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Episode 34- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar GutierrezOmar Gutierrez 1 RN34 – Regnum Novum – “The Political Community” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 8 part 1We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church”  Chapter 8 – part 1 The Political Community.  What is the biblical basis for this social teaching?  What is the purpose of the political community?  What is the basis for morally legitimate authority?

procession 800x600 RN34 – Regnum Novum – “The Political Community” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 8 part 1

CHAPTER EIGHT
THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY

I. BIBLICAL ASPECTS
a. 
God’s dominion
b. 
Jesus and political authority
c. 
The early Christian communities

II. FOUNDATION AND PURPOSE OF THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY
a. 
Political community, the human person and a people
b. 
Defending and promoting human rights
c. 
Social life based on civil friendship

III. POLITICAL AUTHORITY
a. 
The foundation of political authority
b. 
Authority as moral force

 

Compendium 195x300 RN34 – Regnum Novum – “The Political Community” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 8 part 1

We live at a very special time. The confluence of many things has brought forth the clear need to be able to articulate the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church in a way that is accessible and applicable. This is not to be an effort where high-minded theories are to be bandied about. Rather, this is a time of opportunity wherein we can apply the Social Doctrine to the concrete so as to bring about a New Kingdom, a Revolution. – Omar G.

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101


Episode 23 Beginning to Pray Special:  ”Let Your Face shine on us and we shall be saved”

Anthony Lilles 292x300 BTP#23 Let Your Face shine on us and we shall be saved  Beginning to Pray Special w/ Dr. Anthony Lilles

Dr. Lilles’ offered a Day of Recollection in April 2013.  We are blessed to have the presentations he gave that day in audio form.  They are OUTSTANDING!

Here is Presentation 1:

Mental prayer, that is prayer that searches the face of Christ, is a source of conversion.  Beautiful truths about the incarnation and the paschal mystery come together in the face of Risen Lord who gazes on us with love.  In the shadow of this love, we discover the freedom to turn ourselves to the Lord ever more completely.   Our day begins with a meditation on the psalms theresehf1 BTP#23 Let Your Face shine on us and we shall be saved  Beginning to Pray Special w/ Dr. Anthony Lilleswhich point the way to this prayer.  We will introduce the saints who will guide us through our reflections:  St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity and Blessed John Paul II.

Hidden Mountain BTP#23 Let Your Face shine on us and we shall be saved  Beginning to Pray Special w/ Dr. Anthony Lilles

To obtain a copy of Dr. Lilles’ book click here

Dr. Anthony Lilles is a Catholic husband and father of three teaching Spiritual Theology at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. He  teaches spiritual theology and spiritual direction to transitional deacons, and the spiritual classics to the men who enter the Spirituality Year, a year of prayer in preparation for seminary formation.  He is the author of the “Beginning to Pray”  catholic blog spot.

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles


FG#7- Interior Freedom episode 7 – Fountains of Grace: reflections on contemporary spiritual classics with Donna GarrettDonna FG#7 Interior Freedom episode 7   Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett

Join host Donna Garrett, with Fr. Daniel Brandenburg, LC, as they discuss the spiritual classic “Interior Freedom” by Fr.  Jacques Philippe  a priest of  Communaute des Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right founded in France in 1973.  The members of the Community, which has a contemplative vocation based on Carmelite spirituality, are actively engaged in the service of the poor and the proclamation of the Gospel.

Discussed in this episode, among other topics,  from “Interior Freedom” page 102

Fr. Brandenburg FG#7 Interior Freedom episode 7   Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett

Donna Garrett is joined in this particular series by Fr. Daniel Brandenburg, LC

“Three aspects of the spiritual life the joyful, sorrowful and glorious outpourings of the Holy Sprit recall the image of the fire and the log used by St John of the Cross. ‘ When fire approaches the log it first lights it up and warms it. That corresponds to a joyful mystery. We are warmed by the love of God revealed to us . When the fire comes closer, the wood begins to blacken, smoke, smell bad, and give out tar and other unpleasant substances. This is the sorrowful outpouring; the soul has the painful experience of its own wretchedness. This phase lasts until the purifying fire has completed its work and the soul is totally transformed into a fire of love. Here is the glorious outpouring, in which the soul is strengthened in charity, the fire Jesus came to kindle on earth.”

