Book launch for “Spiritual Direction from Dante: Avoiding the Inferno”
After teaching Dante’s Inferno, for many years to students at St Philip’s Seminary, Fr Paul Pearson has just published a running commentary on this book entitled Spiritual Direction from Dante: Avoiding the Inferno (TAN Books, 2019). The subtitle can be taken in two ways: Fr Paul’s new book is for those who have avoided reading the Inferno to this point in their lives, and his book also intends to teach its readers how to avoid inhabiting the Inferno in the world to come.
On Saturday, February 23, the Oratory hosted a reception and book-signing event in the Parish Hall of Holy Family Church. Many books (including copies of Dante’s Inferno itself) were sold, two alumni of St Philip’s Seminary, Frs Ronald Angervil (St Catharines) and Favin Alemao (Toronto) recalled their own initiations into Dante’s poetry in Fr Pearson’s class, and Br Alexander Griffiths assisted Fr Pearson to give an oral presentation of the Inferno, interwoven with textual commentary. Proceeds from the book will go towards the building campaign of St Philip’s Seminary, Renovatio: Rebuild and Renew.
