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Books Recommended for Spiritual Reading
and the Study of the Spiritual Life
SpT 101 – Fr. Michael Champagne, cjc
Ahern, Patrick. Maurice and Thérèse: The Story of a Love. New York: Doubleday, 1998.
Alphonsus Liguori, (St.). The Complete Works of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, vol. 5, The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ. Translated by Eugene Grimm. Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, 1927.
Arintero, Juan Gonzalez. The Mystical Evolution. St. Louis: Herder and Herder, 1949.
Augustine, (St.). Confessions. Translated by Vernon Bourke. The Fathers of the Church, vol. 21. New York: Fathers of the Church Inc., 1953.
______. Letter to Proba (Epistola 130). In The Fathers of the Church, vol. 18. New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1953.
______. Tractates on the Gospel of John. Translated by John W. Rettig. The Fathers of the Church, vol. 79. Washington: CatholicUniversity of America Press, 1988.
Aumann, Jordan. Spiritual Theology. London: Sheed and Ward, 1980. Available at:
Baur, Benedikt. Frequent Confession, Its Place in the Spiritual Life. Staten Island: St. Paul’s, 1960.
Bellarmine, Robert. The Seven Words Spoken by Christ from the Cross. Baltimore: The Carroll Press, 1950. Reprint, 1951.
Belorgey, Godefroid. The Practice of Mental Prayer. Westminster: Newman Press, 1952.
Benedict XVI. Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est in AAS 98 (2006); English Edition, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2006.
______. Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi in AAS 99 (2007); English Edition, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2007.
______. Post-Synodal Letter Sacramentum Caritatis in AAS 99 (2007); English Edition, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2007.
Benedict of Nursia, (St.). The Rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1981.
Bernard of Clairvaux, (St.). The Steps of Humility and Pride. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1940.
______. Sermons on the Song of Songs. 2 volumes. Cistercian Publications.
Boylan, M. Eugene. Difficulties in Mental Prayer. Christian Classics, 1984.
______. The Spiritual Life of the Priest. Westminster: Newman, 1949.
______. This Tremendous Lover. Westminster: Newman, 1948.
Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God. New York: Image Books, 1977. Can be found on-line at:
Carvajal, Francis. Lukewarmness: The Devil in Disguise. Princeton: Scepter, 1992.
Cassian, John. Conferences. The Classics of Western Spirituality Series. New York: Paulist, 1985.
Catherine of Siena, (St.). The Dialogue. Classics of Western Spirituality Series. New York: Paulist Press, 1980. Can be found on-line at:
______. The Letters of Catherine of Siena, vols. 1-2. Translated by Suzanne Noffke, OP. Tempe: ArizonaCenter for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2000.
Chautard, Jean-Baptiste. The Soul of the Apostolate. London: Burns, Oates & Washourne, 1926.
Chrysostom, John (St.). De Sacerdotio. Available in translation on line at:
Cloud of Unknowing and the Book of Privy Counseling. Garden City: Image, 1973.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Part IV on Prayer). Roma: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994.
______. Letter to Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1990.
de Caussade, Jeane Pierre. Abandonment to Divine Providence. New York: Benziger, 1952. Can be found on-line at:
de Jaegher, Paul. The Lord is My Joy. Westminster: Newman Press, 1949. Reprint, 1950.
______. One With Jesus. Westminster: Newman Bookshop, 1946. Reprint, 1948.
______. The Virtue of Love. New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1955.
______. The Virtue of Trust. New York: P.J. Kenedy & Sons, 1931.
De Meester, Conrad. The Power of Confidence: Genesis and structure of the «way of spiritual childhood»of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Translated by Susan Conroy. New York: Alba House, 1998.
______. With Empty Hands: The Message of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Translated by Mary Seymour. New York: Burns and Oates, 2002.
De Montfort, Louis Marie Grignion (St.). The Secret of the Rosary. New York: Montfort Fathers Publications, 1954.
______. True Devotion to Mary. Rockford: TAN, 1985.
Dubay, Thomas. Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
______. Fire Within. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1989.
______. Seeking Spiritual Direction. Ann Arbor: Servant Publications, 1993.
Emmerich, Anne Catherine. Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Can be found on- line at:
Enzler, Clarence. My Other Self. Dimension Books, 1958.
