The Way of the Cross According to John - Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.

The Way of the Cross According to John

Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.

Emmanuel Publishing

During Lent in 2022 our parish did On the Way of the Cross with Saint Paul by Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S. and it was excellent. During research I found that Father LaVerdiere also wrote this Station and also ones according to each of the other Gospels. I was able to order 1 copy of each from Emmanuel Publishing. This was the fourth I have done, and we did it at church during the Second Friday of Lent 2025. These are excellent volumes. I try and pray a Stations each Friday of the year, and I strive to pray a Stations each day during Lent. The stations written by Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S., are:

On the Way of the Cross with Saint Paul

The Way of the Cross According to Matthew

The Way of the Cross According to Mark

The Way of the Cross According to Luke

The Way of the Cross According to John

I do not recount encountering the works of Father Eugene prior to that first Stations. But having look at the list of volumes he published I have added several to my wish list. I discovered that Father Eugene LaVerdiere, SSS, was a distinguished lecturer at Fordham University in New York and an adjunct professor at the Catholic Theological Union. He published numerous books and articles, he published works on Scripture on Luke from the New Testament Message series, The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church, and The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark Volumes 1 and 2. He was also the senior editor of Emmanuel magazine. The publishing company that produces this and the other Stations composed by him. The description of this volume is:

“John’s Way of the Cross echoes the passion account proclaimed each year in the liturgy of Good Friday. John wrote for a community at grips with the most basic issues of life and meaning. Then as now, the answer was in the person of Jesus. And so we turn to John for this Way of the Cross, following Jesus as he is raised up and draws all peoples to himself.”

A sample station is:

“Third Station

Leader: Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time

Cross bearer: We adore you, 0 Christ, and we praise you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

You may be seated.

Leader:

Jesus himself did not fall, least of all in the Passion

according to John. In John's Gospel Jesus is Lord from the

beginning (18:3-8). But Jesus did fall in the person of his

disciples. When he spoke of his flesh as true food and his

blood as true drink (6:55-56), many of his disciples left

him and returned to their previous way of life (6:66).

A Young Boy:

I was there on the mountainside when he broke the

bread for the five thousand. Jesus asked where they might

buy bread for the crowd to eat, and Philip pointed to the

futility of it all. Even two hundred denarii would not

buy enough bread for such a crowd. Andrew noticed I

had five barley loaves and two fish. I offered the bread. It

became bread from heaven (6:1-11).

The Lord Jesus:

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never

hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst

(6:35,48). No one can come to me unless drawn by the

Father. those who come to me I will raise on the last day

(6:44). The bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the

world (6:51).

Leader: Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,

and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.

All: The bread of God comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world.

John 6:37, 33

(Please stand.)

Leader: Let us pray.

All:

Christ Jesus,

you said, "I came down from heaven not to do my own will

but the will of the one who sent me" (6:29).

We thank you, Lord,

and we bless you.

We want to work not for food that perishes

but for the food that endures for eternal life,

the food you alone can give.

For this we praise you, our Lord and Savior,

living and reigning for ever and ever.

Amen.”

I hope that sample station gives you a feel for this version of this devotion. This is another excellent stations of the cross. I loved praying it at church in community and know I will pray it on my own often. It was a great tool to pray and reflect upon it on my own. I have read all the stations by Father Eugene and look forward to reading some of his other books. I know I will return to these stations often. I just wish this, and other volumes were available electronically, with my dual form of dyslexia I prefer eBooks so I can change the font, font and page colour to make books more accessible and easier to read.

This is another great resource for personal, family, or parish use. It is an excellent version of this devotion; I can easily recommend this volume.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

For all other reviews of Stations of the Cross click here.