For other episodes in the this series click here ”Fountains of Grace w/Donna Garrett
Interior Freedom 204x300 FG#7 Interior Freedom episode 7   Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett
You can find “Interior Freedom” here

 

Fr. Philippe FG#7 Interior Freedom episode 7   Fountains of Grace with Donna Garrett

Fr. Jacques Philippe



USCCA36  Chapter 29 part 2Archbishop George Lucas 245x300 USCCA36   The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life part 2 The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults with Archbishop George Lucas   Chap. 29

Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 29:

Intentional euthanasia, sometimes called mercy killing, is murder. Regardless of the motives or means, euthanasia consists of putting to death those who are sick, are disabled, or are dying. It is morally unacceptable. The emergence of physician-assisted suicide, popularized by the right-to-die movement, seeks to legalize what is an immoral act. Its advocates plan to achieve this on a state-by-state basis.

Suicide is gravely sinful whether committed alone or aided by a doctor. Serious psychological disturbances, anxiety, fear of suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide. The question is often asked whether persons who have committed suicide receive eternal salvation. Although suicide is always objectively sinful, one “should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives” (CCC, no. 2283). The pastoral care of family and friends of those who have taken their own lives is an important focus for the Church’s healing and compassionate ministry.

Catholic moral tradition has always taught that we can discontinue medical procedures that are burdensome, extraordinary, and disproportionate to the outcome. However, respect for every human being demands the ordinary treatment of the dying by the provision of food, water, warmth, and hygiene. Ordinary treatment is always a moral requirement.

There is also extraordinary treatment. The Church recognizes that some medical treatment may not provide benefits commensurate with the risks of certain medical procedures. Extraordinary medical treatment may not be morally required and can even cease in certain cases, depending on the benefits to the sick person and the burdens it will or may impose. For example, in instances when a person has been declared brain-dead, the patient can be disconnected from mechanical devices that sustain breathing and the heart since there is little hope of the person’s recovery.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (2012-04-02). United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Kindle Locations 5696-5710). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Kindle Edition.

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas leads the Archdiocese of Omaha. 

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This programs is based on:

United States Catechism for USCCA36   The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life part 2 The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults with Archbishop George Lucas   Chap. 29

More information can be found here.

We wish to thank the USCCB for the permissions granted for use of  relevant material used in this series.



Msgr. John Esseff 256x300 BKL38   I Live, No Longer I, But Christ Lives In Me   Are you aware of who you are? with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the readings for the day and in particular the teachings of the St. Paul, “I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me”.  Are we aware of the power we have, through grace, to live in, with, and through the life of Christ?

GAL 2:16, 19-21

Brothers and sisters:
We who know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Christ Jesus
that we may be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God;
for if justification comes through the law,
then Christ died for nothing.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

 

Building A Kingdom of Love  BKL38   I Live, No Longer I, But Christ Lives In Me   Are you aware of who you are? with Msgr. John Esseff

 

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

 

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love

 


Another outstanding addition to the Joseph Pearce canon!   “Shakespeare on Love: Seeing the Catholic Presence in Romeo and Joseph Pearce 1 300x241 IP#222 Joseph Pearce   Shakespeare on Love on Inside the PagesJuliet” is a terrific read.  Once again Jospeh Pearce helps us to see that the story we thought we knew is something very different when viewed with the Catholic Shakepeares len’s.   Is Romeo a hero or a self indulgent cad?  Is Juliet a  free thinking woman or a relationship starved 13 year old victimized by an adult male predator?  And how about those adults?   Just look at what happens when Eros runs a muck, and virtue is replaced blindly in favor of vice!  Let us not forget  to mention the tragedy which occurs from bad parenting.  Sexual desire and the gift of reason are explored in this compelling work by the prolific Pearce.  Who would have thought a book about a  500 year old play would contain such important lessons for our lives today.

