Progress in Prayer

Progress in Prayer is a 17th-century spiritual classic by the French Jesuit Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J. (1675-1751), offering a profoundly practical and accessible path to deepening one’s relationship with God. Written amid the intense theological debates surrounding quietism, the work carves out a balanced middle ground between forced, effort-driven prayer and passive mystical waiting. At its heart is the spirituality of “holy abandonment”—the daily, humble surrender of one’s will to Divine Providence. Rather than chasing extraordinary graces or emotional highs, Caussade teaches that true progress in prayer is found in faithful attention to ordinary duties, quiet trust, and a steady disposition of the heart oriented toward God.

Structured as gentle instructions and clarifying dialogues, the book guides readers through the foundational purifications of conscience, heart, mind, and action, before advancing to practical rules for beginners and counsel for more experienced souls. Caussade demystifies prayer, arguing that it need not be confined to lengthy mental exercises or silent retreats. Instead, he elevates simple acts of faith, humility, and trust as legitimate “reflex” prayers that nurture the soul. Through careful theological explanation, he defends the value of these everyday sentiments against critics who dismissed them as mere noise,” showing how they naturally dispose the soul to receive grace and grow in virtue.

179 pages.

Author: Rev. Jean Pierre De Caussade

Year: 1904