External Grace in the Spirituality of Pere Caussade - John A. Hardon

Sep 28, 2026

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An essay on Pere Caussade’s spirituality explains how external grace functions as a divine atmosphere surrounding human life. It presents Caussade’s emphasis on self-abandonment to God’s providence as the easiest means toward sanctification, synthesizing themes from his teaching. The discussion defines external grace in relation to God’s operation across all time and things, clarifies its connection to divine order, and explains how even events that seem harmful can be used for salvation and perfection. It also distinguishes external grace from internal graces.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time2 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

The Meaning of External Grace

SEPTEMBER 15,1955 Caussade on External Grace.....John A.HardonEffective Governing········.Claude AquavivaMother Xavier Warde...····.Sister Mary JulianTo Teaching Sisters ...······.Pope Pius XIISecular Institutes ..........Francis N.KorthIntellectual Obedience....·..Augustine G.Ellard Book Reviews Questions and Answers For Your Information Communications REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS | VOLUME XIV | SEPTEMBER,1955 | NUMBER 5 | | --- | --- | --- | CONTENTS EXTERNAL GRACE IN THE SPIRITUALITY OF PERE CAUSSADE—John A.Hardon,S.J....... .225 SOME RECENT PAMPHLETS... . .. . .. . . .234EFFECTIVE GOVERNING—Claude Aquaviva,S.J........235FOR YOUR INFORMATION . . . . . .. . . . . .. .240MOTHER MARY XAVIER WARDE—Sister Mary Julian Baird,R.S.M.241TO TEACHING SISTERS—Pope Pius XII.. . .....251THE DEDICATED LIFE AND SECULAR INSTITUTES一Francis N.Korth,S.J.. ......257 A RATIONAL APPROACH TO INTELLECTUAL OBEDIENCE—Augustine G.Ellard,S.J.......261 COMMUNICATIONS(on “praying reasonably,”and on retreats)...266OUR CONTRIBUTORS... .... .. . . . . .266BOOK REVIEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS— Editor:Bernard A.Hausmann,S.J.West Baden CollegeWest Baden Springs,Indiana ...........267 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS— 22.Introducing a Thirty-Day Retreat ..........278 23.Introducing Perpetual Adoration ...........278 24.New Devotions at Mother House . .... .....279 25.Introducing Lay Retreats at Mother House .......279 26.Annual Retreat outside Houses of Institute .......279 27.Rank of Lay Sister when Grade is Abolished...... 280 28.Extended Vacations for Favored Group. · . · · . .280 REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS,September,1955.Vol.XIV,No.5.Published bi-monthly:January,March,May,July,September,and November at the CollegePress,606 Harrison Street,Topeka,Kansas,by St.Mary's College,St.Marys,Kansas,with ecclesiastical approbation.Entered as second class matter January 15,1942,at the Post Ofice,Topeka,Kansas,under the act of March 3,1879. Editorial Board:Augustine G.Ellard,S.J.,Adam C.Ellis,S.J.,Gerald Kelly,S.J.,Francis N.Korth,S.J.Literary Editor:Edwin F.Falteisek,S.J. Copyright,1955,by Adam C.Ellis,S.J.Permission is hereby granted for quota-tions of reasonable length,provided due credit be given this review and the author.Subscription price:3 dollars a year;50 cents a copyPrinted in U.S.A. # External Grace in the Spiritualityof Pere Caussade John A.Hardon,S.J. ERE CAUSSADE is unique among ascetical writers in moderntimes.The one book on which his reputation rests,L'Aban-don a la Providence Divine,was not published by him butedited a hundred years after his death,by Father Ramiere,the apostleof the Sacred Heart in France.It was not even a book in the ac-cepted sense but a collection of 132 letters of spiritual direction,which he wrote to the Religious of the Visitation at Nancy,wherehe had charge of the local retreat house.Yet this posthumous workhas enjoyed a diffusion perhaps unequalled in its class during thepast century.As of 1928,it had gone through twenty-one editionsin French and had been translated into a dozen languages.In thenew Enciclopedia Cattolica,published under Vatican auspices,theauthor is described as "the classic teacher of resignation to the willof God." The full title of the original edition,Self-Abandonment toDivine Providence,Considered as the Easiest Means of Sanctification,gives us the clue to its wide popularity.In the mind of Caussade,the easiest way to spiritual perfection-—for everyone—is completeresignation to the supernatural providence of God.As such,theidea was nothing new,but Caussade's handling of the subject wasdecidedly new.He integrated this familiar concept into the bodyof Catholic doctrine on external grace and thereby clarified whatpreviously had been known,but not so pointedly realized.Thefollowing study is intended to synthesize the basic elements ofCaussade's teaching on self-abandonment to divine providence,where the latter is conceived as a veri

FAQs

What is Pere Caussade’s core teaching about spiritual perfection?

Spiritual perfection, in Caussade’s view, is complete resignation to God’s supernatural providence, understood as an atmosphere of external graces through which God intends salvation and sanctification.

How does the text describe God’s activity in Caussade’s spirituality?

God’s activity embraces all time and all things, operating without ceasing with divine certainty for the sanctification of human souls.

What does Caussade consider an external grace?

An external grace is defined as every creature that is not an internal grace of God—something outside the person’s intellect and will, yet given a supernatural value by divine order.

Sep 28, 2026

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