Psychological Healing
in the Catholic Mystic Tradition

Recommended Reading

For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.

—2 Timothy 4:3

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Introduction | Practical Readings | Readings of the Faith | Additional Readings: Saints | Additional Readings: General |
Additional Readings: My own books

 
FTER the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, when illiteracy became the norm of the general population, the average Christian depended on icons and preaching for guidance in the faith. And for centuries thereafter, even with the Renaissance in the West, lay Catholics depended on educated clerics for religious instruction.

Now that’s all well and good, except for the fact that when the clerics get it wrong, everybody suffers. And that is precisely the case in the modern world. You could attend Mass every day of the week for years and still not learn much—if anything—about the Catholic faith. Most priests today feed their flocks little of any holy substance but offer them, day after day, the spiritual equivalent of potato chips and soda pop—or, as it is in many parishes, coffee and donuts.

Furthermore, religious education has, more often than not, fallen into the hands of those who dissent from the true faith. Religious educators, seduced by the social world around them, like the ancient Hebrews embracing the idols and abominations of the heathen lands around them, now place their “faith” in the diversity of secular values derived from humanistic psychology. And all the while the bishops, like shepherds terrified of the wolves, run from the cross with their tails between their legs.

Do you know how people often snicker when they hear the words “military intelligence,” thinking it to be an oxymoron? Well, true Catholics feel the same way when they hear a reference to “Catholic education.” And, even more sadly, especially in the US, the same is true of the words, “holy bishop.”

So I will say it plainly, and yet with tears and sadness: if you think that being a good Christian means no more than going to church on Sunday, praying the Rosary, and then enjoying yourself the rest of the time, and if you’re not willing to spend serious time in prayer and reading spiritual texts by giving up social media, TV, movies, video games, and constant texting on your mobile device, then you’re in serious trouble.

“What’s wrong with these things?” “They corrupt your mind and lead it astray by opening it to demonic influence—and you won’t even be aware that it’s occurring.” “That’s ridiculous. I use Facebook and Twitter and watch TV and movies all the time, and I don’t see anything wrong with them!” “That’s what I just told you.”

So, do you get it? We’re all in danger of having our minds snatched by evil, and most of us don’t even realize it—even those who have already been snatched.

	But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. . . . For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.
	— 2 Timothy 3:14–15; 4:3–5

Practical Readings

Read these books to learn the essential facts of the Christian faith.
	Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in Accordance With the Official Latin Text Promulgated by Pope John Paul II, 2nd edition (Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 2000). Paperback ISBN: 0-87973-976-2
	Reverence for the Holy Eucharist: Reverent and Proper Conduct In a Catholic Church by Raymond Lloyd Richmond, Ph.D. Paperback ISBN: 979-8307139196
Read this book to make the entire Bible easy to comprehend.
	Bishop Frederick Justus Knecht, D.D. A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture TAN Books and Publishers Paperback ISBN: 0-89555-757-6 If you need help interpreting the Bible, in simple, understandable language, this is it. It’s far superior to most blind-leading-the-blind Bible study groups.
Use this book to help make prayer a foundation of your daily life.
	Christian Prayer [the one-volume edition of the Liturgy of the Hours] Catholic Book Publishing Corp. ISBN: 0-89942-406-6 Use the four-volume edition if you are familiar with it.
—and use my own book to learn how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours
	The Richmond Guide to Praying the Liturgy of the Hours (3rd Edition)

Readings of the Faith

Read this book to learn the simple beauty of Christian mystical reality.
	Fr. Marie-Dominique Molinié, O.P. The Courage To Be Afraid, trans. Fr. Alexander Wisesman, SSPX (Saint Marys, KS: Angelus Press). Paperback ISBN: 978-1-949124-79-8 If you read this masterpiece and understand it, you will be saddened to find that most Catholics who read this book will not understand the poetic simplicity it exudes and teaches. As the author says, “We must live a life where we lose our footing... this is the whole savor of the mystical life.” Yes, to be afraid of our own self-assurance and to let God act.
Read this book to learn the core principles of genuine prayer from the heart.
	Compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valmo. The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology, trans. E. Kadloubovsky and E. M. Palmer (NY: Faber and Faber). Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0-571-19165-9 The book draws heavily on the writing of Theophan the Recluse, a 19th century Russian Orthodox bishop and spiritual director. In my opinion, no other writer—Eastern or Western, Orthodox or Catholic—equals Bishop Theophan’s spiritual and psychological clarity, and his ability to never miss the point about prayer.
Read this book to learn the facts about evil and the demonic.
	Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea. Interview With An Exorcist (West Chester, PA: Ascension Press). Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-932645-96-5 This book provides clear and unpretentious answers to questions about angels and demons, the reality of evil, demonic activity, temptation and sin, demonic oppression and possession, and the path to deliverance from evil influence. This is the best book I have read on the subject.
Read this book to learn the basic simplicity of applying Christian ideals in daily life.
	Thomas à Kempis. The Imitation of Christ, trans. William Creasy (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1989). Paperback ISBN: 0-87793-411-8 There are many translations of this timeless classic, and, in my opinion, this is the best.
Read this book to understand and conform to the will of God.
	Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and Blessed Claude de la Colombière. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence / The Secret of Peace and Happiness. TAN Books and Publishers Paperback ISBN: 0-89555-216-7 Extracts from the writings of two influential religious writers and spiritual directors from the 17th century.

