Schedule for Temporary Formation
Year I: Virtues and Gifts of the Holy Spirit [PDF]
Info Graphic: Garrigou Lagrange, The Spiritual Edifice
Required Texts:
- CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Lehodey, Rt. Rev. Dom Vitalis. The Ways of Mental Prayer.
(Charlotte, North Carolina: Tan Books, 1982.) [PDF] [Download: http://strobertbellarmine.net/books/Lehodey–MentalPrayer.pdf] - Christian Prayer (Red Book) (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Corp., 1976)
or the Four-volume set of Liturgy of the Hours - Ferrell, Walter My Way of Life (Confraternity of the Precious Blood, 1952)
- Lagrange, Garrigou. Three Ages of the Interior Life, Vol. 1. (Rockford, IL: 1947)
- Cameron, Rev. Peter J., O.P. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit According to St. Thomas Aquinas. (New Haven, CT: Knights of Columbus Supreme Council, 2002.) [PDF] [Download: https://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/_cis/_cis360.pdf]
- Marshall, Taylor R. Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages: A Quick Layman’s Guide to Thomism. (Electronic Copyright 2013 by Taylor R. Marshall.) Free download: http://taylormarshall.com/2013/05/free-book-is-ready-thomas-aquinas-in-50.html
- St. Catherine of Sienna, The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna [PDF] [Download: http://www.catholicplanet.com/ebooks/Dialogue-of-St-Catherine.pdf]
Recommended Reading:
- De Sales, Francis. Introduction to the Devout Life. (Vintage Books, 2002) [Download: https://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/devoutlife.pdf]
September – Meeting 1
The Powers of the Human Soul
- Describe the human person as a substantial union of body and soul
- Distinguish between the spiritual and the sensitive powers of the soul
- Distinguish btw irascible and the concupiscible emotions (passions) and list them
- Define “virtue” according to Thomas/Aristotle
- Distinguish between natural and supernatural virtues
- Identify the 3 theological virtues and the 4 moral (cardinal) virtues
- Identify which powers the virtues perfect
- List the qualities of a virtuous act (CCC 1834)
Marshall, Taylor R. Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages: A Quick Layman’s Guide to Thomism.
- pp 31-35 (Powers and Passions)
- pp 35-38 (Moral Virtues)
Lagrange, Garrigou. Three Ages of the Interior Life.
- Part 1 – Chapter 3:
Article 1, (The Natural Life and the Supernatural Life of the Soul)
pp 56-61 [PDF] or access from http://christianperfection.info/tta7.php#bk1
CCC 1803-1811; 1834 [PDF]
Study Questions [PDF]
October – Meeting 2
Theological Virtues and Moral Virtues
- Define the term Theological
- Explain St. Thomas’s development of the moral life through the action of man’s reason and will
- Distinguish between natural virtues and infused virtues
Marshall, Taylor R. Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages: A Quick Layman’s Guide to Thomism.
- pp 61-66 (Supernatural Theological Virtues)
Lagrange, Garrigou. Three Ages of the Interior Life.
- Part 1 – Chapter 3:
Article II, (The Theological Virtues)
pp 61-66 - Article III, (The Moral Virtues)
pp 66-77
[PDF] or access from http://christianperfection.info/tta7.php#bk2
Farrell, Walter. My Way of Life
- Part II – Chapter 7
“Unity in Human Action”
pp 235-240
CCC 1812-1829 [PDF]
Study Questions [PDF]
November – Meeting 3
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Describe the nature of the Gifts (pp 6-7)
- Distinguish between virtues and the Gifts
- List the 7 Gifts and when we receive them
- Readers may find it helpful to fill in the chart (see PDF) while reading. Identify the following for each gift:
- effects of its operation on Earth
- effects of its operation in Heaven
- the corresponding Beatitude(s)
- the virtue(s) perfected to the virtue(s) made perfect by this Gift
Cameron, Rev. Peter J., O.P. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit According to St. Thomas Aquinas
- The chapters on Fear of the Lord, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude
pp 1-22 [PDF]
Lagrange, Garrigou. Three Ages of the Interior Life.
- Part III – Chapter 7
“The Spiritual Edifice in Proficients” pp 72+76
Access here
Study Questions [PDF]
December – Meeting 4
Gifts of the Holy Spirit continued and in Mary
- Continue as above for the Gifts of Counsel, Understanding, Wisdom (using Guided Reading Chart)
- Consider the operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Mary
- Understand the conditions required for docility to the Holy Spirit
Cameron, Rev. Peter J., O.P. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit According to St. Thomas Aquinas
- Chapters on Counsel, Understanding, and Wisdom.
pp 22-42.
Lagrange, Garrigou. Three Ages of the Interior Life.
- Part III – Chapter 22:
“Conditions Required for Docility to the Holy Ghost”
pp 233-236 [PDF] or access from http://christianperfection.info/tta71.php#bk3
Study Questions [PDF]
January – Meeting 5
Gifts of the Holy Spirit to Mental Prayer
- Identify the four components of mental prayer
- Differentiate between vocal prayer and mental prayer
- Define active prayer and passive prayer
- Identify the three degrees of mental prayer: purgative, illuminative, and unitive
- Understand the Christian tradition of the life of prayer
Lehodey, Dom Vitalis, O.C.R. The Ways of Mental Prayer.
- Part I (On Prayer in General), Chs I-V
pp 1-59 [PDF]
St. Catherine of Sienna. The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna.
- “Treatise on Discretion” How This Bridge Has Three Steps
CCC 2697-2745 Life of Prayer (Expressions of Prayer) [PDF]
Study Questions [PDF]
February
Day of Recollection
March – Meeting 6
Mental Prayer
- Recognize the components of mental prayer: considerations, affections, petitions, and resolutions
- Define terms: discursive, affective, active contemplation, passive contemplation, acquired contemplation, prayer of simplicity
Lehodey, Dom Vitalis, O.C.R. The Ways of Mental Prayer.
- Part I, Ch. VI (Consolations and Dryness)
pp 60-82 [PDF] - Part II (On Ordinary Mental Prayer), Chs. I-VI
- pp 83-162 [PDF]
Recommended Reading:
- De Sales, Francis. Introduction to the Devout Life. (Vintage Books, 2002)
Part I, Chs. IX-XVIII (Examples of Meditation)
[Download: https://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/devoutlife.pdf]
Study Questions [PDF]
April – Meeting 7
May – Meeting 8
June – Meeting 9
July – Meeting 10
August – Meeting 11