The Path of Spiritual Happiness

by Dr. Heather M. Erb

This book is a story of the unfolding triumph of Christian happiness as a philosophy of life. We begin with ancient Greek roots and principles provided us by Aristotle, ‘the master of those who know.’ We continue through medieval flourishing in the sparkling syntheses of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. We move to the application of this Dominican saint’s penetrating vision to leisure and worship by a prominent twentieth century Thomist pilgrim, Josef Pieper. Pope John Paul II’s encyclicals complete the threads in this little tapestry of reason redeemed, which is offered for today’s Christian in the heart of the world.

Fr. Kevin E. O’Reilly, O.P. (Angelicum, Rome), in his Foreword to this volume, writes:

The synthesis of faith and reason and fidelity to the Church’s magisterium are hallmarks of this volume, which deals with the most fundamental of human desires, namely the desire for happiness….My own desire is that it become a standard text in Catholic educational circles and, indeed, beyond!….What better way to prepare the soil of contemporary culture for the reception of the Gospel of Joy than to outline the nature of true happiness!

Paperback $14.95 | Kindle $9.99

PAPERBACK

eBOOK

BULK ORDERS

TESTIMONIALS

“I enjoyed reading The Path of Spiritual Happiness. It is a well-founded presentation of a topic which is so important to the moral behaviour of mankind in our present age, when theological arguments are not very popular. The philosophical foundation therefore is becoming more important.” – +Bishop Attila Miklósházy S.J., ep.emeritus Hungarorum in exteris, prof. et decanus emeritus Facultatis Theol. in Seminario S. Augustini, in Toronto School of Theology; author of a 5 volume series, The Origin And Development of the Christian Liturgy According to Cultural Epochs: Political, Cultural and Ecclesial Backgrounds (Mellen Press).

“Dr. Heather Erb’s The Path of Spiritual Happiness is paved with good intentions, sage counsel, and delightful results. This carefully crafted compendium of the best of Christian philosophy throughout the ages illuminates the mind and brings joy to the heart — a must-read for all seekers of the wisdom and happiness that only Truth can bring.” – Kevin Vost, Psy.D., author of Memorize the Mass! and The One-Minute Aquinas

“The Path of Spiritual Happiness is a wonderful book not only for students, but also for all Catholic intellectuals. Dr. Erb’s book is scholastically authoritative and engaging, providing contemporary examples for today’s world.” – Dr. Ronda Chervin, Professor Emerita of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, and author of Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather M. Erb is a moderator in the Great Books Program of Angelicum Academy. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas from University of Toronto, as well as degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies from St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). Dr. Erb has taught at a variety of universities, including Lock Haven, Catholic Distance University, Penn State, Fordham, St. Francis, and University of Toronto. She publishes widely in Catholic academic and popular journals and books, and lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.

Representative Publications

“Modernism and the Growing Catholic Identity Problem: Thomistic Reflections and Solutions” (available online: Studia Gilsoniana 4:3 July –September 2015, 251-83): http://www.gilsonsociety.pl/studia-gilsoniana/4-2015/251-283/
“Pati Divina: Mystical Union in Aquinas” in Faith, Scholarship, and Culture in the 21^st Century, Alice Ramos and Marie George, eds., Catholic University of America Press (2002) 73-96 [Introduction by Robert Royal]: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Faith/faith104.pdf
Heather M. Erb, “Metaphysical Aspects of Aquinas’ Doctrine of the Spiritual Life” (Proceedings of the International Congress on “Christian Humanism in the Third Millennium: The Perspective of Thomas Aquinas” (Pontifical Academy of Saint Thomas and the Thomas Aquinas International Society) 2003 http://www.e-aquinas.net/pdf/mcadam.pdf
“From Rivulets to the Fountain’s Source: Image and Love in Aquinas’ Christian Anthropology” in Pagan-Aguiar and Auer, eds. The Human Person and a Culture of Freedom (Catholic University of America Press, March 2009) 61-91: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Human/Human104.pdf
“Chosen for Glory: Aquinas on Vocation to the Supernatural”, in John Hittinger, ed., The Vocation of the Catholic Philosopher from Maritain to John Paul II (Catholic University of America Press, 2010) 230-252: https://www3.nd.edu/~maritain/ama/Vocation/Vocation403.pdf
Articles in New Oxford Review, including: “The Pilgrim Church and Ummat al-Islam: Two Visions of Peace and Community”, (November 2013); “The Charismatic Appetite” (November 2008); “Truth – A Destroyer of Community?” (March 2010)
“The Varieties of Wisdom and The Consolation of Philosophy” (Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture3 (Summer 2012) 161-189.