Additional Readings: Saints

Read this book to learn how to put into practice a genuine devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
	St. Louis Marie de Montfort. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin (Bay Shore, NY: Montfort Publications, 1980). Hardcover ISBN: 0-910984-49-2 Contains the Consecration To Jesus through Mary.
Read this book to learn about the mystic process of “dying to the self” through holy love.
	St. John of the Cross. “The Ascent of Mount Carmel” and “The Dark Night.” In The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, trans. K. Kavanaugh and O. Rodriguez ICS Publications Hardcover ISBN: 0-935216-15-4
Read this book to learn from a practical, down-to-earth woman how the mystical effects of divine love transformed her life.
	St. Teresa of Avila. “The Way of Perfection.” In The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Volume Two, trans. K. Kavanaugh and O. Rodriguez ICS Publications Paperback ISBN: 0-9600876-6-4
Read this book to learn how a life of devout Christian love reflects Christ’s own suffering, sacrifice, and obedience.
	St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary TAN Books and Publishers Paperback ISBN: 0-89555-295-7 Intimate insights from the saint to whom Our Lord gave the Sacred Heart revelations.
Read this book to learn the details about Purgatory and Hell.
	St. Catherine & Don Cattaneo Marabotto. The Spiritual Doctrine of Saint Catherine of Genoa TAN Books and Publishers Paperback ISBN: 0-89555-355-X This great lay mystic “wrote the book” about Purgatory.
Read this book to learn how divine mercy becomes real in everyday life.
	St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. Diary Association of Marian Helpers Paperback ISBN: 0-944203-04-3 The “Apostle of The Divine Mercy” records Jesus’ message of mercy in a diary.

Additional Readings: General

Read these books and be enthralled as the meticulous details of Biblical events allow salvation history to come alive in its full human and divine reality.
	Emmerich, Anne Catherine. The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations TAN Books and Publishers Paperback ISBN: (Vol. 1) 0-89555-787-8 (Vol. 2) 0-89555-787-6 (Vol. 3) 0-89555-787-4 (Vol. 4) 0-89555-790-8 One of the greatest treasures of Catholic mystical writing shows “how the Roman Catholic Church faithfully follows the teachings and administers the Sacraments of Jesus Christ Himself.”
Read this book to learn the historical details about the mysteries recalled by the Rosary.
	Johnson, Kevin Orlin. Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads (Dallas: Pangæus Press, 1996). Paperback ISBN: 0-9653660-1-4 A comprehensive reference for the history and meaning of the Rosary.
Read this book to learn the tell-tale signs of genuine mystic phenomena.
	Johnson, Kevin Orlin. Apparitions: Mystic Phenomena and What They Mean (Dallas: Pangæus Press, 1998). Paperback ISBN: 0-9653660-0-6 The only comprehensive reference book that puts supernatural events clearly in their Biblical context.

