St. Anthony Mary Claret: The Golden Key to Heaven

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The Golden Key to Heaven: An Explanation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

by St. Anthony Mary Claret

This work, in its original Spanish and in the edition from which it was translated, bears the following:

Ecclesiastical Approbation:

Nihil obstat: Juan María Gorricho, C.M.F., Censor.

Puede reimprimirse: Pedro Schweiger, C.M.F., Superior General.

Nihil obstat: Dr. Andrés de Lucas, Censor.
Imprimatur: †José María Lahiguera
Madrid, 15 March 1955

In addition, since the author is a canonized saint of the Catholic Church, all his writings, including this one, have undergone a most rigorous examination and have been deemed, by the authorities of the First See of the Church of Rome, "the Mistress and Mother of all the other Churches", to be in conformity with Catholic Truth.




St. Anthony Mary Claret's Introduction to the Reader

Having already given the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius both publicly and privately, we have been asked many times for a book explaining these exercises with the purpose of profiting further, so that individuals can meditate thoroughly and carefully on them, book in hand, and even repeat aloud what they have heard. Not only for this reason, but also when no spiritual director is available, the exercises can be performed without him. Acceding therefore to such wishes, we have determined to make available to the public meditations distributed over ten days; we should recognize that there are eight complete days and two incomplete days, those being the eve of the Communion day* and the concluding day.

The first day has merely one meditation, and the last day two; the other days have four: two in the morning and two for the afternoon and evening.**

But it must be understood that the spiritual masters divide the material of the meditations into three orders, according to the three states of those meditating.

(1) Some are sinners who want to get away from their sins, and they walk on the road called the "Purgative Way." The aim of this road is to purify from the soul all its vices, sins, and faults.

(2) Others go further and increase in virtue and walk on the road called the "Illuminative Way," whose aim is to enlighten the soul with the splendor of the many virtues and increase significantly in them.

(3) Others are already perfect, and they walk in the "Unitive Way," so called because the purpose of this state is to unite our soul with God in a union of perfect love.

St. Ignatius distributes this same matter of the three ways into four weeks: he places the material dealing with the "Purgative Way" in the first week; the "Illuminative Way" is dealt with during the second and third weeks, and the fourth week handles that of the "Unitive Way".

Following therefore, in the explanation of these holy exercises, the thought of spiritual masters and the words of St. Ignatius, we have decided for greater clarity to divide the total plan and material into five sections as follows:

Section 1, The Purgative Way — This section and the next are taken from the first week of St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. These two sections dwell on the Purgative Way. The first section comprises more suitable meditations designed to inspire sorrow for and confession of sins, and help us keep clear of them.

Section 2 — Consists of meditations fostering the resolution not to fall into sin again and always to preserve that cleanness acquired through the meditations of the first section.

Section 3, The Illuminative Way — This section embraces meditations on the virtues which we should learn and possess from Jesus Christ, spoken of by St. Ignatius in the second week of his spiritual exercises.

Section 4 — Consists of the meditations on Our Lord, but considered in a more elevating and perfect manner, according to the spirit in which St. Ignatius drew up his holy works. In this section we consider Jesus as He suffered so much pain and practised all the virtues. These are the meditations which St. Ignatius places in the third week.

Section 5, The Unitive Way — contains meditations which St. Ignatius calls the fourth week.

This then is the plan we have proposed in explaining these holy exercises; and as we hold the words of the saint in such high esteem, we put them as headings in each meditation, as he wrote them, preserving even the style of his period, and then we follow the explanation of the text.

As for the number of meditations, we should like them to be used as designed for each day; and if this is not possible when they are performed publicly in a church, do them privately at home, for which this book will serve most effectively.

May everything be done for the greater glory of God, in praise of Most Holy Mary and for the salvation of souls.

Amen.

Madrid, January, 1859.
Antonio María, Archbishop of Cuba.
(Saint Anthony Mary Claret)

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* Note — It must be noted that Saint Anthony wrote this previous to the decrees of Pope St. Pius X, who encouraged frequent, even daily, reception of Holy Communion.

* Note — Also see the outline of the schedule of these 35 Meditations for 10 days as proposed by St. Anthony Mary Claret on page iv of this book. Also see the hourly schedule suggested on pages 354 and 355 to complete all these meditations.