Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts Archives

IP#372 – Kathleen Beckman – “The Holy Family” part 2 – A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare on Inside the Pages w/ Kris McGregor Podcast

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Part 2

Kathleen Beckman returns to discuss the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph as found in her book, A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Strategies for Deliverance and Healing! In our first conversation with Kathleen (see the link below), we discussed the reality of spiritual warfare and the damage it does to individuals and families. In this episode, we asked Kathleen to join us once again in order to discuss the role of the Holy Family in our response to the enemy’s attacks. She shines an important light on the role of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary as true companions in our spiritual journey as well as allies in our spiritual battle!

You can find the book here:

From the book description

In A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare, Kathleen Beckman offers you potent advice from her 12 years of active participation on an exorcist’s team. She shows you how to clean up your household by cultivating in your family a civilization of love and how to withstand the spiritual attacks that inevitably come to destroy the harmonious family life you create.

Beckman reveals how you can recognize diabolical disguises in your home and offers proven means of protection found only in the Church’s arsenal of spiritual weapons.

You’ll also learn the devil’s strategies how he does not necessarily seek to possess but simply to seed your family with the venom of hatred, desolation, envy, and vice. This, she explains, is why it s so important for spouses and children to become schooled in the art of spiritual combat. It’s the only way you can destroy the works of the devil and unmask the hidden evil that weaves in and out of your daily family life.

Along with more than two dozen effective prayers for family healing and deliverance, you’ll also learn:

How to understand the spirits working for and against your family, and what to do in response to them

What specific actions to take if you believe your family has come under the influence of demonic activity

How to use your baptismal, spousal, and parental authority in spiritual warfare

How curses can become effective and what can be done to counteract them

The difference between diabolical temptation, oppression, obsession, and possession

The seven ways your family can wear the full armor of God

The diabolical counterparts to each of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes

The 13 weapons you can use to defend yourself and your family against evil spirits

For more visit:

IP#371 – Kathleen Beckman – “The Holy Family” part 1 – A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare on Inside the Pages w/ Kris McGregor Podcast

IP#367 – Kathleen Beckman – A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

IP#262 Kathleen Beckman – Praying For Priests on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

For prayers with St. Joseph found on Discerning Hearts visit

St. Joseph, devotions and prayers, texts and mp3 downloads

Nazareth, a model Pope St. Paul VI from the Office of Readings

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From an address by Pope Paul VI

Nazareth, a model

Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and even to understand his Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder the simple appeal of the way God’s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. And gradually we may even learn to imitate him.

Here we can learn to realise who Christ really is. And here we can sense and take account of the conditions and circumstances that surrounded and affected his life on earth: the places, the tenor of the times, the culture, the language, religious customs, in brief, everything which Jesus used to make himself known to the world. Here everything speaks to us, everything has meaning. Here we can learn the importance of spiritual discipline for all who wish to follow Christ and to live by the teachings of his Gospel.

How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths. But here we are only on pilgrimage. Time presses and I must set aside my desire to stay and carry on my education in the Gospel, for that education is never finished. But I cannot leave without recalling, briefly and in passing; some thoughts I take with me from Nazareth.

First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers. Nazareth can teach us the value of study and preparation, of meditation, of a well-ordered personal spiritual life, and of silent prayer that is known only to God.

Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society: a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings, in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children – and for this there is no substitute.

Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would especially like to recognise its value – demanding yet redeeming – and to give it proper respect. I would remind everyone that work has its own dignity. On the other hand, it is not an end in itself. Its value and free character, however, derive not only from its place in the economic system, as they say, but rather from the purpose it serves.

In closing, may I express my deep regard for people everywhere who work for a living. To them I would point out their great model, Christ their brother, our Lord and God, who is their prophet in every cause that promotes their well being.

IP#371 – Kathleen Beckman – “The Holy Family” part 1 – A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare on Inside the Pages w/ Kris McGregor Podcast

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Part 1

You can find the book here:

From the book description

In A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare, Kathleen Beckman offers you potent advice from her 12 years of active participation on an exorcist’s team. She shows you how to clean up your household by cultivating in your family a civilization of love and how to withstand the spiritual attacks that inevitably come to destroy the harmonious family life you create.

Beckman reveals how you can recognize diabolical disguises in your home and offers proven means of protection found only in the Church’s arsenal of spiritual weapons.

You’ll also learn the devil’s strategies how he does not necessarily seek to possess but simply to seed your family with the venom of hatred, desolation, envy, and vice. This, she explains, is why it s so important for spouses and children to become schooled in the art of spiritual combat. It’s the only way you can destroy the works of the devil and unmask the hidden evil that weaves in and out of your daily family life.

Along with more than two dozen effective prayers for family healing and deliverance, you’ll also learn:

How to understand the spirits working for and against your family, and what to do in response to them

What specific actions to take if you believe your family has come under the influence of demonic activity

How to use your baptismal, spousal, and parental authority in spiritual warfare

How curses can become effective and what can be done to counteract them

The difference between diabolical temptation, oppression, obsession, and possession

The seven ways your family can wear the full armor of God

The diabolical counterparts to each of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes

The 13 weapons you can use to defend yourself and your family against evil spirits

For more visit:

IP#367 – Kathleen Beckman – A Family Guide to Spiritual Warfare on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

IP#262 Kathleen Beckman – Praying For Priests on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

For prayers with St. Joseph found on Discerning Hearts visit

St. Joseph, devotions and prayers, texts and mp3 downloads

IP#370 Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – Christ Versus Satan In Our Daily Lives Part 2 on Inside the Pages w/Kris McGregor Podcast

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This book is FANTASTIC and is a definite must-have for all those seeking to grasp the reality of spiritual warfare and the gift we have in the discernment of spirits! There is simply no one better than Fr. Robert Spitzer to shine a penetrating light on the subject! Christ Versus Satan In Our Daily Lives: The Cosmic Struggle Between Good and Evil is the very best resource we have come across, which accesses the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Desert Fathers, and the mystical wisdom of the Church to help us understand fully the tactics of the Enemy on our minds and hearts, and the freedom found in a relationship with Christ and his Church. A great resource for every discerning heart!

This podcast contains part 2 of our conversation.

Here is the link for part 1 of our conversation:

IP#369 Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – Christ Versus Satan In Our Daily Lives Part 1 on Inside the Pages w/Kris McGregor Podcast

You can find the book here

From the book description:

Spiritual writer, theologian, and philosopher Jesuit Fr. Robert Spitzer tackles the topic of recognizing and overcoming spiritual evil. His focus is the human heart. His goal: our moral and spiritual transformation, which leads to true peace and genuine happiness.

The book is divided into two main parts: the realities of God’s goodness and of spiritual evil, and recognizing and overcoming diabolical tactics, which range from temptation and deception to the Deadly Sins.

Father Spitzer shows readers how to experience God’s peace even during times of suffering and persecution. He examines the basics of the spiritual life and Christian mysticism, including the contemplative dimension. He explains the purgative, illuminative, and unitive aspects of spirituality, as well as the Lord’s consolation and the passive Dark Night of the Spirit.

Father Spitzer provides the biblical and theological background of Jesus’ victory over Satan. The author also explores the reality of the Devil, including extraordinary manifestations of diabolic activity such as possession. He recalls the true story of the famous possession case on which the novel and film The Exorcist were based.

In the final sections of the book the author explains:
how diabolical spiritual forces operate how temptation works, and what to do to defeat it the”deadly sins” and how to overcome them

Other conversations with Fr. Robert Spitzer:

IP#315 Fr. Robert Spitzer – The Light Shines On In The Darkness on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

IP#295 Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J. – God So Loved the World pt.1 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

IP#296 Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J. – God So Loved the World pt. 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

IP#289 Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – The Souls Upward Yearning on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor pt 1

IP#290 Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J. – The Souls Upward Yearning on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor pt 2

IP#282 Fr. Robert Spitzer S. J. – Finding True Happiness on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

IP#122 Fr. Robert Spitzer – Ten Universal Principles on Inside the Pages

IP#56 Fr. Robert Spitzer – 5 Pillars of the Spiritual Life on Inside the Pages

IP#164 Fr. Robert Spitzer – Cosmic Origins on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

BTP-IC23 – Sixth Mansions Chapter 5 part 2 – The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles Podcast

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In this episode, Dr. Lilles discusses the Sixth Mansions Chapter 5 part 2 of the “Interior Castle” which covers:

TREATS OF THE SAME SUBJECT AS THE LAST CHAPTER AND DESCRIBES THE FLIGHT OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY BY WHICH GOD ELEVATES THE SOUL: THIS REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE IN ONE EXPERIENCING IT. THIS FAVOUR, BY WHICH GOD GREATLY DELIGHTS THE SOUL IS EXPLAINED. THIS CHAPTER IS VERY PROFITABLE.

1. The flight of the spirit. 2. Self-control completely lost. 3. Symbol of the two cisterns. 4. Obligations following the se favours. 5. Humility produced by them. 6. How our crucified Lord comforted such a soul. 7. A humble soul fears these favours. 8. Mysteries learnt during the flight of the spirit. 9. Imaginary visions sometimes accompany intellectual ones. 10. How the flight of the spirit takes place. 11. The soul fortified by it. 12. Three great graces left in the soul. 13. The third grace. 14. Fear caused by this favour..

For the Discerning Hearts audio recording of the “Interior Castle” by St. Teresa of Avila you can visit here

St. Teresa of Avila Interior Castle Podcast Anthony Lilles Kris McGregor For other audio recordings of various spiritual classics you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics page

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Interior Castle with 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 St. Elisabeth of the Trinity.

SD1 – Journey Through Desolation – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Journey Through Desolation – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss spiritual desolation in the context of Ignatian spirituality, focusing on three important actions: Being aware, understanding, and taking action. They highlight the confusion between desolation and depression, emphasizing the need for clarity.

Fr. Gallagher shares insights from St. Ignatius’ conversion experience, highlighting his awareness, understanding, and how he took action during that time. Fr. Gallagher also explores practical steps to reject desolation and move towards the goal of spiritual consolation. The saints’ relatable struggles underscore the universal nature of the spiritual journey, providing hope and guidance for discernment.

From the Prologue of Setting the Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits:

“Five hundred years ago, Ignatius entered the realm of the heart and crafted a set of guidelines for responding to interior experience, both joyful (spiritual consolation) and discouraging (spiritual desolation), on the spiritual level. These guidelines, when well explained, equip hearers to be aware of, understand the significance of, and take action in response to their spiritual experience. Said differently, they take Christian anthropology—the fact that only in Christ can the human person be understood fully—seriously, and render it operative. When one applies these guidelines, the full Christian understanding of the human person ceases to remain a theological construct and is rendered concretely applicable in daily living. For over three decades, I have seen many apply these guidelines with much fruit.“

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

How do you distinguish between spiritual desolation and depression in your own life, and why is this distinction important in the context of Ignatian spirituality?
Reflect on a moment in your life when you experienced spiritual consolation. How did that experience impact your relationship with God and your spiritual journey?
In your understanding, how does the concept of being aware, understanding, and taking action apply to discernment in the spiritual life? Share a personal example if possible.
Consider the role of hope in facing spiritual desolation. How can the teachings of Ignatius and the experiences of saints inspire hope in times of discouragement?
How has the universal nature of the spiritual struggle, as discussed in the podcast, resonated with your own experiences? In what ways does knowing that saints faced similar challenges provide encouragement for your spiritual journey?
Discuss the importance of sharing personal stories and experiences in the context of Catholic spirituality. How can your own journey serve as a mirror for others, fostering a sense of community and mutual understanding in faith?

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

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

SD2 The Practical Guidance of Rules 5-9 – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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BA6 - "Refuse to Accept Discouragement" - Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

The Practical Guidance of Rules 5-9 – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss St. Ignatius’ rules on spiritual desolation and distinguishing between the actions of the good spirit and the enemy during the discernment process.

In particular, Rules 5 through 9 provide practical guidance, advising against changes during desolation, promoting active spiritual tools, and addressing the causes and purposes of desolation. Fr. Gallagher makes note of the trial aspect, encouraging patience, and stresses the humility of recognizing spiritual consolation as a gift from God.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Understanding Discernment: How does Ignatius define discernment of spirits, and what is its purpose in our spiritual lives?
Two Fundamental Spiritual Situations: Explore the actions of the good spirit and the enemy in different spiritual situations, such as moving away from God or striving to grow closer to Him.
Biting of the Good Spirit: How does the good spirit’s biting and stinging impact a person going away from God, and what role does discomfort play in leading them back to God?
Biting of the Enemy: In contrast, how does the enemy attempt to hinder a person growing toward God, and what tactics does Ignatius describe in this scenario?
Rules 5-9 Overview: Summarize the key points from Rules 5 to 9, focusing on the importance of not making changes during desolation, active use of spiritual tools, and understanding the causes and purposes of desolation.
Rule 7 – Trial and Growth: How does Ignatius present desolation as a trial, and what opportunities for growth does it offer to individuals experiencing it?
Rule 8 – Patience in Desolation: Explore the significance of working to be patient during spiritual desolation and the encouragement to stay the course.
Rule 9 – Causes of Desolation: What are the three principal causes Ignatius highlights for spiritual desolation, and how does understanding these causes contribute to spiritual growth?
Recognizing God’s Grace: Reflect on the concept that all spiritual consolation is a gift from God, and how recognizing this truth fosters humility and spiritual maturity.

From Setting the Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits:

“First Rule. The first rule: In persons who are going from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is ordinarily accustomed to propose apparent pleasures to them, leading them to imagine sensual delights and pleasures in order to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins. In these persons the good spirit uses a contrary method, stinging and biting their consciences through their rational power of moral judgment.

Second Rule. The second: In persons who are going on intensely purifying their sins and rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord, the method is contrary to that in the first rule. For then it is proper to the evil spirit to bite, sadden, and place obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, so
that the person may not go forward. And it is proper to the good spirit to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing and taking away all obstacles, so that the person may go forward in doing good.

Third Rule. The third is of spiritual consolation. I call it consolation when some interior movement is caused in the soul, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord, and, consequently when it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all. Likewise when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly ordered to his service and praise. Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope, faith and charity, and all interior
joy that calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.

Fourth Rule. The fourth is of spiritual desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to lack of confidence, without hope, without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad and, as if separated from one’s Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.

Fifth Rule. The fifth: In time of desolation never make a change, but be firm and constant in the proposals and determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which one was in the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us more, so in desolation the bad spirit, with whose counsels we cannot find the way to a right decision.

Sixth Rule. The sixth: Although in desolation we should not change our first proposals, it is very advantageous to change ourselves intensely against the desolation itself, as by insisting more upon prayer, meditation, upon much examination, and upon extending ourselves in some suitable way of doing penance.

Seventh Rule. The seventh: Let one who is in desolation consider how the Lord has left him in trial in his natural powers, so that he may resist the various agitations and temptations of the enemy; since he can resist with the divine help, which always remains with him, though he does not clearly feel it; for the Lord has taken away from him his great fervor, abundant love and intense grace, leaving him, however, sufficient grace for eternal salvation.

Eighth Rule. The eighth: Let one who is in desolation work to be in patience, which is contrary to the vexations which come to him, and let him think that he will soon be consoled, diligently using the means against such desolation, as is said in the sixth rule.

Ninth Rule. The ninth: There are three principal causes for which we find ourselves desolate. The first is because we are tepid, slothful or negligent in our spiritual exercises, and so through our faults spiritual consolation withdraws from us. The second, to try us and see how much we are and how
much we extend ourselves in his service and praise without so much payment of consolations and increased graces. The third, to give us true recognition and understanding so that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to attain or maintain increased devotion, intense love, tears or any other spiritual
consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and so that we may not build a nest in something belonging to another, raising our mind in some pride or vainglory attributing to ourselves the devotion or the other parts of the spiritual consolation.”

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

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

SD3 – Insights into Rules 10 through 14 – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Insights into Rules 10 through 14 – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher, along with Kris McGregor, delves further into St. Ignatius’ spiritual rules, specifically rules 10 to 14, which focus on handling spiritual desolation and temptation.

Rule 10 advocates preparing for future desolation during times of spiritual consolation. Rule 11 underscores maintaining humility in consolation and trust in desolation. Rule 12 emphasizes resisting temptation from the outset, while Rule 13 recommends confiding spiritual struggles to a wise guide. Lastly, Rule 14 highlights the importance of self-knowledge and recognizing spiritual vulnerabilities.