Books by Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.:

A Church for All Peoples: Missionary Issues in a World Church

Acts of the Apostles

Dining in the Kingdom of God: The Origins of the Eucharist According to Luke

Fundamentalism: A Pastoral Concern

Invitation to the New Testament, Epistles II

Luke New Testament Message 5

The Annunciation to Mary: A Story of Faith, Luke 1:26-38

The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark - Volume 1 (Mark 1-8:21)

The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark: Volume 2 (Mark 8:22-16:20)

The Breaking Of The Bread: The Development Of The Eucharist According To The Acts Of The Apostles

The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church

The Gospel of St. Luke

The New Testament in the Life of the Church: Evangelization, Prayer, Catechetics, Homiletics

The Psalms

The year of Luke

When We Pray: Meditation on the Lord's Prayer

…

Stations of the Cross:

On the Way of the Cross with Saint Paul

The Way of the Cross According to Matthew

The Way of the Cross According to Mark

The Way of the Cross According to Luke

The Way of the Cross According to John

…

Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - J. B. Midgley - CTS Devotions

Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

J. B. Midgley 

CTS Prayers and Devotions

Catholic Truth Society

ISBN 9781860820519

eISBN 9781784692674

ASIN B071ZSKJYF

CTS Booklet D643

This book was a pleasant surprise on a few levels; especially the involvement of J.B. Midgley. I have read over 80 books and booklets that are part of the CTS Prayers & Devotions Series. Some of the earlier ones are just mark CTS Devotions, but more recent ones have both Prayers and Devotions listed as the series name. This series has spanned decades. It has had books come in and out of print. This volume was published in the 1026, reprinted in 1974 and 1999 and the eBook was released in 2017, based on the 1999 edition. Over the last several years I have fallen in love with the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. As of the reading of this volume I have read over 430 volumes. And still have almost 200 on my ‘wishlist’. But back to the volume at hand. 

The description of this volume states:

“"As the source of love, God desires to make himself known; and the knowledge which the human being has of God perfects all that the human mind can know of the meaning of life." (Pope St John Paul II)

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is one of the most popular Catholic devotions. When Jesus died on the cross, his side – his heart – was pierced, blood and water gushing from the wound. The last drops of his blood were shed for mankind. This sign of his infinite love is recalled in this devotion.

First published as Prayers to the Sacred Heart in 1926, the popularity of this booklet and the ways in which it helped Catholics and other Christians, earned a new edition in 1999. This collection of most famous and best-loved prayers are collected here in a handy format, now with an explanation of the devotion and the saints attached to it – St John Eudes, St Margaret Mary Alacoque and St Claude la Colombiere.”

The chapters in the book are:

Introduction

What is the Devotion to the Sacred Heart?

     St John Eudes

     St Margaret Mary Alacoque

     St Claude la Colombière

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Love of God

The Response of Man

Reparation

Consecration

A New Commandment

Daily Prayers

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Note on Indulgences

In the introduction to this edition we are informed:

“Prayers to the Sacred Heart was first published in 1926 and revised in 1974. So well has the publication served great numbers of Catholics and, indeed, other Christian denominations in sustaining their devotion, that no modification of the original has been considered appropriate. However, some additional, introductory material has been included in the hope that it may be useful to many in their prayer and reflection.”

And also that:

“No small reliance has been placed upon the Psalms, those sublime prayers that Our Lord Himself used, and the words of hymns, the beauty of which can sometimes be veiled by a concentration on the music. Devotional practices, encouraged by Mother Church as supports of faith, frequently have the benefit of ‘Indulgences’ attached to prayers, the words of hymns and aspirations. For that reason, a Note on Indulgences is offered as a reminder of the current teaching of the Church.”

That introductory note was by J.B. Midgley one of my favourite CTS authors, and I was unaware of his involvement with this volume, until reading it. I highlighted a few of passages while working through this volume, some of them are:

“Prayers to the Sacred Heart was first published in 1926 and revised in 1974. So well has the publication served great numbers of Catholics and, indeed, other Christian denominations in sustaining their devotion, that no modification of the original has been considered appropriate. However, some additional, introductory material has been included in the hope that it may be useful to many in their prayer and reflection.”

“Pope Pius XII assured us of the theological foundations of this devotion in his encyclical Haurietis Aquas (1956). It emanates from the most important truth of our faith: that God is present to us now in Our Lord and Saviour, true God and true Man who has ascended to dwell at His Father’s right hand, His Divine Heart and the humanity He shares with us forever at one with the Blessed Trinity.”

“When Pope Leo XIII confirmed the heroicity of John Eudes’ virtues in preparation for his canonisation, he declared him the author of the liturgical worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Pope St Pius X added that he was to be regarded as the Father of the worship of the Sacred Hearts, as the Doctor of this devotion and its apostle, for he endeavoured by his efforts to spread it everywhere.”

