The Restless Heart: Finding Our Spiritual Home in Times of Loneliness
Written by Ronald Rolheiser (Author of The Holy Longing)
Read by Paul Smith

4 Audio Cassette Tapes
Runtime: 5.5 hours (approx.)

A thoughtful exploration of loneliness, in the tradition of Henri Nouwen's classic Reaching Out. Loneliness may be more pervasive now than at any other time in human history. Cell phones and "instant messaging" not withstanding, our longing for meaningful connections seems to increase in direct proportion to our accessibility.

In The Restless Heart, Ronald Rolheiser identifies different types of loneliness and discusses the dangers and opportunities they represent in our lives. Using contemporary parables from literature, film, and his own life, he shows that loneliness can be a tremendously creative and even valuable force when it is recognized, accepted and used as a dynamic catalyst. With his trademark clarity of vision, honesty, and intelligence, Rolheiser offers a distinctively Christian approach to living an examined, involved life and presents suggestions that will free readers to discover greater meaning and fulfillment in their own lives.

"Ronald Rolheiser has emerged as one of the finest spiritual writers of our time. In this new edition of his earliest work, he tills the soil where the holy longing is cultivated, nurtured and sustained: the lonely human heart. He holds the key to helping loosen the suffocating grip of loneliness so that our deepmost desires flourish and find rest in God." - Dr. Michael Downey, Professor of Systematic Theology and Spirituality, St Jonh's Seminary, Camarillo, CA

"A much-needed antidote to the uneasiness of the times." - Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA

PART ONE: The Nature of Loneliness
Chapter 1 The Problem
Chapter 2 The Dangers of Loneliness
Chapter 3 Bringing the Problem Into Focus: The Types of Loneliness

PART TWO: Toward a Christian Understanding of Loneliness
Chapter 4 The Hebrew Scriptures on Loneliness
Chapter 5 The New Testament on Loneliness
Chapter 6 Some Christian Theologians on Loneliness
Chapter 7 The Potential Value of Loneliness
Chapter 8 Toward a Spirituality of Loneliness

RONALD ROLHEISER, O.M.I., is a specialist in the fields of spirituality and systematic theology. He is the author of The Holy Longing, Against an Infinite Horizon and Shattered Lantern. His regular column in the Catholic Herald is featured in newspapers in five countries. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.