Spiritual direction is a vital aspect of the priestly ministry. It launches souls on the road to Heaven and keeps them oriented as the pathway becomes narrow and steep. Everyone -- from the pope to the most innocent of children -- needs spiritual direction.

In these rich pages, Msgr. Charles Hugo Doyle shares wisdom and practical advice on the process that holds rewards not only for priests but for lay faithful as well.

As Fr. Edward J. Hogan of St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore observed when the book was first published in 1958, "There are countless souls ripe for sanctity, full of generosity and desire, and needing only the expert advice of a divinely ordained doctor of souls to advance toward sainthood. Yet how often they remain unattended!"

Fr. Hogan observed that some Catholic priests hesitate to engage in spiritual direction and to reap the harvest of saints it can produce because they suffer from "a feeling of inadequacy and of lack of the requisite knowledge for so sensitive an undertaking."

This is why the famed Msgr. Doyle wrote this book. He guided a generation of priests in the time-tested methods of spiritual direction and even today serves as a guide for lay Catholics who want to progress in holiness but have yet to find a spiritual director of their own.

In one timeless volume, Msgr. Doyle lays out the classic principles of Catholic spirituality and distills advice from saints who were commonly regarded as the greatest spiritual directors of their time. You will discover:

The art of maintaining a devotional spirit all day long

How to advance through the "spiritual stages"

The stumbling blocks to genuine meditation

Seven brief prayers that can increase your devotion at Mass

Eight indicators that you are growing in holiness

Ten proven methods to advance in virtue

You will also find ways the devil tries to disrupt you on the path to holiness and how to effectively battle the seven deadly sins. Additionally, you will learn about the danger of scruples, how to overcome them, and how to replace fear with a childlike trust and confidence in God.

St. Vincent Ferrer, the great Dominican saint, said about spiritual direction, "A person who has a director by whom he allows himself to be guided . . . will more easily and quickly arrive at perfection than he ever could by himself."

This book is a must for every serious Christian's spiritual library.