NEW PUBLICATION: Devotio deliciosa

Devotio Deliciosa: Denis the Carthusian on the Eucharist & the Mass
Edited and translated by Andrew M. Greenwell

Devotio deliciosa ("delightful devotion") takes its title from the words the Carthusian theologian Denys the Carthusian (d. 1471) used to describe a form of Eucharistic devotion. The tripartite division of sensible devotio that underlies this concept was originally introduced by the Carthusian prior and author Henry of Coesfeld (d. 1410), who drew inspiration from the work of the Brabantine mystical theologian John of Ruusbroec (d. 1381). Henry expounded this theology of devotion in his own Latin treatise on the sacrament of the Eucharist—a work that remains unpublished to this day. Denys subsequently adopted the same threefold division in his De contemplatione ("On Contemplation"), and later in his Sermones ad religiosos and his Eucharistic writings.

This volume, edited by Andrew Greenwell, presents in English translation a collection of Denys the Carthusian's writings on the Mass and the Eucharist. It opens with the Dialogue on the Sacrament of the Altar, an exchange between a priest—understood as an idealized "everyman"—and Jesus Christ, who appears both as the eternal High Priest and the sacrificial Victim. Through this conversational yet theologically rich format, the dialogue explores nearly every aspect of the Eucharist's mystery, meaning, and effects. Also included is Denys's Exposition on the Mass, a step-by-step commentary on the rites and prayers of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. A brief Treatise on Frequent Communion, composed in response to a correspondent's request, and six Eucharistic "sermons" offer a concise synthesis of Denys's teaching. Although these sermons may never have been delivered from a pulpit, they were clearly intended for reading and meditation; they present the same doctrine found in his other Eucharistic works in a more rhetorically accessible and pedagogically inviting style.

Andrew Greenwell, a Catholic layman and civil trial and appellate lawyer, has undertaken an extensive project to translate several works of Denys the Carthusian (d. 1471) into English. Beyond Devotio deliciosa, Greenwell is also currently translating Denys's extensive Commentary on the Psalms into English as a six-volume series, published by Arouca Press, with Volumes 1 (Psalms 1–25), 3 (Psalms 51–75), 4 (Psalms 76–100), and 5 (Psalms 101–125) already published, and Volumes 2 and 6 forthcoming. Andrew M. Greenwell is a Catholic layman, with three children and four grandchildren. He has written articles for Catholic Online and for a number of years wrote a blog on the natural moral law called Lex Christianorum. He has translated works from German, Latin, French, and Italian into English. He is a member of the Latin Mass Community at St. John the Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas.

ISBN 979-8892801676 - €24,95 (paperback)
ISBN 979-8892801683 - €36,95 (hardcover)
https://angelicopress.com/products/devotio-deliciosa-denis-the-carthusian