“Margaret Mary was born at L’Hautcour, Burgundy, in 1647. Beset as she was by delicate health, her childhood was not without its trials. At the age of twenty-four she entered the Convent of the Visitation at Paray-le-Monial and shortly afterwards, between 1673 and 1675 was favoured with visions of Our Lord who besought her to kindle devotion to His Heart as symbolising His love for mankind but which is so often rejected.”

“Her influence on the devotional life of Catholics through her teaching and the visions she received has been great, especially since the Feast of the Sacred Heart was made general in 1856. Margaret Mary was canonised by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and her feast day is 16th October.”

“We make our prayer to Jesus in whom we find rest for our souls and who is meek and humble of heart; Jesus, your heart was pierced by the lance and from it flowed blood and water so that your bride, the Church, might be born. You were condemned by men and raised up by the Father: make the Church the tabernacle of the most high. King and centre of all hearts, in your loving mercy, you never cease to draw us to yourself:”

“The prayer of the Church venerates and honours the heart of Jesus just as it invokes His Most Holy Name. It adores the Incarnate Word and His Heart which, out of love for men, He allowed to be pierced for our sins. Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of His Father’s love could reveal to us the abyss of His mercy in the beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son. (2669; 1437)”

“Remember that Our Lord Jesus Christ is your true Head and you are one of His members. He is to you as the head is to members of the body; all that is His is yours. His spirit, heart, body, soul, all His faculties, all is to be used by you as if they were your own, so that serving Him you may praise Him. For your part, you are to Him as a member to the head, and He earnestly desires to use all your faculties as if they were His own for the service and glorification of His Father…”

This is an amazing little volume. I have read a few other volumes about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but this volume is a wonderful mix of history, teaching, and prayers. There are prayers spattered throughout, not just the chapter on Daily Prayers. I added a few of the prayers to my daily prayer list, and already had a couple or variations on them there. The quotes above give you a feel for some of the teachings and history contained in this volume. 

It is hard to fathom this booklet has been in print for just over 100 years, it is as relevant today as it was when first published, maybe even more so because of the times we live in. Unfortunately it is currently only available as an eBook, for I know some people who would love a physical copy of this volume. It is an excellent read. I can easily recommend this volume it would be a great addition to any school, home, or church. It is another excellent prayer booklet from the CTS.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Prayers & Devotions series click here.

Books about the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Sacred Heart Prayers and Devotions - Donal Anthony Foley - CTS Devotions

Sacred Heart A Pilgrim's Companion to Paray-le-Monial - David Baldwin - CTS Christian Shrines Series

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque And the Sacred Heart of Jesus - Emily Beata Marsh and Dani Lachuk - Encounter the Saints Series Book 37

A Little Book of Litanies - Amette Ley - CTS Devotions

First Fridays and First Saturdays The Devotions Explained - Catholic Truth Society - CTS Devotions

Words for Feasts and Saints Days - Hugh Gilbert - CTS Books

Dilexit Nos - Pope Francis – CTS Books

Dilexit Nos - Pope Francis – Opus Dei

Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - J. B. Midgley - CTS Devotions

…

Books by J.B. Midgley:
Advent & Christmastide with the Saints
Antonio Rosmini
Benedict - Patron of Europe
Bernard of Clairvaux – CTS Great Saints
Charles Borromeo  - CTS Great Saints
Companion to St. Joseph
Companion to the Feasts of Mary
Companion to Saint Peter
Companion to Saint Paul
Companion to the Angels
Companion to the Feasts of Our Lord
Companion to the Passion of Our Lord
Dominic - CTS Great Saints
George: Patron of England - CTS Great Saints
Dewi Sant: St David Patron of Wales
Francis de Sales – CTS Great Saints
John Baptist de La Salle – CTS Great Saints
John Vianney – CTS Great Saints
Lent with the Saints
Nurturing the Young
Robert Bellarmine
Saint John the Baptist 
Stations of the Cross and Resurrection with the Saints
The Eucharist with the Saints
The Four Evangelists
Thomas Becket – CTS Saints of the Isles
Vincent de Paul – CTS Great Saints
Witchcraft, Sorcery and Magic
…

Contributed to:
First Fridays and First Saturdays The Devotions Explained 
Devotion and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

...

