Irénée Hausherr, SJ, (1881-1978) was a Jesuit of Alsatian origin and specialist in Greek patristic and monastic spirituality.

Among the extensive literature dealing with spiritual direction that appears every year, this is, to our knowledge, the only comprehensive study of the subject from its source—early Christian monasticism.Coptic Church Review

• ContentsFOREWORD   viiBishop Kallistos [Ware]I.  INTRODUCTION   1CHAPTER II.  THE SPIRITUAL FATHER   91.  Father   92.  Spiritual   30CHAPTER III.  THE QUALITIES NEEDED TO BE A SPIRITUAL FATHER   511.  Moral Qualities   512.  Intellectual Qualities   773.  Hierarchical Qualifications   99CHAPTER IV.  THE DUTIES OF THE SPIRITUAL FATHER   1231.  Should One Accept Such a Role?   1242.  Praying for One's Spiritual Children   1293.  Carrying Part of the Burden   1414.  Loving One's Spiritual Children   148CHAPTER V.  THE NEED FOR OPENNESS OF HEART   1551.  The Proper Focus of Such Openness   1552.  Treasons for this Disclosure   1583.  Testimonies of Some Great Spiritual Fathers   1704.  Exceptions to the Rule?   176CHAPTER VI.  THE DUTIES OF THE DISCIPLE   1851.  Having a Spiritual Father   1852.  Faith and Submission   1923.  'In Charitate'   208CHAPTER VII.  THE REVELATION OF THOUGHTS IN PRIACTICE   223CHAPTER VIII.  EFFICACY OF DIRECTION   243CHAPTER IX.  SPECIAL CATEGORIES   2671.  The Direction of Nuns  2682. the Spiritual Direction of Lay Persons   306GLOSSARY   333LIST OF NAMES   345TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS   357SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY   365SUBJECT INDEX   400NAMES INDEX   417