Spiritual Conferences: Including Fr. Faber's Most Famous Essays: Kindness, Death, and Self-Deceit

by Frederick William Faber

Kindness, Death, and Self-Deceit, Father Faber's most famous essays, form themajor portion of his Spiritual Conferences, perhaps his most widely read book. But it also includes his usual penetrating insights on many other topics, with chapters on Weariness in Well-Doing, Why So Little Comes of Frequent Confession, Heaven and Hell, Taking Scandal, The Monotony of Piety, Confidence, the Only Worship, A Taste for Reading and All Men Have a Special Vocation. Fr. Faber knows intimately the weaknesses of wounded human nature, and like a wise doctor, he offers remedies to heal and strengthen. He also stands back to appreciate the spiritual life as a whole, describing it not as an ivory tower pastime, but rather as the healthiest, manliest, completest, divinest thing on earth. He affirms that there is nothing so briskly interesting or so full of changeful vitality as the spiritual life, the life of the soul. Spiritual Conferences represents the best introduction to the works of this great priest and classic spiritual writer, whose insights will enlighten, inspire and guide the reader for the rest of his life. Father Frederick William Faber was born in Yorkshire, England in 1814. He was converted from the Anglican ministry to Catholicism in 1845. Ordained a priest in 1847, he joined the Oratorians in 1848 and worked with John Henry Cardinal Newman. In addition to numerous fine hymns, Fr. Faber authored nine books, including the following (which are available in this series): Spiritual Con-ferences, All for Jesus, Growth in Holiness, The Blessed Sacrament, Th.e Foot of the Cross, The Pre-cious Blood, Bethlehem and The Creator and the Creature. Fr. Faber died in London in 1863.

Genres: Catholic, Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction

345 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1859

About the author

Frederick William Faber, C.O., was a noted English hymn writer and theologian, who converted from Anglicanism to the Catholic priesthood. His best known work is Faith of Our Fathers. Though he was a Roman Catholic writing for fellow Catholics at that point, many of his hymns today are sung by Protestant congregations.

Reviews

[Daniel Liebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Faber has a humanity and immediacy that eschews all preaching, theological interpretations and focuses utterly on our human life under Christ. Our REAL lives with NO sentimental and wishful thinking.

One two page section shook me to my core. Faber mocks the religious instructors and do-gooders who preach as though there is a complete cure for whatever ails one spiritually. He says that this is as stupid as the promises of medical quacks. He says that spiritual invalids are like physical invalids and must be helped to do what they are capable of. Sometimes, as he says, the spiritual sickness is too deep and the best that can be hoped for is to ameliorate the condition. Why have I not read this ANYWHERE ELSE IN TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC WRITINGS???? Faber on those two pages is a beacon of hope to those consumed with anger, sexual addictions, various ennuis etc etc.

[Fr. Nicholas Blackwell, O. Carm. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read

A good spiritual repairing. Also, each individual chapter is sort of it's own thing so you can jump around a bit based on the topic you find interesting. He can be however be a little monotonous at times which can take you out of the topic at hand. Nevertheless, he does have some great 1 liners with a lot of wisdom that you can carry with yourself throughout the day for meditation. I'm happy I read this book.

[Jean Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Actually Read Spiritual Conferences for Christian Mothers by Canon Jean-Marie Moreau but could not find it on goodreads.