Series Archives

DPD6 – Forgiveness (cont.) and Renewal – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 6 The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer.
Fr. Gallagher continues to discuss the fourth step – FORGIVENESS. Then we approach the fifth step – RENEWAL – which is how we move forward after our encounter with God in our prayer.

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”.

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As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

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 books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

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

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

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

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, which is the 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 which 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, St. Elisabeth of the Trinity and St. John Paul II.

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 benefitted from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity. After graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville, he completed licentiate and doctoral studies in spiritual theology at the Angelicum in Rome. In 2012, he published Hidden Mountain, Secret Garden: a theological contemplation of prayer by Discerning Hearts. Married with two young adult children pursuing their careers and a teenager still at home, he has settled in family in Oxnard, California. 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

The Story of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity with Mike Aquilina

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Mike Aquilina offers the compelling story of the St. Perpetua and her great friend and sister in the faith, St. Felicity.

From CNA:

Saints Perpetua and Felicity were martyrs who died for the faith around the year 203.

St. Perpetua was a young, well-educated, noblewoman and mother living in the city of Carthage in North Africa. Her mother was a Christian and her father was a pagan. In terms of her faith, Perpetua followed the example of her mother. Despite the pleas of her father to deny her faith, Perpetua did the very opposite, and fearlessly proclaimed it. At the age of 22, she was imprisoned for her faith. While in prison she continued to care for her infant child and put up with the tortures designed to make her renounce her faith. Perpetua remained steadfast until the end. St. Perpetua was sacrificed at the games as a public spectacle for not renouncing her faith.
St. Felicity was a pregnant slave girl who was imprisoned with St. Perpetua. Little is known about the life of St. Felicity because, unlike Perpetua, she did not keep a diary of her life. After imprisonment and torture, Felicity was also condemned to die at the games. Only a few days before her execution, Felicity gave birth to a daughter who was secretly taken away to be cared for by some of the Faithful.

The feast of these Saints is March 7.

LR1 A Lord of the Rings Spiritual Retreat with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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We begin the series with a look at the spiritual life of J.R.R. Tolkien. From his letters we learn how his Catholic faith, and in particular his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, is a significant influence in his life and in the writing of “The Lord of the Rings.”

142 To Robert Murray, SJ. 2 December 1953 76 Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford

I think I know exactly what you mean by the order of Grace; and of course by your references to Our Lady, upon which all my own small perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded. The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like ‘religion’, to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.

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

ST-V15 Romans 5-8 Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Video Podcast

“Romans 5-8” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

In this week’s lecture, Sharon continues to guide us through Romans. She begins with a nice explanation about Paul’s use of diatribe, a literary technique where the speaker engages in a dialogue with imaginary opponents. Understanding this technique is essential to understanding Paul’s intended message. Using Romans 5 as a spring-board, Sharon then goes on to give us an in-depth teaching on the theological virtues of faith, hope and love. Another theme that runs through Romans is summed up in the doxology of the Lord’s Prayer; it is “Through Him, With Him and In Him.” Everything goes through Jesus: freedom from sin, freedom from death. Sharon concludes with this wonderful insight: God always creates through water and Spirit. From the creation of the world, to the recreation after the flood, to the creation of the nation of Israel, to the creation of the Church, to the creation of our new lives through Baptism, God creates through water and Spirit.

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 everyday 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

DPD5 – Review (cont.) and Forgiveness – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Gallagher continues to discuss the third step – REVIEW – which is where the “The Discernment of Spirits” intersects with “The Examen”. Then we approach the fourth step – FORGIVENESS – which is what all the actions in the prayer are leading to.

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As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

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 books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

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

HR#1 In Place of Materialism, Gratitude – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict w/ Fr. Mauritius Wilde OSB

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Episode 1 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD. Materialism vs Gratitude is the subject addressed in our first episode. How to deal with things. “Do you really need it?” This is the question we are called to ask ourselves.

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Whether all ought equally to receive what is needful.

As it is written: “Distribution was made to every one, according as he had need.”177 By this, we do not say that there should be accepting of persons, which God forbid, but that due consideration should be shown to each one’s infirmities. Therefore, let him who needeth less, give God thanks, and be not grieved; and let him who needeth more, be humbled for his infirmity, and not lifted up for the mercy that is shown him; and thus all the members shall be in peace. Above all things, take heed there be no murmuring, by word or sign, upon any occasion whatsoever, If any one shall be found faulty in this respect, let him be subjected to most severe discipline.

Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., did his philosophical, theological and doctoral studies in Europe. He is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. He serves as Prior at Sant’Anselmo in Rome.

DPD4 – Review – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

The third step – REVIEW – this is the point where the “Discernment of Spirits – the 14 Rules” and the Examen intersect. With God, we discuss the day. We look for the stirrings in our hearts and the thoughts that God has given us this day. We also look for those that have not been of God. We review our choices in response to both, and throughout the day in general.

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As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

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 books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

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

RC#10 The Secular Age – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina

RC-V10 The Secular Age – The Resilient Church /w Mike Aquilina from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

Episode 10 – The Secular Age

The Church was now entering the most dangerous era in her history—a time when some even inside the Church questioned whether the institution would survive. By the mid-nineteenth century, all the forces that had been gathering against the Church in the previous centuries—Protestantism, revolutionary philosophy, nationalism, and industrial regimentation—were combining to attack it. The pope had been deprived of his temporal power and was shut up in the Vatican. All over Europe, anticlerical governments were taking away the Church’s property and putting severe restrictions on priests. Yet the Church would come out of the fire refined and stronger. As Christ had promised, the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

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-V14 Romans 1-4 Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran Video Podcast

“Romans 1-4” – Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.

“True comfort comes when iniquity is pardoned.” With these words, Sharon begins the first of three lessons covering Paul’s monumental work, the book of Romans. One of the overarching themes of this book is that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are pardoned for our sins. Paul begins his letter with the bad news: we are dying in our sins. But then, he delivers the good news: Jesus Christ provides a way out of sin. Sharon emphasizes that in order to fully understand Romans, we have to know that Paul is addressing the tension between the Jewish and Gentile Christians of Rome, explaining that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not through adherence to the laws of the old covenant. Another theme of Romans is the obedience of faith, which is beautifully illustrated through the story of Abraham, whose faith continued to grow throughout his entire life. To be righteous, (that is, in right relationship with God), we must have faith in his only son, Jesus. Furthermore, Sharon teaches us of the importance of worship. When we fail to worship our Creator and, instead, worship the creation, we fall into idolatry, which invariably leads to sexual immorality.

For the audio-only version of this podcast

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