Catholicism and Mental Health - Dr. Pravin Thevathasan - CTS Explanations

Catholicism and Mental Health

CTS Explanations 

Dr. Pravin Thevathasan

Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860829185

eISBN 9781784693152

ASIN B072XSRZN7

CTS Booklet EX52

Over the last several years I have fallen in love with the works books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society. I have read over 430 volume, and still have almost 200 on my ‘wish list’ or ‘to be read’ list. Many I want to read are out of print, so it is an exercise in tracking down out of print editions. And nearly every time I finish a volume I find another I am interested in, at the end of this one it highlighted a few others in this series including another by Dr Pravin that I now need to track down. I believe Dr Thevathasan only published 2 books and both are in this series. This one published in 2014 and the eBook released in 2017. Unfortunately the other does not have an eBook edition. 

Back to the volume at hand. This volume is an excellent read, in a wonderful series! The description of this book is:

“In some pastoral contexts the boundaries between Catholicism and psychiatry in mental health care can be contentious. This work shows that there should be no conflict between them. Through a brief history of psychiatry in secular and faith settings the author moves to examining the conflicts and agreements that have arisen between Catholicism and psychiatry, with reference to Freud and Jung in particular. Case studies of some psychiatric disorders, depression being the most common, carry considerable insight to support the central thesis.”

And the chapters and sections in this little volume are:

And the chapters and sections in this little volume are:

Catholicism and Psychiatry

A Brief History of Psychiatry

When Psychiatry and Catholicism Conflict

Christianity According to Sigmund Freud

Carl Jung’s Journey from God

The Nature of Apparitions

On Sanctity

When Psychiatry and Catholicism Agree

An Introduction to Some Psychiatric Disorders

Conclusion

Endnotes

I highlighted a dozen passages while working through this volume, some of them are:

““If mental health enjoys such esteem in Catholic thought and practice, it is only right that the Church looks with satisfaction at the new path being opened by psychiatry… all that Sacred Scriptures say in praise of human wisdom are an implicit affirmation of the importance of mental health.” Pope Pius XII”

“We will begin with a brief history of psychiatry, then examine the conflicts and agreements that have arisen between Catholicism and psychiatry, and end with an examination of some psychiatric disorders.”

“It was thought that Saul’s madness was the result of sin and that both sin and insanity lead away from God, so the sick in mind needed a priest more than a doctor.”

“There is here a separation between personal sin and sickness. The consequence of unrepented sin is “something worse” than sickness.”

“The early Christians established hospitals for medical and nursing assistance, and there was a form of Christian psychotherapy that was meant to be both therapeutic and consoling. Norman Auton, a hospital chaplain, suggested that the advances in the treatment of mental illness by the early Church were due to the great importance attached to individual and daily care.”

“Hospitals for the mentally ill were established by Pope Innocent III and by the Order of St John of Jerusalem among others. In England, the priory of St Mary of Bethlehem was founded in 1247 by Simon Fitzmary.”

“To sum up, from the beginning the Christian response to mental suffering has been far more compassionate and caring than is widely assumed. The mediaeval treatment of the mentally ill was far from perfect, but there were humane responses throughout the period.”

“It is worth noting that the number of apparitions accepted by the Church is small in comparison to the claims made, even though the majority of claimants are not mentally ill. The teaching of St John of the Cross is salutary and may be summed up as follows: “One should take no notice of visions and revelations, but live one’s spiritual life in faith, hope and charity. If the alleged visions are divine, Almighty God will see to it if he wishes that this become abundantly clear.””

“We may confidently say that, for some cases, religion and psychiatry are not in conflict: the treatment of mental illness is helpful to, but no substitute for, the cure of the soul.”

“It is recognised that there is a change in the brain chemistry when a person suffers depression. Anti-depressants may therefore be a good option when prescribed appropriately. It is also recognised that the way we think can also change the brain chemistry. Therefore treatments such as cognitive therapy, which changes the way we think, can also help in the treatment of depression.”

“A psychiatrist is a ‘doctor of the soul’, but in modern psychiatry the original meaning has been abandoned and psychiatrists tend to focus on the body, and especially the brain, to the exclusion of the soul. There is a real need now for Catholic spirituality to accompany the medical approach to the care of the mentally ill.”