Additional Readings: My own books

Anger and Forgiveness (4th Edition) Most of us carry more anger in our hearts than we are capable of admitting even to ourselves. As a result, we often feel stuck in lives of unfulfilled potential, unending resentments, and physical illness. In this book, Dr. Richmond explains the deep psychological implications of anger and forgiveness and shows how to turn the emotional wounds of daily life into psychological growth. Ordering Information

Psychology from the Heart The Spiritual Depth of Clinical Psychology   Psychology has too often been preoccupied with the pursuit of happiness, and it has missed the point about helping individuals understand life and find a personally meaningful—and practical—sense of direction. Psychology itself cannot offer any meaning to life, but it can help individuals disentangle themselves from the snare of illusory social identifications that keep us trapped in spiritual blindness and pull us backwards into self-destruction. Ordering Information

Healing (2nd Edition) Psychological Healing in the Catholic Mystic Tradition   There is nothing wrong with psychological defenses. In fact, they help to protect us from emotional injury. But if you cling to the defense mechanisms that were created in your childhood and carry them on into adulthood—as most everyone does unconsciously—your quest for spiritual healing will be thwarted by overwhelming resentments and conflicts. So now, and in every moment until you die, you will have a profound choice between your enslavement to old defenses and the beauty of God. Ordering Information

Disasters and Trauma 3E The Struggle for Psychological and Spiritual Growth   An event is traumatic because it disrupts your previously secure sense of self. Consider that wild animals live with a constant, sharp awareness of perpetual danger, yet most people live with a naive—and deceptive—sense of safety and security to the point of denying their basic vulnerability and fragmented sense of self. So when something disastrous happens, the psychological damage from the shattering of your illusions about life and identity may be more problematic than any physical damage. Ordering Information

Falling Families, Fallen Children 2E Parents see themselves as devout Catholics, but what do their children see? Do they see a mother and a father both living in contemplative love for God with a faithful emotional awareness of divine presence and engaged in an all-out battle with the evil of the world? More often than not children don’t see living faith. They don’t see any protection from evil. They don’t see genuine, fruitful devotion. They don’t see genuine love for God. Instead, they see external acts of devotion as insincere because they see all the other things their parents do that contradict the true faith. Thus parents lose credibility—and when parents lose credibility, children can become cynical and angry and turn to the social world around them for identity and acceptance. They become children who have more concern for social acceptance than for loving God. They are fallen children. Let’s bring them back. Ordering Information

Though Demons Gloat They Shall Not Prevail   Though we are attacked by liberal activists from without and by apostasy from within, the true Church—that is, the body of those who remain faithful to Church tradition—weeps, and she prays, because she knows the fate of those who oppose God. Our enemies might fear love, and they can push love away, but they can’t kill it. And so the battle against them cannot be fought with politics; it requires a pro­found personal struggle against the immorality of popular culture. The battle must be fought in the service of God with pure and chaste lifestyles lived from the depths of our hearts in every moment. Ordering Information

Beyond the Veil of Lust Overcoming Obsessions with Pornography and Masturbation   This book is about a veil—the veil of illusion that draws you into lust and temptation, day after day. Armed with the truth herein, you will be able to pray for the strength and courage to persevere through your trials into confident trust in divine protection. You will learn to seek out the true humility of confidence, not the false satisfaction of competing with others to make yourself feel strong and powerful. You will learn to admit your wretchedness and to seek the grace to love, and to pray for, everyone—even your enemies—despite the mistreatment you received as a child and continue to receive, even now, as an adult. Thus you will learn to seek the desire for holy love that will grow in you and overshadow every other desire. Do this and you will not only understand love, you will be living it. Ordering Information

Boundaries Protecting Yourself From Emotional Harm   Always treat others with respect and dignity, even if you do not agree with them. But if they treat you with a lack of respect and dignity, then protect yourself with healthy boundaries. This book teaches you about healthy psychological boundaries.   Ordering Information

Weight Reduction Through Faith and Prayer   This is not one more “diet book” among a multitude of diet books that tell you what to eat. This book teaches you how to use prayer to strengthen your free will to nurture the attitudes and behaviors that will result in weight reduction. Ordering Information

Giving the Pain to God The Path to Emotional Healing and Forgiveness   In contrast to all the human illusion—and folly—of anger and revenge, you have another option. That is, when you are hurt, you don’t have to fight back, trying to hurt others as they have hurt you. If you trust in God’s perfect justice to protect you, then you can accept all injury quietly, peacefully, and without grumbling or protest. Ordering Information

The Veil of Purity The Supernatural Purpose of the Chapel Veil   Sadly, most women who refuse to wear a chapel veil don’t understand its real purpose, and many women who do wear a veil do so for the wrong reasons. So, should women wear a chapel veil out of duty? No. Should they wear a veil only at the Latin Mass? No. Is the veil a sign of oppression of women? No; in fact, it’s just the opposite. If women dress modestly at all times they will be a holy influence on men and society, and if they cover their heads when praying they will protect themselves spiritually from those who feed upon irreverence and impurity. Women have a crucial mission—a mission of supernatural purity—in liberating themselves, the Church, and society in general from the oppression of irreverence and impurity that, day by day, are increasingly attacking us all. Ordering Information

Desire and Distraction A Catholic Perspective on Behavioral Change and Its Subversion   The psychological relationship between “want” and “desire” explains why changing problematic habits or addictions can be especially difficult. As much as someone might want to start exercising or stop using drugs or alcohol, for example, there can be a desire to maintain an old, dysfunctional behavior for the sake of the familiarity, comfort, hate, or self-punishment the behavior produces. Consequently, forcing behavioral change with sheer discipline will likely fail unless the underlying desire to fail is overcome with a different desire. So now, and in every moment until you die, you will have a choice between failure and success. That decision has to come from you. You will go where you desire. Ordering Information

Fear A Catholic Explanation of a Universal Problem   Fear keeps alcoholics drinking, addicts addicted, and wretched sinners stuck in sin like quicksand. In fearing the darkness of the human psyche you never get to feel the true joy of real light. Because, after all, the light of truth illuminates the dark and shows the darkness for what it is. So there you are, in full irony: in your fear of the dark, you end up fearing love itself. Still, despite the fear, there is hope. The shards of broken love can be repaired. Ordering Information

Stopping Smoking Through Faith and Prayer   If you are addicted to any substance, you are declaring with your behavior that you “love” the addiction more than you love God, and so you will fail to love God as Christ commanded us: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37). But, if only you train yourself through faith and prayer to desire holiness more than you desire an addiction, any addiction can be overcome. Accordingly, to stop smoking it will be necessary not only to overcome the addiction to nicotine, but also it will be necessary to overcome the habit of always reaching for tobacco (either as a behavioral reward or as a means to relieve anxiety) instead of reaching out to God in prayer. If you follow the guidance within this booklet, you will be able to say, “When I trust in You, Lord, You are my best and oldest friend. I do not need to soothe myself with tobacco. With Your grace, I am not a slave to impulses and addiction.” Ordering Information

The Spiritual Dimension of Borderline Personality Disorder and Healing the Rage Psychoanalytic writers have tended to focus on identity—or, to be more precise, the lack of a stable identity—as the core of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). But identity and personality are social illusions because they fluctuate over time and situations. The real core of BPD is rage. Rage is not an “identity”; it is simply a raw and primitive form of anger as a response to the fear of emotional or physical abandonment. BPD therefore is not some shameful illness that a person is “born with.” BPD is really just a collection of psychological defenses—all related in some way to rage—that children acquire in childhood as a way to protect themselves from the emotional trauma they experience in their families. Unlike books that advocate the common mode of treatment, this book explains the spiritual dimension of healing the rage. Ordering Information

Catholic compassion When They Tell You That the Moral Teachings of the Catholic Church Are Wrong It would be humorous, if the consequences weren’t so tragic, that contemporary society tries desperately to convince us that Catholic compassion is wrong because it lacks compassion.      All of us—but especially children and young adults—are constantly being tempted by liberal rationalism to doubt the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. Today, we are induced to look with desire at immoral behaviors that separate us from a holy life, and, when we fall for the trap, we justify those immoral behaviors with a pernicious yet seemingly innocent notion, “How can there be anything wrong with something that seems so nice?”      This book can help you understand how friends, teachers, professors, the entertainment industry—and even priests—can lead you away from God under the deceptive guise of “being compassionate.”      Still, we have an obligation—an obligation that ensues from having chosen to follow Christ in the way of the cross—to not hate those who hate chastity, to not fear those who fear suffering, to not reject those who reject holiness itself. And even if they close their ears to our words, we have a compassionate obligation to pray that they might someday, before they die, make the choice to listen to, rather than reject, the Holy Spirit. We have an obligation to live the genuine compassion that much of contemporary society around us wants to reject. Ordering Information

TRUE DISCIPLES . . . will point out the narrow way to God in pure truth according to the holy Gospel, and not according to the maxims of the world. Their hearts will not be troubled, nor will they show favour to anyone; they will not spare or heed or fear any man, however powerful he may be. They will have the two-edged sword of the Word of God in their mouths and the blood-stained standard of the Cross on their shoulders. They will carry the crucifix in their right hand and the rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart. . . . By the will of God, Mary is to prepare them to extend His rule over the impious and unbelievers.

—Saint Louis Marie de Montfort True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, no. 59

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