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Modern Spiritual Masters
Romano Guardini: Spiritual Writings
"As we are taught by Guardini, the essence of Christianity is not an idea, not a system of thought, not a plan of action. The essence of Christianity is a Person: Jesus Christ himself."--Cardinal Josef Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI).
Romano Guardini (1885-1968), an Italian-born German priest and theologian, was an influential writer whose efforts to relate the Christian message to a modern audience helped prepare the way for Vatican II. According to Karl Rahner, Guardini was a Renaissance man who led Catholics out of an intellectual and cultural ghetto and into the contemporary age. His Christian humanist vision at once deeply traditional and finely attuned to the questions of men and women today deserves the attention of a new generation
Romano Guardini (1885-1968), an Italian-born German priest and theologian, was an influential writer whose efforts to relate the Christian message to a modern audience helped prepare the way for Vatican II. According to Karl Rahner, Guardini was a Renaissance man who led Catholics out of an intellectual and cultural ghetto and into the contemporary age. His Christian humanist vision at once deeply traditional and finely attuned to the questions of men and women today deserves the attention of a new generation
- GenresChristianityCatholic
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2005
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About the author
Romano Guardini
380 books165 followersRomano Guardini was a Catholic priest, author, and academic. He was one of the most important figures in Catholic intellectual life in the 20th century.
Guardini was born in Verona, Italy in 1885. His family moved to Mainz when he was one year old and he lived in Germany for the rest of his life. After studying chemistry in Tübingen for two semesters, and economics in Munich and Berlin for three, he decided to become a priest. After studying Theology in Freiburg im Breisgau and Tübingen, he was ordained in Mainz in 1910. He briefly worked in a pastoral position before returning to Freiburg to work on his doctorate in Theology under Engelbert Krebs. He received his doctorate in 1915 for a dissertation on Bonaventure. He completed his “Habilitation” in Dogmatic Theology at the University of Bonn in 1922, again with a dissertation on Bonaventure. Throughout this period he also worked as a chaplain to the Catholic youth movement.
In 1923 he was appointed to a chair in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Berlin. In the 1935 essay “Der Heiland” (The Saviour) he criticized Nazi mythologizing of the person of Jesus and emphasized the Jewishness of Jesus. The Nazis forced him to resign from his Berlin position in 1939. From 1943 to 1945 he retired to Mooshausen, where his friend Josef Weiger had been parish priest since 1917.
In 1945 Guardini was appointed professor in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Tübingen and resumed lecturing on the Philosophy of Religion. In 1948, he became professor at the University of Munich, where he remained until retiring for health reasons in 1962.
Guardini died in Munich on 1 October 1968. He was buried in the priests’ cemetery of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Munich. His estate was left to the Catholic Academy in Bavaria that he had co-founded.
Guardini was born in Verona, Italy in 1885. His family moved to Mainz when he was one year old and he lived in Germany for the rest of his life. After studying chemistry in Tübingen for two semesters, and economics in Munich and Berlin for three, he decided to become a priest. After studying Theology in Freiburg im Breisgau and Tübingen, he was ordained in Mainz in 1910. He briefly worked in a pastoral position before returning to Freiburg to work on his doctorate in Theology under Engelbert Krebs. He received his doctorate in 1915 for a dissertation on Bonaventure. He completed his “Habilitation” in Dogmatic Theology at the University of Bonn in 1922, again with a dissertation on Bonaventure. Throughout this period he also worked as a chaplain to the Catholic youth movement.
In 1923 he was appointed to a chair in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Berlin. In the 1935 essay “Der Heiland” (The Saviour) he criticized Nazi mythologizing of the person of Jesus and emphasized the Jewishness of Jesus. The Nazis forced him to resign from his Berlin position in 1939. From 1943 to 1945 he retired to Mooshausen, where his friend Josef Weiger had been parish priest since 1917.
In 1945 Guardini was appointed professor in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Tübingen and resumed lecturing on the Philosophy of Religion. In 1948, he became professor at the University of Munich, where he remained until retiring for health reasons in 1962.
Guardini died in Munich on 1 October 1968. He was buried in the priests’ cemetery of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Munich. His estate was left to the Catholic Academy in Bavaria that he had co-founded.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 22, 2020
Everyone needs some Guardini in their lives. I recommend reading all of his books that are in print in your language.
October 17, 2017
Guardini says things about God that are just the way you hope someone would explain Him, deep down and yet simple. He brings the person of Christ front and center and shows how everything revolves around Him: the liturgy, all relationships, our own experiences in the world. Here's one (of so many) favorites:
"Jesus Christ exists in us. He comes to us through faith, through baptism, through the Eucharist. Through baptism, Christ comes once and forever. Through faith and the Eucharist, he comes always anew. Moreover, Christ comes always anew through the raising up of one's heart to God, through prayer and obedience, through al that divine providence sets as one's challenge and as one's destiny..."
"Jesus Christ exists in us. He comes to us through faith, through baptism, through the Eucharist. Through baptism, Christ comes once and forever. Through faith and the Eucharist, he comes always anew. Moreover, Christ comes always anew through the raising up of one's heart to God, through prayer and obedience, through al that divine providence sets as one's challenge and as one's destiny..."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews