Teachings from this fourteenth-century mystic provide spiritual direction and call for you to open yourself, body and soul, to divine love.

Many people are familiar with the phrase "All shall be well" but do not know much, if anything, about Julian of Norwich, the fourteenth-century English mystic who wrote those words. Thomas Merton declared her to be without a doubt one of the most wonderful of all Christian voices, and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams says that her writings may well be the most important work of Christian reflection in the English language.

This accessible introduction to Julian's Revelations of Divine Love, an extended reflection on a series of her mystical visions, includes an informative introduction that addresses the historical, cultural and sociological context of Julian s life and writings. Mary Earle s facing-page commentary focuses on Julian s profoundly hopeful vision of humanity and God, her creative imagery and her rigorous honesty about the spiritual life. Drawing directly from Julian s text, Earle addresses a variety of topics essential to understanding Julian s mysticism, including the infinite nature of God, the life of prayer, God s suffering with us, the eternal and undying life of the soul, the motherhood of Jesus and the motherhood of God, all shall be well and more.

Drawing directly from Julian s text, the commentary addresses a variety of topics including the infinite nature of God, the life of prayer, God s suffering with us, the eternal and undying life of the soul, the motherhood of Jesus and the motherhood of God, all shall be well and more."

In Benedict in the World, Linda Kulzer, O.S.B., and Roberta Bondi have gathered stories of many of the ordinary and extraordinary men and women Benedictine oblates-members of the Benedictine family who live in the world. Benedict in the World begins with an introductory chapter citing some reasons for an influx of Benedictine oblates into monasteries today. It then presents in detail a collection of the lives of nineteen significant Benedictine oblates who lived from the years 973 to 2000. Nearly half the contributors are themselves Benedictine oblates and most of the others are professed Benedictine monastics. The combined effort offers support and inspiration to those who have loved their oblate journey and brings to light the lives of these outstanding lay monastics. Among the more well-known oblates included are Dorothy Day, Patrick and Patricia Crowley, Jacques and Raissa Maritain, Walker Percy, H. R. Reinhold, and Elena Cornaro. Chapters are "Foreword: On Being a Benedictine Oblate," by Roberta Bondi; "Introduction," by Linda Kulzer, OSB, "Monasticism Beyond the Walls," by Linda Kulzer, OSB, "Carolyn Attneave: Catcher of the Light," by Paschal A. Morlino, OSB; "Oblate and Heroine: Elena Lucrezia Scholastica Cornaro Piscopia (1646-1684)," by Ann Kessler, OSB; "Patrick Crowley: Oblate of St. Benedict," by Patty Crowley; "Faith in Action: The Lives of Patrick and Patricia Crowley," by Margaret Colleton; "Evelyn Davie's Dream Deferred," by Mary Ruth Coffman, OSB; "Prayer and Work in the Light of Dorothy Day," by Rita (McClain) Tybor; "Eric Dean: Presbyterian Pilgrim," by Phyllis K. Thompson; "Believing Is Seeing: Frances of Rome, Patron of Benedictine Oblates," by Susan Anderson Kerr; "Rumer Godden: Oblate Novelist," by Catherine Wybourne, OSB; "Edith Gurian, Oblate Peter," by Mary Anthony Wagner, OSB; "Henry II: Monk-King," by Hugh Feiss, OSB; "On the Road to Emmaus: The Spiritual Journey of Joris-Karl Huysmans," by George C. Tunstall; "Emerson Hynes: A Vocation to Conversation," by Owen Lindblad, OSB; "St. Benedict and the Maritains," by Lucie R. Johnson, OBLSB; "Walker Percy: The End of His Beginning," by Edward J. Dupuy; "Faithful to the Very End: Oliver Plunkett, Irish Martyr and Archbishop," by Jem Sullivan; "Denys Prideaux: The Oblate Abbot," by Charles Preble; "H. A. Reinhold: Architect of the Liturgical Movement in America," by Julia Upton, RSM; and "Rita Sorg's Life of Joyful Hope: Remembering the Transfiguration on Tabor," by Donald Raila, OSB Linda Kulzer, OSB, PhD, is co-editor of Medieval Women Monastics: Wisdom's Wellsprings and Purity of Heart in Early Ascetic and Monastic Literature: Essays in Honor of Juana Raasch, OSB, published by The Liturgical Press. Roberta Bondi, DPhil., is a Professor of Church History at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and the author of nine books in the area of spirituality.