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The Ways of Mental Prayer with Introductory Letter by Pope Pius X

Dom Vital Lehodey was the fourth abbot of the Trappist monastery of Notre-Dame-de-Grace in Bricquebec, Normandy, France. In The Ways of Mental Prayer he offers a systematic presentation of the teachings on contemplative prayer of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Francis of Sales, St. Alphonsus of Liguori, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and many more. Part One introduces the reader to contemplative or “mental” prayer. Part Two gives instructions for discursive meditation, affective prayer, and the prayer of simplicity. “As time goes on,” writes the author, “and we make progress, we shall feel drawn to a more simple form of prayer, in which the mind begins to be silent in order to let the heart speak.” Part Three describes the mystical states of quiet and union, and gives practical advice for those graced with these higher forms of prayer.

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Abandonment to Divine Providence: Loving God in the Present Moment

Our simple task is to love God in the present moment. In this life-changing work, Jean-Pierre de Caussade reveals a spiritual exercise appropriate no matter what our duties and circumstances. We must love God whatever happens and take everything around us an expression of his will. We should allow all our actions to be divinely and intuitively guided. Sanctity consists simply in this loving response to God. Jean-Pierre de Caussade was a member of the Society of Jesus, a preacher, and a spiritual director. His classic work, Abandonment to Divine Providence, has for almost three centuries demonstrated to Christians the power of living in the present moment.

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Scottish Metrical Psalter

This is the translation approved by the Church of Scotland in 1650. All one hundred and fifty psalms are rigorously translated into rhythmic verses that are easy to sing and set to music. The beauty of 1650 English verse makes this volume a treasure. Includes preface and glossary.

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Douay Rheims New Testament

The traditional choice for English-speaking Catholics. This edition includes the Challoner revisions.

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Freedom! Escaping the Prison of the Mind

After going absent without leave from the British army, Ozay Rinpoche begins down a path that leads to solitary confinement in prison. There he establishes a disciplined program of exercise, Bible-reading, and meditation. Pushing himself to meditate for four hours at a time, he arrives at a point of liberation. Ozay’s story is the universal story of self-discovery and redemption. Freedom! includes instructions for meditation and dream interpretation.

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Introduction to the Devout Life: 400th Anniversary Edition

For four hundred years this book has taught and inspired Christians. It provides step-by-step instructions in the form of a long letter addressed to “Philothea,” or one who loves God. The book teaches that anyone can live a life devoted to God, even while remaining in ordinary life. Contents include how to cultivate the desire for a devout life; the means of raising the soul to God by prayer and the sacraments; the practice of virtues; advice against temptations; and renewing the soul and confirming it in its devotion.

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The Luminous Journey

The Luminous Journey is much more than Johan Quanjer’s autobiography. It offers the reader a whole new way of seeing the world, and in particular offers a new vision for human politics and spirituality. In a rich life that led him from Indonesia to the Netherlands, from his youthful odyssey through Canada and California to London where he settled, Johan Quanjer was the self-described “cosmic bushwhacker,” a mystic, visionary, national chairman of UFO Contact UK, proponent of a spirit-infused psychology and politics, founder and editor of the New Humanity Journal, and candidate for the European Parliament in London. The Luminous Journey reveals the way forward for enlightened individuals.

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The Pursuit of God

A. W. Tozer pastored churches in West Virginia and Illinois. His education consisted of his prayer life and his personal study of the Bible and other literature, and this allowed him to preach in a direct and passionate style free of academic terminology. The Pursuit of God encourages the Christian to seek God with single-mindedness and devotion. Doctrinal knowledge is only a starting point on this journey toward a real and personal knowledge of God. Tozer reveals the path that leads to a deeper level of the Christian life.

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True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin

Louis de Montfort shows that devotion to Mary is more important now than ever before. To approach Jesus through Mary is the humble approach. But we must know how to distinguish true devotions from false devotions, and this book explains how. Then we must understand the motives and benefits of consecration. Louis describes both exterior and interior forms for devotion, special prayers for Holy Communion, and a prayer of consecration. Louis de Montfort was a French priest and missionary to the poor. His reputation as an energetic preacher has been matched by the enduring power of his writings. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII. This edition includes the prayers of the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin.

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The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, Seraphic Virgin and Doctor of Unity

The Dialogue takes the form of a conversation between God and Saint Catherine of Siena covering four subjects. The treatise on divine providence explains the connection between love and suffering, emphasizing that God wants only our love and the service we give to our neighbors. The treatise on discretion introduces the metaphor of the Bridge from earth to heaven. The treatise on prayer gives instructions for the progress from vocal to mental prayer, and describes the higher degrees of prayer. The treatise on obedience covers the necessity and rewards of obedience. Catherine of Siena was a third order Dominican in fourteenth-century Tuscany. As a young adult, she devoted herself to prayer, fasting, and mortifications. After this period of solitude, with its accompanying ecstatic visions, she went out into the world to care for the sick and the poor. Catherine also worked to bring peace and unity among Christians. She was canonized by Pope Pius II and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.