4 Archives

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 2.8MB) | Embed

Day 8

St. Padre Pio you have said:

Is it possible that you are never satisfied with yourself? Jesus loves you with a loving partiality in spite of all your unworthiness. He sends down a torrent of graces upon you, and yet you complain. It is about time this ended and you convinced yourself that you are greatly in the Lord’s debt. Hence, less complaints, more gratitude, and a great deal of thanksgiving. You ought to ask Our Lord for just one thing: to love Him. All the rest should be thanksgiving.

Gracious God, you generously blessed your servant, Padre Pio, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of your Son, and as a stirring inspiration to many people of your infinite mercy, forgiveness and love.

In the confessional, Padre Pio labored endlessly for the salvation of souls. Through his powerful intercession, many who suffered were healed of sickness and disease. Endowed with the gift of discernment, he could read people’s hearts. With dignity and intense devotion, he celebrated daily Mass, inviting countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ, in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Through the intercession of Saint Pio, we confidently beseech you to to grant us the grace of (state your petition here). Help us to imitate his example of prayerful holiness and compassion, so that we, too, may faithfully follow the Risen Lord, and one day rejoice in the Kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

Day 2 – The Cherubim – St. Michael and the Holy Angels Novena – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:23 — 2.4MB) | Embed

Day 2 – The Celestial Choir of Cherubim – St. Michael and the Holy Angels Novena

V/. O God, + come to my assistance
R/. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory Be

Day 2 – The Celestial Choir of Cherubim

The CHERUBIM are some of the most powerful and awe-inspiring of all angels, standing below only the seraphim in direct closeness to God; they thus are second only to their seraphic brethren in the degree to which they emanate the love of God and possess knowledge and wisdom. Their illuminative knowledge and wisdom are thus so great as to be utterly incomprehensible to the mortal mind, blinding the blessed human who has the honor of actually beholding them in this world.

Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z (Kindle Locations 1012-1018). Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale. Kindle Edition.

By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord vouchsafe to grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness to run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

Our Father …Hail Mary

O GLORIOUS Prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King, and our admirable conductor, thou who dost shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, vouchsafe to deliver us from all evil, who turn to thee with confidence, and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

V/. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R/. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael, Prince of Thy Church, make us worthy, we beseech Thee, to be delivered from all our enemies that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into the august presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Michael and the Holy Angels

Visit here for the Chaplet of St. Michael – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcast

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 2.8MB) | Embed

Day 7

St. Padre Pio you have said:

May the Grace and peace of the Holy Spirit always be at the center of your heart. Place your heart in the open side of the Savior, and unite it with the King of your heart who is within it as on a royal throne, in order that He might receive homage and obedience from all other hearts. Keep your hearts door open, so that everyone can approach Him and gain an audience at all times. May the King of all saints also be the King of your heart!

Day 1 – The Seraphim – St. Michael and the Holy Angels Novena – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:49 — 2.7MB) | Embed

Day 1 – The Celestial Choir of Seraphim – St. Michael and the Holy Angels Novena

V/. O God, + come to my assistance
R/. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory Be

Day 1 – The Celestial Choir of Seraphim

The Seraphim are the highest and most splendid of the nine accepted angelic orders. Without question they are the closest in all of heaven to the very throne of God, and their primary function is to circle the incomprehensibly beautiful throne in perpetual adoration of the Lord, chanting: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the entire earth is full of His Glory”); this is a task that is not nearly as monotonous as it might seem to mortals, given the nature of angels (who have perfect powers of concentration) and the delight that such an honor actually brings to the spirits. The seraphim are most often identified with fire—not the burning, painful heat of hell, but the redemptive, healing flame of love, for they literally are living flames. The intensity of their adoration and pure love of God pour out of them as a flawless reflection of the divine love that emanates from the Lord.

Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z (Kindle Locations 4620-4633). Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale. Kindle Edition.

