SALESIAN LITERATURE

Detailed Table of Contents

PREFACE

PART ONE: SANCTIFICATION OF OUR ACTIONS.

Chapter I. Of the Regulation of our Actions.

1. Advantages of a Rule,

2. Rule of Life,

Chapter II. The First Actions of the Day.

1. The First-fruits of our Actions

Chapter III. Mental and Vocal Prayer

1. Mental Prayer

2. Vocal Prayer

Chapter IV. Short Method of Prayer according to the Spirit of St. Francis de Sales, and Preliminary Advice on Prayer by Mgr. Camus, Bishop of Belley

Chapter V. On the Presence of God

Chapter VI. Advice on Prayer

Chapter VII. St. Francis de Sales Rules for Meditation

Chapter VIII. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Chapter IX. The two Examens

1. Particular Examen

2. General Examen

Chapter X. Of Confession and Direction

Chapter XI. Holy Communion

Chapter XII. The Occupations of the Day

Chapter XIII. Of a State of Life

Chapter XIV. Of the Exercise of One s Charge

Chapter XV. Of Visits and Conversation

Chapter XVI. Silence

Chapter XVII. Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

Chapter XVIII. Spiritual Recollection

Chapter XIX. Of Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayers, and Good Thoughts

Chapter XX. St. Francis de Sales Manner of Performing his Actions

PART TWO: THE INTERIOR LIFE.

First Treatise. The Sources of our Imperfections and their Remedies

Second Treatise. Mortification,

1. True Idea of Mortification

2. Necessity of Mortification

3. Reply to Various Objections

4. Benefits and Advantages of Mortification

5. Discretion in the Use of Mortification

6. Dangers to be Avoided

Third Treatise. Prayer

1. The Excellence and Necessity of Mental Prayer

2. Dispositions for Prayer

3. Various Kinds of Prayer

4. Meditation

5. Distractions

6. Causes of Distractions and Aridity

7. We must never be troubled because of Distractions and Aridity

8. Remedies for Distractions

9. First Means of Devotion

10. Second Means of Devotion

11. Third Means of Devotion

12. Fourth Means of Devotion

13. Fifth Means of Devotion

14. Sixth Means of Devotion

15. Seventh Means of Devotion

16. Last Means of Devotion

Fourth Treatise. The Devotion of Calvary

1. First Instruction. How Important it is to Meditate on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

2. Second Instruction. A New Manner of Meditating on the Passion

3. Third Instruction. What they should do who cannot Meditate on the Passion

4. Fourth Instruction. What they should do who have ceased to be able to Meditate on the Passion

5. Fifth Instruction. In what Manner Perfect Souls may Meditate on the Passion

Fifth Treatise. The Interior Life

Chapter I. Article I. In what Interior Life consists

• Article II. How we ought to imitate the Interior Life of God

• Article III. How it is that we make so Little Progress in the Interior Life

Chapter II. Of the Motives that lead us to the Interior Life

• Article I. We make No Progress in the Ways of Perfection unless we give our selves to the Interior Life

• Article II. Without Prayer we cannot acquit ourselves of the Duties of our Vocation, nor gather Fruit from our Ministrations

• Article III. Peace is not found except in the Interior Life, and our Dissatisfactions spring only from our not being Interior Men

Chapter III. The Occupations of the Interior Life

• Article I. Of Watchfulness over our Interior

• Article II. How Important it is that we should join the Interior with our Exterior Occupations

• Article III. We ought not to engage in Exterior Occupations of our own Accord

Chapter IV. Advice for the Interior Life

• Article 1. We ought to cultivate the Will more than the Understanding

• Article II. The Path of Faith is a Safer Way to Perfection than that of Sensible Graces,

• Article III. The Best Mode of Practising the Virtues

Sixth Treatise. Means of Acquiring Perfection

PART THREE: UNION WITH GOD BY CONTEMPLATION.

Chapter I. Union of the Soul with a God through Contemplation

Chapter II. The Doctrine of St. Francis de Sales in regard to Contemplation

1. Divine Love seeks Solitude and Silence

2. Difference between Meditation and Contemplation

3. The Knowledge of God is less necessary to us than Love

4. How Contemplation reduces all this to simple Unity

5. The Various Means which lead to Contemplation

6. Love collects the Powers of the Soul

7. Recollection is frequently produced and increased by a Gentle, Reverent Fear

8. Of the Repose of a Soul recollected in God

9. Of the Manner in which the Soul enjoys Repose in God in the Prayer of Quiet

10. Of the Different Degrees of the Prayer of Quiet, and the Means which should be employed to preserve the Holy Repose of the Soul

11. Self-denial is the Safest Means of establishing ourselves in the Presence of God

12. Perfect Submission to the Will of God keeps the Soul in continual Prayer,

Chapter III. Letter of St. Francis de Sales to St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Chapter IV. The Continual Prayer of St. Francis de Sales

Chapter V. The Life of Jesus in Mary

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