Jon M. Sweeney Last updated July 12, 2025 Jon M. Sweeney (born July 18, 1967) is an American author. His most frequent subjects are Catholic, particularly St. Francis of Assisi , about whom Sweeney has written The St. Francis Prayer Book , Francis of Assisi in His Own Words , When Saint Francis Saved the Church , The Complete Francis of Assisi , and The Enthusiast .
Education While at Moody, Sweeney arranged to serve as a summer missionary in Batangas City, Philippines , an experience that he later wrote about in his memoir, Born Again and Again . [ 2] After finishing at Wheaton, Sweeney was an M.Div. and then an M.A. student at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. [ 3] Eventually, Sweeney left seminary without earning a degree.[ citation needed ]
Publications Praying With Our Hands: 21 Practices of Embodied Prayer from the World’s Spiritual Traditions (2000) [ 7] The St. Francis Prayer Book: A Guide to Deepen Your Spiritual Life (2004) [ 8] Born Again and Again: Surprising Gifts of a Fundamentalist Childhood (2005) [ 9] The Lure of Saints: A Protestant Experience of Catholic Tradition (2005) [ 10] [ 11] Strange Heaven: The Virgin Mary as Mother, Woman, Disciple, and Advocate (2006) [ 12] The St. Clare Prayer Book: Listening for God’s Leading (2007)Almost Catholic: An Appreciation of the History, Practice, and Mystery of Ancient Faith (2008) [ 13] Cloister Talks: Learning From My Friends the Monks (2009) [ 14] [ 15] Beauty Awakening Belief: How the Medieval Worldview Inspires Faith Today (2009)Verily, Verily: The KJV – 400 Years of Influence and Beauty (2011)Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi (2012) [ 16] The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of Mystery, Death, and Salvation (2012) [ 17] Mixed-Up Love: Relationships, Family, and Religious Identity in the 21st Century (2013) [ 18] [ 19] The Age of the Spirit: How the Ghost of an Ancient Controversy Is Shaping the Church (2014) [with Phyllis Tickle ] [ 20] [ 21] Inventing Hell: Dante, the Bible, and Eternal Torment (2014) [ 22] [ 23] The Complete Francis of Assisi: His Life, The Complete Writings, and The Little Flowers (2015) [ 24] [ 25] When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages (2015) [ 26] The Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started (2016) [ 27] The Saint vs. the Scholar: The Fight between Faith and Reason (2017)The St. Francis Holy Fool Prayer Book (2017)Meister Eckhart’s Book of the Heart: Meditations for the Restless Soul [with Mark S. Burrows] (2017) [ 28] Phyllis Tickle: A Biography (2018) [ 29] The Pope's Cat (for children), illustrated by Roy DeLeon (2018)Margaret's Night in St. Peter's: A Christmas Story (for children), illustrated by Roy DeLeon (2018)Margaret's First Holy Week (for children), illustrated by Roy DeLeon (2019)Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets [with Mark S. Burrows] (2019) [ 30] St. Francis of Assisi: His Life, Teachings and Practices (2019)James Martin, SJ: In the Company of Jesus (2020)Margaret and the Pope Go to Assisi (for children), illustrated by Roy DeLeon (2020)Nicholas Black Elk: Medicine Man, Catechist, Saint (2021)Thomas Merton: An Introduction to his Life, Teachings, and Practices (2021) [ 31] Feed the Wolf: Befriending Our Fears in the Way of Saint Francis (2022)Sit in the Sun: And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats (2023) [ 32] [ 33] Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkness and Light [with Mark S. Burrows] (2023)My Life in Seventeen Books (2024) [ 34] Experiencing God: 36 Ways According to Saint Francis of Assisi (2026)As editor
References ↑ Oppenheimer, Mark (24 August 2017). "When a Jew and a Catholic marry" . America, The Jesuit Review . Archived from the original on 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Carrigan, Jr., Henry L. (2014-06-11). "Jon Sweeney: A Life in Books and On the Move" . Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 16 June 2016 . ↑ Sweeney, Jon M. "A teacher's theology, virtue and faith" . Pietisten . Archived from the original on 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Scharper, Diane (16 November 2016). "So little is known of St. Francis, biography is a fiction" . National Catholic Reporter . Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ Sweeney, Jon M.; Burrows, Mark S. (1 October 2017). Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart: Meditations for the Restless Soul . Hampton Roads Publishing. ISBN 978-1571747648 . ↑ Sweeney, Jon M. (28 April 2017). The Saint vs. the Scholar: The Fight between Faith and Reason . Franciscan Media. ISBN 978-1616369675 . ↑ "Praying with Our Hands: Twenty-One Practices of Embodied Prayer from the World's Spiritual Traditions by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2000-11-08. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "The St. Francis Prayer Book: A Guide to Deepen Your Spiritual Life by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2004-02-01. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Born Again and Again: Surprising Gifts of a Fundamentalist Childhood by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2005-06-27. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Brussat, Frederic; Brussat, Mary Ann. "The Lure of Saints" . Spirituality and Practice . Archived from the original on 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "THE LURE OF SAINTS: A Protestant Experience of Catholic Tradition by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2005-03-14. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Strange Heaven: The Virgin Mary as Woman, Mother, Disciple and Advocate by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2006-05-15. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Almost Catholic: An Appreciation of the History, Practice, & Mystery of Ancient Faith by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2007-12-03. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Cloister Talks: Learning from My Friends the Monks by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2009-03-09. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Hughes, Barnaby (2010). "Review of NEW MONASTICISM: WHAT IT HAS TO SAY TO TODAY'S CHURCH; CLOISTER TALKS: LEARNING FROM MY FRIENDS THE MONKS" . New Blackfriars . 91 (1034): 492– 493. doi :10.1111/j.1741-2005.2010.01378_7.x . ISSN 0028-4289 . JSTOR 43251426 . ↑ "Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2007-05-14. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "The Pope Who Quit" . Kirkus Reviews . 2011-12-17. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Mixed-Up Love: Relationships, Family, and Religious Identity in the 21st Century by Jon M. Sweeney, Michal Woll" . Publishers Weekly . 2013-09-23. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Mixed-Up Love: Relationships, Family, and Religious Identity in the 21st Century" . Library Journal . Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "The Age of the Spirit: How the Ghost of an Ancient Controversy Is Shaping the Church by Phyllis Tickle, Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2013-12-09. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Christian, Graham (2014-02-15). "The Age of the Spirit: How the Ghost of an Ancient Controversy Is Shaping the Church" . Library Journal . Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "Inventing Hell: Dante, the Bible, and Eternal Torment by Jon M. Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2014-05-12. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Collins, Sandra (2014-06-01). "Inventing Hell: Dante, the Bible, and Eternal Torment" . Library Journal . Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "The Complete Francis of Assisi: His Life, the Complete Writings, and The Little Flowers" . Booklist . 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Christian, Graham (2015-10-01). "The Complete Francis of Assisi: His Life, the Complete Writings, and the Little Flowers" . Library Journal . Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages" . Booklist . 2014-11-20. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "The Enthusiast: How the Best Friend of Francis of Assisi Almost Destroyed What He Started" . Booklist . 2016-03-15. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets: Meditations on Letting Go and Finding True Freedom by Mark S Burrows, Jon M Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2019-07-22. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Phyllis Tickle: A Life by Jon M Sweeney" . Publishers Weekly . 2017-11-13. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Meister Eckhart's Book of Secrets: Meditations on Letting Go and Finding True Freedom" . Library Journal . Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "Thomas Merton: An Introduction to His Life, Teachings, and Practices" . Booklist . 2021-03-31. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Sit in the Sun: And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats" . Booklist . 2023-03-15. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Sit in the Sun: And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats" . Library Journal . Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-03 . ↑ "My Life in Seventeen Books" . Kirkus Reviews . 2024-04-30. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ "Road to Assisi by Paul Sabatier" . Publishers Weekly . 2003-05-01. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Tobin, Robert (2013). "Review of Ireland's Saint: The Essential Biography of St. Patrick" . Anglican and Episcopal History . 82 (1): 107– 109. ISSN 0896-8039 . JSTOR 43051398 . ↑ "Phyllis Tickle: Essential Spiritual Writings by" . Publishers Weekly . 2015-07-20. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 . ↑ Kronick, Joseph G. (2018). "Review of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Essential Spiritual Writings, SweeneyJon M." . Christianity and Literature . 67 (3): 579– 582. doi :10.1177/0148333117735267 . ISSN 0148-3331 . JSTOR 26495291 . ↑ "What I Am Living For: Lessons from the Life and Writings of Thomas Merton by Kaya Oakes (et al.)" . Publishers Weekly . 2018-01-08. Archived from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01 .
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