Annotated Bibliography

If you want to know more about healing ministry, consider the books in the following bibliography. It contains the assigned and recommended texts used in ICM's Formation for Healing Ministry program. The first group are assigned reading for FHM students. The second group are books ICM recommends, they supplement the teachings given in FHM.

Books are listed alphabetically by title. To read more about any of these books, or to obtain them from Amazon.com, please click on the highlighted title of any book on this page. Books ordered from Amazon.com via a click on this webpage benefit ICM's ministry.

Required Reading for FHM Participants

Healing: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Love. Jan Alkire. Paulist Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8091-4173-6.

This book offers readers hope and shows them how to participate actively in their own healing: physical, spiritual, and relational. At the end of each chapter, a practical section is designed to lead the user into healing experiences where God can meet them in their need.

Healing Francis MacNutt. Ave Maria Press, 1999.

Healing is written from a sound basis of psychological insight and Catholic theology. It expresses great faith in God's love and healing power; at the same time, it is based on practical experience. It discusses the four kinds of healing; sacraments and healing; and reasons people are not healed. It is a must -- one of the most basic and comprehensive books written on healing ministry.

Healing as a Parish Ministry, Leo Thomas, O.P. and Jan Alkire, Byron Books, 2000. Also available through ICM. ISBN: 0-9679815-0-6

Rooted in the church's scriptural/sacramental tradition, this book emphasizes the primary goal of healing ministry: bringing God to those in need. It expands on the how-to's of prayer ministry that are introduced in Healing Ministry: A Practical Guide (see below), including how to deal with demoralization, the obstacle to well-being that ministers encounter in wounded people. This book also describes eight pitfalls that healing ministers are apt to encounter in this ministry. Choose the highlighted link above to read more about this book.

Healing Ministry: A Practical Guide, Leo Thomas, O.P. with Jan Alkire. Sheed and Ward, 1994. Also available through ICM. ISBN: 0-9679815-0-6

This book is a must for FHM students. It clearly explains what is taught in the FHM program and includes self-reflection questions at the end of each chapter. Essential for all those wishing to pray with others.
"...an important resource and training tool -- especially the vast number of laity -- in the pastoral ministry to the sick and suffering in our parishes." Most Reverend Sam G. Jacobs, Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana.

Healing of Memories Dennis and Matthew Linn. Paulist Press, 1977.

A basic book on the theme of inner healing. It deals especially with oonfession, forgiveness and inner healing. In addition to practical ideas, the authors include thought provoking discussion questions and exercises, which can help the reader experience healing of memories and come into a deeper love and understanding of God, self and others.

The Power to Heal Francis MacNutt. Ave Maria Press, 1977.

Written to augment the material covered in MacNutt's Healing,

"Praising God: A Doorway to Joy.". Jan Alkire. Dove Publications, 1993.

This short article describes prayers of praise: what they are, their sources, their benefits and how to move into praising God. The article expands on a worship teaching given during the FHM-I First Retreat. Click on this title to go to the complete text on this website.

The Art of Christian Listening, Thomas N. Hart. Paulist Press, 1981.

Listening is one of the most loving services one human can extend to another. In his book, Hart describes the role of helper (listener) in a Christian context. Aimed more at spiritual direction, much of what Hart says can apply to healing ministry.

Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Weapon for Spiritual Warfare, Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. and Randall J. Cirner. Servant, 1980.

The authors, experienced pastors and recognized authorities in the ministry of deliverance, explain spiritual warfare. They present an approach to deliverance which i a pastorally sound and effective weapon for dealing with the work of evil spirits. Chapters include how to conduct the deliverance ministry, and the importance of discernment.

Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve, Lewis B. Smedes. Harper San Francisco, 1996.

A great book. Smedes, a theology and ethics professor, goes through four stages of forgiveness, shows how to forgive those who are hard to forgive and ends by giving excellent answers to a question that many people fail to address: why forgive?

Happiness is an Inside Job John Powell, S.J. Thomas More Press, 1989.

A very readable book. Father Powell notes it is futile to expect someone or something to make us happy. Happiness can only come from within when we have a proper relationship with God. Many people plagued with unhappiness have benefitted from this book.

Healing and Christianity Morton Kelsey. Augsburg, 1995.

A thorough summary of the history of healing in the Church. Kelsey's analysis of the thought of Thomas Aquinas does not seem entirely accurate to us, but otherwise this book is very informative.