Shakespeare on Love 196x300 IP#222 Joseph Pearce   Shakespeare on Love on Inside the PagesYou can find the book here

“Joseph Pearce’s book on Romeo and Juliet stands like a lighthouse in the murk of modern literary criticism. His approach challenges the assumptions that govern popular ‘scholarly’ work on Shakespeare in our time. It is massively researched, convincing, intelligent, and (happily) interesting. I commend it highly to all possible readers.” –-Thomas Howard, Author, Chance or the Dance?

 


USCCA35  Chapter 29 Archbishop George Lucas 245x300 USCCA35   The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life part 1  The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults with Archbishop George Lucas   Chap. 29

Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 29:

Modern technology has enabled us to appreciate how quickly the growing child in the womb takes on human features. This has made many more people aware of the fact that human life begins at conception, the moment that the egg is fertilized. Many common forms of artificial birth control cause abortions by not allowing the newly conceived human child to implant in the mother’s womb. The pro-life commitment of the Church is reflected in her compassion for those who so often regret having had an abortion, her understanding for those who are facing difficult decisions, and her assistance for all who choose life. People who have been involved with an abortion are encouraged to get in touch with the Project Rachel ministry and other ministries that enable them to seek the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and to obtain the necessary counseling. Pro-life ministries work with expectant mothers who are considering abortion by encouraging them to choose life for their children. They also provide alternatives to abortion through prenatal care, assistance in raising children, and adoption placement services.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (2012-04-02). United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Kindle Locations 5666-5674). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Kindle Edition.

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas leads the Archdiocese of Omaha. 

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This programs is based on:

United States Catechism for USCCA35   The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life part 1  The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults with Archbishop George Lucas   Chap. 29

More information can be found here.

We wish to thank the USCCB for the permissions granted for use of  relevant material used in this series.



Msgr. John Esseff 256x300 BKL37   The Resurrection   How do you look at death with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the Resurrection and how we look at death.

The NAB John Chap 20:

4Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.25So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”o26Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and sThomas2 300x221 BKL37   The Resurrection   How do you look at death with Msgr. John Essefftood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”p27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”28* q Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”29* Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?rBlessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

 

Building A Kingdom of Love  BKL37   The Resurrection   How do you look at death with Msgr. John Esseff

 

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

 

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love

 


Fr. James Martin joined us to share the compelling story of St. Charles Lwanga and the Martyrs of Uganda.Fr. James Martin St. Charles Lwanga and Companions: Martyrs of Uganda   In Conversation with  Fr. James Martin S.J.

Ugandan Martyrs 300x250 St. Charles Lwanga and Companions: Martyrs of Uganda   In Conversation with  Fr. James Martin S.J.Owing to religious hatred, many faithful Christians were killed in Uganda by King Mwanga during the years 1885-87. some of them had enjoyed the good graces of the king at his court, and some were even related to him. Among them, Charles Lwanga and his twenty one companions, adhering steadfastly to the Catholic faith, were put to death, some by sword, others by burning, because they would not accede to the king’s unreasonable demands.

Father, You have made the blood of the martyrs the seed of Christians. May the witness pf Saint Charles and his companions and their loyalty to the Christ in the face of torture inspire countless men and women to live the Christian faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Source: Liturgy of the Hours)

 


Msgr. John Esseff 256x300 BKL36   Corpus Christi with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the teaching of Jesus found in John Chapter 6 for the great feast of Corpus Christi.  He discusses the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  The tragedy becomes when we look upon the Blessed Sacrament has a “something” instead of a “Someone”.

From the NAB  John Chapter 6

The Bread of Life Discourse.22* The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left.23* Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks.24When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.25And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”26Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.27Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life,*which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”l28So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”30So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?m31* Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:n

‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus Eucharist BKL36   Corpus Christi with Msgr. John Esseff

32So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.o33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34p So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”35* Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.q36But I told you that although you have seen [me], you do not believe.r37Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,38because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.s39And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.t40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”u

41The Jews murmured about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,”42and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”v43Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring* among yourselves.w44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.45It is written in the prophets:

‘They shall all be taught by God.’

