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Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year
In September 1995, Nouwen took a year's sabbatical to write, pray and visit family and friends. Although he had little time to write, as a spiritual discipline he kept a daily journal enriched with vivid observations and soul-searching reflections. Sabbatical Journey records the flowering of friendship and prayer during what would be his final year on earth.
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1998
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389 people want to read
About the author
Henri J.M. Nouwen
453 books2,126 followersHenri Jozef Machiel Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, theologian, psychologist, professor, and spiritual writer whose work profoundly shaped contemporary Christian spirituality. Born in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, in 1932, Nouwen pursued religious studies and was ordained a priest in 1957. His intellectual curiosity led him to study psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen and later at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas, where he explored the connection between faith and mental health. Throughout his life, Nouwen remained committed to integrating pastoral care, psychology, and spiritual theology in a way that addressed the emotional and existential needs of believers.
Nouwen held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School. He authored over three dozen books and hundreds of articles, with notable works such as The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Life of the Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love. His writing, often rooted in personal vulnerability and spiritual struggle, resonated with readers across denominations. Nouwen openly explored themes of loneliness, identity, intimacy, and the human desire for love and belonging, making his voice especially relatable and influential.
Though he was a gifted academic and popular speaker, Nouwen found his deepest calling later in life through his involvement with L’Arche, a network of communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After a transformative stay at the original L’Arche community in France, Nouwen accepted an invitation to become the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. There he developed a close bond with Adam Arnett, a core member with severe disabilities, which inspired the book Adam: God’s Beloved. At Daybreak, Nouwen discovered a deep spiritual home and a community that helped him embrace his humanity in profound ways.
Throughout his life, Nouwen wrestled with issues of identity, including his sexuality and his longing for connection, though he remained faithful to his vows. His openness about depression and inner conflict gave depth to his pastoral message, and his ability to turn personal struggle into shared spiritual insight made him one of the most beloved spiritual writers of the 20th century.
Henri Nouwen died in 1996 of a sudden heart attack, but his legacy endures through his writings, the Henri Nouwen Society, and the continued global reach of his message of belovedness, vulnerability, and compassionate community. His books remain bestsellers, widely read in seminaries, churches, and among individuals seeking a more intimate walk with God.
Nouwen held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School. He authored over three dozen books and hundreds of articles, with notable works such as The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Life of the Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love. His writing, often rooted in personal vulnerability and spiritual struggle, resonated with readers across denominations. Nouwen openly explored themes of loneliness, identity, intimacy, and the human desire for love and belonging, making his voice especially relatable and influential.
Though he was a gifted academic and popular speaker, Nouwen found his deepest calling later in life through his involvement with L’Arche, a network of communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After a transformative stay at the original L’Arche community in France, Nouwen accepted an invitation to become the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. There he developed a close bond with Adam Arnett, a core member with severe disabilities, which inspired the book Adam: God’s Beloved. At Daybreak, Nouwen discovered a deep spiritual home and a community that helped him embrace his humanity in profound ways.
Throughout his life, Nouwen wrestled with issues of identity, including his sexuality and his longing for connection, though he remained faithful to his vows. His openness about depression and inner conflict gave depth to his pastoral message, and his ability to turn personal struggle into shared spiritual insight made him one of the most beloved spiritual writers of the 20th century.
Henri Nouwen died in 1996 of a sudden heart attack, but his legacy endures through his writings, the Henri Nouwen Society, and the continued global reach of his message of belovedness, vulnerability, and compassionate community. His books remain bestsellers, widely read in seminaries, churches, and among individuals seeking a more intimate walk with God.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 21, 2015
“Maybe the time has come to let go of my prayer, my effort to be close to God, my way of being in communion with the Divine, and allow the Spirit of God to blow freely in me.” p. 6
A couple of weekends ago, I had a mini-retreat. There was no one else home and I wanted to spend some time with just one book. I picked this one. I have read Nouwen before and thought he might be a helpful companion. I was right.
I probably spend too much time worrying about whether I am doing the right thing. Being semi-retired is more work than I expected. I feel privileged since not many people are able to retire before sixty and I don’t want to squander this gift. I found Nouwen to be reassuring and challenging.
This journal is the last book that Nouwen wrote. He was in the process of looking at changes in his life – thinking about slowing down and spending more time writing. Unfortunately, he had a massive heart attack and never recovered. Since Nouwen was writing about change and examining his life, I found a lot to think about. This book came at a perfect time for me. I needed to be reminded of things like this. “All that exists is one. It is all part of the all-embracing divine love. Our call is to make that love visible in our daily lives.”
If you have read Henri Nouwen, you know what to expect from his writing. He writes about religion and God, but he always includes thoughts about his life. For me Nouwen’s writings let me see how another Christian lives out his faith.
If you have not read this author, I recommend him if you are religiously inclined. Although Nouwen is Catholic, I would think that anyone who believes in God might find his words inspiring. As Nouwen says, “Today I see it as my call to help every person to claim his or own way to God.” He does not see Christianity as the only way.
A couple of weekends ago, I had a mini-retreat. There was no one else home and I wanted to spend some time with just one book. I picked this one. I have read Nouwen before and thought he might be a helpful companion. I was right.
I probably spend too much time worrying about whether I am doing the right thing. Being semi-retired is more work than I expected. I feel privileged since not many people are able to retire before sixty and I don’t want to squander this gift. I found Nouwen to be reassuring and challenging.
This journal is the last book that Nouwen wrote. He was in the process of looking at changes in his life – thinking about slowing down and spending more time writing. Unfortunately, he had a massive heart attack and never recovered. Since Nouwen was writing about change and examining his life, I found a lot to think about. This book came at a perfect time for me. I needed to be reminded of things like this. “All that exists is one. It is all part of the all-embracing divine love. Our call is to make that love visible in our daily lives.”
If you have read Henri Nouwen, you know what to expect from his writing. He writes about religion and God, but he always includes thoughts about his life. For me Nouwen’s writings let me see how another Christian lives out his faith.
If you have not read this author, I recommend him if you are religiously inclined. Although Nouwen is Catholic, I would think that anyone who believes in God might find his words inspiring. As Nouwen says, “Today I see it as my call to help every person to claim his or own way to God.” He does not see Christianity as the only way.
April 13, 2010
I picked up this diary of the last year of Henri Nouwen's life while on a weekend-long silent retreat in the countryside, just as spring was breaking through. Though I didn't have the opportunity to finish it before I had to return home, Nouwen's daily reflections were excellent company to a quiet, introspective, expectant mood. I wish particularly that I'd gotten more of a chance to read his reflections on homosexuality and the Catholic Church. I will say that seeing his busy, full daily schedules made me tired and left me a bit in awe; there's a reason this man published forty books in a second language. But entering into this priest's day-to-day, even surrounded by devoted, lifelong friends as he was, I began to feel his loneliness and desire for partnership and belonging---a pang felt not only by the celibate, but by each of us, in her own way, seeking an experience of the divine, I think. I hope to return to this book. Maybe the next time I'm on a silent weekend-long retreat?
September 10, 2024
Beautiful and intimate vision of a man’s soul and his work. A blueprint for how to live life fully and well.
January 31, 2023
Beautiful glimpse of a Christ follower centered in the Eucharist and loving community.
May 3, 2013
From September 1995 through August 1996, Henri Nouwen was on sabbatical from his position as pastor of L’Arche Daybreak, the community of mentally handicapped people with whom he shared the last decade of his life. The perceived purpose of the time off was to focus on his writing in solitude; however, as the journal reveals, he also spent much time ministering to and being ministered to by friends, acquaintances, and family members during this year.
In this candid chronicling of events and his feelings about them, we are allowed a look deep into Nouwen’s heart. The great value he placed on friendship and community is evident throughout these pages; so is the ongoing struggle with doubt and depression. He speaks of simple joys, sore disappointments, small victories and bewildering failings; an unwavering desire to discern and carry out God’s will in his life holds the many threads of thought together.
During his sabbatical year, Nouwen seems not to have had a sense that he was nearing the end of his life, although as a man in his mid-sixties with a ninety-three year old father he did sometimes contemplate the inevitability of death. His journal is filled with plans and expectations for future books and events, and several times after meetings with friends and colleagues he wondered, “What will we be talking about five, ten years from now?” Reading this book, seeing what he thought about issues ranging from the intimately personal to the global, more than fifteen years later, I feel that the conversation goes on.
In this candid chronicling of events and his feelings about them, we are allowed a look deep into Nouwen’s heart. The great value he placed on friendship and community is evident throughout these pages; so is the ongoing struggle with doubt and depression. He speaks of simple joys, sore disappointments, small victories and bewildering failings; an unwavering desire to discern and carry out God’s will in his life holds the many threads of thought together.
During his sabbatical year, Nouwen seems not to have had a sense that he was nearing the end of his life, although as a man in his mid-sixties with a ninety-three year old father he did sometimes contemplate the inevitability of death. His journal is filled with plans and expectations for future books and events, and several times after meetings with friends and colleagues he wondered, “What will we be talking about five, ten years from now?” Reading this book, seeing what he thought about issues ranging from the intimately personal to the global, more than fifteen years later, I feel that the conversation goes on.
January 27, 2018
Knowing from the beginning of the book that this was Henri’s final journal, it was very poignant reading his thoughts throughout this his last year. I admit that I spent some more than a little time looking for clues throughout the book of his impending heart attack, which happened shortly after the writings were completed. But even given that distraction, it was an insightful, helpful read for me. I tend to think of the Giants of the faith as having somewhat more ethereal thoughts on a moment-by-moment basis. And it is good to know that a lot of his year was spent taking care of ordinary business, spending times with friends writing, of course, traveling more than most of us get to do in an average year, but the mundane parts of life were evident throughout the book. I like that a lot. He put a very human face one of my heroes, and I felt that I was in some small way a part of his large community of friends. I read the book slowly, intentionally, trying not to read more than one or two days of reading in a sitting. It’s somehow felt that this was a book that needed to be read over a longer period of time, rather than speed reading. I loved it, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a peek into the unedited life and thoughts of a saint.
July 7, 2022
I really enjoyed reading Henri's journal from his sabbatical year because I felt like I was going through some of the same things he was going through. It showed me some of his insight into what he would do and how he recognized his needs. It's interesting how incredibly busy Henri was during his sabbatical, yet often he said he was seeking rest, sleep, and solitude. It's clear he wasn't always the best at getting what he knew he needed, which reminds me that he is human. It was hard for him to take his own advice. It makes me thankful I have people in my life, much like Henri, who know me deeply enough to help me when I need it or ask for it. Overall, I appreciate Henri's writings even more, knowing he is writing from his own needs and woundedness, and is often just preaching to himself, but letting us tag along for the journey.
February 11, 2017
Such an intimate trek through Nouwen's last year in ministry and writing. He was a passionate feeler, a profound thinker, and had an uncanny way of simplifying the universal struggle to experience God in the every day. (He also practiced the Eucharist more than anyone!) Often torn between his personal desires and his burden for others, he lived with candor and grace. Thankful he wrote so much so I can keep learning from his legacy.
March 14, 2023
Yes, I did read Nouwen's sabbatical journal over the course of my own, shorter sabbatical. Fortunately I have not died yet.
It was a good companion to my own time of reflection and solitude and learning! It was comforting to see Nouwen struggle with discipline in the creative realm, interesting to see him engaging with the issues of his day, and helpful to hear some of his thoughts about Scripture and faith and friendship. What an inspiring man. He just loved so many people so much. I am really glad I spent less time travelling than he did, though. No wonder he was tired all the time!
It was particularly poignant and sobering to read about his ideas and plans and questions about living into his eighties, knowing that he died two weeks after his last journal entry. None of his fresh ideas and hopes about his writing, about his vocation, about his life would come to fruition. But I guess that is how it goes, usually, with death: it interrupts, and what you have done is what you have done. It made me want to be careful and thoughtful with my own days and my own relationships, not knowing how much time I have left with the people I love.
It was a good companion to my own time of reflection and solitude and learning! It was comforting to see Nouwen struggle with discipline in the creative realm, interesting to see him engaging with the issues of his day, and helpful to hear some of his thoughts about Scripture and faith and friendship. What an inspiring man. He just loved so many people so much. I am really glad I spent less time travelling than he did, though. No wonder he was tired all the time!
It was particularly poignant and sobering to read about his ideas and plans and questions about living into his eighties, knowing that he died two weeks after his last journal entry. None of his fresh ideas and hopes about his writing, about his vocation, about his life would come to fruition. But I guess that is how it goes, usually, with death: it interrupts, and what you have done is what you have done. It made me want to be careful and thoughtful with my own days and my own relationships, not knowing how much time I have left with the people I love.
November 24, 2016
I read my first Nouwen book over the summer, and since then I've been searching for his books at my local used bookstore. I found this last month, and read it slowly over several weeks, savoring his insights and his wisdom. I've noticed that Nouwen's words make me feel refreshed and peaceful, perhaps because running through all his work is the persistent reminder that God loves us completely. Even though this is a journal and isn't structured around a specific theme, definite patterns emerge - a focus on community, finding Christ in weakness and vulnerability, and understanding vocation. I enjoy the "dailiness" of his journal, the way he works out what it means to live his faith in all the details of his life. I will keep reading more of his books, and I know this is one I will return to.
May 11, 2024
How significant are we? How much of our time do we spend loving those around us? What a gentle reminder of the significance of living out your faith daily. If I'm being honest, I cried a lot. Maybe I sound like a broken record but loving those around you, family, friends, etc, is so vital. It's in the normal that we find Christ. It's in the doubt that we find Christ. It's in the relationships that we find Christ. The oh so loving and tender God can be found in everything.
“Maybe the time has come to let go of my prayer, my effort to be close to God, my way of being in communion with the Divine, and allow the Spirit of God to blow freely in me.”
"I have always dreamt of a whole year. . . completely open to let something
radically new happen. But can I do it? Can I let go of all the things
that make me feel useful and significant?"
“Maybe the time has come to let go of my prayer, my effort to be close to God, my way of being in communion with the Divine, and allow the Spirit of God to blow freely in me.”
"I have always dreamt of a whole year. . . completely open to let something
radically new happen. But can I do it? Can I let go of all the things
that make me feel useful and significant?"
August 23, 2017
Nouwen has always been a calm and self-deprecating voice in the spiritual community. His passion and devotion for the needy is always evident. This book gives the reader a rare look into the journal of a person's last year of life. It was heart-warming to view his foibles and concerns. Nouwen was very human, and even though he leaves behind a wealth of material that comforts millions of people, it was endearing to see his human qualities.
July 11, 2021
I started this book in a Lenten discussion group. I did not finish it then and set it aside until today when I sat down and finished it. This is Henri Nouwen's journal of his last year of life when he was on a Sabbatical from L'Arche It reads like a journal so can be monotonous at times however I became very aware of how vulnerable he felt in his life and was very open about it in this journal. What I appreciate the most were his thoughts on life from a Christian perspective.
May 10, 2017
Nouwen never intended on having these writings published, and maybe it should have been kept that way. While the book has a few interesting insights and glimpses into Henri Nouwen's amazing mind, most of it is littered with useless and boring descriptions of his nothing but average days. If I wasn't so in love with Henri Nouwen and his thinking, I would have given the book less than three stars.
July 25, 2025
Este bello repaso por la vida del sacerdote Henri Nouwen atraviesa las fibras más humanas del prolijo autor, sintetizando una vida entregada entre el ministerio en el arca (comunidad de personas con discapacidad) la amistad, la enfermedad, la oración y la eucaristía en una sencilla cotidianidad que le llevó a la paz para el encuentro definitivo con Dios.
December 18, 2018
I am so grateful for this book and for the life and writings of Henri Nouwen. I am so grateful to have read a few journal entries, to walk with Henri, these past couple of months as I journeyed through my own Sabbatical season. The book has been a source of joy, comfort, and guidance.
May 3, 2020
Nouwen wrote a journal entry every single day during his sabbatical year from the L'Arche community. His regular works are personal enough, but this truly humanizes him as a person before he is a priest, professor, or writer.
June 2, 2020
A travel log
I was expecting more from this book. There are some gems here but too much filled with so many people and meals and daily trials that it did not give as much as I had hoped.
I was expecting more from this book. There are some gems here but too much filled with so many people and meals and daily trials that it did not give as much as I had hoped.
February 10, 2025
Editing to add: my mother surprised me with a new copy of this book after I lost mine. I was delighted to finish reading it.
The whole book is heartbreaking in a way because the reader knows that Nouwen is chronicling the final year of his life. It made me reflect a lot on how one might choose to live, if they knew they had one year left. I imagine that his sabbatical year was pretty close to the best one could do. He spent much time with friends and family. He created timely small communities when celebrating the Eucharist in his extended accommodations.
Nouwen wrote often about how tired he was, but I don’t think he gave himself enough credit for how much traveling he was doing. I was exhausted just reading about his month long adventures in Europe. Or flying to California for 3 days just to see a friend or attend an event or two. As someone 30 years younger than he was at the time of his writing, I truly don’t know how he did it all!
More than anything, I love this book for the same reason I love all his writing. Henri Nouwen writes in beautiful, simple language about a love of God and a desire to continually grow closer to God. I have always connected with his habit of experiencing God’s presence through deep friendships.
I don’t think this is necessarily the best intro to Nouwen. If you haven’t read any of his writing, don’t start here. But if you have read one or two of his books, it is a great way to dig deeper.
Original review:
I am preemptively giving this book 5 stars. I read about 1/3 of it before I lost my copy while traveling. Hopefully I can find another copy and finish it in February or March.
The whole book is heartbreaking in a way because the reader knows that Nouwen is chronicling the final year of his life. It made me reflect a lot on how one might choose to live, if they knew they had one year left. I imagine that his sabbatical year was pretty close to the best one could do. He spent much time with friends and family. He created timely small communities when celebrating the Eucharist in his extended accommodations.
Nouwen wrote often about how tired he was, but I don’t think he gave himself enough credit for how much traveling he was doing. I was exhausted just reading about his month long adventures in Europe. Or flying to California for 3 days just to see a friend or attend an event or two. As someone 30 years younger than he was at the time of his writing, I truly don’t know how he did it all!
More than anything, I love this book for the same reason I love all his writing. Henri Nouwen writes in beautiful, simple language about a love of God and a desire to continually grow closer to God. I have always connected with his habit of experiencing God’s presence through deep friendships.
I don’t think this is necessarily the best intro to Nouwen. If you haven’t read any of his writing, don’t start here. But if you have read one or two of his books, it is a great way to dig deeper.
Original review:
I am preemptively giving this book 5 stars. I read about 1/3 of it before I lost my copy while traveling. Hopefully I can find another copy and finish it in February or March.
March 17, 2020
Inspiring! Refer back to this book often! A keeper!
May 23, 2020
Worth re-reading. This is a spiritual treasure. Very thought provoking and prayer provoking. I cried, laughed, highlighted, and so loved this book.
April 1, 2021
Great read! More to come.
August 11, 2021
Wonderful insight into the author’s last year and his personal insights
May 3, 2013
From September 1995 through August 1996, Henri Nouwen was on sabbatical from his position as pastor of L’Arche Daybreak, the community of mentally handicapped people with whom he shared the last decade of his life. The perceived purpose of the time off was to focus on his writing in solitude; however, as the journal reveals, he also spent much time ministering to and being ministered to by friends, acquaintances, and family members during this year.