Eymard, Peter Julien, (St.). How to Get More Out of Holy Communion. Manchester: Sophia Institute Press, 2000.
______. The Real Presence: Eucharistic Meditations. New York: Sentinel Press, 1938.
Faber, Frederick William. The Foot of the Cross. New edition. Baltimore: John Murphy, 1956.
Fernandez, Francis. In Conversation with God. 7 vols. Princeton: Scepter.
Francis de Sales, (St.). Introduction to the Devout Life. Doubleday, 1985. Can be found on- line at:
Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life. New York: Desclee, 1964.
Garrigou-Lagrange, Reginald. The Mother of Our Saviour. St. Louis: Herder, 1949.
______. The Priest in Union with Christ. Westminster: Newman Press, 1952.
______. The Priesthood and Perfection. Translated by E. Hayden. Westminster: Newman Press, 1955.
______. Providence. Translated by Bede Rose. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1941.
______. The Three Ages of the Interior Life, 2 vols. Translated by Sr. M. Timothea Doyle. London: B. Herder Book Company, 1948. Reprint, New York: B. Herder Book Company, 1955.
______. The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life. Westminster: Newman, 1950.
Gaucher, Guy. The Passion of Thérèse of Lisieux. Translated by Anne Marie Brennan. Homebush: St. Paul, 1989.
Gibbons, James. The Ambassador of Christ. Baltimore: J. Murphy, 1883.
Goodier, Alban. The Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1943.
______. The Public Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ. New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1936.
Green, Thomas. Darkness in the Marketplace. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1981.
______. When the Well Runs Dry. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1979.
Gregory the Great (St.). The Dialogues. Translated by Odo John Zimmerman. The Fathers of the Church, vol. 39. New York: Fathers of the Church Inc., 1959.
______. The Pastoral Rule. Available on line at:
Groeschel, Benedict. Stumbling blocks or Stepping Stones. New York: Paulist, 1987.
Guardini, Romano. The Art of Praying. Manchester: Sophia Institute Press, 1994.
______. The Lord. Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1989.
Hurnard, Hannah. Hinds Feet on High Places. New York: Walker, 1984.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises. Chicago: LoyolaUniversity Press, 1951. Can be found on-line at:
John of the Cross (St.). The Collected Works. Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and
Otilio Rodriguez. Washington: ICS Publications, 1979. The Ascent of Mount Carmelcan be found on-line at: The Dark Night of the Soul can be found on-line at:
John Paul II, Pope. Encyclical Letter Dominum et Vivificantem in AAS 78 (1986): 809-900; English edition, Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1986.
______. Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination. New York: Doubleday, 1996.
______. Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte in AAS 93 (2001): 266-309; English edition, Boston: St. Paul Book and Media, 2001.
______. Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Mater On the Mother of the Redeemer. English edition, San Francisco: Ignatius, 1988.
______. Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering in AAS 76 (1984): 201-250; English edition, Washington: United States Catholic Conference, 1984.
Julian of Norwich. Showings. Classics of Western Spirituality Series. New York: Paulist Press, 1978.
Kowalska, Maria Faustina (St.). Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Stockbridge: Marians of the Immaculate Conception, 2001.
Lewis, C. S. The Four Loves. New York: Harcourt, 1960.
______. The Screwtape Letters. New York: Macmillan Co., 1943.
Liagre, Louis. A Retreat with St. Thérèse. Westminster: Newman Press, 1961.
Margaret Mary (St.). The Autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary. Translated by Vincent Kerns. Westminster: Newman Press, 1961.
______. The Letters of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Translated by Clarence Herbst. Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1954.
Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus. Under the Torrent of His Love. Translated by Mary Thomas Noble. New York: Society of St. Paul, 1995.
______. I am a Daughter of the Church. Chicago: Fides, 1955.
______. I Want to See God. Chicago: Fides, 1953.
Marmion, Dom Columba. Christ the Life of the Soul, 2d ed. Translated by a nun of Tyburn Convent. London: Sands and Co., 1922.
______. Christ: The Ideal of the Priest. Translated by Matthew Dillon. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1952. Reprint, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005.
______. Suffering with Christ: An Anthology of the Writings of Dom Columba Marmion, OSB. Edited by Raymond Thibaut. London: Sands and Co., 1952.
______. The Trinity in Our Spiritual Life: An Anthology of the Writings of Dom Columba Marmion, OSB. Edited by Raymond Thibaut. Westminster: The Newman Press, 1954.
______. Union with God, 3d ed. Translated by Mary St. Thomas. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1957.
Martinez, Luis Maria. Only Jesus. Translated by Mary St. Daniel. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1962. Reprint, 1963.
______. The Sanctifier. Paterson: St. Anthony Guild Press, 1957.
Menéndez, Josefa. The Way of Divine Love. Rockford: Tan Publishers, 1981.
Merton, Thomas. What is Contemplation? Templegate Publishers, 1981.
More, Thomas, (St.). The Sadness of Christ. Scepter, 1993.
Paul VI, Pope. Set Apart for Service. Boston: Daughters of St. Paul, 1982.
Rodriguez, Alonso. Practice of Perfection and Christian Virtues, 3 volumes. Chicago: LoyolaUniversity Press, 1929.
Rohrbach, Peter-Thomas. Conversation with Christ. Tan Books, 1982.
Royo, Antonio and Jordan Aumann. The Theology of Christian Perfection. Dubuque: Priory Press, 1962.
Schönborn, Christoph. My Jesus: Encountering Christ in the Gospel. Translated by Robert Shea. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2005.
Sheen, Fulton. The Life of Christ. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1948.
______. The Priest Is Not His Own. San Francisco: Ignatius.
Stein, Edith. The Science of the Cross. Chicago: Regnery, 1960.
Suhard, Emmanuel (Cardinal). Priests Among Men. New York: Integrity, 1949.
Tanquerey, Adolphe. The Spiritual Life, second edition. Tournai: Desclee & Co., 1932. Reprint, Rockford: Tan Books, 2000.
Teresa of Avila. The InteriorCastle. Translated by the Benedictines of Stanbrook. Rockford: Tan Publishing, 1997. Can be found on-line at:
______. The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila. Translated by J. M. Cohen. London: Penguin Classics, 1957.
______. The Way of Perfection. Translated by E. Allison Peers. Garden City: Image Books, 1964. Can be found on-line at:
Teresa of Calcutta, Mother. Contemplative in the Heart of the World. Edited by Angelo Devananda Scolozzi. Ann Arbor: Servant Books, 1985.
Thérèse of Lisieux (St.). Her Last Conversations. Translated by John Clarke. Washington: ICS Publications, 1977.
______. Letters of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, vol. 1, 1877 – 1890. Translated by John Clarke. Washington: ICS Publications, 1982.
______. Letters of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, vol. 2, 1890 – 1897. Translated by John Clarke. Washington: ICS Publications, 1988.
______. The Prayers of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Translated by Aletheia Kane. Washington: ICS Publications, 1997.
______. Story of a Soul, 2d ed. Translated by John Clarke. Washington: ICS Publications, 1976.
______. Thoughts of Saint Thérèse. Translated by an Irish Carmelite. Rockford: Tan, 1988.
Thomas à Kempis. The Imitation of Christ. Translated by Ronald Knox and Michael Oakley. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1959. Can be found on-line at:
______. On the Passion of Christ according to the Four Evangelists. Translated by Joseph N. Tylenda. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2004.
Thomas Aquinas, (St.). Summa Theologiae. Edited by Blackfriars. London: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1975.
Trochu, Abbé Francis. The Curé d’Ars. Westminster: Newman, 1960.
Trouncer, Margaret. The Nun. London: Arrow Books, 1952.
Vianney, John (St.). Catechism on the Priesthood. Available on line at:
Von Balthasar, Hans Urs. Christian Meditation. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1989.
______. Prayer. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1961.
______. Heart of the World. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1979.
Von Speyr, Adrienne. Confession. New York: Herder and Herder, 1964.
Walsh, Reginald. Meditation on the Passion. Westminster: Newman, 1947.