For permission to quote from publications to which they hold the copyright, I cordially thank Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc., Benziger Bros., P.J. Kenedy & Sons, the Newman Press, the Paulist Press,
(American Quarterly of Papal Documents), the Society of the Divine Word (Prayer for Priests by Father Bruno Hagspiel, S.V.D.), and Sheed & Ward, Inc.
Quotations taken from the Documents of Vatican II are from the Abbott-Gallagher edition, reprinted with permission of America Press, Inc., 106 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019 copyright 1966. All rights reserved.
The author wishes to acknowledge gratefully assistance in typing this manuscript afforded by Sister Claire Cayer and Mrs. Marguerite Donovan.
References are almost always given in the text; footnotes are ordinarily reserved for more detailed explanations of the matters treated in the text.
S.T. indicates the Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Prefatory Letter from Cardinal Suenens
Introduction
PART ONE
HAPPINESS & THE WAY TO HAPPINESS
1. The Way to Happiness
2. Happiness Now & In Eternity
3. Hammer: Reading the Scriptures
4. And Fire: Prayer
5. The Obstacles to our Happiness
PART TWO
PLAN OF HAPPINESS
6. The Angels. Our First Parents. The Predominant Fault.
7. Mary, the Reflection of the Fathers Happiness and Word
8. The New Adam and Eve
9. Life from the Dead
10. I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
11. Fire on Earth
12. Saint Joseph
PART THREE
MEANS TO HAPPINESS
13. From the Side of Christ: The Church
14. The Sacraments: Channels of Grace
15. The Liturgy and Liturgical Prayer
16. Jesus in the Eucharist
17. Forgiveness: The Sacrament of Reconciliation
18. Vocations: Marriage; the Single State; the Consecrated Single State
19. Vocations: The Priesthood and the Religious State
PART FOUR
A CONTEMPORARY PRAYER MOVEMENT
20. The Charismatic Renewal
PART FIVE
PROGRESS IN THE LIFE OF HAPPINESS
21. Divine Adoption & The Theological Virtues
22. Faith, Our Foundation
23. Hope, Our Anchor
24. Charity
25. Hinges of the Soul: The Cardinal Virtues
26. More About the Cardinal Virtues: Temperance & Humility
27. Progress in the Virtues and Gifts. The Particular Examen.
28. True Devotion. The Faculties. Temptation. Retreats.
29. The Last Things
PART SIX
MENTAL BALANCE & THE DEGREES OF THE LIFE OF HAPPINESS
30. Psychological Advice
31. The Role of Grace in Mental Balance
32. Two in One Spirit: The Degrees of the Spiritual Life
33. Degrees Concluded & Illustrated by Saint Thrse
34. Spiritual Direction
35. A Complete Program of the Spiritual Life
APPENDIX
Practical Hints on Spiritual Reading
Cardinal Merciers Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Prayer for Priests
A Prefatory Letter fromLeo-Joseph Cardinal Suenens
April 1987
Dear Father,
In this new and revised edition of your book on prayer you touch, in a deep and happy way, many aspects that situateprayer in the fullness of life and human happiness.
You should not be surprised that I appreciated particularly what you say to our dear charismatic prayer groups. You rightly insist on the fact that the gifts of the Spirit are meant to lead to an esteem and longing above all for the highest gift, charity, and for the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit. As you say: Where charity and the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit are not primarily sought, the Charismatic Renewal becomes unbalanced and misdirected and loses the guidance of the Spirit. This is the message of Saint Paul for all the ages. Thank you for repeating it to all of us.
Your book touches a variety of aspects which bring prayer into the full context of human, liturgical and even ecumenical life.
May this book be a help for many, and equip them for apostolic fruitfulness in the various conditions in which they live. May this Marian Year starting at Pentecost teach our Christians to beunited deeply with Mary, Mother of the Church, and thus to be open to the fullness of the working of the Holy Spirit.
Your book should be read in that light by many.
With my very cordial good wishes,
(signed) L.J. Card. Suenens
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of Thy Love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let Us Pray
O God, who did instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that in the same Spirit we may relish what is wise and always rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord.