening to the Word of God—in our hearts, in the Bible, in the community of faith, and in the voice of the poor as a way to discern God’s plan.Although the late Henri J. M. Nouwen counseled many people during his lifetime, his p...

From the author of the bestselling, The Holy Longing, comes a book about the central expression of faith for hundreds of millions of Christians, the Eucharist.More so than anything else, the Eucharist is what anchors many peoples' life, prayer, and ultimately the way they live their lives. In this deeply personal book, Father Ronald Rolheiser delves into the history and meaning of this sacred tradition, drawing upon the insights of various scripture schola...

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius is one of the great masterpieces of the Christian canon. A series of meditations and practices that guides seekers on a journey to spiritual perfection, this manual has been used by millions of religious and lay persons alike for centuries.Now, in the first new Anthony de Mello book in more than fifteen years, the bestselling author of Awareness takes readers on an in-depth exploration of the practices of St. Ignatius and of...

A comprehensive, page-a-day booklet designed to strengthen the life of faith. Each day features one of eight cornerstones of the Catholic Faith: - Profiles of the holy men and women of the Bible - Reflections on Sacred Scripture - Short explanations on the Catechism - Devotions for deepening faith - Essays on key aspects of the Faith - Meditations from saints and spiritual masters - Prayers both ancient and modern - Poems capturing the beauty of faith A practical way for families and paris...

The Church according to the heart of Pope Francis. In this book, following the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio meditates upon the crucial issues at stake in the vocation of a bishop. In so doing, he offers us his vision of the Church, setting forth the outlines of what could well be the reform program of Pope Francis. This book is an invitation that Pope Francis extends to each one of us: “And if you are willing to go on this retreat wit...

Of all the books of the Bible few have had more resonance for modern readers than the Book of Job. For a world that has witnessed great horrors, Job's cries of despair and incomprehension are all too recognizable. The visionary psychotherapist Carl Gustav Jung understood this and responded with this remarkable book, in which he set himself face-to-face with 'the unvarnished spectacle of divine savagery and ruthlessness'. Jung perceived in the hidden recesses of the human psyche th...

The bestselling author of Never Alone and A Portrait of Jesus returns to reflect on his personal spirituality to guide us to a deeper understanding of the essence of God.With Trinity, Joseph Girzone guides readers to a deeper understanding of this foundational concept, explaining why it is not antiquated theological dogma, but a living expression of the very essence of God. He offers support and clarity to those who already believe in God...

An extraordinary spiritual practice with the power to transform the ordinary life Even in our modern society, one of the most effective ways to develop a dynamic relationship with God is through the 450-year-old practice of Ignatian spirituality. Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ, a leading expert on the subject, shows how Ignatian principles and practices can help each of us to discern God's will for our life and to become a changed person in Christ.Having overseen the efforts of more than 200 Jesuit ...

St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is one of the most influential spiritual leaders of all time, yet many readers find his Rules for Discernment hard to understand. What can Ignatius teach us about the discernment of spirits that lies at the very heart of Christian life? In The Discernment of Spirits, Fr. Timothy Gallagher, a talented teacher, retreat leader, and scholar, helps us understand the Rules and how their insights are essential for our spiritual growth today. By integra...

The practice of prayer and meditation in modern Western Christianity is rooted in the Eastern tradition of early Church prayer as well as the wisdom of early Church fathers. In Centering Prayer, M. Basil Pennington, the author of the highly acclaimed Daily We Touch Him, returns to these roots, offering contemporary Christians a new approach to ancient prayer forms.Pennington combines the best of the Eastern spiritual exercises (such as the Jesus Prayer) with a spi...