These meditations and devotions have been selected by Ian Ker from the collection gathered together and published after Newman s death by his secretary and friend William Neville of the Birmingham Oratory. Often surprisingly simple and direct, they combine the traditional language of Catholic devotion with Newman s own distinct voice. The bulk of the material is made up of meditations on Christian doctrine, with a selection of his devotions to Mary. Also included is his profound but delightful A Short Road to Perfection , which expresses vividly Newman s guiding conviction that we have no more to do to love and obey God than to perform our ordinary duties well.