This was both a good book and a hard volume to read. It could have just as easily been a part of the CTS Concise Histories series. As opposed to being part of the CTS Explanations series. This is one I have had for a while but had not got around to reading. Maybe because in part I knew it would not be an easy read. I have a friend who has attempted suicide a few times over the 30 years I have known him and another who succeeded when I was much younger. I also have a brother who overdosed at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown’s. And I have had to deal with my own struggles with addictions and a long line of alcoholics on both sides of my family. So I did anticipate this small volume evoking a lot of emotions and feelings.

I really debated how to rate this volume, I gave it a 5/5 on kindle when I finished it. When I went to research for the review I switched it to a 4, then shortly after switched it back to 5. A five does not always mean it is a favourite book, sometimes it signifies it as an important read. And even though this is a decade old now I believe it is still a valuable and important volume. 

Dr. Pravin Thevathasan does a great job of given an overview and history of secular approaches, going back to ancient Rome. He also gives several examples from his own practice and cases he has worked on. He also provides numerous statistics and numbers, which I am sure, are much worse now a decade later, and after the pandemic and social isolation that caused for many. 

I hope those quotes above give you a feel for this volume. There is a lot of excellent material in this little volume. The first part of the book is an examination of the history, and then we are given some overviews of common illnesses, and finally some case studies.

This is an excellent little volume, even if not an easy read. It seems every time I read a book from the Catholic Truth Society I find 2 or three others I want to read. I have an ever growing wish list of eBooks, books in print, and books out of print I want to track down. I am very thankful I made the effort and worked through this volume. This is a good read, in a great series, and one I can easily recommend.  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Explanations series click here.

Books in the CTS Explanations Series:

Marriage Annulment in the Catholic Church
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Does the Church oppress Women?
Organ Transplant – and the definition of Death
Abortion

Be Yourself An Explanation of Humility - William Lawson SJ
Gene Therapy – and Human Genetic Engineering
Prenatal tests
Gift of life and Love
Islam
Euthanasia
Infertility
Homosexuality
Cloning and Stem Cell Research
Contraception and Chastity
Freemasonry and the Christian Faith
Intelligent Life in the Universe
Spirits, Mediums & The Afterlife

The History of the Mass Explained - Father Charles Dilke

Whatever Happened To Marriage
Witchcraft, Sorcery & Magic
Understanding the Ordinariate

Guide to Religious Freedom and the Law

Science and Religion The Myth of Conflict

Contraception and Chastity

Exorcism: Understanding Exorcism in Scripture and Practice

The Problem of Evil

20 Answers End of Life Issues

A Question of Death & Life

Wicca And Witchcraft Understanding The Dangers

What is Truth?

Conclave Step by Step through the Papal Interregnum

Reading the News Without Losing Your Faith

Artificial Intelligence

Catholicism and Mental Health

...

Lectio Divina, The Method - Jean Khoury

Lectio Divina, The Method

Jean Khoury

AmorVincit Publishing

ISBN 9798869556059

ASIN B004SHJER6

I read a slightly different edition of this volume called, Lectio Divina - CTS Deeper Christianity, from the Catholic Truth Society. I had had that eBook for a few years but had not got around to reading it. A friend on social medial post about this volume and also Lectio Divina at the School of Mary. I picked up this one right away, and when I started comparing them I realized the 2 I had were very similar. The CTS edition was originally published 2006 and is an exact translation of Respirare la Parola and the eBook was released in 2017. This one has a publication date of 2002. The description of this volume is:

“Spiritual reading of the bible (Lectio Divina) has a long and eminent tradition in the Church. In this booklet the method is described in a fresh and practical way, encouraging every Christian to take up the Bible and find in it a true guide for the intellect and for the actions of every day.”

The chapters in the book are:

Preface

The Basics of Lectio

The process of Lectio

Getting Lectio Right

Conclusion

About the author we are informed:

“Jean Khoury BSc MA received his Theology degrees from the Teresianum in Rome and from the Institut Catholique of Toulouse. He is presently completing his Ph.D. in Spiritual Theology at the Angelicum in Rome. Jean is a highly respected authority for his work on spiritual life and an international author of several books on spirituality and meditation, as well as many articles and studies on mysticism. He founded “The School of Mary”, a three level education into spiritual life.”

