Join the St. Josemaria Institute’s Book of the Month as we unpack a new title and go deeper into our faith and the teachings and spirituality of St. Josemaria Escriva each month.
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OCTOBER 2026
This month, we’re reading Fire & Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God, by Fr. Jacques Philippe.
In Fire & Light, we discover how God desires to reveal himself and to communicate himself to us. Nothing can give him more joy than to find hearts that welcome, with absolute trust and complete availability, the ceaselessly renewed gift of his love. May this book help its readers to persevere in faith, hope, and charity, to remain always open to the work of the Holy Spirit, and to hasten the Pentecost of love and mercy that God desires to spread across our world, so that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God,” according to the promise of Scripture (Lk 3:6).
In a series of essays linked by his examination into key areas of spiritual growth, Fr. Jacques Philippe develops themes relating to prayer, freedom, the Holy Eucharist, and man’s constant struggle for contentment amid the stresses of everyday life. Through spiritual insights of amazing women of the Church—Etty Hillesum, Thérèse of Lisieux, and Teresa of Avila—Fr. Jacque’s essays examine topics such as:
- Why look for interior peace?
- Knowing God through Mary
- Touching God through prayer
- The theological virtues and the Eucharist
As you read along, we invite you to share your thoughts, questions, favorite quotes, etc., with us on Facebook and Instagram @stjosemariainst.
About the Author
Father Jacques is the first priest ordained in the Community of the Beatitudes. He began preaching retreats regularly in France and abroad and has consolidated his principal retreat themes into different books on spirituality. These books have sold over a million copies in 24 languages. Jacques Philippe’s writings on themes such as prayer, interior freedom, and peace of heart have become classics of modern Catholic spirituality.
January
Coached by St. Paul
Fr. Nathan Cromly
February
Our Lives in His Hands: An Ordinary Couple’s Path to Holiness
Olga Marlin
March
The Son of Man
François Mauriac
April
Vocation: Something Great that is Love
Borja de León
May
The Great Unknown (Christ Is Passing By)
St. Josemaria Escriva
June
Finding Peace in the Heart of Christ (Christ Is Passing By)
St. Josemaria Escriva
July
A Treasure for the Church: St. Josemaria on Marriage, Family, and Education
Madonna Murphy
August
The Man of Villa Tevere
Pilar Urbano
September
Humility of the Saints
Patrick O’Hearn
October
Fire & Light: Learning to Receive the Gift of God
Fr. Jacques Philippe
November
Heaven Can’t Wait
Fr. Ed Maristany
December
The Fire and the Silence
Fr. John Henry Hanson, O. Praem.
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