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R. Thomas Richard

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October 2009

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What’s the best thing about being a writer?

R. Thomas Richard I think the film "Babette's Feast" has the best way to answer that question, when posed to any artist of any kind, concerning the particular art expre…moreI think the film "Babette's Feast" has the best way to answer that question, when posed to any artist of any kind, concerning the particular art expression that he has found or stumbled upon - or that has found him, awakened him, and given him a voice. An artist of any kind has something to say, and it must be said. He may try this or that kind of art, but his message will find a way.

Another beautiful answer was offered by Leonard Cohen - a very gifted poet/songwriter. His song/poem/prayer, "If It Be Your Will" comes to me often. Art comes from God - or better to say, good art comes from the Source of all goodness. There is trash that is passed off as art - I'm not talking about that. But art is meant to lift, and point, and direct the soul to the Source Himself, to Truth, even if He is not mentioned explicitly, even if the artist himself does not realize that he is just a spokesman for Another.

But truth deserves to be spoken! Or sung, or expressed in some way to give voice to it. So I try to write. It is not easy, but that is not the point at all. To speak it, or shout it, or whisper it, or write or sing or sound or paint it - that is the point. An artist, having been given art in his soul as an unrequested gift, has a burden to bear. And a duty to do. And it is a profound joy to offer it back in return!(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

R. Thomas Richard I don't mean to sound trite about this, but I wasn't looking for an idea, nor was I looking to write anything at all. But "the idea" - the way that Go…moreI don't mean to sound trite about this, but I wasn't looking for an idea, nor was I looking to write anything at all. But "the idea" - the way that God leads a man or a woman from where we all begin (in confusion and darkness) to a place we know not, but it is clear and filled with light - that way, that "idea", found me when I had no expectation of it.

I knew one thing at the time, that the ways of God are overwhelmingly mysterious and beautiful. Even in darkness, when He is sensed somehow, that Presence is beautiful and is not to be denied or rejected, but instead attended to, listened to, waited for, waited upon.

I had returned to school - in my 50's - to study theology in a Master's program, in a Catholic university, to really learn what that Church believed and taught. I left the Church as a young adult, finding no substance in it. (Actually, I was the one lacking substance!) Then, in my forties, I began to hear something different, and troubling. I was drawn to return to the Catholic Church, but I was still afraid of it, distrusting of it, suspicious. I needed to learn what in fact this Church believed and taught! Could I say yes to it? Could I dare to really give myself into its hands? I had to know, for sure, and so I resolved to learn the truth and know one way or the other: could I stay, or must I go?

So there, in the university, in a short summer course on a sacrament, the professor introduced the class to a spiritual theology I had never heard of - but this spiritual theology turned on a spotlight in my soul that explained to me things I had experienced but never understood. That spirituality - that spiritual understanding - illuminated my soul in ways I never expected or sought to possess. It found me. And that light breathed into me ("in-spired" me) gradually in the months ahead to try to write, for the benefit of others, this truth that changed my life. It became a treasure in my heart, that I hoped I could explain, write of, and pass on to others, that they might have it too.

I kept this treasure in my heart until I finished my studies and began to work in the Church, teaching and leading others into the Catholic Faith. Then, as time allowed, I began to write my first book.

Several smaller books followed that first one, but to get to your question about my "most recent book" - my most recent book is a revision and new edition of that first one! "The Ordinary Path to Holiness: The treasure of Catholic spirituality re-presented for our times."

That book is described here:
https://renewthechurch.com/2018/11/26...
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R. Thomas Richard’s books

Average rating: 4.55 · 38 ratings · 14 reviews · 4 distinct works

	The Ordinary Path to Holiness: The treasure of Catholic spirituality re-presented for our times 4.52 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 1999 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Interior Liturgy of the Our Father 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2004 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Encountering Christ in Holy Scripture with Lectio Divina it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Mass in movements - Conversion Consecration Communion 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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R. Thomas Richard's Blog

The Church Will Remain; The Papacy Must Fall

Yes, “we have, other times, had ‘bad popes’”. My conclusion drawn from hearing the passages below is that “yes but….”. The papacy has always had a root problem – that is, concupiscence – that will effect (by prophecy, I conclude) the fall of the papacy itself before the End. The petrine dimension of the Church will fall before, but the johannine dimension of His Church will remain even until the

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The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise

by Robert Sarah

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Nov 12, 2019 11:37AM

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The Three Ages Of The Interior Life: Prelude of Eternal Life

by Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange

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R. Thomas Richard said: " This two-volume set has proved to be one of great influence and importance to me. Fr. G-L has remarkable understanding of the spiritual life - the interior life of the soul - and of how we are to grow as spiritual human beings. He sees the beginning, ...more "

Apr 19, 2010 07:45AM · see review

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On Acquisition of The Holy Spirit

by Seraphim of Sarov

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Sep 06, 2020 02:00PM

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R. Thomas Richard wrote a new blog post The Church Will Remain; The Papacy Must Fall Yes, “we have, other times, had ‘bad popes’”. My conclusion drawn from hearing the passages below is that “yes but….”. The papacy has always had a ro Read more of this blog post »
Nov 14, 2024 12:15AM · like

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Quotes by R. Thomas Richard (?)

“Most of us are not prepared to read the Word of God as He deserves. Our training in reading has been typically ordered to anything but reverence. We read in school for tests, developing the art of anticipating the questions of our teachers. We read casually for entertainment and pleasure, as scarce time permits, scanning and skipping around as we freely choose. We read for business, and profit, culling through words for whatever seems of value to us here and now. Words are for us seen as information for our profit, or entertainment or pleasure. Rarely do we have a sense of words as treasure as infinite value, or of food for life of famine, or of clear and clean water in parched, dead-dry desert. Yet the Word of God, in Scripture, is all this and more. His words are a living seed with potentials for full growth that we cannot fully imagine. His words are healing medicine to dying mankind. His words are boundless wealth to the destitute poor, and rejuvenation to those broken by age. His words are all this and more, because they are His words to us, His children whom He loves with a love we can hardly begin to grasp.”
― R. Thomas Richard, The Ordinary Path to Holiness

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Catholic Readers: Encountering Christ in Holy Scripture with Lectio Divina	1	13	Feb 16, 2012 11:01AM
Catholic Readers: Lukewarm-to-Bored in the Mass?	2	20	Apr 14, 2012 08:02AM
Catholic Readers: On Growing in Prayer	2	27	Jun 22, 2012 06:18AM
Catholic Readers: Book Discussion - The Ordinary Path to Holiness	5	47	Dec 14, 2018 08:31AM
Catholic Readers: * Welcome - Introduce yourself here!	994	1283	Aug 21, 2025 07:46PM