Your Life in the Holy Spirit: What every Catholic needs to know and experience
– Alan Schreck (2007)
This insightful book explores essential questions about the Holy Spirit raised by the author’s study of the Bible. It delves into a series of questions that captivated the author’s attention while reading the Bible: “Does your life in Christ strengthen you? Does His love bring you comfort? Do you experience fellowship with the Holy Spirit?” Over the following ten chapters, these questions are explored and answered. It reveals the Spirit’s role as the life-giving, cleansing, and teaching power of the Trinity. The book clarifies misconceptions and emphasizes the Spirit’s relevance to our daily lives. It covers Pentecost, the Spirit’s role in prayer, speaking in tongues, and the necessity of the Spirit for true holiness. The author highlights similarities between early Church worship and aspects of present-day Catholic worship. The ten chapters, commencing with the chapter titled “Who is the Holy Spirit,” offer a refreshing and profound understanding of the undeniable reality of the faith experience, drawing extensively from biblical references. The book leads us through the initial encounter at Pentecost and explores its profound influence on the world.Additionally, the book addresses the often misunderstood topic of speaking in tongues or glossolalia. In the present-day Church, the work of the Spirit is channeled through a more complete and uninhibited utilization of the gifts bestowed by the Spirit. All Christians possess these charisms, and so employing them as members of the Body of Christ is essential for facing the challenges of our time.Ultimately, it encourages believers to embrace the Spirit’s Gifts to meet the challenges of today.
The Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin Catherine of Siena-Translated by Algar Thorold
A New and Abridged Edition (1994.)
St. Catherine of Siena, a celebrated doctor of the Church, was born in 1347 in Siena, Italy. Despite her humble background and lack of formal education, she displayed exceptional spiritual insight from a young age. Catherine experienced divine visions and received the stigmata before her death at 33. Although she never joined a religious order, she became a member of the Dominican Third Order. Her extensive correspondence and the allegorical masterpiece, “The Dialogue of Divine Providence,” showcase her profound spiritual wisdom. “The Dialogue” was believed to have been dictated between 1377 and 1378, during a state of ecstasy while God the Father spoke to her. The book is structured around four petitions to God, with responses presented metaphorically and allegorically. Catherine’s answers emphasize the importance of cultivating virtue, prayer, and obedience. Her explanations are practical, simple, and relatable, using everyday life imagery. She presents requests for herself, the reformation of the Church, prayers for the world and peace, and Divine Providence for specific concerns. The work focuses on four dominant subjects: Divine Providence, Discretion, Prayer, and Obedience. These provide vital guidance for deepening one’s faith and fostering a close relationship with God. “The Treatise of Obedience” extols the virtues of obedience and offers guidance to those under the authority of an abbot, priest, or spiritual director. Obedience is portrayed as the key to Heaven, and the soul should bind it to her girdle like a cord. Obedience forgives sins and human shortcomings. In summary, St. Catherine of Siena’s writings, provide profound insights and guidance for living a faithful life. Her spiritual wisdom, expressed through practical examples and relatable imagery, offers lessons on virtue, prayer, and obedience, allowing readers to deepen their relationship with God and navigate the challenges of Christian life.
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