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.x46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.y47Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.48I am the bread of life.49Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;z50this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.51I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”a

52The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?”53Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.54Whoever eats* my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.57Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.b58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”59These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

 

Building A Kingdom of Love  BKL36   Corpus Christi with Msgr. John Esseff

 

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

 

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love

 


Our conversation with Vinny Flynn, on the  ”Seven Secrets of the Eucharist”, is one ofVinny Flynn The Seven Secrets of the Eucharist   In Conversation with Vinny Flynn the most popular interviews we have had on the Morning Show. Vinny’s love for the Eucharist pours out in his descriptions of just some of the beautiful “secrets” found in this great mystery and gift to us all.  Find out also the great connection between the Divine Mercy and the Eucharist (it really isn’t a secret…thank you St. Faustina!).

7 Secerets 189x300 The Seven Secrets of the Eucharist   In Conversation with Vinny FlynnOther reviews of this book:

If you are looking for new ways to increase your devotion to Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, this is the book for you, and I suggest you buy several copies for your friends. — Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.

This book will change your understanding and experience of the Holy Eucharist in an amazing way. Each of the 7 Secrets of the Eucharist will lead you into the fire of ‘Eucharistic amazement’ called for by Pope john Paul II (Ecclesia de Eucharistia). Fr. George W. Kosicki, C.S.B.

This little book is a real gem. A `must read’ for any Catholic. In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone. –George Cardinal Pell, Archbishop of Sydney


Join us a we discuss the life St. Justin Martyr with the wonderful Mike Aquilinamikeaquilina 1 St. Justin Martyr   A Father of the Church: pioneer of positive engagement with philosophical thinking   albeit with cautious discernment....  with Mike Aquilina

You can also read the following from Vatican.va

BENEDICT XVI

GENERAL AUDIENCE

St Peter’s Square
Wednesday, 21 March 2007

St Justin, Philosopher and Martyr (c. 100-165)

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Justin Martyr 244x300 St. Justin Martyr   A Father of the Church: pioneer of positive engagement with philosophical thinking   albeit with cautious discernment....  with Mike Aquilina

In these Catecheses, we are reflecting on the great figures of the early Church. Today, we will talk about St Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, the most important of the second-century apologist Fathers.

The word “apologist” designates those ancient Christian writers who set out to defend the new religion from the weighty accusations of both pagans and Jews, and to spread the Christian doctrine in terms suited to the culture of their time.

Thus, the apologists had a twofold concern: that most properly called “apologetic”, to defend the newborn Christianity (apologhía in Greek means, precisely, “defence”), and the pro-positive, “missionary” concern, to explain the content of the faith in a language and on a wavelength comprehensible to their contemporaries.

Justin was born in about the year 100 near ancient Shechem, Samaria, in the Holy Land; he spent a long time seeking the truth, movi
Finally, as he himself recounts in the first chapters of his Dialogue with Tryphon, a mysterious figure, an old man he met on the seashore, initially leads him into a crisis by showing him that it is impossible for the human being to satisfy his aspiration to the divine solely with his own forces. He then pointed out to him the ancient prophets as the people to turn to in order to find the way to God and “true philosophy”.ng through the various schools of the Greek philosophical tradition.

In taking his leave, the old man urged him to pray that the gates of light would be opened to him.
The story foretells the crucial episode in Justin’s life: at the end of a long philosophical journey, a quest for the truth, he arrived at the Christian faith. He founded a school in Rome where, free of charge, he initiated students into the new religion, considered as the true philosophy. Indeed, in it he had found the truth, hence, the art of living virtuously.

For this reason he was reported and beheaded in about 165 during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor to whom Justin had actually addressed one of his Apologia.