In this candid chronicling of events and his feelings about them, we are allowed a look deep into Nouwen’s heart. The great value he placed on friendship and community is evident throughout these pages; so is the ongoing struggle with doubt and depression. He speaks of simple joys, sore disappointments, small victories and bewildering failings; an unwavering desire to discern and carry out God’s will in his life holds the many threads of thought together.
During his sabbatical year, Nouwen seems not to have had a sense that he was nearing the end of his life, although as a man in his mid-sixties with a ninety-three year old father he did sometimes contemplate the inevitability of death. His journal is filled with plans and expectations for future books and events, and several times after meetings with friends and colleagues he wondered, “What will we be talking about five, ten years from now?” Reading this book, seeing what he thought about issues ranging from the intimately personal to the global, more than fifteen years later, I feel that the conversation goes on.
In this candid chronicling of events and his feelings about them, we are allowed a look deep into Nouwen’s heart. The great value he placed on friendship and community is evident throughout these pages; so is the ongoing struggle with doubt and depression. He speaks of simple joys, sore disappointments, small victories and bewildering failings; an unwavering desire to discern and carry out God’s will in his life holds the many threads of thought together.
During his sabbatical year, Nouwen seems not to have had a sense that he was nearing the end of his life, although as a man in his mid-sixties with a ninety-three year old father he did sometimes contemplate the inevitability of death. His journal is filled with plans and expectations for future books and events, and several times after meetings with friends and colleagues he wondered, “What will we be talking about five, ten years from now?” Reading this book, seeing what he thought about issues ranging from the intimately personal to the global, more than fifteen years later, I feel that the conversation goes on.
August 22, 2012
An intimate look into Nouwen's life. This book is a journal published after Nouwen's death and if you are looking for groundbreaking theological insights on every page then you would do well to look elsewhere. However, Nouwen's honesty and candor about the difficulty of living the life of faith in the day to day was extremely compelling. The journal depicts the life of a man seeking to live out his faith, embrace others on the journey, and write for the up building of the kingdom. I was struck by how often Nouwen celebrates the Eucharist, brining the mystery of the sacrament into the mundane. On New Year's Eve Nouwen even celebrated the Eucharist with his family and friends before they got on with the rest of the evening's festivities. This book may not be a page turner, but I enjoyed it very much as a slow meditative read over a few months.
April 11, 2008
it was good to read from a Catholic background yet quite evangelical as well. I was a bit shocked by his liberalism and engaging in marrying homosexuals and lesbians but oh well....the catholics are trying to be "tolerant"...
aside from that i enjoyed reading his whole year diary knowing that in the end he was going to die which he didn't know but i did :) His style of writing is very readable
aside from that i enjoyed reading his whole year diary knowing that in the end he was going to die which he didn't know but i did :) His style of writing is very readable
January 1, 2016
This is Henri Nouwen's journal during the year leading up to his death, published posthumously by his friends. It is interesting to see inside his head in the months, weeks, days prior to his end, and the fact that these words were his last adds an extra sense of profundity to everything he wrote. Much of the content covers mundane events of his sabbatical year, but as with his other books, there are also insightful gems that make it worth the read.
June 18, 2016
A journal of his last year before death from heart attack. Not a book I would recommend to anyone, but likely meaningful to those who have felt close to Henri by virtue of reading his other works. In that case it is an insightful foray into his primate thought life as he shares about deep friendships and perhaps even deeper loneliness.
June 19, 2009
Lots of words that didn't inspire me too much. Worth considering as an antidote to celebrity and pompousness due to too much education or success. However, the serum isn't fully understood or enunciated.
August 3, 2025
Knowing the ending (that he dies) gives many of the entries a more prophetic quality than they might otherwise have had. It should probably be the last Nouwen book you read - after you have read most of his other books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews