Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction by Blessed Columba Marmion [Paperback]

Columba Marmion (Author), Raymond Thibaut (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2006

One of Mother Teresa’s favorite books, Union with God is a collection of letters written by Blessed Columba Marmion to the many persons who sought his spiritual counsel with questions about prayer, faith, temptation, suffering, and the struggles of daily life. Marmion excelled in the art of letter-writing — his advice was always simple and direct, yet profound. In his letters we see him bringing to bear his great depth of theological knowledge in a practical and human way. Union with God offers warm, practical counsel from a spiritual master whom Popes and Bishops looked to for inspiration.

“The letters of spiritual direction in this volume are a treasure chest of wisdom and insight. Reading this book is like having a personal conversation with the Abbot.”
–Fr. Benedict Groeschel

“Truly, this is an inspiring, hope-giving work. For those of us in the trenches, who seem like we never move forward, Dom Columba raises the battle cry that will jolt us out of complacency and send us forward.”
–Steven Riddle, Flos Carmeli weblog

“Union with God is indeed a treasure for anyone who is desirous of getting closer to God. What is remarkable about Blessed Marmion is that he always goes to the heart of the matter with a warmth that inspires one to listen attentively to his counsel. The letter format makes the book reader friendly, especially for those of us who have limited time for spiritual reading.”
–Professor Marie I. George, Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly

“Here you’ll find wise advice about prayer and spiritual growth, virtues and perfection, temptation and trials, detachment and devotion. No wonder this was a favorite book of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.”
–Paul Thigpen, The Catholic Answer

“If you are looking for a good spiritual director, choose Blessed Columba Marmion... From his place in heaven he remains attentive to souls and ready at every moment to direct them to Christ.”
–Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby, Vultus Christi weblog

“God’s mercy is infinite like God Himself. If we lay open our soul to Him with all its infirmities and sins, His Divine gaze penetrates this abyss of which we cannot see the bottom. His gaze goes into the most hidden recesses and brings us strength and light.”
–Blessed Columba Marmion, writing in Union with God

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in Ireland, Blessed Columba Marmion served for several years as a priest in Dublin before finding a vocation to the monastery. One of the great Catholic authors of the 20th century, his books, acclaimed by Popes and lay faithful alike, sold some 1.5 million copies.

     In 1966 an American woman diagnosed with terminal cancer, told by her doctors she had three months to live, visited Marmion’s tomb at the suggestion of her brother, a Benedictine monk. Her miraculous cure, which she attributed to Marmion’s intercession, led to Blessed Columba’s Beatification by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

     Many of his admirers believe Marmion will one day not only be canonized, but also declared a Doctor of the Church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: Zaccheus Press (December 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972598162
• ISBN-13: 978-0972598163
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,236 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A goldmine of spiritual direction, January 20, 2007

By 

Jeffrey Miller "The Curt Jester" (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction by Blessed Columba Marmion (Paperback)

it is rather hard to come up with a review that this book deserves. The format of the book is quite interesting. Dom Raymond Thibaut took a large number of letters used for spiritual direction written by Blessed Columba Marmion and arranged excerpts of them by topic with short introductions ranging from a sentence to a paragraph or more on the points that Marmion was writing about.

This book is pure gold. I started highlighting parts of the book when I came upon profound spiritual passages, but soon determined I would save time by simply dying the pages of the book yellow. So much of the book truly resounded with me and stayed with me throughout the day I as used this book a spiritual reading in the morning. He is able to put things so well that they really broke through to me even when I was pretty much aware of basic idea of what he was saying before. As always there is a great distance from head knowledge and truly understanding something with your heart.

Blessed Columba Marmion letters of spiritual direction included a large range of people. They were prominently addressed to women religious, but included those thinking of the religious life, those just starting religious life, and a range of people with various levels of spiritual perfection, along with heads of religious communities and married women. Regardless of where somebody was in the spiritual life Marmion was able to provide direction. His advice was always soaked with scripture and the obvious experience of a contemplative who knew the deep things of God. Marmion would advise and sometimes chastise those he corresponded with and even when he had to tell them he thought they were on the wrong path - the way he wrote it is doubtful if anybody could become angry from the loving way he wrote them.

The book contains lots of correspondence with those who were entering or living in Carmel and it was quite obvious that Blessed Marmion was quite familiar with Carmelite spirituality especially as related to the founders of the Discalced Carmelites St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila - whose words he used often. Blessed Marmion was himself a Benedictine and as fitting he also used much of the wisdom from the writings of St. Benedict along with a slew of other great spiritual writers like St. Francis de Sales.

Included in the book is a letter he wrote to the Pope in 1911 to add to the request for the cause of Servant of God for Sister Therese of the Child Jesus, now of course St. Therese. He obviously immediately recognized the greatness of the Little Way that was the basis for her becoming a Doctor of the Church. Another of his letters of spiritual direction was one written to one of the people under his charge as abbot of Maredsous Abbey. The person was considering leaving the Benedictines to join the Carthusians. In it you are certain that if Blessed Marmion had thought that this person had a vocation to the Carthusians he would have blessed him on his way, though in this case he thought it was a temptation and that must be rejected and he forthrightly told him so, but with much love.

Even though the advice in this book was largely aimed at priests and religious the usefulness of his advice is suited to everybody regardless of their state of life. I could not recommend this book higher.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wise spiritual direction for lovers of God, November 22, 2007

By 

J. Rieping "Theophilus" (California, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction by Blessed Columba Marmion (Paperback)

I read a worn and yellowed hardbound copy of "Union with God" from the extensive collection of a seminary library in Oregon, and much of the book touched my heart. Realizing I would not have access to this treasure forever and unable at the time to find the book in print, I filled half of a blank journal with handwritten excerpts of this book. This personal project took me many weeks of spare time as a monk in temporary vows, but I considered the counsel it gave to be that important to remember.

The author was a Benedictine abbot of a monastery in Belgium and was very popular as both a retreatmaster and a spiritual director. Although his monks spoke French, which he also learned, his native language was English as he was born and raised in Ireland.

The author's other writings are also highly to be considered, especially "Christ the Life of the Soul." They're like devotional introductions to practical (Thomistic) theology and scripture study that feeds the heart and enflames it with greater love for God.

Returning to the subject at hand, I should probably add that the excerpts of letters in this book were mostly written to women, and most of them were striving for a life of devotion to God, whether as consecrated nuns or sometimes as women in the world. That said, there is a great deal of encouragement in there for struggling souls, such as myself, who falter in so many ways in the pursuit of holiness. He is writing to very real and fallible people.

For anyone who earnestly wants to grow in their union with God and yet, despite their desire, stumbles much -- consider this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Guidence, March 27, 2009

By 

James L. Hawes (Oakland, Iowa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction by Blessed Columba Marmion (Paperback)

I was in search of a Spiritual Director, when a Priest recommended this book. I highly recommend Blessed Columbia Marmion's letters, for anyone in need of spiritual guidance and direction. It is not an easy read, however is well worth the effort.