By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

Our Father …Hail Mary

V/. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R/. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Visit here for the entire 9-Day Novena to St. Michael and the Holy Angels

Visit here for the Chaplet of St. Michael – Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcast

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 6 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:57 — 2.7MB) | Embed

Day 6

St. Padre Pio you have said:

In the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, in this sacrament of Love, we have true life, a blessed life, and true sacrament of Love; we have true life, a blessed life, and true happiness. Because in it we receive not only those graces that perfect us but the very Author of those graces.

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 5 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54 — 2.6MB) | Embed

Day 5

St. Padre Pio you have said:

St Therese of the Child Jesus used to say, “I don’t want to choose either to die or to live, but let Jesus do as He likes with me.” I see clearly that this is the image of all souls who are stripped of self and filled with God… What St. Therese has said ought to be said by every soul inflamed with love of God.

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 4 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 2.8MB) | Embed

Day 4

St. Padre Pio you have said:

I often think that there is only one thing in this base world which can soothe the most acute pain which pierces the heart when we see ourselves far from God, the source and consolation of distressed souls. That one thing is solitude, for here the soul enjoys sweet rest in the One who is its true peace. I want the heavenly Father to grant you the grace of stability in all your resolutions, not least of all your resolution to grow in holiness and to be silent and reduce to silence everything around you, so that you may hear the divine voice of the Beloved and establish with Him a tranquil and everlasting dialogue.

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 3 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 2.8MB) | Embed

Day 3

St. Padre Pio you have said:

I am greatly comforted and very content in Jesus’ company, and who could describe the help it is to me to have Him continually by my side? This company makes me much more careful not to do anything which would displease God. It seems to me as if Jesus is constantly watching me. If it sometimes happens that I lose the presence of God, I soon hear Our Lord calling me back to my duty. I cannot describe the voice He uses to call me back, but I know that it is very penetrating, and the soul who hears it finds it almost impossible to refuse what He asks.

St. Hildegard von Bingen Novena – Day 9

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:53 — 2.0MB) | Embed

Day 9

St. Hildegard you have said:

“A human being is a vessel that God has built for himself and filled with his inspiration so that his works are perfected in it.”

“Now, O son of God, set in the valley of true humility, walk in peace without pride of spirit, which, like a precipitous mountain, offers a difficult, or near-impossible, ascent or descent to those who attempt to scale it, and on its summit no building can be built. For a person who tries to climb higher than he can achieve possesses the name of sanctity without substance, because, in name alone without a structure of good works, he glories in a kind of vain joy of the mind.”

“Humility always groans, weeps and destroys all offenses, for this is its work. So let anyone who wishes to conquer the Devil arm himself with humility, since Lucifer fervently flees it and hides in its presence like a snake in a hole; for wherever it finds him, it quickly snaps him like a fragile thread.”

O glorious St. Hildegard, abbess of the order of St. Benedict and doctor of the universal Church, we now join in the prayer you taught us….

God is the foundation for everything
This God undertakes, God gives.
Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking.
Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God.
This body is supported in every way through the earth.
Thus the earth glorifies the power of God.

O God, by whose grace your servant Hildegard, kindled with the Fire of your love, became a burning and shining light in your Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
St. Hildegard von Bingen, pray for us

For the Discerning Hearts 9-Day Novena to St. Hildegard von Bingen page

Musical excerpt: Ave generosa, by Hildegard von Bingen (1089 – 1179)
Laurence Ewashko, conductor
30 January 2000, St. Matthew’s Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://www.cantatasingersottawa.ca/listen.php

A Novena to St. Padre Pio – Day 2 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:52 — 2.6MB) | Embed

Day 2

St. Padre Pio you have said:

I implore you to be faithful and humble and always to keep the great Mother of God before your mental gaze, she who humbled herself more profoundly the more she was exalted. Never, ever be exalted at your virtues but repeat that everything comes from God, and give Him the honor and glory.

Through the intercession of Saint Pio, we confidently beseech you to grant us the grace of (state your petition here). Help us to imitate his example of prayerful holiness and compassion, so that we, too, may faithfully follow the Risen Lord, and one day rejoice in the Kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.