WM2 – “Why Being Catholic Matters” – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 2 “Why Being Catholic Matters” – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

In this episode, we discuss “Why Being Catholic Matters.” Archbishop Lucas also talks about the “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults” and in particular “The Rite of Election” where those who are seeking to be brought into full communion with the Catholic Church are received by the bishop of a diocese. The activity of grace which is experienced in our sacramental activity is touched upon by Archbishop Lucas, as well as the Period of Purification and Enlightenment which touches on our experience of Lent today. He also responds to some of the challenges which may confront Catholics out in the world and what our response should be.

From DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH – LUMEN GENTIUM no. 14

Basing itself on scripture and tradition, it teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk. 16:16; Jn. 3:5), and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it.

For more episodes in this series visit the
Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

BK2 Chap 18 & 19 – The Ascent of Mt. Carmel by St. John of the Cross – Mp3 audio & Text Podcast

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Saintly Masters of Prayer - writings, teachings, biographies 3

BK2 Chap 18 & 19 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

For the complete pdf text of the “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

For other audio chapters of “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” visit here

Book 2

Wherein is treated the proximate means of ascending to union with God, which is faith; and wherein, therefore, is described the second part of this night, which, as we said, belongs to the spirit, and is contained in the second stanza, which is as follows.

STANZA II.

In darkness, and in safety,
By the secret ladder, disguised,
happy lot !
In darkness and concealment,
fily house being now at rest.

Chapter 18

Which treats of the harm that certain spiritual masters may do to souls when they direct them not by a good method with respect to the visions aforementioned. Describes also how these visions may cause deception even though they be of God.

Chapter 19

Wherein is expounded and proved how, although visions and locutions which come from God are true, we may be deceived about them. This is proved by quotations from Divine Scripture.

LR6 – Sam Wyse : The Ordinary Person and Fidelty – A “Lord of the Rings” Spiritual Retreat with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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In this episode, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the character of Sam Wyse who represents the hobbit who is the “ordinary person”. He is an image of what it is to be faithful to the task the Lord has given us.

Frodo looked at Sam rather startled, half expecting to see some outward sign of the odd change that seemed to have come over him. It did not sound like the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew. But it looked like the old Sam Gamgee sitting there, except that his face was unusually thoughtful.

‘Do you feel any need to leave the Shire now – now that your wish to see them has come true already?’ he asked.

‘Yes, sir. I don’t know how to say it, but after last night I feel different. I seem to see ahead, in a kind of way. I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can’t turn back. It isn’t to see Elves now, nor dragons, nor mountains, that I want – I don’t rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir, if you understand me.’ ‘I don’t altogether.

But I understand that Gandalf chose me a good companion. I am content. We will go together.’

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings (p. 87). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

He shook his head, and as he worked things out, slowly a new dark thought grew in his mind. Never for long had hope died in his staunch heart, and always until now he had taken some thought for their return. But the bitter truth came home to him at last: at best their provision would take them to their goal; and when the task was done, there they would come to an end, alone, houseless, foodless in the midst of a terrible desert. There could be no return.

‘So that was the job I felt I had to do when I started,’ thought Sam: ‘to help Mr. Frodo to the last step and then die with him? Well, if that is the job then I must do it.

But I would dearly like to see Bywater again, and Rosie Cotton and her brothers, and the Gaffer and Marigold and all. I can’t think somehow that Gandalf would have sent Mr. Frodo on this errand, if there hadn’t a’ been any hope of his ever coming back at all. Things all went wrong when he went down in Moria. I wish he hadn’t. He would have done something.’

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings (Kindle Locations 3769-3775). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in this series: A “Lord of the Rings” Spiritual Retreat with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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

ROF#4 – From the Scriptures to the Bible – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

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Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Episode 4 – From the Scriptures to the Bible

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of Christ we know today.

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

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

BK2 Chap 17 – The Ascent of Mt. Carmel by St. John of the Cross – Mp3 audio & Text Podcast

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BK2 Chap 17 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

For the complete pdf text of the “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

For other audio chapters of “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” visit here

Book 2

STANZA II.

In darkness, and in safety,
By the secret ladder, disguised,
happy lot !
In darkness and concealment,
fily house being now at rest.

Chapter 17

Wherein is described the purpose and manner of God in His communication of spiritual blessings to the soul by means of the senses. Herein is answered the question which has been referred to.

