November 2016

ST-V11 – Acts of the Apostles, Chapters Acts 16 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – Video Podcast

“Acts 16” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

“The Lord opened her heart.” With these beautiful words, we learn about Lydia, a wealthy woman from Philippi and dealer of purple cloth. The story of Lydia serves as a springboard of encouragement for us to open our own hearts to the Lord, who is always knocking at but never forcing His way into our hearts. Sharon then gives us some fascinating details about the production of purple dyes and the political/social significance of this precious fabric. We also learn more about Timothy, who accompanies Paul during this part of his ministry and is later installed as the bishop of Ephesus. Sharon gives us insight into the cultures of Philippi and Ephesus, which helps us better understand the pastoral issues that Paul and Timothy addressed in their letters to these Christian communities. The chapter ends with an amazing jailbreak: secured by stocks, Paul and Silas witness to their fellow prisoners, only to be freed through a miraculous earthquake. The despondent jailer is about to take his own life, but Paul and Silas convince him otherwise, preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the jailer along with his entire household are baptized.

For the audio-only version of this podcast

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Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion for scripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His message to your every day life.

“Seeking Truth” is an in-depth Catholic Bible Study, commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more go to:www.seekingtruth.net

15 – The Thirteenth Rule – The Discernment of Spirits /w Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV – Video Podcasts

#15 The Thirtheenth Rule The Discernment of Spirits /w Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

Episode 15 – The Thirteenth Rule:

Likewise, he acts as a licentious lover in wanting to be secret and not revealed. For, as the licentious man who, speaking for an evil purpose, solicits a daughter of a good father or a wife of a good husband, wants his words and persuasions to be secret, and the contrary displeases him much, when the daughter reveals to her father or the wife to her husband his licentious words and depraved intention, because he easily gathers that he will not be able to succeed with the undertaking begun: in the same way, when the enemy of human nature brings his wiles and persuasions to the just soul, he wants and desires that they be received and kept in secret; but when one reveals them to his good Confessor or to another spiritual person that knows his deceits and evil ends, it is very grievous to him, because he gathers, from his manifest deceits being discovered, that he will not be able to succeed with his wickedness begun.

For the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

You can obtain just the audio podcast, if you would prefer

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St. Joseph Novena Day 5 – A Special Intention for Discerning Hearts

Would you please consider adding to your intentions, for this novena, a special intention:

“for the Spiritual and Temporal Needs for the ministry and mission of Discerning Hearts.”

We have never before asked our listeners to join us in such a specific need for our ministry, but we now humbly ask for your help. We believe, first and foremost, in the power of prayer. St. Teresa of Avila said that whenever she had serious needs, she looked too good St. Joseph, who never let her down. So we follow her example at this critical time. Thank you and God bless.

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O glorious Saint Joseph,faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY FIVE

O holy St. Joseph,
what a lesson your life is for us,
ever so eager to appear
so anxious to display before the eyes of men
the graces that we owe entirely to the liberality of God.
In addition to the special favor for which we plead in this novena…

(State your request here…)

grant that we may attribute to God the glory of all things,
that we may love the humble and hidden life,
that we may not desire any other position
than the one given us by Providence
and that we may always be a docile instrument in the hands of God.

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Please visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Joseph

IP#196 Mark Brumley – “Knowing God” on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

It’s great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley, this time to discuss “Knowing God: God and the Human Condition” (previously titled God and the Human Mind) authored by the great Catholic writer, teacher, and publisher Frank Sheed. Written in 1966 during the time of the Second Vatican Council, Sheed addresses the most challenging questions the human mind can pose about God, without presenting answers in dry academic way. Instead, because of his gifted writing style, he engages the reader with a desire to discover “mystery” in all its forms.

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You can find the book here

“This book is vintage Sheed: clear, commonsensical, and convincing. This is the Sheed of the two masterpieces of apologetics Theology and Sanity and Society and Sanity. But this is also a new Sheed: older and wiser, more practical and human–the post-Vatican II Sheed. I mean this in all the good senses, the John Paul II senses: he is sensitive to the dangers of “the good old days”: verbalism, “dead orthodoxy,” rationalism, deism, what Sheed calls “theometry” instead of theology: an abstract, formal theological geometry that only wants to define terms and win debating points. Instead, this book is a kind of theological midrash, a deepening, a spelunking in the caves of the deepest mysteries with the clear light of honest words–honest with heart as well as head. It unites dogmatic theology with lived religion. It is precisely the breath of fresh air that Pope John XXIII opened the windows for, and in terms the layman can clearly grasp. —– Peter Kreeft, Author, Because God is Real

St. Joseph Novena Day 4 – A Special Intention for Discerning Hearts

Would you please consider adding to your intentions, for this novena, a special intention:

“for the Spiritual and Temporal Needs for the ministry and mission of Discerning Hearts.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54 — 1.7MB) | Embed

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY FOUR

Saint Joseph, pride of Heaven,
unfailing hope for our lives,
and support of those on earth,
graciously accept our prayer of praise.
You were appointed spouse of the chaste Virgin
by the Creator of the world.
He willed that you be called “father” of the Word
and serve as agent of our salvation.
May the triune God who bestowed upon you heavenly honors,
be praised forever.
And may He grant us through your merits
the joy of a blessed life
and a favorable answer to our petition.

