The Art of Dying: A New Annotated Translation

by Br. Columba Thomas OP MD, Mary Agnes Donovan (Foreword)

The medicalization of dying and the disregard for the life of the soul within contemporary health care prompt the return of the Ars moriendi, or The Art of Dying. This widely influential fifteenth-century text was designed to guide dying persons and their loved ones in Catholic religious practices at a time when access to a priest and the sacraments was similarly limited. This remarkable and inspiring work serves as a valuable resource for Catholic today, encouraging their full participation in the rich sacramental and liturgical tradition of the Church and challenging them to keep their eyes fixed on Christ and the promise of eternal life with him. This new translation includes illuminating annotations on its theological and pastoral content. A scholarly introduction examines the book's history, use, and present application. The book contains exact reproductions of the original medieval woodblock prints. Additional prayers have been incorporated from the longer version of the work, newly translated with Latin originals. The appendix presents confessions of faith, explanations of the sacraments, and guides to the examination of conscience, the rosary, and the divine mercy chaplet.

Genres: Catholic, Nonfiction

143 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2022

Reviews

[Blake]

A good summary of the temptations one ought to be prepared to face (and how to counteract them) at the end of one’s life.

[Janice Evans]

Fabulous book!

As if dying isn't difficult enough but this is the time when the devil has one last ditched attempt to grab your soul! Nasty and hateful that he is!

So here we have the 5 last temptations of the devil to make you lose your faith, despair in salvation, lose patience... well I wont give it all away!

Then we have our Guardian Angel helping us with what we need to keep in mind and remember.

Not only is this great for one's own end of life but it will help you to help others at their end of life.

[Adam Ayers]

This new translation of a work written during the Black Plague assists the believer who is approaching death by modeling ourselves after how Christ died. “Father into your hands I commend my Spirit.” The Evil One makes one final attack near the end of a person life and this book makes recognition to how those attacks come and how one can guard themselves from it.