Throughout these particular rules, Fr. Gallagher stresses the importance of companionship in the spiritual journey, whether through formal guidance, confession, retreats, or sharing experiences with others.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Anticipating Desolation: How does Rule 10 advise individuals experiencing spiritual consolation to prepare for future desolation?
Attitude in Consolation and Desolation: According to Rule 11, what is the recommended attitude for individuals in times of consolation and desolation?
Early Resistance to Temptation: In Rule 12, what does Ignatius counsel regarding the onset of temptation, and why is it significant in spiritual discernment?
Revealing Spiritual Struggles: According to Rule 13, why does Ignatius suggest sharing one’s spiritual struggles with a wise and competent spiritual guide?
Understanding and Acknowledging Vulnerabilities: What is the essence of Rule 14, and how does it encourage self-knowledge and recognition of spiritual vulnerabilities?
Importance of Spiritual Companionship: How does Fr. Timothy Gallagher emphasize the role of companionship in the spiritual journey, and what forms can this companionship take?

From Setting the Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits

“Tenth Rule. The tenth: Let the one who is in consolation think how he will conduct himself in the desolation which will come after, taking new strength for that time.

Eleventh Rule. The eleventh: Let one who is consoled seek to humble himself and lower himself as much as he can, think- ing of how little he is capable in the time of desolation with- out such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let one who is in desolation think that he can do much with God’s sufficient grace to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his Creator and Lord.

Twelfth Rule. The twelfth: The enemy acts like a woman in being weak when faced with strength and strong when faced with weakness. For, as it is proper to a woman, when she is fighting with some man, to lose heart and to flee when the man confronts her firmly, and, on the contrary, if the man begins to flee, losing heart, the anger, vengeance and ferocity of the woman grow greatly and know no bounds, in the same way, it is proper to the enemy to weaken and lose heart, flee- ing and ceasing his temptations when the person who is exer- cising himself in spiritual things confronts the temptations of the enemy firmly, doing what is diametrically opposed to them; and, on the contrary, if the person who is exercising himself begins to be afraid and lose heart in suffering the temptations, there is no beast so fierce on the face of the earth as the enemy of human nature in following out his damnable intention with such growing malice.

Thirteenth Rule. The thirteenth: Likewise he conducts him- self as a false lover in wishing to remain secret and not berevealed. For a dissolute man who, speaking with evil inten- tion, makes dishonorable advances to a daughter of a good father or a wife of a good husband, wishes his words and persuasions to be secret, and the contrary displeases him very much, when the daughter reveals to her father or the wife to her husband his false words and depraved intention, because he easily perceives 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 wishes and desires that they be received and kept in secret; but when one reveals them to one’s good confessor or to another spiritual person, who knows his deceits and malicious designs, it weighs on him very much, because he perceives that he will not be able to succeed with the mali- cious undertaking he has begun, since his manifest deceits have been revealed.

Fourteenth Rule. The fourteenth: Likewise he conducts him- self as a leader, intent upon conquering and robbing what he desires. For, just as a captain and leader of an army in the field, pitching his camp and exploring the fortifications and defenses of a stronghold, attacks it at the weakest point, in the same way the enemy of human nature, roving about, looks in turn at all our theological, cardinal and moral vir- tues; and where he finds us weakest and most in need for our eternal salvation, there he attacks us and attempts to take us.”

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

SD4 – Embracing Consolation, Understanding Desolation – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Embracing Consolation, Understanding Desolation – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue the discussion on spiritual desolation within the context of Rule 4. In this episode, they explore the varying intensities of desolation, emphasizing awareness and counteraction. In particular, Fr. Gallagher highlights the potential to halt the desolation snowball at its inception, preventing further negative impact.

