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Suggested Books

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DIRECTED RETREATS BY KAREN SHIELDS WRIGHT
18th Annotation Directed Retreats Based on the Spiritual Exercises
(for use alone, in a parish group, or with weekly one-on-one spiritual direction)

  • The 10-Week Ignatian Encounter (download; email for password)

  • A Step 11 Retreat for Those of the Big Book (download; email for password)

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I. ST. IGNATIUS: HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS

About St. Ignatius

  • The Pilgrim Story: The Life and Spirituality of Saint Ignatius of Loyola — Brendan Comerford, SJ (an easy read)

  • St. Ignatius’ Own Story (Autobiography) — translated by William J. Young, SJ

  • A Pilgrim’s Testament: The Memoirs of St. Ignatius of Loyola — Barton T. Geger, SJ (with commentary)

  • A Pilgrim’s Journey: The Autobiography of Ignatius of Loyola — Joseph N. Tylenda, SJ (with commentary)

  • Personal Writings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola — translated by Joseph A. Munitiz, SJ, and Philip Endean, SJ

  • Saint Ignatius Loyola: Letters to Women — edited by Hugo Rahner, SJ

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II. IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY

Introductions to Ignatian Spirituality

  • What Is Ignatian Spirituality? — David L. Fleming, SJ

  • Ignatian Spirituality A to Z — Jim Manney

  • Contemplatives in Action: The Jesuit Way — William A. Barry, SJ

  • Inner Compass: An Invitation to Ignatian Spirituality — Margaret Silf

  • Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: An Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality — David Lonsdale

  • An Ignatian Spirituality Reader: Contemporary Writings — George W. Traub, SJ, editor

  • Ignatian Christian Life: A New Paradigm — Rossano Zas Friz De Col, SJ

  • The Ignatian Way: A Pilgrimage in the Footsteps of St. Ignatius — José Luis Iriberri, SJ, and Chris Lowney

On Finding God

  • Finding God in All Things: A Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius — William A. Barry, SJ

  • Finding God Again: Spirituality for Adults — John J. Shea

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III. PRAYER

Ignatian Prayer Methods

  • Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Praying with Scripture — Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

  • An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer: Scriptural Reflections According to the Spiritual Exercises — Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

The Examen

  • A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Examen — Jim Manney

  • The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today — Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

  • Reimagining the Ignatian Examen — Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ

  • Awareness — Anthony de Mello, SJ

On Prayer — William A. Barry, SJ

  • God and You: Prayer as a Personal Relationship

  • A Friendship Like No Other: Experiencing God’s Amazing Embrace

  • God’s Passionate Desire

  • Here’s My Heart, Here’s My Hand: Living Fully in Friendship with God

  • Praying the Truth: Deepening Your Friendship with God through Honest Prayer

  • Seek My Face: Prayer as Personal Relationship in Scripture

  • Discernment in Prayer: Paying Attention to God

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IV. DISCERNMENT

Discernment of Spirits — Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

  • The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living

  • The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living — Reader’s Guide

  • Spiritual Consolation: An Ignatian Guide for the Greater Discernment of Spirits

  • Setting Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits

Finding God’s Will: Making Decisions

  • Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making — Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

  • God’s Voice Within: The Ignatian Way to Discover God’s Will — Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ

  • What’s Your Decision? An Ignatian Approach to Decision Making — J. Michael Sparough, SJ, Jim Manney, and Tim Hipskind, SJ

  • Living Against the Grain: How to Make Decisions That Lead to an Authentic Life — Tim Muldoon

  • Discernment: The Art of Choosing Well, Based on Ignatian Spirituality — Pierre Wolff

  • The Art of Discernment: Making Good Decisions in Your World of Choices — Stefan Kiechle, SJ

  • Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life — Henri J. M. Nouwen

  • The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times — Dean Brackley, SJ

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V. THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

If You Are Considering Making the Spiritual Exercises

  • Letting God Come Close: An Approach to the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises — William A. Barry, SJ

Translations of the Spiritual Exercises
(English translations of the original text, used by directors giving the Exercises one-on-one in the 30-day retreat or the 30-week retreat [19th Annotation])

  • The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius — translated by Louis J. Puhl, SJ

  • The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius: A Translation and Commentary — George E. Ganss, SJ

  • The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, with Commentary — Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ

  • Draw Me into Your Friendship: The Spiritual Exercises, A Literal Translation and a Contemporary Reading — David L. Fleming, SJ

  • The Ignatian Collection — Word on Fire

19th Annotation Retreats
(texts used by the director when giving the Spiritual Exercises with weekly spiritual direction sessions)

  • The Ignatian Adventure — Kevin O’Brien, SJ

18th Annotation Retreats: Self-Directed
(for use alone, in a parish group, or with weekly one-on-one spiritual direction)

  • 30 days: Ascending with Ignatius: An At-Home Retreat — Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ (book and YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riU6QDPbifc&list=PLSWflyU3UHB4knrduQwhpmZ-XnVHQMHdX)

  • 8 weeks: Meeting Christ in Prayer: An 8-Week Life-Enriching Experience Based on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius — Mary Ann McLaughlin et al.

  • 12 weeks: Finding Christ in the World: A Twelve-Week Ignatian Retreat in Everyday Life — Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ, and Carol Atwell Ackels

  • 34 weeks: Retreat in the Real World: A Self-Guided Ignatian Experience — Andy Alexander, SJ, et al.

  • 50 weeks: The Gift of Spiritual Intimacy: Following the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius — Monty Williams, SJ

Self-Directed Retreats in the Ignatian Tradition
(for use alone or in a parish group)

  • An Invitation to Love: A Personal Retreat on the Great Commandment — William A. Barry, SJ

  • An Ignatian Pathway: Experiencing the Mystical Dimension of the Spiritual Exercises — Paul Coutinho, SJ

  • The Strangest Way: Walking the Christian Path — Bishop Robert Barron

  • Untold Blessings: Three Paths to Holiness — Bishop Robert Barron

  • An 8-Day Ignatian Retreat for Priests, Religious, Deacons, and Lay Ministers — Thomas Rauch, SJ

  • Forty Weeks: An Ignatian Path to Christ with Sacred Story Prayer — William M. Watson, SJ

  • A 12-Step Approach to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius — Jim Harbaugh, SJ

  • Cannonball Moments: Telling Your Story, Deepening Your Faith — Eric A. Clayton

Ignatian Reflections for Every Day of the Year
(for use alone)

  • Thoughts of St. Ignatius Loyola for Every Day of the Year — Patrick Ryan, SJ

  • An Ignatian Book of Days — Jim Manney

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VI. OTHER TRADITIONS AND AUTHORS

Devotions

  • Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits — Michael Harter, SJ, editor

  • Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life — Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD

Fr. Jacques Philippe

  • Interior Freedom

  • In the School of the Holy Spirit

  • Time for God

Marian Devotion

  • The Glories of Mary — St. Alphonsus Liguori

  • True Devotion to Mary — St. Louis de Montfort

The Carmelite Tradition

  • The Practice of the Presence of God — Brother Lawrence

  • The Way of Perfection — St. Teresa of Ávila

  • The Interior Castle — St. Teresa of Ávila

St. John of the Cross

  • The Ascent of Mount Carmel

  • The Dark Night

  • The Spiritual Canticle

  • The Living Flame of Love

Contemporary Contemplative Tradition

Thomas Merton

  • The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation

  • Seeds of Contemplation

  • The Ascent to Truth

  • The Seven Storey Mountain

  • Thomas Merton, Spiritual Master: The Essential Writings — edited by Lawrence S. Cunningham

Henri J. M. Nouwen

  • Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

  • The Wounded Healer

  • Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons

 

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An Invitation to Begin a Conversation

Whether you are considering ongoing spiritual direction, the Spiritual Exercises, a retreat, or a discernment consultation, I welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

203-629-2727

Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

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Virtual spiritual direction and retreats are available.

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