Rt. Rev. Dom Vitalis Lehodey

Dom Vitalis Lehodey (1857-1948) was a French abbot who is remembered as an authority on the subject of mystical theology. Pope St. Pius X endorsed his work The Ways of Mental Prayer, calling it "a work very useful, not only to religious, but to all who, in any walk of life, are striving after Christian perfection."

Sun,Rays,Beaming,Through,The,Old,Stained,Glass,Window,Of
Mar 13

End of Mental Prayer

By Rt. Rev. Dom Vitalis Lehodey

All mental prayer, active or passive, whatever be its object, form or method, has for its end to glorify God, and in order to this, as we have already seen, it may perform the four functions of prayer, or some of the four, or only one, according to the attraction or need of the soul.…

Heiligenkreuz,,Vienna,-,October,11,,2017:,Heiligenkreuz,Abbey,Is,A
Mar 02

Mental Prayer

By Rt. Rev. Dom Vitalis Lehodey

Of Mental Prayer in General MENTAL prayer in general is an  interior and silent prayer, by which the soul raises itself to God without the aid of word or formulas, in order to discharge its duty towards Him and to become better. There is ordinary mental prayer and mystical mental prayer: in other terms, active…

Archway,In,The,Gothic,Cathedral,Of,Reims,,France
Jun 17

Consolations and Dryness in Prayer

By Rt. Rev. Dom Vitalis Lehodey

One of the most common and deplorable illusions consists in judging of our prayer by the consolation or dryness we meet with therein. In thinking it good because accompanied by consolation, bad, if chilled by desolation.  No, no, such is not the case.  The best prayer, were it ever so dry, is that which leaves…