The Young Man's Guide: Counsels, Reflections and Prayers for Catholic Young Men

by Francis Xavier Lasance, Julie Streeter (Illustrator), Lisa Bergman (Abridged by)

Father Lasance's Catholic Girl's Guide , published in 1906, found immediate success among Catholic readers, and the natural demand for a companion volume gave rise to The Young Man's Guide in 1910. Both have a similar format and similar material, though each is geared specifically for its particular audience. In The Young Man's Guide we see life as warfare; thus those who would conquer must be prepared, as were the knights of old. The implements of battle are the young man's virtues, and the fight will determine not only the character of the man he will become, but the crown he may win in the hereafter. The original Guide doubled as a prayerbook, including numerous devotions, litanies, and even a Latin Missal; however, this edition omits most of these prayers, retaining only a selection of the most important, as well as the original section on preparation for Confession. Because of these omissions, this volume is considered abridged; however, all of the material contained in this edition remains unchanged and unabridged based on the original 1910 edition printed by Benziger Brothers. Brand-new illustrations by Julie Streeter bring to life this classic text, which served as an inspiration for the Blue Knights boys clubs.

Genres: Religion, Catholic, Nonfiction, Childrens

460 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1910

About the author

Francis Xavier Lasance [F. X. Lasance] was an American priest and writer of Roman Catholic devotional works.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was the son of Augustine and Philamena (Detert) Lasance. He was educated at St. Mary's School and St. Xavier College (Cincinnati) and St. Meinrad Archabbey (Indiana), and was ordained by the Most Reverend William Henry Elder, Archbishop of Cincinnati, on May 24, 1883.

During the next seven years, Lasance served as curate in various parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati including churches in Kenton, Reading, Dayton, Lebanon, and Monroe, Ohio. He also served as chaplain at Our Lady's Summit, in East Walnut Hills, in Cincinnati. Ill health forced him to relinquish parish work in 1890; from then on, he lived a "retired, semi-invalid existence" at St. Francis Hospital, Cincinnati, writing various books on spiritual subjects and serving as spiritual director of the Tabernacle Society. He wrote thirty-nine volumes, including Thoughts on the Religious Life (1907), My Prayer Book (1913), Reflections for Religious (1920), Our Lady Book (1924), The New Roman Missal (1937, with the Reverend Father Augustine Walsh, OSB), Patience: Thoughts on the Patient Endurance of Sorrows and Suffering (1937); Catholic Girl's Guide; Manna of the Soul; Visits to Jesus in the Tabernacle; Road to Happiness; With Saints and Sages; Young Man's Guide; Let Us Pray; Come Holy Spirit: Prayer Book for Religious; Lift Up Your Hearts; Blessed Sacrament Book; My God and My All; Holy Souls Book; Sacred Heart Book; Little Manual of St. Anthony; Rejoice in the Lord; Prisoner of Love; With God; Sweet Sacrament, We Thee Adore; Emmanuel; Holiness and Happiness; Novenas and Devotions in Honor of the Holy Ghost; Thoughts on the Religious Life; Self-Conquest; Remember. He also compiled and edited the Blessed Sacrament Book (1913).

For his devotional works, he was given a special blessing by Pope Pius XI on May 10, 1927. Lasance died at the age of eighty-six, in his native city.

Reviews

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

***My reprint was not done by this particular publishing company but it has the same page count and I suspect the same good quality of printing and binding.***

I received this as a Christmas gift in 1997 from my parents, the same year that I graduated high school. They knew that I had been interested in it since I first saw it at a bookstore we visited together.

I read the counsels portion (about 500 pages) of the text (a good 200 pages are set aside for prayers and devotions) when I first received the book and I recently went through them again. While I am no longer a "young man" the lessons that Father gives are worth revisiting at any age. This makes for a great Confirmation gift for a young man in your life. Father Lasance has a corresponding Young Girl's Guide which he wrote in 1906, and which was so popular that he penned the Young Man's Guide four years later in 1910.

(quoting St. Ambrose) "When you pray...ask for great things; ask not for what is transitory, but for what is eternal." (p. 177)

"Politeness and urbanity, culture and courtesy, have value only as far as they proceed from, and aim at, charity." (p. 418)

"[K]eep up no resentment for the inconsiderate or unfavorable words that may have been said about you." (p. 435)

"A proud man is seldom a kind man. Humility makes us kind, and kindness makes us humble." (p. 440)

"Have but one desire, namely, to know and to do the will of God." (p. 464)

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all men.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional book for teaching us how to practice goodness.

[Rancel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for those in their mid-teens, it's a real shame I didn't have this book back then, it would've saved me a world of unnecessary pain. I'll definitely be recommending it to any young Catholic gentlemen I come across.

[ShepherdsDelight · Rating 5 out of 5]

87/100 (= 5.1/6) ≈ 5 Stars