Audiobooks by Michael W. Higgins

Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen: Spiritual Guides for the 21st Century

What does Mary mean to you? Aside from Jesus Christ, more has been written about Mary than any other Christian figure. And yet much confusion about her role persists. One of Catholicism’s leading retreat leaders and presenters, Father Dan Crosby, O. F. M. Cap., delivers lively lectures that offer you a perspective on Mary that is inspiring and informative, fresh and faithful. Nearly eight years in the making, Mary: Mirror of God Who Sees, Hears, Cares, and Comes is neither “pious chatter” nor “frilly theology. ” It is born, rather, of Fr. Crosby’s serious questions about Mary’s rightful place in Christian faith, his constant grappling with the “So what?” of effective preaching, and his insights into the importance that God desires Mary to have in our lives. You’ve likely heard a number of the many epithets bestowed upon Saint Mary: Mother of Jesus, Blessed Virgin, Queen of Heaven. But the title of this series illuminates the view of Mary that Fr. Crosby asks you to adopt: Mary, Mirror of God. For Fr. Crosby, Mary is the perfect reflector of God. When you look at her, you behold her beauty and goodness, but even more, you behold the beauty and goodness of God that shines so powerfully through her.

Michael W. Higgins (Author), Michael W. Higgins (Narrator)

Audiobook

From Augustine to Chesterton and Beyond: Great Spiritual Autobiographies

What would it be like to listen to great figures of our faith discuss their struggles, life lessons, and spiritual insights? A number of remarkable Christians have bequeathed to us their autobiographies. Now, you can access their words and understand the contexts in which they lived with a master scholar and teacher as your guide. In this course, you will explore fourteen inspiring writers who have revealed their spiritual yearnings and encounters with the transcendent. As you do so, you will find new intimacy with each writer, fresh perspectives, and horizons for discovery. Starting with the Confessions of St. Augustine, you will move chronologically through the classics of the Christian tradition and modern spiritual masterpieces. You will explore Ignatius of Loyola and Teresa of Ávila, whose mystical autobiographies laid the foundations for their respective religious orders. Then, you will look at the moving spiritual relationship between Blaise Pascal and his sister Jacqueline, the intellectual vivacity of John Henry Newman, and the "Little Way" of Thérèse of Lisieux. As you move into the twentieth century, you will encounter lay Catholic philosophers Jacques and Raïssa Maritain, beloved writer G. K. Chesterton, and the anguished genius of Simone Weil. Finally, you will look at two men executed in Nazi Germany: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Alfred Delp, S. J. Join Dr. Higgins on this literary, spiritual, and altogether unforgettable odyssey today. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Michael W. Higgins (Author), Michael W. Higgins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain, and the Rest of the Story

Presented by acclaimed biographer Prof. Michael W. Higgins, Ph. D., this course explores the life and literary genius of Thomas Merton. When Thomas Merton published The Seven Storey Mountain in 1948, no one could have expected it to become an international sensation. An autobiography of his conversion to Catholicism, it became a wildly popular bestseller, propelling this humble Trappist monk to literary fame. Today, it is widely regarded as a spiritual classic. While it remains his most famous work, The Seven Storey Mountain is only the tip of the iceberg in Merton's rich, multi-layered oeuvre. In Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain, and the Rest of the Story, you will join award-winning professor and speaker Michael W. Higgins in exploring Merton's compelling autobiographical literature. As you examine his journals, letters, novels, and poetry, you will encounter a brilliant portrait of the premier Catholic spiritual figure of the twentieth century. Although The Seven Storey Mountain cemented Thomas Merton as a prominent writer, he also felt that it presented a limited portrait of him. Indeed, his later autobiographical works, such as Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander and The Asian Journal, show a more mature and fully realized vision. The Seven Storey Mountain would establish many of Merton's most powerful themes-his later works brought these themes to their apex. In this course, you will examine the writings of this modern and post-modern chronicler of the soul's unfolding. Encounter Thomas Merton-the man, monk, and mystic-today. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Michael W. Higgins (Author), Michael W. Higgins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality for the Wounded

Experience Henri Nouwen's fullness of life spirituality with this new course presented by his official biographer. Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was one of the most popular and influential spiritual thinkers of the twentieth century. Born in the Netherlands, Nouwen was ordained as a Catholic priest and trained as a psychologist. He spent much of his life in America, where he ministered and taught throughout the continent. His profound spiritual works, such as The Return of the Prodigal Son and Life of the Beloved, develop such compelling concepts as the restless searching of the heart and the agony of being human. This course is presented by Dr. Michael W. Higgins, the co-author of Genius Born of Anguish: The Life and Legacy of Henri Nouwen. Through 12 masterful lectures, you will examine the context of Nouwen's most important works, the evolution of his ideas, and the struggles of his spirit. You will also explore his life, which will help you understand the autobiographical nature of his works. Nouwen was a great teacher, and over the course of his life, he was a popular professor at Notre Dame, Yale, and Harvard. He was also an innovative psychologist who understood the deep connection between spirituality and psychology. Henri Nouwen developed a spirituality for the wounded, but within it he also presents us with genuine joy, boundless energy, and ultimately hope. You are invited to meet and come to know Nouwen through this powerful course. *Photo of Henri Nouwen by Frank Hamilton. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Michael W. Higgins (Author), Michael W. Higgins (Narrator)

Audiobook