The Healing Light Agnes Sanford. Ballantine, 1990.

This classic text on healing within mainline Christian churches explains healing in simple terms and within the context of natural law. Excellent on the use of imagination in healing.

Healing the Dying: Releasing People to Die, Mary Jane, Dennis and Matthew Linn. Paulist Press, 1980.

A challenging book! Using the seven final acts and words of Jesus, the authors show what is needed for dying as a healed and whole person. Each short chapter contains challenging prayer suggestions and reflection questions. Recommended for those who are working with the dying, plus anyone willing to face his or her own issues surrounding death. Do not skip the Preface.

Helping When It Hurts Robert Hunter. Fortress, 1985.

The author, a Presbyterian pastor, contends that anyone experiencing a major hurt needs to hear four key messages: you are not alone, your feelings matter, all is not lost, and you can still help yourself. He sets out fourteen ways the helper can communicate these messages to the hurting person. Using many practical suggestions and illustrations, Hunter teaches the art of pastoral conversations.

Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients. Bernie S. Siegel, M.D. Harper, 1990.

A useful book for any minister of religious healing. Dr. Siegel believes each of us, as a patient, has the potential to contribute to our own healing, or to choose to die. He believes the physician must be as concerned to foster the patient's potential for health as he is about surgery and medicine. He says, "The truth is: love heals." Also available in abridged form as an Audiocassette .

May I Hate God? Pierre Wolfe. Paulist Press, 1983.

When other people or nature do us terrible harm, we often experience anger-even hatred sometimes directed at God. This separates us from God when we need him most. What to do? The author believes that by expressing our anger and hatred directly to God, we can discover his love and regain our freedom. An appendix lists scriptures to help in this process.

Overcome By the Spirit Francis MacNutt. Fleming H. Revell Co., 1990.

MacNutt uses "overcome by the Spirit" rather than the more common "resting in the Spirit" or "slain by the Spirit." With his customary personal and readable style, MacNutt offers helpful answers and advice regarding the many questions this ministry poses. He gives both Catholic and Protestant perspectives on this phenomenon.

Resist the Devil: A Pastoral Guide to Deliverance Prayer Charles Harris. Greenlawn Press, 1989.

Out of print and hard to find, but it is worth the search. For years, Father Harris was the authorized exorcist for the Catholic Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon. This book arose from his ministry plus research on what scriptures and the Church teach about the devil. Two especially helpful chapters for ministers of deliverance prayer: "The Influence of Capital Sins" and "The influences of Mental Illness." A beneficial book for both Protestants and Catholics.

The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth. M. Scott Peck. Simon and Schuster, 1998.

This excellent, readable book has many case histories from Dr. Peck's psychiatric practice. It integrates traditional psychological and spiritual insights and describes the process of becoming whole without giving simplistic answers. Includes good material on discipline and love.

Will the Real Me Please Stand Up? John Powell, S.J. Tabor Press, 1995.

This book is about communication skills. Father Powell identifies 25 types of healing conversations, shows the dangers and the dead-ends in them. Very readable. A useful resource for developing skill in pastoral conversations.

The Wounded Healer. Henri J. M. Nouwen. Image 1979.

This book focuses on what it means to be a minister in today's society. Nouwen approaches the problems of ministry in our time as being related to four suffering conditions: world, generation, person, and minister. He says ministers must view themselves not as professionals, but as fellow travelers with the same wounds and suffering. Note: This book was written prior to the advent of gender-inclusive language. It repeatedly uses "man" to mean people of either gender. Some may find this offensive.

You Can Be Emotionally Free. Rita Bennett. Bridge-Logos, 1998.

A balanced, basic, highly readable manual. The author shows how to help people let Jesus heal their inner hurts by giving many illustrations of her ministry. She covers all aspects of inner healing and grounds her teaching on relevant scriptural texts.

Your Child's Self-Esteem. Dorothy Corkille-Briggs. Doubleday, 1975.

A psychological guide on how to raise children with an emphasis on helping them develop positive, true self-esteem. Provides a good explanation of the core ingredients of family life and an excellent presentation on the ingredients necessary for developing healthy self-esteem. Includes material involved in listening and affirming and a short sketch about human development that is helpful in assessing a need for healing. While this is not specifically a Christian book, its principles are in accord with Christian thought. We especially recommend the first five chapters.