Books

Adrienne von Speyr: THE BOUNDLESS GOD and CONFESSION

Reviewed by Br Barry Coldrey

Contents - Mar 2010 - Buy a copy now Annunciation: Benedict XVI: Mary's acceptance of the Divine Word Secularism: Benedict to UK bishops: resist secularist threat - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Netherlands: Remnants of faith in Europe's most secularised nation - Marina Corradi Year for the Priest: English-speaking clergy: first ever international conference - Fr Glen Tattersall Courage: A Catholic psychologist exposes 'gay' myths - Marie Mason Culture of Life: Cardinal Pell receives pro-life von Galen Award - Babette Francis Archbishop Saldanha reports from Pakistan - Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha Foundations of Faith: What the Second Vatican Council really said - John Young Conversion: Paul Fitzgerald: my spiritual journey - Paul Fitzgerald Youth: Summer School of Evangelisation: helping young people's faith - Johanna Banks Events: AD2000 - Passover Meal - 30 March 2010 Letters: Climate censorship - Michael Griffiths Letters: Genuine ecumenism - Rev Fr M. Durham Letters: Evil laws - Ken Bayliss Letters: Common sense - Maureen Federico Letters: Faith alone - Frank Mobbs (Dr) Letters: Women priests - Robert Prinzen-Wood Letters: Seminarian's prayer - J. Loring Holy Week: Holy Week 2010: Extraordinary Form of the Roman Liturgy (1962 Missal) Books: Adrienne von Speyr: THE BOUNDLESS GOD and CONFESSION - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: THE GOD WHO LOVES YOU, by Peter Kreeft - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: LORETO IN AUSTRALIA, by Mary Ryllis Clark - Katharine Munro (reviewer) Gaudeamus igitur: University graduation: a young Catholic's Valedictory Address - Michael Gleeson Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Mary in medieval art: an expression of the Church's faith - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

THE BOUNDLESS GOD
by Adrienne von Speyr
(Ignatius Press, 152pp, $25.95. ISBN 978-0-89870-996-2. Available from Freedom Publishing)

CONFESSION
by Adrienne von Speyr
(Ignatius Press, 262pp, $29.90. ISBN 978-0-89870-040-4. Available from Freedom Publishing)

Adrienne von Speyr (1902-1967) was a Swiss physician who converted to the Catholic Church in 1940. During the next 27 years, the famous 20th century theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar, was Adrienne's confessor and spiritual director. He observed her interior life carefully and was convinced that she was gifted with a special mission in the life of the Church: to revitalise personal, as well as communal faith and prayer.

Prior to her conversion, and afterwards, Adrienne worked in close collaboration with von Balthasar in founding the Secular Institute of the Community of St John.

On another level, Adrienne, the mystic, claimed she had received intimate portraits of men and women in conversation with God and was favoured with many visions of individual saints throughout her life, both as a Protestant and after she was received into the Catholic Church.

It is not clear from the Introduction to this translation of The Boundless God from the original German whether Adrienne's visions and mystical life have been investigated and received the approbation of the Church. However, the content and tone of the book are clearly orthodox.

Hans Urs von Balthasar described Adrienne's Confession as 'one of her most central works.' Here she discusses the moral and practical aspects of the sacrament of Penance in great depth.

Some of the many areas covered include conversion, scruples, contrition, spiritual direction, laxity, frequency of confession, the confessions of members of religious orders and lay people - even the confessions of canonised saints!

This is one of the most complete spiritual treatises on the sacrament ever written.

Both of von Speyr's books would be useful additions to Catholic theological libraries, although her writing in Confession is the more accessible to non-specialist readers.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 23 No 2 (March 2010), p. 18