Translate

Sunday, July 21, 2024

The Classics of Catholic Spirituality

The Classics of Catholic Spirituality: A Brief Introduction to 14 Catholic Classics

For those interested, 14 classic spiritualities of the Catholic faith are in this book. It gives an overview of fourteen great classics in the Christian faith. It also outlines all the themes that go into a Catholic classic.

A brief introduction

According to Fr. Arie van der Hulst, SMM, a priest of the Montfort Missionaires, it takes a certain level of spiritual understanding to read the classics. One who intends to read the classics has to have a certain level of spiritual experience to understand the richness of its wisdom. Some classics are easily understood; others may be read and understood when the level of one's relationship with God approaches that of the author. If you have a spiritual director, then you can seek counsel what classic books are best for your spiritual journey.

14 Classics in the book are listed below:


  • St. Augustine: Confessions

  • The Cloud of Unknowing

  • The Little Flowers of St. Francis

  • Julian of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love

  • St. Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue

  • Thomas a Kempis: The Imitation of Christ

  • St. Ignatius of Loyola: The Spiritual Exercises

  • St. John of the Cross: The Ascent of Mount Carmel

  • St. Teresa of Avila: Interior Castel

  • St. Francis de Sales: Introduction to the Devout Life

  • Bro. Lawrence of the Resurrection: The Practice of the Presence of God

  • St. Louis de Montfort: True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

  • Jean-Pierre de Caussade: Abandonment to Divine Providence

  • St. Therese of Lisieux: Story of a Soul

Short descriptions and explanations

The short descriptions and explanations of the content inside the fourteen classics are easy to understand because the author writes them in layman's language. The reader will easily understand what each spiritual author is saying through a general description of the author's life and his spirituality. What one can learn from the descriptions is only the "tip of the iceberg". But the challenge for each interested reader is to know more about them through the actual reading of the classic book itself. If you decide to go to the book themselves - the primary sources - you will see in greater detail the beauty and splendor of the truth of God and the respect we own Him for our life and world.

Some suggestions

If you have not read anyone of the fourteen classics above, a starter list suggestion for reading would be the following:


  • The Cloud of Unknowing

  • The Little Flowers of St. Francis

  • The Imitation of Christ

  • Introduction to the Devout Life

  • Abandonment to Divine Providence

  • Story of a Soul

Of all the six books listed above, the Story of a Soul is easy to understand. It is written by St. Therese of the Child Jesus. The Introduction to the Devout Life, written by St. Francis de Sales is also a very good guide to holiness mapped for the faithful in all walks of life.

Classic Novenas

Classic Novenas

To the Holy Spirit

O Holy Spirit, Third Person of the Blessed Trinity! Spirit of Truth, Love and Holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things! I adore Thee and love Thee with all my heart. Teach me to know and to seek God, by whom and for whom I was created. Fill my heart with holy fear and love of God. Grant me compunction and patience, and suffer me not to fall into sin. Give me an increase of Faith, Hope and Charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state of life. Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Thy seven Gifts and Thy twelve Fruits. Make me a faithful follower of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me the grace to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily. Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which Thou hast called me, and lead me through a happy death, to everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Grant me also, O Holy Spirit, Thou who art the giver of all good gifts, the special favour for which I ask (name it), if it be for Thy greater honor and glory and the good of my soul.

Glory be to the Father (3 times)

Novena of Confidence to the Sacred Heart

O Lord Jesus Christ, to Thy Most Sacred Heart, I confide this intention (here mention your request). Only look upon me, then do what Thy Sacred Heart inspires. Let Thy Sacred Heart decide...I count on It...I trust in It...I throw myself on Its mercy. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked Thee for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in Thy open, broken Heart; and when the Eternal Father looks upon it, covered with Thy Precious Blood, He will not refuse it. It will be no longer my prayer, but Thine, O Jesus, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee. Let me not be disappointed. Amen.

Novena in Urgent Need to the Infant Jesus of Prague

To be said at the same time for nine consecutive hours or for nine days

O Jesus, who hast said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you," through the intercession of Mary, Thy most holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.

Mention your request

O Jesus, who hast said, "All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you," through the intercession of Mary, Thy most holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask Thy Father in Thy Name that my prayer be granted.

Mention your request

O Jesus, who hast said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but
My word shall not pass," through the intercession of Mary, Thy most
holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.

Mention your request

To Our Lady of Perpetual Help

O Mother of Perpetual Help! grant that I may ever invoke your
most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the
salvation of the dying. O purest Mary! O sweetest Mary! let your
name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to
succour me whenever I call on you. In all my temptations, in all
my needs, I will never cease to call on you ever repeating your
sacred name. Mary, Mary. Oh, what a consolation, what sweetness,
what confidence, what emotion fills my soul when I utter your sacred
name, or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given
you, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I
will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for
you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of
Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favour I confidently
ask of you. Hail Mary (3 times)

To Our Lady of Lourdes

O Ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick,
Refuge of Sinners, Comfortress of the Afflicted, you know my wants,
my troubles, my sufferings; deign to cast upon me a look of mercy.
By appearing in the grotto of Lourdes you were pleased to make it a
privileged sanctuary whence you dispense your favours, and where
many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both
spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence
to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain O loving Mother, the
grant of my request. I will endeavour to imitate your virtues, that
I may one day share your glory and bless you in eternity. Amen.

Prayer to One's Patron or to Any Saint

O Glorious Saint N. (my beloved Patron), you served
God in humility and confidence on earth and are now in the enjoyment
of His beatific Vision in heaven because you persevered till death
and gained the crown of eternal life. Remember now the dangers that
surround me in the vale of tears, and intercede for me in my needs
and troubles

(especially...)

To St. Anthony of Padua, the Wonder Worker

In Any Need

St. Anthony, glorious for your miracles and for the condescension
of Jesus in coming as a little child to repose in your arms, obtain
for me from His bounty the grace which I ardently desire. You who
were so compassionate towards sinners, regard not my unworthiness,
but the glory of God, that it may be magnified by you in connection
with the particular request which I now earnestly present to you.
(Name it). As a pledge of my gratitude, I beg you to accept
my promise to live more faithfully in accordance with the teachings
of the Church, and to be devoted to the service of the poor whom you
ever loved and still love so greatly. Bless this my resolution,
that I may be faithful to it even until death. St. Anthony, consoler
of all the afflicted, pray for me. St. Anthony, helper of all who
invoke you, pray for me. St. Anthony, whom the Infant Jesus so
much loved and honoured, pray for me.

To Find A Lost Article

St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the
special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may
find...which has been lost, if such be the will of God; or at least
restore to me peace and tranquillity of mind, the loss of which has
afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favour I beg
you to add another; that I may always remain in possession of the
true good that is God. May I rather lose all things than to lose
God, my supreme Good, or suffer the loss of my greatest treasure,
my immortal soul.

To St. Gerard

For An Expectant Mother

Great St. Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator
of our meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of the Mother of
God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of
charity which glowed in yours and made you a seraph of love. O
glorious St. Gerard, because like your Divine Master, you bore
without murmur or complaint the calumnies of wicked men when
falsely accused of crime, you have been raised up by God as the
patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me in the
dangers of motherhood and shield the child I now bear, that it
may be brought safely to the light of day and receive the sacrament
of baptism.

Hail Mary (3 times)

To St. Peregrine, The "Cancer Saint"

Glorious Wonder-Worker, St. Peregrine, you answered the divine
call with a ready spirit, and forsook all the comforts of the world
to dedicate yourself to God in the Order of His most Holy Mother.
You laboured manfully for the salvation of souls; and in union with
Jesus Crucified you endured the most painful sufferings with such
patience as to deserve to be healed miraculously of an incurable
cancer in your leg by a touch of His divine hand. Obtain for me the
grace to answer every call of God and to fulfill His will in all the
events of life. Enkindle in my heart a consuming zeal for the
salvation of souls; deliver me from the infirmities that afflict my
body (especially...). Obtain for me also perfect resignation
to the sufferings it may please God to send me, so that, imitating
our Crucified Savior and His Sorrowful Mother, I may merit eternal
glory in heaven. Amen.

16th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 16th Sunday of the Year (B), July 22, 2012

Liturgical readings

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:13-18
Mark 6:30-34

"Like sheep without a shepherd."

Because of the hard work the apostles did in their preaching and mission work, Jesus invited them to go to a deserted place to rest from their labors. The mission was fruitful, for many believed in their words and deeds. Such was the success of their mission work that crowds of people continued to stay close to the apostles - making it difficult for the Twelve to even rest and eat. So Jesus led the apostles to a boat where they could go far. The people however were so eager to follow them, that they arrived at the place even before Jesus and the Twelve embarked from their boat. When Jesus saw the crowd, He was moved with compassion, for the people were "like sheep without a shepherd".

Since the time of Jesus, the missionary spirit of the Church has left us with many "landmarks". These basic landmarks are what we can find in our Creed, the moral teachings of the Church, and the traditional prayers (both individual and Sacramental) that have guided all the faithful since the day of each one's baptism. As long as the faithful believe, follow and continuously pray within these landmarks, all will be kept within the sheepfold of Christ, our Good Shepherd. But if these these landmarks were removed from one's way of life, and the faithful follow other philosophies, trends or ways of thinking (especially anti-Catholic ones), we may end up losing our way in the world.

Our present times appears to be neglectful of these landmarks. And humility and vigilance are important virtues to practice in these times. Humility predisposes our minds and our hearts to listen and to obey. Vigilance on the other hand keeps our minds and our hearts watchful against anything that can lead our souls astray. Prayers help a lot, but the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist) can continually guide us in the right path. And as long as we keep within the thinking and the practice of the Church (as St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Thomas of Aquinas counsels in their writings), then we can make our way through all the confusion, uncertainties and anxieties of our times.