Recommended Resources

Apophthegmata Patrum

• The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection. Trans. Benedicta Ward, SLG. London: Mowbrays, 1975.
• The Desert Fathers. Trans. Helen Waddell. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1936.

Athanasius

• The Life of Anthony and the Letter to Marcellinus. Trans. Robert C. Gregg. Classics of Western Spirituality (CWS). New York: Paulist Press, 1980.

Basil

• Ascetical Works. Trans. M. Monica Wagner. Fathers of the Church 9. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America (CUA) Press, 1950.

Benedict of Nursia

• RB 1980: The Rule of St. Benedict. Ed. Timothy Fry, OSB. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1981.

Cassian

• The Institutes and Conferences. Trans. Edgar C.S.Gibson. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 11. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964.
• Conferences. Trans. Colm Luibheid. Classics of Western Spirituality (CWS). New York: Paulist Press, 1985.

Evagrius Ponticus

• Evagrius Ponticus: The Praktikos: Chapters on Prayer. Trans. John Eudes Bamberger. Cistercian Studies 4. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1972.
• The “Ad Monachos” of Evagrius Ponticus: Its Structure and a Select Commentary. Driscoll, Jeremy, OSB. Rome: Studia Anselmiana 104 (1991).
• The Mind’s Long Journey to the Holy Trinity: The Ad Monachos of Evagrius Ponticus. Trans. and intro. Jeremy Driscoll, OSB. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1993.

Gregory the Great

• Dialogues. Trans. Odo J. Zimmerman. Washington, DC: The Catholic University of American (CUA) Press, 1959.
• The Life and Miracles of St. Benedict: Book Two of the Dialogues. Trans. Odo J. Zimmerman and Benedict Avery. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1949.
• The Life of Saint Benedict. Trans. Hilary Costello and Eoin de Bhaldraithe. Commentary by Adalbert de Vogüé. Petersham, MA: St. Bede Publications, 1993.
• Pastoral Care. Trans. and annotated Henry Davis, SJ. Ancient Christian Writers (ACW)

John Climacus

• The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Trans. Colm Luibheid and Norman Russell. Classics of Western Spirituality (CWS). New York: Paulist Press, 1957.
• Origen
• The Song of Songs: Commentary and Homilies. Trans. and annotated R.P.Lawson. Ancient Christian Writers (ACW) 26. Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1957.

Pachomius

• Pachomian Koinonia. Vol. I: The Life of St. Pachomius and His Disciples. Trans. Armand Veilleux, OCSO. Cistercian Studies 45. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1980.
• Pachomian Koinonia. Vol. II: Pachomian Chronicles and Rules. Trans. Armand Veilleux, OCSO. Cistercian Studies 46. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1981.
• Pachomian Koinonia. Vol. III: Instructions, Letters, and Other Writings of St. Pachomius and His Disciples. Trans. Armand Veilleux, OCSO. Cistercian Studies 47. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1982.

Aelred of Rievaulx

• Mirror of Charity. Trans. Elizabeth Connor, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 17. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990.
• Spiritual Friendship. Trans. Mary Eugenia Laker, SSND. Cistercian Fathers Series 5. Washington, DC: Cistercian Publications, 1974.

Bernard of Clairvaux

• On Loving God. Trans. Robert Walton, OSB. Cistercian Fathers Series 13B. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1994.
• On Precept and Dispensation.(Treatises I) Trans. Conrad Greenia, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 1. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1970.
• On the Song of Songs I. (Sermons 1-20) Trans. Kilian Walsh, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 4. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1971.
• On the Song of Songs II. (Sermons 21-46) Trans. Kilian Walsh, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 7. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1976.
• On the Song of Songs III. (Sermons 47-66) Trans. Kilian Walsh, OCSO, and Irene M. Edmonds. Cistercian Fathers Series 31. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1979.
• On the Song of Songs IV. (Sermons 67-86) Trans. Irene M. Edmonds. Cistercian Fathers Series 40. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1980.
• The Steps of Humility and Pride. Trans. M. Ambrose Conway, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 13A. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1989.

Guerric of Igny

• The Liturgical Sermons: Vol. I. Trans. Hilary Costello, OCSO, and John Morson, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 8. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1971.
• The Liturgical Sermons: Vol. II. Trans. Hilary Costello, OCSO, and John Morson, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 32. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1971.

