New Publication - Shepherd's Prayer

As you know, I love translating Latin texts and early this year I came across a text I had not read before - Oratio Pastoralis (Shepherd’s Prayer) by St Aelred of Rievaulx.

I was captivated by it and set about translating it. I wanted to publish it but decided it would be good to put a couple of chapters of the Rule of St Benedict with it for context, especially as in the text he directly quotes from chapter 64 of the Rule.

Oratio Pastoralis is not a long text, it’s really quite short but full of useful stuff for meditation. It’s most appropriate for those with pastoral responsibilities such as priests and similar, but great for everyone - it’s a glimpse into the mind of a saint. His meditations are long and a bit rambling, it’s kind of like a stream of consciousness and I worked hard to preserve that.

I included a lot of photos of Rievaulx and a few of Byland since I visited Rievaulx earlier this year, and indeed the very room where the text was written.

Here’s a short extract:

Therefore, Lord, I do not rely on my own merits when I lay my prayers before your face, but rely on your many mercies, and where my merit fails, my office speaks.

Let your eyes then be upon me, and your ears open to my prayers. But since, as the divine law has ordained, it is the duty of a priest to offer sacrifice first for himself, then for the people, I offer this sacrifice of prayer to your majesty first of all for my sins.

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Paid subscribers should already have received their own pdf of this book; of you haven’t, do let me know. Anyone else who signs up to a paid subscription will also get a free copy.

It’s available on Amazon on Kindle and in paperback, with two slightly different covers.

The isbn is: 979-8344184814

I hope you find it as inspiring as I have. thanks for your support.

P.S. If you think you now know my name, you don’t, it’s a pen-name!