spiritual books

Many of the authors below have published several books. 

I have listed a representative title in most cases to get you started.

Categories of Books:

• What I'm Reading Now
• Catholic Bibles
• Classics
• Mentors
• Prayer
• Ignatian Prayer
• Poetry
• Visio Divina
• Jesuit Authors
• Discernment
• Spiritual Direction
• Devotionals spiritual growth and personal development

For spiritual growth and personal development, devotional reading or lectio divina.

• Re-reading The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times by Dean Brackley, SJ. A unique look at living Ignatian Spirituality in troubled times beyond fear to inner freedom and hope.

• The Four Quartets: by T.S. Eliot.  I suggest James Finley on the Wisdom of the Mystics podcast as your guide. It's too deep for most of us, otherwise. Check out the most recently completed series on T. S. Eliot. (May 2025, I am continuing this rich spiritual poetry as a daily reflection).

These are the bibles that I turn to again and again. 

Different translations aid in hearing the Word in a new way.

All Purpose:

The New Jerusalem Bible: Standard Edition, 1999

The New Jerusalem Bible: Saints Devotional Edition, 2002

Great Footnotes:

The Catholic Study Bible, 3rd Edition, 2016

Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy

Anonymous. The Cloud of Unknowing

Antoine de Saint Exupery. The Little Prince

Avila, Teresa. trans. by Allison Peers. Interior Castle

Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life

Bunyon, John. Pilgrim's Progress

Hurnard, Hannah. Hinds Feet on High Places

Lewis, C. S. The Screwtape Letters 

_______. The Chronicles of Narnia

Metaxas, Eric. Bonhoeffer

Metz, Johannes Baptist. Poverty of Spirit

Norwich, Julian trans. by Starr, Mirabai. The Showings of Julian of Norwich

St. Augustine. The Confessions

St. John of the Cross. Dark Night of the Soul

St. Therese of Lisieux. The Story of a Soul spirituality

Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms. 

Barton, DMin, pastor, and spiritual director, has numerous books related to spiritual transformation. She is a Protestant but clearly uses both Ignatian Spirituality and the Enneagram of Personality in her work.

Casey, Michael. A Guide to Living in the Truth: St. Benedict's Teaching on Humility 

Chittister, Joan. Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope 

Finley, James. Merton's Palace of Nowhere

Kidd, Sue Monk. When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions 

Linn, Dennis, and Sheila and Matthew Linn. Good Goats: Healing Our Image of God

Marion, Jim. Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality

Nouwen, Henri. The Inner Voice of Love

_________. Spiritual Formation: Following the Movement of the Spirit

Palmer, Parker. A Hidden Wholeness 

Remen, Rachel Naomi, MD. Kitchen Table Wisdom 

Ringma, Charles. Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen

Rohr, Richard. Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps 

_________. Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Second Half of Life

Rolheiser, Ronald. The Holy Longing: A Search for a Christian Spirituality 

Silf, Margaret. Companions of Christ

Houselander, Caryll. The Reed of God

Keating, Thomas. Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel 

McColman, Carl. The Big Book of Christian Mysticism 

Merton, Thomas. New Seeds of Contemplation 

Rolheiser, Ronald. Prayer Our Deepest Longing 

Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiedekehr. The Circle of Life: The Heart's Journey Through the Seasons 

O'Donohue, John. Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Rupp, Joyce. The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth 

_________. Prayer

Weiderkehr, Marina. Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day

Gallagher, Timothy. The Examen Prayer  

________.  An Introduction to Ignatian Prayer 

Harter, Michael. Hearts on Fire: Praying with the Jesuits 

Healey, Michael. Praying with the Jesuits: Finding God in All Things

Manney, Jim. An Ignatian Book of Days

Martin, James. Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone 

Merton, Thomas. New Seeds of Contemplation

Silf, Margaret. Close to the Heart: A Guide to Personal Prayer 

Thibodeaux, Mark. Armchair Mystic: Easing into Contemplative Prayer 

Barks, Coleman and Robert Bly et al., trans. The Illuminated Hafiz

Eliot, T. S. The Four Quartets: A Poem

      ...At the end of all our exploring 

Will be to arrive where we started 

And to know the place for the first time.

Hirshfield, Jane, Ed. Women in Praise of the Sacred - 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women

Murray, Joan, Ed. Poems to Live by in Uncertain Times

O'Donohue, John. Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

• Nouwen, Henri. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming 

• __________. Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons

Barry, William, SJ. Finding God in All Things

Boyle, Gregory, SJ. Tattoos on the Heart.

__________. Barking to the Choir

__________. The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness

__________. Forgive Everyone Everything.

Delp, Alfred. Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings.

De Mello, Anthony, SJ. Rediscovering Life: Awaken to Reality  

_________. Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality

_________. Seek God Everywhere

Fleming, David, SJ. What is Ignatian Spirituality?

Green, Thomas H, SJ. Weeds Among the Wheat: Discernment: Where Prayer and Action Meet

Brackley, Dean. The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times: New Perspectives on the Transformative Wisdom of Ignatius of Loyola

Gallagher, Timothy. Discernment of Spirits 

Liebert, Elizabeth.  The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making

Lonsdale, David. Listening to the Music of the Spirit: The Art of Discernment

Silf, Margaret. Inner Compass: An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality 

Sparough, et. al. What's Your Decision: How to Make Choices with Confidence and Clarity: An Ignatian Approach to Decision Making

Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms. 

Barton, DMin, pastor, and spiritual director, has numerous books related to spiritual transformation. She is a Protestant but clearly uses both Ignatian Spirituality and the Enneagram of Personality in her work. 

Blythe, Teresa. Spiritual Direction 101: the Basics of Spiritual Guidance 

Dykman, K. Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed, 2nd Edition: Uncovering Liberating Possibilities for Women

English, John, SJ. Spiritual Freedom: From an Experience of the Ignatian Exercises to the Art of Spiritual Guidance

Gratton, Carolyn. The Art of Spiritual Guidance

Green, Thomas H., SJ. Friend of the Bridegroom

Guenther, Margaret. Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction

Lindahl, Kay. The Sacred Art of Listening: Forty Reflections

May, Gerald. Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions

_________. Care of Mind / Care of Spirit

O'Brien, Kevin, SJ. The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Everyday Life

_________. Seeing with the Heart, 2023

Phillips, Susan. Candlelight: Illuminating the Art of Spiritual Direction 

Ruffing, Janet K. Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings

Savary, Louis M. The New Spiritual Exercises: In the Spirit of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Tucker, Lucy Abbott Tucker. Spiritual Direction Supervision: Principles, Practices, and Storytelling

Give Us This Day (available as monthly print and app included or app only)

 https://giveusthisday.org/Subscribe/Index. 

Magnificat (available as monthly print and app included or app only)

https://us.magnificat.net/home/discover

An Ignatian Book of Days. Jim Manney