037: The Fulfillment of All Desire with Ralph Martin

The Art of Catholic with Matthew Leonard

Hands down one of my favorite books of all time. Dr. Ralph Martin's The Fulfillment of All Desire played a huge role in my desire to learn about, and grow in, the spiritual life. It's a classic. (I've got hand-written notes all over the margins in my copy.) 2016 is the tenth anniversary of it's publication and it still sells like crazy. Why? Because it presents the path of spiritual growth from the masters of the spiritual life: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis de Sales, Augustine, and more. This book blew my mind and helped ignite the fire of love in my life for Christ. If you don't know Ralph, he's the Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization and an associate professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit, president of Renewal Ministries, and host of the tv and radio show “The Choices We Face”. In case you didn’t think him cool enough already, Ralph was appointed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization...that's totally cool. And today, Ralph is on the show to talk about the The Fulfillment of All Desire and the spiritual life in general. In addition to nuggets of wisdom from the book, we'll discuss: How Ralph got into spiritual theology and the difference it's made in his life The huge impact of St. John Paul II in the universal call to holiness The 4 principles that govern the spiritual life The 3 stages of the spiritual life Ralph's biggest piece of advice for someone trying to grow in holiness Prepare to be inspired! Matthew P.S. Don't forget to grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life! It's an easy step-by-step guide to help you rocket to God! Don't miss a show! Subscribe to The Art of Catholic by clicking this link and then clicking "View in iTunes" under the picture and then "Subscribe"!