Lesson 9: Assignments and Readings
Reading Assignments
Jordan Aumann, O.P., Spiritual Theology (Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, 1980), Chapter Nine: “Means of Spiritual Growth.”
Possible Writing Assignments:
1. What importance does sacramental confession (even in the absence of mortal sin) have for the spiritual life? What is so important about explicitly admitting one’s sins and weaknesses?
2. What role does the Eucharist have in the spiritual life? It may be helpful to discuss some of the prevalent misunderstandings of this sacrament in order to bring out what is essential about this sacrament for the spiritual life of Christians.
Suggested Readings
On Penance and Reconciliation:
- John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Reconciliation and Penance (1984)
On the Anointing of the Sick and the Spirituality of Suffering:
- John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris, On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering (1984)
On Marriage:
- Letter to the Ephesians, especially chapter 5 on the likeness of Christ and His Church to husband and wife.
- Kippley, Sex and the Marriage Covenant (Cincinnati: Couple to Couple League International, 1991)
On Holy Orders:
- Dulles, S.J. The Priestly Office: A Theological Reflection (New York: Paulist Press, 1997), especially Chapter 5: “The Priest as Disciple.”
- Another fine recent work on this subject is Quickening the Fire in our Midst: The Challenge of Diocesan Priestly Spirituality by George A. Aschenbrenner (Chicago: Jesuit Way, 2002).
- An older but very valuable work is Christ the Ideal of the Priest by Abbot Marmion, O.S.B., translated by Dom Matthew Dillon (St. Louis: B. Herder, 1952).
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