A historical sketch of the Catholic tradition of spiritual direction by means of letters : a representative selection

Abstract

Throughout the years many Christians while looking at their Christian lives as the way in which they were following Jesus Christ (the "sequela Christi"), understood that this was only possible because of the help of the Holy Spirit within them. They let him be active within them by cooperating with his grace in many ways. One of the most prominent and important among these ways was and still is, spiritual direction. Here, I shall trace spiritual direction by means of letters in the Catholic Tradition. I can say from the outset that this way of imparting spiritual direction was widely spread throughout all the years, throughout all the times of the history of the Catholic Church. Here, I intend to present just a bird's eye view ofthe most prominent people of the Catholic Church who imparted spiritual direction by the means of letters.