I enjoyed this volume very much and was challenged by it. While reading this book I highlighted several passages some of them are:

“This book revolutionises the method as it brings a greater clarity on the subject and proposes a simple but efficient way to listen to God daily. It makes the action of God accessible to everyone and shows that our dialogue with God can be very real. So from the image we may have of a ‘silent-distant-mysterious God’, we are led to a new experience where he speaks to us every day, follows us and transforms our lives.”

“The eternal and uncreated Word became human words to nourish us with his divine life. Like a beautiful stained glass window, the words of the Bible let the light of God shine through and illuminate us.”

“If Scripture is to nurture us, in both soul and spirit, we must be determined to let ourselves be disturbed, converted, jostled and enlightened by what we read, instead of looking for what may comfort us.”

“It is impossible to assert that one should live by blind faith alone, opposing it to the understanding we get from the Word of God. Faith finds its sustenance in God’s Word. If this Word is absent, faith becomes very meagre. Conversely, the Word of God, above all else, can fortify it. Faith is, firstly, the belief in a word that has been given.”

“We need to maintain a living and daily contact with the Word so that it may be active in our lives.”

“One’s faith is directly proportional to one’s contact with the Word of God.”

“Lectio is extremely important for spiritual life. It brings us to realise the deep mystery of our vocation: the incarnation of Christ in our life, in our entire being. We are beings who have been given an intellect, a will and freedom.”

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us of this: “Seek in reading and you will find in meditating; knock in mental prayer and it will be opened to you by contemplation” (CCC 2654).”

“The aim of lectio, as we are presenting it here, is to listen to Christ, to receive a living and active word every day.”

“The morning is the best time for this because the mind is freer and more vigorous, and the light received will be of use all throughout the day.”

“We begin by invoking the Holy Spirit. A possible prayer would be: ‘Come, Holy Spirit, illuminate me, help me to understand the Word today’.”

“Let us then ask the Lord to tell us what He wants: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” This is the first request and the most important one because the entire evolution of the process of lectio depends on it.”

“We should avoid applying our intellect to the text, as this would be a mistake. We need to be receptive, and that is the most difficult thing to be. Our intellect should not only be silenced but also ‘malleable’ before the text, just like a light-sensitive film, while we wait for a word, a sentence to speak out to us, to imprint itself upon us and come to life, more luminous and more intense than the remainder of the text.”

“We do not accomplish our Christian vocation through the force of our will but rather through the humility of our entreaty.”

“Lectio includes only two requests that bring two respective answers from God. The first request (1) (see diagram below) is: “Lord tell me what you want of me” or “let me see the step to take today”. And the second (2) is: “Lord, give me your Holy Spirit in order to incarnate and realise what you are asking of me”.”

“Indeed, the process of lectio consists neither in studying nor analysing a text, it consists in listening and being receptive to the word.”

“Lectio is a great way for us to be assured that we are doing God’s will. It is a way of verification, a test, a true and practical confirmation of our desire to love God; it tells us where we are in our love for God. Loving God is simply doing his will, and the quest for this will is at the heart of lectio.”

I cannot help but believe that this is a perfect time to read this little volume.  The CTS is just publishing a new Lectionary and Missals for the Church in England, Scotland, and Wales. I already have on preorder ‘The CTS New Daily Missal’, and having that new daily missal to apply the method in this volume if exactly what is proscribed. Till it arrives I will be doing it with my readings from the American’s in the USCCB. 

I hope those samples above will intrigue you enough to pick up this book and give it a try. I know that some today consider Lectio a dirty word. But after reading this I believe it is a most importantly practice and it is vitally important for deep growth.

Khoury has written numerous books on Lectio Divina, there is an different version of this volume, Lectio Divina - CTS Deeper Christianity, released in 2006. But this edition is the first in a series. I did a side by side comparison and they are very similar. I just wish the others in the series and by the author were available digitally. With a dual form of dyslexia I prefer the eBook so I can change the font and colour f page and font to make reading easier.