(State your request here…)

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Please visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Joseph

USCCA34 – The Fourth Commandment: Strengthen Your Family – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 28:

The Fourth Commandment deals with all aspects of family life—parental and filial duties and responsibilities, that is, those of love from child to parent. This includes the duties of children toward their parents, the duties of brothers and sisters toward each other, and the responsibilities of adult children toward their older parents. This Commandment also addresses the duties of government and the duties of citizens (cf. CCC, nos. 2234-2246), including the responsibility of the state and society to foster family values and to strengthen the family in every possible way..

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

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:

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.
Also we wish to thank Bruce McGregor for his vocal talents in this episode.

St. Joseph Novena Day 3 – A Special Intention for Discerning Hearts

Would you please consider adding to your intentions, for this novena, a special intention:

“for the Spiritual and Temporal Needs for the ministry and mission of Discerning Hearts.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54 — 3.5MB) | Embed

O glorious Saint Joseph,
faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY THREE

Blessed St. Joseph,
enkindle in our cold hearts a spark of your charity.
May God be always the first
and only object of our affections.
Keep our souls always in sanctifying grace and,
if we should be so unhappy as to lose it,
give us the strength to recover it immediately
by a sincere repentance.
Help us to such a love of our God
as will always keep us united to Him.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

(State your request here…)

Amen.

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Please visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Joseph

RC#6 Crusades Abroad and at Home – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina

RC-V6 Crusades Abroad and at Home – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

Episode 6– Crusades Abroad and at Home

The Church in the West had survived the fall of Rome, and now it was the most powerful institution in Western Europe. But in the East, where the Church was born, the gradual erosion of the Byzantine Empire and the constant inroads of Islam threatened the very existence of Christianity.

Didn’t the Church in the West owe something to the Christians of the East? Wasn’t it the responsibility of all Christians to come to the aid of their brothers and sisters in distress?

That was the question that launched the crusades.

In the Middle East, whose history spans thousands of years, the crusades seem as fresh as yesterday’s headlines. And the same religious feelings that fueled both sides of the medieval wars are still with us today. Jerusalem—which has never been a very large city—is still, in world politics, probably the most important spot on the globe.

Today it’s easy to portray the crusades as a simple act of Christian aggression against the innocent and bewildered Muslims; or, alternatively, as a desperate last-ditch defense of Christianity against the relentless drive of the Islamic forces. Both portrayals are wrong. There was aggression on both sides, sincere religious zeal on both sides, and a surprising amount of respect for the other on both sides. There was also simple greed and avarice on both sides, and sometimes the greed managed to pervert the religious zeal.

Aquilina, Mike (2011-07-26). The Resilient Church (Kindle Locations 848-860). Mobile Merchandise Services, LLC. Kindle Edition.

For the audio podcast:

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Pick up a copy of Mike’s book.

Also visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

St. Joseph Novena Day 2 – A Special Intention for Discerning Hearts

Would you please consider adding to your intentions, for this novena, a special intention:

“for the Spiritual and Temporal Needs for the ministry and mission of Discerning Hearts.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:59 — 3.6MB) | Embed

O glorious Saint Joseph,
faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
to you we raise our hearts and hands
to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign heart of Jesus
all the helps and graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly for the grace of a happy death
and the special favor we now request…

(State your request here.)

O guardian of the Word Incarnate,
we feel animated with confidence that your prayers
in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

O glorious St. Joseph,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ
and for the glory of His name,
hear our prayers
and obtain our petitions.

Amen.

DAY TWO

O blessed Saint Joseph,
tenderhearted father,
faithful guardian of Jesus,
chaste spouse of the Mother of God,
we pray and beseech you to offer to God the Father,
His divine son,
bathed in blood on the Cross for sinners,
and through the thrice holy name of Jesus
obtain for us of the eternal Father
the favor for which we implore your intercession…

(State your request here…)

Amid the splendors of eternity,
forget not the sorrows of those who pray,
those who weep;
stay the almighty arm which smites us,
that by your prayers and those of your most holy spouse,
the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and to pardon.

Amen

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Please visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Joseph

BTP#15 Heaven In Faith Day 8 Prayer 1 – St. Elizabeth of the Trinity w/Dr. Anthony Lilles

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From “Heaven in Faith: Day 8 Prayer 1” found in The Complete Works vol 1:

26. This is how the mystery of predestination, the mystery of divine election appeared to the enlightened gaze of the Apostle. “Those whom He has foreknown” Are not we of that number? Cannot God say to our soul what he once said through the voice of His prophet: “I passed by you and saw you. I saw that the time had come for you to be loved. I spread my garment over you. I swore to you to protect you, and I made a covenant with you, and you became mine.”

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

We would like to offer heartfelt thanks to Miriam Gutierrez for providing for us “the voice” of Blessed Elizabeth for this series

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

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D. is an associate professor and the academic dean of Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo as well as the academic advisor for Juan Diego House of Priestly Formation for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. For over twenty years he served the Church in Northern Colorado where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Through the years, clergy, seminarians, religious and lay faithful have benefited from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity.