Best-selling author of more than 25 books, including the best-selling Francis: The Journey and the Dream, Mystics: Ten Who Show Us the Ways of God, and Song of the Sparrow: New Poems and Meditations.

From the Virgin Mary and Francis of Assisi to the Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and the French philosopher Simone Weil, this inspiring course introduces you to the mysticism of ten inspiring luminaries of faith.

In 12 lectures, you will look carefully at the lives of these 10 beloved mystics—five men and five women—from the Christian tradition. Bookended by an introduction and conclusion, this series helps you understand mysticism at both the individual community level.

A veteran professor of literature and composition, Fr. Murray Bodo, O.F.M., gives you the key to unlock the mysteries of mysticism. This series is adapted from his book Mystics: Ten Who Show Us the Ways of God.

Mystics experience God’s presence in tangible and striking ways. As you investigate the original words of women like Thérèse of Lisieux—the beloved saint known as “The Little Flower”—and the modern spirituality of the hermit Robert Lax, you will gain a better understanding of the nature of mystical experiences. Moreover, you will come to see the relevance of mysticism to your personal faith.

After hearing the incredible accounts of these 10 exemplars of Christian spirituality, you will discover new truths about God’s love for humanity. United by their common experiences of God’s presence, these 10 mystics transcend time and place. For Fr. Bodo, their experiences are evidence of God’s enduring contact with humanity, century after century.

Follow their stories and deepen your own spirituality today.

This course is part of the Learn25 collection and includes a free PDF study guide.