Thirteen saints and spiritual writers guide Christians into a deeper relationship with Christ in new book

SAN FRANCISCO — Can saints and mystics who lived long ago guide Christians in today’s modern world? Absolutely, argues Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes in his book, SPIRITUAL MASTERS: LIVING AND PRAYING IN THE CATHOLIC TRADITION (Ignatius Press), which compiles thirteen of those great saints and helps Christians to lay the path towards greater intimacy with God in their everyday lives in today’s world.

Archbishop Hughes, a native of Boston, was ordained a priest in 1957. Having secured a doctorate in Spiritual Theology at the Gregorian University, he served in parish, seminary and administrative roles in Boston. Pope St. John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Baton Rouge in 1993 and Archbishop of New Orleans in 2002. As Emeritus, he now serves at Notre Dame Seminary.

SPIRITUAL MASTERS guides Christians who want to deepen their spiritual lives but may not know where to begin. There is an immense number of spiritual books in publication, yet Archbishop Hughes manages to condense the main points of understanding solitude, sin, prayer and suffering into concise and manageable chapters, headlined by powerhouse saints and mystics.

Among the great saints and spiritual writers whose writings are included in SPIRITUAL MASTERS are Augustine, Anthony of the Desert, Aelred, Teresa of Avila, Benedict, Guigo, Catherine of Siena, Walter Hilton, Francis de Sales, Ignatius of Loyola, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Thomas à Kempis, and John of the Cross.

“Many Christians who want to grow in holiness desire to read the spiritual classics, but often aren’t sure where to begin,” said Dr. Brant Pitre, author of Introduction to the Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus. “This is a beautiful, readable and inspiring guide to the lives and writings of the greatest saints and mystics in Church history. This is an introduction to the spiritual masters written by a spiritual master. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”

For more information, to request a media review copy, or to schedule an interview with Archbishop Hughes, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or [email protected]) of Carmel Communications.

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