Written to help those who despair of ever becoming holy, Fr. de Caussade explains in Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence how surrendering our will to God is key to attaining peace and holiness in this life, and that it is readily available to all people-- from beginners to those well advanced in the spiritual life. This edition contains over 150 letters from Fr. de Caussade to his spiritual children on the practice of self-abandonment. These exchanges provide insights and practical tips for applying the timeless lessons found in this classic guide to achieving holiness.

 

Fr. Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751) was a French Jesuit and author. He is most well-known for his treatise on abandonment to Divine Providence and also his posthumously-published letters to the Visitation Nuns, where he served as confessor and spiritual director from 1733-1740. Fr. de Caussade also served as a preacher in south and central France, as the rector of two colleges, and as spiritual director for a Jesuit house. Influenced by both St. Francis de Sales and St. John of the Cross, he taught that the perfection God expects from us consists mainly in our purifying the innumerable little actions that occur in the course of every day, in our heroric attention to every detail in our lives, and our humble acceptance of the lot God has chosen for us.