Spiritual Reading

[RileyG]

Other than The Holy Scriptures and the Imitation of Christ what do you use for spiritual reading?

 

[Chrystal-J]

I read books from EWTN. I'm currently reading: Wheat and Tares: Restoring the Moral Vision of a Scandalized Church By Fr. Mitch Pacwa.

 

[RileyG]

I read books from EWTN. I'm currently reading: Wheat and Tares: Restoring the Moral Vision of a Scandalized Church By Fr. Mitch Pacwa.

Thanks! I'll have to look into it

 

[joymercy]

I love investigating old libraries at old parishes, filled with used and often dusty gems, with dog eared pages, highlighted areas, writings in the margins and so on.

Often these books are from a passed loved one, and come with really cool old prayer cards and book marks.

its so fascinating to read great writings as well as see and feel the faith of the previous reader!

Many people do not read books any more in this digital age, however, I have fallen in love with these fascinating finds in old places.

 

[Chesster]

The Ascetical Works of St. Alphonsus Liguori.

 

[fide]

I recommend The Ordinary Path to Holiness -by a layman, R. Thomas Richard (He was interviewed on EWTN's "Coming Home" program because he "was a former Catholic, became a protestant minister, but returned home to the Church". The foreword of the book was written by - and the book recommended by - Fr. Benedict Groeschel. The book was discussed in EWTN's Bookmark program.

I appreciate it because it presents literally the path to our common vocation to holiness. It is not a devotional kind of book - more an intro to the spiritual understanding in the Church of the process of spiritual growth: how do we actually grow, and develop, and mature in the spiritual life? There are defined, distinct steps enabled by divine grace. There are no "short cuts". I am astounded that every Catholic parish in the country does not teach and follow this traditional path, but just the contrary: most Catholics have never heard of this, and most priests whom I have encountered are more interested (for adult formation) in the latest "soup du jour" of spirituality to offer to their parishioners.

(OK - I am biased toward the book - I know the author.)

 

[joymercy]

I found an old book from the 17th century, Imitation of Mary!

 

[RileyG]

I love investigating old libraries at old parishes, filled with used and often dusty gems, with dog eared pages, highlighted areas, writings in the margins and so on.

Often these books are from a passed loved one, and come with really cool old prayer cards and book marks.

its so fascinating to read great writings as well as see and feel the faith of the previous reader!

Many people do not read books any more in this digital age, however, I have fallen in love with these fascinating finds in old places.

Me too! I love old and well worn books!

 

[RileyG]

I recommend The Ordinary Path to Holiness -by a layman, R. Thomas Richard (He was interviewed on EWTN's "Coming Home" program because he "was a former Catholic, became a protestant minister, but returned home to the Church". The foreword of the book was written by - and the book recommended by - Fr. Benedict Groeschel. The book was discussed in EWTN's Bookmark program.

I appreciate it because it presents literally the path to our common vocation to holiness. It is not a devotional kind of book - more an intro to the spiritual understanding in the Church of the process of spiritual growth: how do we actually grow, and develop, and mature in the spiritual life? There are defined, distinct steps enabled by divine grace. There are no "short cuts". I am astounded that every Catholic parish in the country does not teach and follow this traditional path, but just the contrary: most Catholics have never heard of this, and most priests whom I have encountered are more interested (for adult formation) in the latest "soup du jour" of spirituality to offer to their parishioners.

(OK - I am biased toward the book - I know the author.)

I should probably order that soon!

 

[fide]

I should probably order that soon!

Thanks for the comment, RileyG. Because I believe that this book - The Ordinary Path to Holiness - is so important to helping a faithful Catholic to grow in the spiritual life, I'll post a portion of Fr. Benedict Groeschel's foreword to the book (a priest for whom I have great respect). Maybe this will help you - and perhaps other readers - decide to try it.

The unique quality of this book is not its basic content. The spiritual journey is a topic that people have been discussing since St. Augustine and even before. The thing that makes this book particularly helpful is that it is written by a very well-informed Christian layman who knows how lay people think and feel at this beginning of the Third Millennium. Being director of lay ministry formation for a whole diocese has given Dr. Richard an invaluable opportunity to develop his own ideas in this traditional area of thought. …..

I also made an attempt to explore the spiritual journey in Spiritual Passages (New York: Crossroad, 1983) using insights drawn from the vast library of Catholic spiritual writers and from psychoanalytic theory. While not ignoring the psychological approach, Dr. Richard has emphasized theological concepts and spiritual doctrines more familiar to the well-read Christian reader. In fact, his book is specifically Catholic. By focusing on an audience who cherish the Mass, the sacraments and traditional Catholic teaching on the uses of suffering in union with Christ, Dr. Richard has been able to more profoundly explore these essentials of spiritual teaching. Like almost all books on the spiritual journey, this work is several books at one time.

Distinct topics like prayer and the sacraments are fitted in a helpful way to the needs of the spiritual traveler. An insightful discussion of the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila is included and helpfully related to the Lord's Prayer. Dr. Richard also traces the steps of the spiritual journey in various New Testament texts attempting, as others have done, to identify the stages of the spiritual journey in Scripture. Since operations of grace and the Holy Spirit are unique to each soul, these ideas should be seen as a fruitful source for meditation rather than as precise interpretations of the Bible.

The purpose of this book is practical to help the serious Christian grow in the life of grace and to make progress on the journey Our Savior spoke of when He challenged His disciples, “Follow me!” This is a book not to be taken lightly. It does not call for speed-reading. Take your pencil and your time. Go back over things and meditate on various points. If you usually avoid marking up books so that you can pass them along to others, purchase two copies, one for your own serious study and one for lending out. This is a book to be chewed and digested. Any effort you make to understand the spiritual life will be amply rewarded because it will remain with you on your journey. If you read something you don’t fully understand, come back to it later. This is one of those rare books that is to be lived as well as read. But read it with your soul as well as your mind and with your heart as well as your eyes.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR - Author of Spiritual Passages and The Journey Toward God .

 

[RileyG]

Much thanks!

 

[joymercy]

"Happy the man who imitates our Lady, for in Imitating her, he imitates Jesus."~Alexander De Rouville

 

[fide]

"Happy the man who imitates our Lady, for in Imitating her, he imitates Jesus."~Alexander De Rouville

Sadly, the minimization of Marian devotion in the "modern"/ecumenical (institutional) Church explains much of the shallowness and impotence we see in Her ("Her" the Church - not "Her" Mary! Sorry for any confusion...). The Catechism is right: CCC 971 ... “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.”[Lk 1:48; Paul VI, MC 56].

 

[RileyG]

I found an old book from the 17th century, Imitation of Mary!

I own that book as well! It's beautiful!

 

[joymercy]

Anyone ever find cool spiritual readings in other unique places beside old libraries?

I remember an old train station where people could pass along paperbacks, newspapers and magazines, as in "take one, leave one," kind of strategy.

Unusually, there would sometimes be books like The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom or The Diary of Anne Frank.

 

[joymercy]

Other than The Holy Scriptures and the Imitation of Christ what do you use for spiritual reading?

Are you requesting the forms of nourishment to the soul? Because I often read blogs too! do you?

 

[joymercy]

Spiritual nourishment can come in a "reading" of podcasts and videos, can it not?

Is it still spiritual reading to watch a movie on Formed or a video series on YouTube by Father Mike Schlitz on the sacraments, for example?

 

[RileyG]

Spiritual nourishment can come in a "reading" of podcasts and videos, can it not?

Is it still spiritual reading to watch a movie on Formed or a video series on YouTube by Father Mike Schlitz on the sacraments, for example?

Absolutely!