OTHER ACADEMIC BOOKS

The Fullness of Life by Martin Dybicz

Coming Soon! The Fullness of Life by Martin Dybicz This complete and highly readable overview of the Catholic faith explains how living fully is found in knowing three things: that God is real, that He communicates with us, and that He wants us to respond....

Walking the Parables of Jesus by Deacon Bob Evans

COMING SUMMER 2019 Walking the Parables of Jesus by Deacon Bob Evans Walking the Parables of Jesus is a unique treatment of Jesus’ parables. Drawing on the work of many scholars, the author takes those who seek a deeper understanding of the...

Content Area Reading: A Practical Guide by Paula Witkowski and Dianne Swenson Koehnecke

Content Area Reading: A Practical Guide by Paula Witkowski and Dianne Swenson Koehnecke Paperback $35 | Kindle $9.99 We all want to be ‘great’ teachers, don’t we? But it’s not as easy as some might think. Dealing with a variety of learners: those who are...

The Meaning of the Eucharist by Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R.

COMING SOON! The Meaning of the Eucharist by Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. This book highlights some of the major theological voices from the past century who contributed to a deepening of the Church’s understanding of the significance of the...

Broken Hearts in a Broken World, authored by Gerard M. Verschuuren

Broken Hearts in a Broken World by Gerard M. Verschuuren Brokenness has become endemic in our days. In poll after poll, the vast majority of respondents say that our country is fundamentally broken. Our political system is broken. Our economy is broken....

A Companion to Reading Newman’s Grammar of Assent by Richard Geraghty

A Companion to Reading Newman's Grammar of Assent by Richard Geraghty In this book A Companion to Reading Newman’s Grammar of Assent, Richard Geraghty explains Newman’s truths by illustrating them as they pertain to contemporary Catholic issues. Through...

On the End Times, or the First Return of Christ by Jacques Cabaud

COMING SOON! On the End Times, or The First Return of Christ by Jacques Cabaud To pray the "Our Father" is to pray for the rebirth of humanity through the destruction of the world as we know it, the world in which the Evil One is free to reign,...

Mary: the Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons, authored by Keith Berube

COMING SOON! Mary: the Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons by Keith Berube Mary: The Rosary, the Relationship and Dragons reveals intriguing, little known aspects of the Rosary, gently catapulting the reader into a wondrous world of sweet,...

The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Seminary Formator by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM

The Art of Accompaniment: Practical Steps for the Seminary Formator by Sister Marysia Weber, RSM The role of a seminary formator is to accompany the seminarian in the external forum and to discern with him, the seminary community, and larger Church...

The Wise Guy and the Fool: A Philosophical Odyssey from Modern Error to Truth, authored by Matthew D’Antuono

The Wise Guy and the Fool by Matthew D’Antuono This is not a textbook on philosophy. It is not an essay on philosophy. It is not a treatise on philosophy. This book is more like philosophical entertainment and illustration: a collection of philosophical...

Social Media Magisterium: A No-Nonsense Guide to the Proper Use of Media, authored by Shaun McAfee

Social Media Magisterium: A No-Nonsense Guide to the Proper Use of Media by Shaun McAfee The positive influence of the media, new and old, is seen through the expansion of Catholic networks that span over 150 countries, and more, allowing the gospel and Christian...

Missionary Priests in the Homeland: Our Call to Receive

COMING SOON! Missionary Priests in the Homeland: Our Call to Receive by Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, and Bishop Richard Henning International priests have served the Roman Catholic Church in the United States since its inception. With...

The Thomist Tradition: Avoiding Scylla and Charybdis

COMING SOON! The Thomist Tradition: Avoiding Scylla and Charybdis by Dr. Donald Boland As with every great philosopher and theologian, the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, though perhaps the clearest expressed of all, has inevitably been subject...

Eastern Civilization from a Catholic Viewpoint

COMING SOON! Eastern Civilization from a Catholic Viewpoint by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA, STD Eastern Civilization from a Catholic Viewpoint traces the history of East and South East Asia from ancient times to modern times. In the process,...

East and South East Asian History

COMING SOON! East and South East Asian History by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA East and South East Asian History studies the historical development of countries that make up East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea)...

Western Civilization from the End of the Renaissance to Modern Times

COMING SOON! Western Civilization from the End of the Renaissance to Modern Times by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA This book presents the history of Western Civilization from the end of the Renaissance to Modern and the so-called Post-Modern...

Western Civilization from Prehistorical Times to the Protestant Reformation

COMING SOON! Western Civilization from Prehistorical Times to the Protestant Reformation by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA Western Civilization owes a debt of gratitude to three ancient civilizations: Jewish, Greek, and Roman. The first half of...

The Eclipse of God: Is Religion on the Way Out?

The Eclipse of God: Is Religion on the Way Out? by Gerard Verschuuren This book was specifically written for all those who feel lost in a world dominated by ideologies that obscure God. It is hard to pinpoint one particular cause of how we feel in such...

Trinity Footprints

COMING SOON! Trinity Footprints by Roger Skrenes This book asserts there are evidences of the tri-une nature of God in both people and in the world. However, such instances of God’s presence are not generally known by Christians or by others...

Contemporary Sacred: Conversations on Art & Faith

COMING SOON! Contemporary Sacred: Conversations on Art & Faith by Dr. Michela Ferri In translation now from the Italian. Buy it in the original language here: What is the so-called “Contemporary Sacred Art”? In her book, Michela Beatrice Ferri...

The Obligation of Perfect and Perpetual Continence and Married Deacons in the Latin Church

The Obligation of Perfect and Perpetual Continence and Married Deacons in the Latin Church by Rev. Anthony McLaughlin, J.C.D. Through the reception of diaconate a man becomes a cleric. Canon 277 §1 states: “Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and...

The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy: a hundred-day guided journal

COMING SOON! Check back when this book is published. TESTIMONIALS COMING SOON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, is Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Holy Apostles College & Seminary in Cromwell, CT. He first...

A Fool’s Errand: A Brief, Informal Introduction to Philosophy for Young Catholics

A Fool’s Errand: A Brief, Informal Introduction to Philosophy for Young Catholics by Matthew D’Antuono What is the meaning of life? What is the nature of existence? Why am I here? What is real happiness? The big questions. Are there answers to these...

Voyage to Insight

Voyage to Insight by Dr. Ronda Chervin En Route Books and Media has reprinted Ronda Chervin and Lois Janis’ book Voyage to Insight with fresh, exciting graphics. It can be read straight through or you can add your own insights into the book and even...

Economic Science and St. Thomas Aquinas: On Justice in the Distribution and Exchange of Wealth

Economic Science and St. Thomas Aquinas: On Justice in the Distribution and Exchange of Wealth by Dr. Donald Boland This is a book on what is perhaps the most burning and urgent of social issues of our times, namely, the relationship between the science of...

$Refractions of Light: 201 Answers on Apparitions, Visions and the Catholic Church$

Refractions of Light: 201 Answers on Apparitions, Visions and the Catholic Church

Refractions of Light: 201 Answers on Apparitions, Visions and the Catholic Church by Kevin Symonds For the past several decades, there has been a notable rise in claims of apparitions, visions and messages from heaven. This growth has often led to...

Weeping with Jesus: The Journey from Grief to Hope

Weeping with Jesus: The Journey from Grief to Hope by Dr. Ronda Chervin In the past the word grief was used only to describe the sorrow of loss through death. Nowadays pain coming from other kinds of losses such as rejection and divorce are also seen to...

Bereavement Miracles

Bereavement Miracles by Michael Frey The Bereavement Miracles program was designed to play a quintessential role in evangelizing the “spirit of mission” to individuals who are suffering from the death of a loved one by relating eternal realities in a...

In Praise of Life

In Praise of Life by Dr. Donald DeMarco This book illustrates how ten different factors can improve our appreciation of life: Evolution prepares it, Meaning justifies it, Love enhances it, Truth directs it, Freedom crowns it, Virtue strengthens it,...

How to Flourish in a Fallen World

How to Flourish in a Fallen World by Dr. Donald DeMarco How to Flourish in a Fallen World, by Donald DeMarco, engages the reader in an understanding of our common human nature and the problems it faces in a culture that actively pursues, to put it in Saint...

Feminine, Free and Faithful

Feminine, Free and Faithful by Dr. Ronda Chervin Should women be feminine and forget about liberation? Or should they reject femininity as a euphemism for slavery? Women seeking fulfillment, says Chervin, aren’t faced with this either-or, but with the...

Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists by Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, and Dr. Ronda Chervin

Catholic Realism: A Framework for the Refutation of Atheism and the Evangelization of Atheists by Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, and Dr. Ronda Chervin Atheism is in revival. Many in the 21st Century lack a belief in a supernatural Creator. This requires an...

A Not-So-Elementary Christian Metaphysics, Volume 2: An Introduction to Ragamuffin Thomism

A Not-So-Elementary Christian Metaphysics, Volume 2: An Introduction to Ragamuffin Thomism by Dr. Peter Redpath Nothing short of a metaphysical disturbance and metaphysical revolution of the highest order can resolve the West’s and the world’s current...

A Not-So-Elementary Christian Metaphysics, Volume 1: Written in the Hope of Ending the Centuries-old Separation between Philosophy and Science and Science and Wisdom

A Not-So-Elementary Christian Metaphysics, Volume 1: Written in the Hope of Ending the Centuries-old Separation between Philosophy and Science and Science and Wisdom by Dr. Peter Redpath This book’s chief aim is novel and radical: to reunite philosophy,...

Spirituality for All Times: Readings from the Catholic Classics

Spirituality for All Times: Readings from the Catholic Classics Spirituality for All Times is offered in the hope that it will inspire those who seek a deeper union with God. The authors have chosen to offer short selections to enable the reader to wade in...

The Jesus Code: In the Beginning was the Word

The Jesus Code: In the Beginning was the Word by Roger Skrenes Jesus is the only person in the history of the world whose biography was known before he was born! He wanted everyone on earth to know of this miraculous Old Testament portrait of himself (Luke...

Mary, the Beloved

Mary, the Beloved by Keith Berube The Magisterium of the Catholic Church teaches that Mary, the Mother of God, is a grace-filled, flesh and blood woman, who unsurpassingly loves each of us by name. Mary, the Beloved, affirms that teaching, providing a...

Eyewitnesses: Biblical Foundations in Christian Spirituality

Eyewitnesses: Biblical Foundations in Christian Spirituality – Ed. by Fr. John Horn, S.J. St. Paul prays with ardent desire that “the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened, that we might know what is the hope of the risen Jesus’ calling, and what...

The Way of Love: The Path of Inner Transformation

The Way of Love: The Path of Inner Transformation by Dr. Ronda Chervin A reprint of Dr. Ronda's The Way of Love: The Battle for Inner Transformation, this new edition under a new subtitle puts back in front of the world the nature of human love alongside...

On the Third Part of the Secret of Fatima

On the Third Part of the Secret of Fatima by Kevin J. Symonds For several decades, there has been much discussion on the famous third part of the secret of Fátima. Originally communicated to the three seers of Fátima in July, 1917, it was not written down...

The Moral Psychology of St. Thomas Aquinas: An Introduction to Ragamuffin Ethics

The Moral Psychology of St. Thomas Aquinas: An Introduction to Ragamuffin Ethics by Dr. Peter Redpath Through a radical reinterpretation of classical philosophy as an organizational psychology, The Moral Psychology of St. Thomas: An Introduction to...

The Human Person: A Bioethical Word

The Human Person: A Bioethical Word by Francis Etheredge Is bioethics a technical specialization or a profound expression of human being? Wonderfully answering this question, the book is beautifully enriched by eight Forewords. Beginning again and again,...

Faith and Reason: The Cradle of Truth

Faith and Reason: The Cradle of Truth by Dr. Gerard M. Verschuuren Of course, it’s a travesty, but a very widely held one. We all have heard how some people caricature religious believers. On weekdays, they are critical, want proofs, look for arguments,...

Fun is Not Enough

Fun is Not Enough by Fr. Francis Canavan, SJ Francis Canavan, S.J., was a professor of political science, a leading Edmund Burke scholar, and an essayist whose thoughts on faith, politics, and culture earned him accolades from many prominent Catholic minds...

History of the Eucharist

History of the Eucharist by Roger Skrenes The Eucharist is not a topic of the moment. Like any good teacher, God took “his time” in revealing the Eucharist slowly, step by step, throughout Biblical history. In this history there are two main tracks: 1) the...

Political Science from a Catholic Perspective

Political Science from a Catholic Perspective by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA Today, many specializations within the field of political science identify it particularly as a social science, and these are namely political theory, government and politics,...

A Brief Historical Survey of Marian Devotion and Theology by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA

A Brief Historical Survey of Marian Devotion and Theology by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA This book surveys the historical development of Marian belief and devotion by the Holy Spirit through the Church. How Mary was prepared and foreshadowed in the Old...

God as Father and Priests as Fathers, Brothers, Bridegrooms, and Disciples

God as Father and Priests as Fathers, Brothers, Bridegrooms, and Disciples by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA The vocation to the priesthood does not simply entail doing specific actions that only priests can perform. Being a priest essentially means being...

Catholic Church History: Pre-Christian to Modern Times

Catholic Church History: Pre-Christian to Modern Times by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA Catholic Church History: Pre-Christian to Modern Times presents how the Catholic Church developed from her earliest days up to modern times. The reader will encounter the...

Catholic Apologetics: Witnessing to and Defending the Faith

Catholic Apologetics: Witnessing to and Defending the Faith by Fr. Peter Samuel Kucer, MSA Catholic Apologetics teaches a budding apologist how to effectively witness to and defend the faith. We begin with a presentation of virtues an apologist is to...