The spiritual alphabet and St Teresa

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Monica4316

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I read that St Teresa of Avila liked the book ‘the Spiritual Alphabet’ by Fr Francis De Osuna but I also heard it was later placed on the Index… Does anyone know if it was later taken off the Index? Because there were other works that were at first put there and then taken off… I read that the book really helped St Teresa. Thanks!
 
Monica4316 said:
I read that St Teresa of Avila liked the book ‘the Spiritual Alphabet’ by Fr Francis De Osuna but I also heard it was later placed on the Index… Does anyone know if it was later taken off the Index? Because there were other works that were at first put there and then taken off… I read that the book really helped St Teresa. Thanks!
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I like the sound of it! Are the letters written in invisible ink - what is spiritual about the alphabet, IOW? Or is it talking about reading deeper into the meanings behind biblical passages? 🙂
 
There is no Forbidden Index any more.

I had never heard of this book before. If it can be found, ask a priest if he would consider it worthwhile reading.

It may not be an issue, as many very old works are inaccessible at the present time.

ICXC NIKA
 
You can find the book at Amazon. I just looked it up. It’s a little expensive, but its there! I had checked for it before, but I wanted to make sure they still carried it before I sent you there to find it.
I, too, was encouraged to find the book after I found out that it meant so much to St. Teresa de Avila! :yup:

DesertSister62
 
Monica4316 said:
I read that St Teresa of Avila liked the book ‘the Spiritual Alphabet’ by Fr Francis De Osuna but I also heard it was later placed on the Index… Does anyone know if it was later taken off the Index? Because there were other works that were at first put there and then taken off… I read that the book really helped St Teresa. Thanks!
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I am not aware that this was ever on the index. This is a wonderful book, and I can see clearly why St. Teresa drew much profit from it. Her future writings often referred to some of the examples that were used in the book. This author wrote extensively about attaining “recollection” which, in Teresa’s view, is a most desirable prelude to contemplation. She wrote of his methods that she tried to instill in her sisters’ prayer life. I own the book, by the way.
 
GEddie said:
There is no Forbidden Index any more.

I had never heard of this book before. If it can be found, ask a priest if he would consider it worthwhile reading.

It may not be an issue, as many very old works are inaccessible at the present time.

ICXC NIKA
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Its true there is no Index anymore but Pope Benedict clarified (when asked about The Poem of the Man-God) that does not mean we are free to read the books on the Forbidden Index before it stopped. Unless a book was specifically taken off it remains forbidden.
 
thistle said:
Its true there is no Index anymore but Pope Benedict clarified (when asked about The Poem of the Man-God) that does not mean we are free to read the books on the Forbidden Index before it stopped. Unless a book was specifically taken off it remains forbidden.
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True, that is why I said to ask a priest about it.

ICXC NIKA.
 
 
Thanks! If anyone has info on whether it was taken off the Index that would be great 🙂 I know of several examples of books that were on the index and then got taken off and now they are accepted 🙂 I thought since St Teresa liked it maybe it was accepted later… Anyway her experiences are valid and good as the Church decided! 🙂

By the way I have no idea why its called the Spiritual Alphabet!
 
Monica,
Did you read the post from detoutcoeur that it was placed on the index because he advocated daily communion? Surely, now that the Church permits this and even encourages daily communion, the notion of being on the index is ridiculous. Truthfully, there was never anything theologically wrong with his writing, and that was not the reason it was placed there. There was even talk about St. Teresa being summoned to the Inquisition.
 
One more thought, Michael Mayo submitted a beautiful writing from the Carmelites a few posts ago. In addition, my book states that the publisher is Paulist Press, a very Catholic publisher. It was translated by Kiernan Kavanaugh, O.C.D., the Carmelite who translated and wrote all the books that Carmelites use on St. Teresa’s writings, as well as St. John of the Cross.

You are in very safe Catholic territory and cannot go wrong reading this classic treasure!
 
agnes_therese said:
Whether that’s true or not (since the Index has been abolished), it’s not at issue here. For one thing, no one has shown that this book ever was on the Index. And IF it was, it was removed before 1948.
cvm.qc.ca/gconti/905/BABEL/Index%20Librorum%20Prohibitorum-1948.htm
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I have not been talking about the specific book. I was talking about the Index and IF any book was on it and has not been taken off it may not be read by lay persons.
By the way what I said about priests not being able to give permission to read a book on the Index is true. Not all priests are even allowed to read such books.
 
"Agnes Therese:
no one has shown that this book ever was on the Index
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thistle said:
I have not been talking about the specific book. I was talking about the Index and IF any book was on it and has not been taken off it may not be read by lay persons.
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The problem is that, at present, there IS NO INDEX. So how would anyone know whether it was “taken off?” You alarm innocent people needlessly with your uninformed conjectures.
 
I have read in reaction to the reformation (in the late 1550’s), the inquisitor in Spain forbad many books. Book in the vernacular were considered suspicious and dangerous to the faith. Thus, devotional books written in the vernacular were not allowed at that time period. As foreign as the concept seems today - it was the strict method to try and protect the faithful. 🤷
 
Sirach2 said:
The problem is that, at present, there IS NO INDEX. So how would anyone know whether it was “taken off?” You alarm innocent people needlessly with your uninformed conjectures.
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Because it would be made known by the Church if a book previously on the Index was no longer considered to be forbidden.

What uniformed conjecture did I make?

The Index listed the books that are forbidden to read.
Even though the Index was stopped we are still forbidden to read the books that were on it unless a book has since been declared to be permitted to be read.

What part of that is conjecture? Please tell me. I would be very interested to know.

Here is what Pope Benedict, while Cardinal Ratzinger, said:

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, present head of the Sacred Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the same office that condemned the
“Poem”), informed Cardinal Siri in 1985 of the "Poem’s condemnation:

After the dissolution of the Index, when some people thought the printing
and distribution of the work was permitted, they were reminded again in
L’Osservatore Romano (June 15, 1966) that **“The Index retains its moral
force despite its dissolution.” **
 
Thistle, if you’re here for an argument, I’m not participating.
 
thistle said:
Its true there is no Index anymore but Pope Benedict clarified (when asked about The Poem of the Man-God) that does not mean we are free to read the books on the Forbidden Index before it stopped. Unless a book was specifically taken off it remains forbidden.
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Thanks for the clarification. Is there any way to view the index as it was?
 
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