Spiritual Direction is NOT Spiritual Reading

Spiritual reading is the practice of quietly reading and reflecting on a text that can help us better understand how to love God and others. Though this is most definitely an important practice it is not the same or even a good replacement for spiritual direction because it lacks a the third most important element (besides you and the Holy Spirit)… a person who, in this present life, can help you understand God’s... Read More

Who are the doctors of the Church and why should I care?

Q: Dear Dan, I am a convert and a mom. I have recently decided that my faith needed deepening and have begun to delve deeper into it through prayer, confession, reading, talking to my priest etc. He told me about your site and today I came across an article you answered on spiritual development. You said, “Otherwise, if you want a fool proof way to stay within the sublime wealth and spiritual tradition of the Church, stick... Read More

Should I read or consume non-Catholic devotional or bible study materials?

Q: Dear Dan, should I read or use non Catholic devotional or bible study materials? A: This is a very important question. There are other cousin questions that follow the same line of concern. “Should I attend non-Catholic bible studies?” “Should I read protestant commentaries on scripture?” Before I answer this I must make one thing abundantly clear. An Important Disclaimer I am in no way anti-protestant or anti-anyone... Read More

Tattered Titles – And the winners are…

A while back we asked you, “What are the most tattered titles on your nightstand?” You answered with vigor and the responses were so numerous that we thought it might be helpful to summarize what our readers recommended. One of our amazing volunteers compiled every response and then put them into a spreadsheet. I was fascinated, surprised, and delighted to see how the top ten list emerged. The top three were 1)... Read More

I am concerned about avoiding New Age influence in my spriritual reading program, can you help?

Q: Dear Dan, I was inspired by Fr. John’s post on spiritual reading a while back. A friend has recommended “The Cloud of Unknowing” to me but I am worried about slipping into Catholic books that claim to be Catholic but that promote New Age thought through centering prayer and mixing Catholic prayer with non-Christian prayer teachings. Anyway, I wanted to get your advice on where I could/should start a... Read More