Anthony Lilles, S.T.D.

Bio

Professor Anthony Lilles has taught graduate level theology and assisted in clergy formation since 1994, having served at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Denver, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, and St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo prior to joining the faculty of St. Patrick’s Seminary. With a BA in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, as well as an ecclesiastical licentiate and doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum), he is specialized in St. Elisabeth of the Trinity and the Carmelite Doctors of the Church. He co-founded the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and the High Calling Program for priestly vocations. He also founded and serves as president for the John Paul II Center for Contemplative Culture. His work at St. Patrick’s began in 2014 when he helped start and teach an annual summer spirituality program. He was appointed Academic Dean from 2019-2022 before joining the full-time teaching and formation faculties. From 2024 through 2027, he will be committed to a new initiative for priestly renewal jointly sponsored by St. Patrick’s Seminary and the High Calling program of the Avila Foundation. He blogs at Spiritual Direction and podcasts at Discerning Hearts.

In October 2024, Dr. Lilles launched Spiritual Revolution: A Journal of Mystical Theology on Substack.

Conference/Workshop Presentation

2024  A Vision of Greatness: Charity, Sacrifice and Prayer, 50th Jubilee Deacon Convocation: Heralds of the Gospel, Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado

2023  Mystical Wisdom: Divine Power for Difficult Times, 49th Annual Otto A. Shults Lecture Series on Spirituality, hosted by St. Bernard’s School of Theology, Rochester, New York

2022  A Vision for Spiritual Fatherhood, Symposium on Renewing Formation, hosted by St. Patrick’s Seminary, Ignatius Press, and the Center for Contemplative Culture, Menlo Park, California

2019  St. John of the Cross and Hans Urs von Balthasar, Symposium on Renewing Formation, hosted by St. Patrick’s Seminary, Ignatius Press and the Center for Contemplative Culture, Menlo Park, California

2019 Seminar Retreat Conferences on St. Hildegard von Bingen, Discerning Hearts, Schuyler, Nebraska

Selected Publications

Books

Fire from Above: Christian Contemplation and Mystical Wisdom, Manchester, New Hampshire: Sophia (2016)

30 Days with St. Therese of Lisieux: Living the Mystery of Merciful Love, co-authored with Daniel Burke, Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road (2016)

30 Days with St. Teresa of Avila, co-authored with Daniel Burke, Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road (2015)

Hidden Mountain Secret Garden: a theological contemplation on prayer, Omaha, NE: Discerning Hearts (2012, Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat 2013)

Print Articles and Reviews

“Interior Recollection as a Means of Peace: the Witness of Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity,” St. Andrew Abbey Valyermo Chronicle, No. 252, Spring 2017

“St. Anthony of Egypt,” St. Andrew Abbey Valyermo Chronicle, No. 244, Spring 2015

“Vigilant for the Bridegroom in the Night of Faith: Beyond Conscious Participation in the Liturgy,” Antiphon 16:2, 2012

“Je serai heureuse de t’aider à triompher …” in Actes du colloque de Dijon  18-19 novembre 2006, Elisabeth de la Trinité fascinée par Dieu  proche de tous, Toulouse: Collection Carmel vivant, éd. du Carmel, 2007