Fr. Gallagher highlights the pull towards low things during desolation and advocates for rejecting discouraging lies that may come up during a period of desolation, and makes a point that experiencing spiritual desolation is normal, emphasizing that there is no shame in it. He contrasts experiences of consolation and desolation using various examples, providing practical Ignatian insights for navigating the hidden aspects of the spiritual journey.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Understanding Desolation: How does Fr. Timothy Gallagher describe the varying intensity and duration of spiritual desolation, and what impact can it have on an individual’s spiritual life?
Preventing the Snowball Effect: What strategies does Fr. Gallagher suggest to stop the snowball effect of spiritual desolation, and why is awareness, understanding, and prompt action essential in this process?
Desolation and Temptation Link: Explore the connection between spiritual desolation and temptation as discussed by Fr. Gallagher, and how can suitable gestures of penance and courageous responses help combat these challenges?
Normalizing Desolation: Why does Fr. Gallagher emphasize that experiencing spiritual desolation is a normal part of the spiritual life, and how does being aware, understanding, and taking action play a crucial role in handling it without shame?
Contrasting Thoughts in Consolation and Desolation: How does Fr. Gallagher illustrate the contrary nature of thoughts arising from consolation and desolation, and why is awareness crucial in rejecting discouraging lies during times of desolation?
Responding to Lack of Confidence: In what ways does spiritual desolation lead to a lack of confidence, and how can individuals counteract this lack of confidence in their spiritual journey?
The Role of Consolation: How does spiritual consolation, characterized by uplifting and joy-filled stirrings, influence one’s thoughts and actions, and what role can it play in sustaining and deepening one’s spiritual life?

From Setting the Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits:

“Rule 4 is the companion to rule 3 and describes its exact opposite: spiritual desolation. As in rule 3, Ignatius does not give a definition but rather a list of experiences of spiritual desolation. I have italicized each:

Fourth Rule. The fourth is of spiritual desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such asdarkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to low and earthly things, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to lack of confidence, without hope,without love, finding oneself totally slothful, tepid, sad and, as if separated from one’s Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.”

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

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

SD5 – The Journey Through the Dark Night – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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The Journey Through the Dark Night – Spiritual Desolation: Be Aware, Understand, Take Action with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue their discussion on spiritual desolation and introduce the concept of the “dark night”. They distinguish between the two, with desolation being a common experience and the dark night a specific phase in the spiritual journey.

Fr. Gallagher also addresses the role of doubt in the spiritual journey, pointing out that doubts can have various meanings and should be discerned individually. He stresses the need for fidelity to prayer and trust in God’s guidance.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Distinguishing Spiritual Desolation and the Dark Night: How does Father Gallagher differentiate between spiritual desolation and the dark night, emphasizing their distinct characteristics?
Ignatius and the Initial Spiritual Journey: How does Ignatius’ early experiences reflect an initial step in the spiritual journey, moving beyond external heroism to a deeper understanding of spiritual life?
Navigating Confusion and Doubt in the Spiritual Journey: How do confusion and doubt affect individuals on their spiritual journey, and what practical advice does Father Gallagher offer to navigate through these challenges?
The Role of Doubt in Spiritual Experience: Father Gallagher discusses various forms of doubt and their implications, distinguishing between doubt in the existence of God and doubt within the context of one’s prayer life. How does he characterize these distinctions?
Practical Wisdom for Discernment: What practical insights does Father Gallagher provide for navigating spiritual desolation and the dark night in the context of Ignatian spirituality? How does he emphasize the importance of discernment and spiritual direction?
Timing and Generosity in the Dark Night: Father Gallagher shares insights on when a person might experience the dark night and suggests a general profile of individuals called to this phase. What role does generosity and dedication play in this process?
Understanding Prayer as a Gift and Grace: How does Father Gallagher use Ignatius’ vocabulary to convey the idea that prayer is a gift and grace from God? What role does the human person play in this divine-human cooperation?
St. Therese’s Analogy of Different Saints: How does St. Therese’s analogy of different flowers illustrate the diversity of saints and their unique journeys? What message does this convey about God’s work in individual souls?
Trust in God’s Guidance in the Spiritual Journey: Summarize the key message regarding one’s role in the spiritual journey: fidelity to prayer, trust in God’s guidance, and acceptance of individual differences in the spiritual life.

From Setting the Captives Free: Personal Reflections on Ignatian Discernment of Spirits:

“The dark night, therefore, is an experience of infused contemplative prayer felt as painful because it is purifying; it prepares the person for greater union with God through higher states of infused contemplation. The difference between this purifying experience of prayer and the discouraging lies of spiritual desolation is evident. The first is a gift of God; the second is a trap of the enemy. By accepting the first, we grow; by rejecting the second, we grow.”