Love’s Guest: Reflections of Inspiration and Wonder: An Annotated Selection from The Spiritual Dialogues by Saint Catherine of Genoa shares with modern readers this influential work about the depth of divine love. Why was this an important book for you to write?

While I was researching material for a new novel at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, I was reading the journals of Thomas Merton. In one entry I read a section where Merton mentions he had been asked to write a biography about the life of an ‘absolutely transformative’ Saint Catherine of Genoa. I had never heard of her, but had a deep and clear urge to read more. Long story short, when I read a certain section of her ‘Spiritual Dialogues,’ I had the overwhelming feeling I was showering in Divine Love, as if every cell in my body was filled with light. I felt transformed. Within days of that reading, still “dripping in the experience,” I knew I would bring this little book to fruition. This is not a ‘religious’ book, nor am I a ‘religious’ man. But, I am aware that the power, pathos, and transformative power of this mystical Saint is alive in her song of Divine Love.

How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?

The book “came” to me in March, 2023. I had written the Preface fairly quickly and edited the text with Annotations. The Meditations on Love also came fairly quickly, all within 3 months.

With the Preface written and text edited, my hope was to find a “scholar” or educated writer for a more in depth and proper Introduction on the life of Saint Catherine’s life and meaning of the text, in particular the role of Divine Love in the world today.. After a few months, while I found a publisher and was receiving strong praise from distinguished Spiritual Leaders, I found no one to write the Introduction. The publisher suggested I write and at this point I delved into deep research and completed the Introduction. This was perhaps the “hardest” part for me, which took another 3 months, and the book was completed in late July, 2023. The publisher then took about 3 months to edit the work, at which time I took another month to incorporate the suggestions.

What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?

I had no goals other than to give the book the deepest respect I could muster and do justice to Saint Catherine’s message of Divine Love. I sought to honor the call of Spirit “asking” me to write this book.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Love’s Guest?

I hope readers find in the book a certain wisdom and knowledge of what Divine Love feels like– And a knowledge– and a feeling for and sense of how Divine Love is present in the world today. I will soon begin to offer a contemplative workshop, “The Everyday Mystic” which will explore our individual capacity to receive Spirit in our life on a daily basis.

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