BK2 Chap 15 & 16 – The Ascent of Mt. Carmel by St. John of the Cross – Mp3 audio & Text Podcast

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BK2 Chap 15 & 16 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

For the complete pdf text of the “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

For other audio chapters of “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” visit here

Book 2

STANZA II.

In darkness, and in safety,
By the secret ladder, disguised,
happy lot !
In darkness and concealment,
fily house being now at rest.

Chapter 15

Wherein is explained how it is sometimes well for progressives who are beginning to enter upon this general knowledge of contemplation to make use of natural reasoning and the work of the natural faculties

Chapter 16

Which treats of the imaginary apprehensions that are supernaturally represented in the fancy. Describes how they cannot serve the soul as a proximate means to union with God

IP#231 Vinny Flynn – The 7 Secrets of Confession on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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What a delight to talk once again to the incredible Vinny Flynn, this time about his book “The 7 Secrets of Confession”. Vinny has such a passion for the Catholic faith, and in particular for the Sacraments of the Church, that it’s difficult not to be inspired by his joy. This is perfect for anyone who struggles with this rich gift of grace and mercy, the sacrament “Confession”. But even more than that, it is like a “booster shot” for anyone who frequents the confessional but may be taking it for granted. A definite “must have” for every Catholic home library. This would also be a great gift for those in the RCIA or in sacramental preparation in RE classes.

You can find the book here

Vinny Flynn s 7 Secrets are like seven explosions that blow away the obstacles keeping us from the Sacrament of Mercy. If you’ve ever dragged your feet on the way to confession, gotten discouraged about confessing the same sins over and over, or wondered how your confessions could be more fruitful, then you ll love this book. It turns what many see as a tiresome obligation into a precious, longed-for encounter with the Lord.
—Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC Author, 33 Days to Morning Glory

BTP-WP8 Chap 29 – 30 – Prayer of Recollection and Quiet – The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray w/Dr. Anthony Lilles

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Dr. Lilles discusses the Prayer of Recollection and the Prayer of Quiet.

CHAPTER 29-

Continues to describe methods for achieving this Prayer of Recollection. Says what little account we should make of being favored by our superiors.

CHAPTER 30
Describes the importance of understanding what we ask for in prayer. The nature of Prayer of Quiet.

Saint Teresa Painting Convento de Santa Teresa Avila Castile Spain.

For the audio recordings of St. Teresa’s “The Way of Perfection” you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics audio page

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilless

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.

USCCA1 – My Soul Longs For You, O God – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

USCCA1- Episode 1- My Soul Longs For You, O God (Ps 42:2)

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 1:

How is our quest for God awakened? God first pursues us; this spurs us to search for him for whom we were made. the Catechism presents three paths through which every person can come to God; creation, the human person, and Revelation. In the next chapter, Revelation will be presented as the greatest and most essential path to God. He is discovered also through creation and through the mystery of our inner life.

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 Teresa Monaghen and Deacon Chuck Adams for their vocal talents in this episode.

USCCA2 – God Comes to Meet Us – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

USCCA2- Episode 2- God Comes to Meet Us

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 2:

Through the use of reason, we can learn much about God from both creation and conscience, but Revelation enables us to learn about God’s inner life and his loving plan to save us from sin and share in his divine life. No amount of unaided thinking could penetrate such a mystery. God freely chose to share this hidden mystery with us . God’s sharing was an act of friendship for us, revealing himself as one reveals his or her heart to a friend. Love does such things.

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

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This program 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.

Episode 2 “Why Being Catholic Matters” – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

For more episodes in this series visit the Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

BK2 Chap 18 & 19 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis read by Ed Humpal

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings (p. 87). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of the Lord of the Rings (Kindle Locations 3769-3775). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

For more episodes in this series: A “Lord of the Rings” Spiritual Retreat with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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

Episode 4 – From the Scriptures to the Bible

BK2 Chap 17 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis read by Ed Humpal

BK2 Chap 15 & 16 – “The Ascent of Mt. Carmel” by St. John of the Cross

translated by David Lewis read by Ed Humpal

For the audio recordings of St. Teresa’s “The Way of Perfection” you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics audio page

For other episodes in the series visit The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilless

For more episodes in this series visit the
Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

translated by David Lewis
read by Ed Humpal

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Way of Perfection with Dr. Anthony Lilless