The Ways of Mental Prayer - by Vitalis Lehodey (Paperback)

About the Book

First published 1907. One of the Church's great classics on mental prayer. Many approbations, including one from Pope St. Pius X. Divided into three parts: Prayer in General, Ordinary Mental Prayer, Mystical Prayer. Explains the advantages and joys of mental prayer, plus techniques and methods. Shows what to avoid and how to overcome the problems involved. Thorough and enlightening. Destined to lead many to divine intimacy--a foretaste of Heaven on earth.

Book Synopsis

The Ways of Mental Prayer ranks as one of the Church's greatest classics on prayer, and was highly recommended as such by Fr. Garrigou-LaGrange, the 20th Century's greatest authority on mystical theology. Here Dom Lehodey concentrates on the beginning stages of prayer, up through what is called the "prayer of quiet," but he also describes the higher forms of prayer, including the very summit, or the "prayer of union." In the process, he explains the advantages, the joys and-yes-the trials of mental prayer, plus he gives practical instructions on the methods of practicing this type of prayer. He also shows what to avoid and how to overcome the difficulties involved. By far the salient strength of this book is its description of how one goes from ordinary prayer to mystical prayer, which constitutes the giant step in the spiritual life. A wise and learned guide to spiritual matters, The Ways of Mental Prayer is a work destined to lead many to divine intimacy-a foretaste of Heaven on earth.

About the Author

Rt. Reverend Dom Vitalis Lehodey, O.C.R., admitted in his preface to Holy Abandonment that many other books on the subject have already been written. He went on to say, however, that every author who wrote on the spiritual life naturally discussed the topic of Conformity to God\'s Will. His intent with "Holy Abandonment" was to provide a work both theoretic and practical to offer a solution to the problems of our times. Dom Lehodey also expressed his mission to contribute something, even if it were little, to the ineffable glory of God. The book was originally published in 1934 and received the Nihil Obstat, Imprimatur and Imprimi Potest from Fathers Daly and Smets as well as from the Bishop of Waterford in the 1930s.
Sources:
TANBooks (front inside covers of "Holy Abandonment")