Come, Holy Spirit: Spiritual Wisdom from Fr. Ted Hesburgh

Come, Holy Spirit reveals a spirituality intimately connected to the daily life of Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh, CSC, affectionately known as “Fr. Ted”—prominent priest, civil rights activist, public servant, and former president of the University of Notre Dame. In this first collection of his spiritual writings, Hesburgh is revealed to be a person of action with an even more dynamic spiritual life.

Hesburgh wholeheartedly embraced his role as pastor to the Notre Dame community and counted the day of his Ordination to the priesthood as the happiest in his life. Reflecting on his legacy, Hesburgh said that if he could have only one word on his tombstone, it would be “priest.” His homilies, lectures, prayers, and invocations display his characteristic wisdom and warmth and offer unique encouragement to contemporary readers pondering essential questions in their lives of faith, prayer, family, and peace.

Come, Holy Spirit sheds light on an underexplored facet of Hesburgh’s identity: While his life story has been widely told, few of his biographers explore in much detail how he nurtured his vocation through a commitment to prayer and daily celebration of the Mass. No collections of Hesburgh’s writings are currently in print, and no books of his spiritual writings were ever published during his lifetime.