Book of All Saints

Adrienne von Speyr a renowned mystic and spiritual writer from Switzerland was received into the Catholic Church at the age of 38 on the Feast of All Saints 1940 by one of the theological giants of the 20th century Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar. He became her spiritual director and confessor until her death in 1967 during which time Adrienne was favored with many gifts of authentic mystical prayer. Balthasar considered one of the central characteristics of Adriennes prayer to be her transparency to the inspirations she received from God along with a deep personal communion with the saints. Over a period of many years Adrienne would see the saints (and other devout people) at prayer and she would dictate what she saw to Fr.von Balthasar - while she was in a state of mystical prayer. Through a unique charism she was able to put herself in the place of various individuals to see and describe their prayer their whole attitude before God. Not all of her subjects are saints in the strict sense of the word but all struggled with varying degrees of success to place their lives at the disposal of their Creator. This book presents these unique mystical insights into the prayer lives of many saints taken from Adriennes direct visions of them in prayer. Among the long list of saints in this book are St. John the Apostle St. Augustine St. Francis St. Thomas Aquinas St. Ignatius of Loyola St. Teresa of Avila St. John of the Cross St. John Bosco St. Bernadette St. Dominic St. Edith Stein and many many more. In this powerful spiritual work the reader is able to participate in the devotional and spiritual life of the Church throughout the centuries by learning how numerous saints and devout people prayed thus reflecting on the timelessness and beauty of the prayer of the Church.