This book is one of those ones that I believe we really need today, in our current day and age. We need solid teaching, and spiritual nourishment. I have already read this one and plan to return to it again. This is a wonderful read no matter which edition you pick up. On the authors website are links to the daily readings for both the UK and the US, to use. An excellent book I can easily recommend.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews:  2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by Fr. Jean Khoury:

A Small Catechism on the Prayer of the Heart

Finished and Unfinished Lectio Divina

God Loves You

Igniting the Fire of Our Faith

Lectio Divina at the School of Mary

Lectio Divina - CTS Deeper Christianity

Lectio Divina in Daily Life

Lectio Divina, Mary and the Spirit

Lectio Divina, The Method

Luke's Final Pentecost

Mary's Fiery Prayer: Trinity, Altar, Fire and Offering

Praying the Mass

Praying with the Heart: The Little Way to Jesus

Seven Letters from your Angel

Small Catechism on Lectio Divina

Solid Foundations Handbook

The Foundations of Spiritual Life: according to St Teresa of Avila

The Interior Life of Mary in Monsieur Olier's letters

The Spiritual Journey: The Setting for Christian Hope

..

Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit - Sr. Mary Ann Fatula, OP - Keys to a Transformed Life and Joyful Heart

Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit: 

Keys to a Transformed Life and Joyful Heart

Sr. Mary Ann Fatula, OP

Sophia Institute Press

ISBN 9781644135068

eISBN 9781644135075

ASIN B09BBFJL4B

I read this as part of Father Mark Goring’s Saint Mark’s School of Reading. It is an excellent read. It was read transitioning into Lent, with part of the volume before Ash Wednesday and about half the lessons after. It was hard to stay at just a chapter a week with the School of Reading, but it was worth it to slow down with this volume. The beginning of the description of this book states:

“What a marvelous difference drawing close to the Holy Spirit makes in our lives!

Regardless of our past, or the trials afflicting us now or those we may face in the future, when we draw near to the Holy Spirit, our lives change for the better. Closeness with the Holy Spirit is the "secret" of holiness and happiness.

In this short yet penetrating work, Sr. Mary Ann Fatula reflects on how tenderly and powerfully the Holy Spirit offers us the precious gift of intimacy with Himself. Through the graces of our Baptism and Confirmation, the Holy Spirit-- the Third Divine Person who is the Father's and Son's sublime Love for Each other -- gives Himself to us to be our "Beloved," our mighty Healer, our intimate Friend and Consoler, our constant Companion and Strength, our gentle Teacher and Guide.”

The chapters in the work are:

Introduction

1. The Gift of Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

2. Loving the Person of Love

3. Prayer Inspired by the Holy Spirit

4. Our Healer and Comforter

5. Intimacy with the Holy Spirit and Our Baptism and Confirmation

Select Bibliography

Index of Scriptural Citations

Index of Names and Subjects

About the Author

About the author we are informed:

“Sr. Mary Ann Fatula, O.P., Ph.D., served as a professor of theology at Ohio Dominican University and for more than thirty years taught theology there. Sr. Mary Ann is the author of Catherine of Siena’s Way, The Holy Spirit: Unbounded Gift of Joy, and Thomas Aquinas, Preacher and Friend. Her most recent book is Heaven’s Splendor, published by Sophia Institute Press.”

I highlighted a few passages while reading this work, some of them are:

“Intimacy with the Holy Spirit is the “secret” of holiness, and of true happiness.”

“Intimacy with the Holy Spirit is at the very core of our Christian life (Gal. 5: 25) and is the blossoming within us of the most profound graces of our Baptism and Confirmation.”

“And, just as intimacy with the Holy Spirit inflamed the apostles’ zeal in proclaiming the risen Lord, it fills us also with a peace and joy that cannot help attracting others to the Lord.”

“The insights in this small book are drawn from saints whose secret of holiness and happiness was their own intimacy with the Holy Spirit. May these saints, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, help us to realize that the same “mighty Champion” who was victorious in them also wants to fill us with His transforming love and joy (Rom. 5: 5; Gal. 5: 22–23).”

“By our own experience, we learn that intimacy with the Holy Spirit is the secret of a transformed life and a joyful heart.”

“When we ask the Holy Spirit to possess us, we, too, will experience the immense difference that closeness with the Holy Spirit makes in our lives. Not only in the good times, but also when everything seems to be going wrong, let us give ourselves and all of our problems, all that causes us worry, stress, and anxiety, completely to the Holy Spirit. If we rely not on ourselves but on the Holy Spirit’s strength and grace, we, like the saints, will find that wonderful changes that we are powerless to achieve by our own efforts alone, the Holy Spirit will accomplish in us and for us.”

