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Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer O.P. & Dr. Anthony Lilles –
Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P. and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss their collaboration on Named for Glory: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s Identity and Mission, a book exploring the spirituality of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. A warm reflection on how they came to love St. Elizabeth—her contemplative depth, her letters, and her theological insight. Fr. Ignatius shares how reading St. Thérèse led him to Elizabeth’s writings, whose lofty yet practical spirituality bridges heaven and daily life. He and Dr. Lilles describe how St. Elizabeth’s understanding of the indwelling Trinity reveals the Christian’s interior union with God, forming the heart of contemplative prayer and identity. Their book, born during the COVID period with coauthor Julie Enzler, grew from meditations on St. Elizabeth’s letters and her three “names”: House of God, Praise of Glory, and Host of Praise.
They reflect on how Elizabeth’s mystical writings illuminate divine intimacy as both transcendent and deeply personal. Dr. Lilles describes her influence on St. John Paul II and praises her integration of Scripture, sacrament, and Trinitarian mystery. Both he and Fr. Ignatius note how her retreats and letters reveal that holiness is discovered in surrender—where the “abyss of misery meets the abyss of mercy.” Through trials and interior transformation, Elizabeth teaches that each soul is called to discover its true identity in Christ, to live as a radiant expression of divine life.
Discerning Hearts spiritual reflection questions:
- How does St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s teaching on the indwelling Trinity deepen your understanding of God’s presence within you?
- In what ways can you live out your baptismal identity as a “house of God” in your daily life?
- When have you experienced the “abyss of misery meeting the abyss of mercy” in your relationship with God?
- How can you allow Scripture, as Elizabeth did, to shape your prayer and transform your heart?
- What prevents you from resting in silence before God, and how might you open yourself more fully to His divine touch?
- How does Elizabeth’s example invite you to see suffering as a pathway to deeper communion with the Trinity?
- What does it mean for you personally to be a “praise of glory” for God?
- How can Elizabeth’s contemplative spirit guide your response to the distractions and busyness of modern life?
- In your own vocation or mission, where do you sense God calling you to go “out into the deep”?
- How might you practice spiritual friendship or intercession, as Elizabeth did through her letters, to help others grow closer to God?
You can find the book here
From the book description
“I am going to bury myself in the depths of my soul, that is, in God. Will you follow me in this very simple movement?” — St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
St. Teresa of Avila said that every soul is made for transforming union with God. In her footsteps, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906) invites you to rendezvous with her in the interior castle and experience the indwelling presence of the Holy Trinity.
Go out into the deep: My Three, my All!
In describing her intimate relationship with God, St. Elizabeth referred to her Divine Bridegroom as “Maestro.” Here, she guides you in hearing His song and living the chorus of love, drawing ever closer to His very Heart. Through her powerful spiritual wisdom, as reflected in her letters to relatives, loved ones, and priests, you will find:
- How to live in the freedom of silence and recollection and remain absorbed in love of God while fulfilling practical demands
- Guidance on offering your life to God by uniting yourself to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist
- Ways to deepen your life of prayer to experience the Holy Trinity’s indwelling presence
- The secret to letting go and clinging to God with the intimacy of a contemplative gaze
- How to imitate Mary in offering your life as a House of God, Praise of Glory, and Host of Praise
- St. Elizabeth’s Oblation to the Trinity and how to enter the Furnace of Love in the altar of your heart
In these awe-inspiring pages, St. Elizabeth unveils the union that you were made to enjoy through Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs and Gate of Heaven. By reflecting on her name and vocation as Virgin, Spouse, and Mother, St. Elizabeth invites us to answer the universal call to holiness so that our lives will also flow into the very life of God — and His life will flow into ours. By imitating our Blessed Mother in her deep simplicity and making little acts of love and sacrifice each day, we unite with Jesus in the Sacred Host, become living oblations, and thus glorify our Crucified and Risen Lord.
About the Authors
Dr. Anthony Lilles: Anthony Lilles is co-founder and Academic Dean of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and also serves as the Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Theology at St. John’s Seminary. He is a founding faculty member of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary where he was Academic Dean for nine years. Dr. Lilles has provided graduate level courses on a variety of topics including the Eucharist, the Sacraments of Healing, Church History, Spiritual Theology, Spiritual Direction and on various classics of Catholic Spirituality.
Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer O.P.: Fr. Ignatius John Schweitzer, OP is a Dominican priest of the St. Joseph (Eastern) Province. He was ordained in 2011. He spent six years living as a monk in a Carthusian monastery. He then returned to the Dominicans, discerning a strong call from the Lord to help others grow in the spiritual and mystical life. Upon returning, he completed his STL, writing on “The Life, Light, and Fire of Triune Love: A Trinitarian Spirituality from Scripture, Aquinas, Ruusbroec, and John of the Cross.” He is the promoter of the Dominican Laity, adjunct professor, spiritual director, and formator at St. Joseph’s Seminary. He hopes to be of service to the Lord’s loving cry to souls and souls’ cry for the Lord: “Abyss calls to abyss!”
