St. Robert Bellarmine's The Art of Dying Well: Second Edition

This is the second edition of St. Robert Bellarmine's, The Art of Dying Well translated by Fr. John Dalton and published by St. John the Baptist Book Apostolate: See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6ZG8DD4(It would appear that hyperlinks are not permitted in Amazon book descriptions.)In this edition, we have included as addenda the following discourses of some other illustrious Saints unto the purpose of living well that we may die well: 1. On the Obligations of Parents Toward Their Children (St. Alphonsus Liguori); 2. On the Unworthy Communion (St. John Vianney); and 3. The Little Number of Those Who are Saved (St. Leonard of Port Maurice). In the first edition, we included only the latter.SO WHY READ THIS BOOK?BECAUSE: life is given to us that we may learn to die well and we never think of it! So says the holy Curé of Ars (St. John Vianney), who also counsels us that "in order to die well, we must live well." We want to go to Heaven but we also want to enjoy the earth; and in so doing, we fail to reflect on the two ways which infallibly lead us to God: (1) Baptismal Innocence, and (2) True Repentance. Unfortunately, most people loose their baptismal innocence; and so, must rely on the latter approach to God---which according to the Saints---requires tears of repentance. But oh! laments again that great Apostle of the confessional, St. John Vianney: "It is said that many confess, and few are converted. I believe it is so, my children, because few confess with tears of repentance."To make matters even worse, many of us operate under the delusion that the talents and temporal gifts which we have received from God are given to us to dispose of at our good pleasure. Lamentably, we are stealing our Talents and the thought of it never crosses our minds. St. Robert Bellarmine calls this, the deceitful error of the rich. Nowadays, however, it might also be apropos to call it, "the deceitful error of the many."The Saint admonishes us that it is no light matter to die to the world; and moreover, he calls it a business of the greatest difficulty and importance. Thus did St. Robert write this short book of great utility for those of us who would desire to learn the art of dying well---because our eternal salvation depends on it. It is, furthermore, a matter of great urgency, for Bellarmine tells us that we "cannot possibly live to the world and to God; [we] cannot enjoy earth and Heaven;" and he warns that "unless we preserve either our Baptismal Grace, or by true penance again renounce the devil, and return to the service of God, and persevere in it till the end of our life, we cannot possibly live well, nor be delivered from a miserable death." That in fine, is why each of us ought to attentively read this precious treatise to which we have appended the aforementioned three fitting discourses unto the purpose of developing the skills necessary to fruitfully practice the art of dying well---which of course, coincides with the art of living well; which, when practiced with perseverance will lead us to Heaven.AS A COMPANION TO THIS BOOK: We are offering St. Alphonsus Liguori's Preparation for Death. Please See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSKCY3GN Read more