Catholic Medical Quartery Vol 76 (1) February 2026
Book Review
Mysticism, Magic, and Monasteries: Recovering the Sacred
Mystery at
the Heart of Reality
by Sebastian Morello
Published by Os Justi Press
Reviewed by Dr
Pravin Thevathasan
I
agree with much of what is written in this book. I have also read some of
the negative reviews and at least some of them seem unfair. The author is
very appreciative of traditional Benedictine spirituality. He is surely
right to point out how important the sacred liturgy is in our spiritual
lives. He is critical of a certain kind of perennialism that leads to
Islam. He rightly rejects the essence-energy distinction that is to be
found in Eastern Orthodoxy.
Sadly, he is somewhat negative about the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola. St Ignatius influenced St Francis de Sales, St Teresa of Avila, and so many other saints of the Counter-Reformation. Many of us are old enough to remember those Jesuits who were loyal sons of St Ignatius. Admittedly, they appear to be less in number these days.
The author is dismissive of spiritualities that are not sufficiently Neo-Platonic. However, the Church has always recommended many different spiritual traditions so long as they do not contradict the teachings of the Church. We do need Benedict right now. But we also need a Philip Neri, a Francis de Sales and so many more. I would have to add that great caution is needed when the author recommends any book with the word "Tarot" in its title. I too was influenced by Perennialism many years ago. I am not so sure now about its compatibility with Catholicism. Nevertheless, a really interesting topic.