Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Many people ask if we have any suggestions for spiritual reading or books/documents that may assist with their discernment. The first and best source is Sacred Scripture. By allowing the Word of God to become part of our daily lives, we are more attentive to His promptings and call.
After the Bible, we offer the following suggestions. The Church Documents are especially insightful, as they give tremendous clarity to the Church’s vision for religious life.
Church Documents
- Perfectae Caritatis
- Essential Elements in the Church’s Teaching on Religious Life
- Vita Consacrata
- Starting Afresh from Christ
- Fraternal Life in Community
- The Contemplative Dimension of Religious Life
- The Service of Authority and Obedience
Franciscan Sources
- Francis of Assisi: Early Documents (I. The Saint**; II. The Founder; III. The Prophet)
**This volume contains the earliest biography of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano. We recommend this as the first biography anyone should read. Celano wrote the First and Second Life (Biographies) of St. Francis. - Celano’s First Life is available here online.
- St. Clare of Assisi: Early Documents
- The Life of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Bonaventure
Other Books on Discernment & Religious Life
- The Foundations of Religious Life: Revisiting the Vision
- And You are Christ’s: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life (Fr. Thomas Dubay)
- When God Asks for An Undivided Heart (Fr. Andrew Apostoli)
- The Courage to be Chaste (Fr. Benedict Groeschel)
- Discerning Religious Life (Mother Clare Matthiass, CFR)
- Obedience (Fr. Cantalemessa)
- Poverty (Fr. Cantalamessa)
- Virginity (Fr. Cantalamessa)
Spiritual Classics
- He Leadeth Me (Fr. Ciszek)
- Abandonment to Divine Providence (Fr. de Caussade)
- Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis de Sales)
- Happy are You Poor (Fr. Dubay)
- Saints: A Closer Look (Fr. Dubay)
- Fire Within (on Prayer) (Fr. Dubay)
- Confessions of St. Augustine
- The Wellspring of Worship (Fr. Corbon)
- The Cost of Discipleship (Bonhoeffer)
Other Suggestions
- The Cloud of Unknowing (Anonymous)
- Imitation of Christ (Thomas a Kempis)
- Interior Castle (St. Teresa of Avila)
- Dark Night of The Soul (St. John of the Cross)
- The Practice of the Presence of God (Br. Lawrence)
- Mere Christianity (Lewis)
- Orthodoxy (Chesterton)
- Authenticity : A Biblical Theology of Discernment (Fr. Dubay)
- Uniformity with God’s Will (St. Alphonsus)
- Story of a Soul (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)