“Closeness to the Holy Spirit is not a reward offered to holy people but rather a healing remedy and precious gift meant for every one of us.”

“Many of us already have experienced wonderful blessings of the Holy Spirit’s intimate love for us, even if we have not always realized that the Holy Spirit is the One who has so tenderly imparted them to us.”

“We begin to “see” more deeply the wonders of our Baptism and Confirmation, the mercy given to us in the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick and the beautiful sacraments of Marriage and Ordination. Our desire grows to do something good with our lives, to have more love in our hearts for those close to us and for those who are in need.”

“How consoling it is to realize that the love that is charity does not depend on our feelings but on the Holy Spirit, who permeates our will with His love. Because our love comes from the Holy Spirit of love within us, the closer we draw to the Holy Spirit, the easier and more delightful it is for us to give this love to one another.”

“The more intimate our friendship with the Holy Spirit becomes, the more the Holy Spirit’s love gives us the contentment and grace to be freed from destructive relationships. Increasingly, we are healed of the need to use or to depend on other human persons for our happiness.”

“The ancient hymn “Come Creator Spirit” 61 suggests to us some of these “sweetest of names,” which we can use in prayer that calms our hearts and brings peace to our souls: “Most dear Holy Spirit, my Comforter, heal my heart.” “Sweet Love, possess my soul.” “Most sweet Holy Spirit, protect me from all evil.” “Dear Holy Spirit, fill me with Your love.” “Most sweet Holy Spirit, draw me close to the Father and the Lord Jesus.””

“It is no wonder that, as we draw near to the Holy Spirit in prayer, our love for our Father and trust in His provident care for us also deepen.”

“These varying kinds of prayer, inspired by the Holy Spirit within us, help us to form a habit of prayer throughout the day. Whatever we are doing, we can be humming, singing, or praying in our hearts. The Holy Spirit may inspire us to pray to our Father, to rest in His love, to thank and praise Him for His tender care and providence.”

“It is the Holy Spirit who increases our desire to attend Mass more frequently, to receive the precious gift of the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist, and even to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, nourishing our souls with Sacred Scripture and with writings of the saints.”

“Let us simply ask the Holy Spirit to heal us and our loved ones, to free our minds and hearts, to heal our bodies and souls, our thoughts and memories, our emotions and desires.”

“The sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is another powerful means of healing for us, not only for our sins but also for the pain and wounds that often cause our sins.”

“Wondrous sacrament of mercy! Through the sacred words of the confessor, Jesus Himself forgives us, and we are made free by the power of the Holy Spirit!”

“Enfolding us in His love, the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, is at work in every event of our lives, gently drawing us home to Heaven’s joy.”

“Regardless of how young we were when we were baptized, or how old we are when we begin to treasure and cooperate with our baptismal graces, it is never too late to ask the Holy Spirit to bring them to marvelous fruition in us.”

“After Pentecost, the apostles lived always in the intimate presence of the Holy Spirit, their constant Companion and beloved Friend.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. Many, many years ago when I was a first year student in University there was a very popular book by  Pentecostal minister Benny Hinn, called Good Morning, Holy Spirit, and though I neither endorse the book or author now, I remember the transformative power it had at the time on those who read it. This volume will have that same power, but is built upon the history of the church and the saints down through the ages. It is a book that can have lasting impact to change lives and through those changed lives to influence and help inspire change in others. 

This book will inspire us to grow in our relationship with the third member of the trinity, and through that growth, have even better relations with the Father and the son. It is a book that will challenge, but in a good way and inspire change. It will help us grow in understanding and in living our faith.

This was an excellent read as part of Father Mark Goring’s Saint Mark’s School of Reading. And again this time there was a guest talk by Sr. Elizabeth Marie and Fr. Isaac Longworth. It is an excellent volume. I encourage you to pick it up and read, and maybe join the school of reading and watch the videos that correspond to each chapter. This is a volume that has the power to change lives!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! 

Books by Sr. Mary Ann Fatula, OP:

Catherine of Siena’s Way

Drawing Close to the Holy Spirit

Heaven’s Splendor 

The Holy Spirit: Unbounded Gift of Joy

The Triune God of Christian Faith

The Wonders of the Mass and the Eucharist

Thomas Aquinas, Preacher and Friend

…