These - the two Apologies and the Dialogue with the Hebrew, Tryphonare his only surviving works. In them, Justin intends above all to illustrate the divine project of creation and salvation, which is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Logos, that is, the eternal Word, eternal Reason, creative Reason. (more…)


What a delight to be joined once again by Dr. Scott Hahn to share in a conversation about the delicious meal contained in our Sacred Dr. Scott Hahn 1 IP#221  Dr. Scott Hahn   Consuming the Word on Inside the PagesScriptures. In “Consuming the Word: The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church”, Dr. Hahn helps us to make an important paradigm shift in our contemplation of the Word of God. Not just words transmitted in the pages of a book,  The Word  is meant to be seen as an action of Love. That action is best related in the gift of the Eucharist. Blessed John Paul II asked Catholics to “base the New Evangelization on the Eucharist”. As Catholics, we know Christ as the Eucharistic Lord and that is how the early Church proclaimed him. Dr Hahn reminds us that in the early Church there was no book that could be called the “New Testament”. That phrase was used to describe the Mass. Dr. Hahn will also go on to  warn us of the dangers found in  ”intellectualizing the Bible, by recalling for us what St. Paul has said, “Knowledge puffs up, love builds up… It’s not love instead of knowledge, but knowledge ordered to love, because you can’t love what you do not know, but you can know and not love”. What an outstanding book, yet again, brought to us by Dr.Scott Hahn!

Consuming the Word IP#221  Dr. Scott Hahn   Consuming the Word on Inside the PagesYou can find the book here

“Scott Hahn has a well-earned reputation as a vivid guide to the Word of God.  That skill is elegantly on display here. Consuming the Word is erudite and accessible, rich in content and lucid in style — an engaging read for anyone who seeks to better understand the profound interplay of Scripture, Liturgy and the role of the Church in Christian life.” Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia

“With words that are both accessible and erudite, Dr. Scott Hahn introduces us anew to the Eternal Word of the New Testament, a word that is given to us, not simply as a text in a book, but as the living and real presence of the Lord Jesus himself.” Very Reverend Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith


This is the best biography I have read in years!  What a glorious testament to the fruitfulness of the Benedictine rule and howMother Dolores IP#220 Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B.   The Ear of the Heart on Inside the Pages it transforms lives.  Mother Dolores Hart brings to us a generous sharing of her life experience and the joy found in the peace and stability in the living with her monastic community.  How could a woman walk away from “having it all”?  Mother Dolores discovered the “pearl of great price”, and she found it by listening to the “ear of the heart”.  An absolutely fantastic read and spiritually fulfilling work.  A must read!!!!  This conversation will go down as one of my favorites of all time!!!  Thank you God!!!

The Ear of the Heart IP#220 Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B.   The Ear of the Heart on Inside the PagesYou can find the book here
“What a joy to be in the company of Mother Dolores Hart. She is a compassionate narrator, from her childhood days, darkened by parental alcoholism, to her Hollywood career and her calling as a Catholic nun. Mother Dolores talks candidly about the difficulty of becoming a cloistered, Benedictine nun. The struggle with years of discipline and the rigorous farm work at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. We learn there was something in her deepest heart she sought.” — —-Pia Lindstrom, television journalist, daughter of Ingrid Bergman

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.”
Saint Benedict

“Mother Dolores Hart is a remarkable woman with a remarkable story-one of love, devotion and faith.”
Maria Shriver, bestselling author of Just Who Will You Be?


The Will of God: Finding and Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life” is a great book which uses the great Psalm 119 to help us in the Fr. Kenneth Baker IP#219 Fr. Kenneth Baker S.J.    The Will of God on Inside the Pagesarea of discernment.  Taking a lifetime of steeped  in prayer and sound theology, Fr. Baker gives us a unique and penetrating resource to aid in our growth in the areas of contemplation and discernment. Father Baker was the editor of Homiletic & Pastoral Review for more than 40 years, and currently serves as Editor Emeritus of the online edition.  He was a joy to talk with and to learn from….not to be missed for the discerning heart!

The Will of God IP#219 Fr. Kenneth Baker S.J.    The Will of God on Inside the PagesYou can find the book here

“Father Baker helps us to discover God’s will and, what is even more, important how to live God’s will! He uses the Holy Scriptures,the teaching of the Church and the saints to help us become holy and transformed into the saints that God created us to be. Read this book and discover what God wants you to do!” –Fr. Larry Richards, Author, Be a Man!