William of St. Thierry

• The Golden Epistle: A Letter to the Brethren at Mont Dieu. Trans. Theodore Berkeley, OCSO. Cistercian Fathers Series 12. Spencer, MA: Cistercian Publications, 1971.

Bouyer, Louis.

• The Cistercian Heritage. Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1958.

Burrows, Ruth.

• Guidelines for Mystical Prayer. London: Sheed and Ward, 1976.

Butler, Cuthbert, OSB.

• Western Mysticism. New York: Dutton, 1923.

Casey, Michael, OCSO.

• Athirst for God: Spiritual Desire in Bernard of Clairvaux’s Sermon on the Song of Songs. Cistercian Studies 77. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1988.
• Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina. Liguori, MO: Triumph Books, 1996.
• Toward God: The Ancient Wisdom of Western Prayer. Liguori, MO: Triumph Books, 1995.

Chitty, Derwas, J. The Desert a City: Introduction to Egyptian and Palestinian Monasticism. Oxford: Blackwell, 1966.
De Vogüé, Aldalbert, OSB.

• The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary. Cistercian Studies 54. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1983.
• Reading Saint Benedict. Cistercian Studies 151. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1994.

Downey, Michael.

• Trappist: Living in the Land of Desire. Photographs by Michael Mauney. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1997.

Gilson, Etienne.

• The Mystical Theology of St. Bernard. Cistercian Studies 120. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990.

Hausherr, Iréneé, SJ.

• Penthos: The Doctrine of Compunction in the Christian East. Trans. Anselm Hufstader, OSB. Cistercian Studies Series 53. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1982.

Kelty, Matthew, OCSO.

• Aspects of the Monastic Calling. Abbey of Gethsemani, 1975.

Kline, Francis, OCSO.

• Lovers of the Place: Monasticism Loose in the Church. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1997.

Knowles, David.

• Christian Monasticism. World University Library. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969.

Leclercq, Jean, OSB.

• Bernard of Clairvaux and the Cistercian Spirit. Cistercian Studies 16. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1976.
• The Love of Learning and the Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture. Trans. Catharine Misrahi. New York: Fordham University Press, 1961.

Lekai, Louis.

• The Cistercians: Ideals and Reality. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1977.

Louf, André, OCSO.

• Teach Us to Pray: Learning a Little about God. Trans. Hubert Hoskins. Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1975.
• The Cistercian Way. Trans. Nivard Kinsella, OCSO. Cistercian Studies 76. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1989.

Marmion, Columba, OSB.

• Christ, the Ideal of the Monk. St Louis: Herder, 1929.
• Christ, the Ideal of the Priest. St. Louis: Herder, 1952.
• Christ, the Life of the Soul. St. Louis: Herder, 1925.
• The English Letters. Baltimore, MD: Helicon, 1962.

McGinn, Bernard.

• The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great through the 12th Century. New York: Crossroad, 1994.

Merton, Thomas.

• The Monastic Journey. Ed. Patrick Hart. Cistercian Studies 133. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1992. [Much of Merton’s vast output is still in print and readily available. All of it is recommended.]

• U.S. Trappist Region
• Worldwide OCSO Homepage (Rome)
• Abbaye Cistercienne d’Oka (Canada)
• Mont des Cats (France)
• Nunraw Abbey (Scotland)
• La Fille-Dieu (Switzerland)
• Saint Rita’s Abbey (Sonoita, AZ)
• New Clairvaux Abbey (Vina, CA)
• Genesee Abbey (Piffard, NY)
• Gethsemani Abbey (Trappist, KY)
• Holy Cross Abbey (Berryville, VA)
• Holy Spirit Abbey (Conyers, GA)
• Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey (Wrentham, MA)
• Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey (Dubuque, IA)
• New Melleray Abbey (Dubuque, IA)
• Our Lady of the Angels (Crozet, VA)
• Saint Benedict’s Monastery (Snowmass, CO)
• Saint Joseph’s Abbey (Spencer, MA)

• Christ in the Desert (Abiqui, NM)
• Mount Saint Scholastica (Atchison, KS)
• Mount Saviour (Elmira, NY)
• St John’s Abbey (Collegeville, MN)