DM01 Dr. Scott Hahn – The Name of God is Mercy: Old Testament – The Gospel of Divine Mercy

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“The Name of God is Mercy: Old Testament Promise”

Talk one presented at the Fullness of Truth Conference entitled “The Gospel of Divine Mercy”

In the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis called the Church to contemplate the mercy of God in the face of Christ. Even more fundamentally, he has called us to give and receive mercy, to seek it for ourselves and others.

But what is mercy? Is it an emotion? An action? An affront to justice or an expression of justice? Moreover, what does it look like in action? Where do we find it described in Sacred Scripture? What do we need to do to receive it? And how do we share God’s mercy as we go about our lives in the world today?

At the 2016 Fullness of Truth Conference, “The Gospel of Divine Mercy,” those questions and more were explored in an attempt to plumb the depths of this all-important manifestation of God’s healing, forgiving, transforming, faithful love with help from the Sacred Page.

Held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Houston, Texas, from June 24–25, 2016, the Fullness of Truth Conference featured six talks by St. Paul Center President Dr. Scott Hahn and St. Paul Center Fellows Dr. John Bergsma and Dr. Michael Barber.

Be sure to visit the website for St. Paul Center for Biblical Theologyimg_3026

BA7 – “The Nature of Spiritual Direction” – Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

BA6 - "Refuse to Accept Discouragement" - Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Episode 7 – The Nature of Spiritual Direction – Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

In this episode, Fr. Timothy Gallagher discusses the importance of spiritual direction in the life of Ven. Lanteri and in his instruction to his spiritual directees.  Fr. Gallagher  addresses what is it to be a “spiritual director”?  What are the characteristics  of the director-directee relationship?  He will emphasize the importance of the “continuity of contact”  which is vitally important in that relationship.  Also, Fr. Gallagher discusses how that relationship should be a “good fit” for both individuals.  He will stress the importance of “not traveling alone on the spiritual journey”.

Lanteri-1During the course of this series we find that the Ven. Bruno Lanteri’s life and mission contains significant spiritual relevance to nurture the hearts of today’s religious and lay faithful.

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. Gallagher’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

Please visit the site dedicated to Ven. Bruno Lanteri for more information and prayer requests

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 Prayer to Obtain Graces by the intercession of Ven. Bruno Lanteri

Heavenly Father, you filled the heart of your servant Bruno with a living and active faith. Grant that our lives be guided by that same faith, and, through his intercession, give us the grace of which we have so great need… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Jesus, uncreated Wisdom, through the hope in your merits and in your Cross infused into the heart of your servant Bruno, and through the zeal he showed in teaching your goodness and mercy, grant us the same ardor and the grace for which we fervently ask… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Holy Spirit, fount of charity, through the love for God and neighbor that you enkindled in the heart of your servant Bruno, grant also to us that, living far from sin, in charity and justice, we may be worthy of the grace we humbly seek and gain the joy of heaven… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

And you, Virgin Mother of God and our Mother, obtain from the Lord the beatification of your servant Bruno, who all his life loved you as a loyal son and zealously sought to lead others to you, and obtain for us through his intercession the grace that with great trust we ask of you… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

BA16 – “Celebration of Holy Mass” pt. 1 – Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

BA6 - "Refuse to Accept Discouragement" - Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy GallagherEpisode 16 – “Celebration of Holy Mass” pt. 1 – Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

In this episode, Fr. Gallagher offers aspects of Ven. Lanteri’s on how to enter into the celebration of the Holy Mass as found in Ven. Lanteri’s Directory, a commentary on the Rule of the Oblates, with many teachings on the spiritual life.

in saying Mass, they shall unite themselves with Jesus Christ, having a mind to share in the designs of His Heart in instituting such a mystery, paying particular attention to the principal actions so as to stir up in themselves such dispositions as correspond to each. Thus for example at the Confiteor they should kindle in themselves the sentiments of the publican; at the Gloria, those of the Angels; at the Oremus those of an ambassador in the Church’s service;

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

Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Bruno Lanteri

 

Visit the “Begin Again: The Spiritual Legacy of the Venerable Bruno Lanteri with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Discerning Hearts podcast” for more episodes of this series

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 books on the life and teachings of Ven. Bruno Lanteri:

Overcoming Spiritual discouragement Podcasts.Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement Bruno Lanteri Discerning Hearts Counsels fo Mercy Bruno Lanteri Discerning Hearts


Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcasts

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


Please visit the site dedicated to Ven. Bruno Lanteri for more information and prayer requests

Prayer to Obtain Graces by the intercession of Ven. Bruno Lanteri

Heavenly Father, you filled the heart of your servant Bruno with a living and active faith. Grant that our lives be guided by that same faith, and, through his intercession, give us the grace of which we have so great need… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Jesus, uncreated Wisdom, through the hope in your merits and in your Cross, infused into the heart of your servant Bruno, and through the zeal he showed in teaching your goodness and mercy, grant us the same ardor and the grace for which we fervently ask… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

Holy Spirit, fount of charity, through the love for God and neighbor that you enkindled in the heart of your servant Bruno, grant also to us that, living far from sin, in charity and justice, we may be worthy of the grace we humbly seek and gain the joy of heaven… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

And you, Virgin Mother of God and our Mother, obtain from the Lord the beatification of your servant Bruno, who all his life loved you as a loyal son and zealously sought to lead others to you, and obtain for us through his intercession the grace that with great trust we ask of you… Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.

IP#303 – Susan Conroy – Praying with Mother Teresa on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

Susan Conroy – Praying with Mother Teresa on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

susan_conroy-1What an absolutely wonderful book!  In “Praying with Mother Teresa: Prayers, Insights, and Wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta” author Susan Conroy takes into the depths of her heart through her tremendous devotion to prayer.  Susan is exceptional in sharing the joy of Mother Teresa’s particular charism: “to care for the poorest of the poor”.  Who are the “poorest of the poor”? The answer might surprise you.  Full disclosure is necessary:  I LOVE THIS BOOK!  It has become one of my favorite devotional works, and hopefully one of yours too!  Susan is inspiring as well, an obvious fruit from this beautiful ministry.  Don’t miss!

 

praying-with-mother-teresaYou can get a copy of the book here

From the book description:

Praying with Mother Teresa brings us into the heart of Mother Teresa’s prayer life! Author Susan Conroy, a personal friend of Mother Teresa, gives us a meditative look at Mother Teresa’s insights on suffering, joy, peace, humility, and poverty, and brings us right into the prayer life of one of the most beloved women of our time, Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Each prayer has been carefully, and prayerfully, selected for use in daily prayer. Mother Teresa gave Susan her blessing and approval to share these words and prayers with others “to bring them peace and joy too.”

HM-2 “A Handmaid of the Lord”: the Life and Legacy of Adrienne von Speyr with Dr. Adrian Walker – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Adrian-WalkerEpisode 2 – “A Brief Overview of Adrienne’s Life” – “A Handmaid of the Lord”: The life and legacy of Adrienne von Speyr with Dr. Adrian Walker, Ph.D.

With Dr. Adrian Walker, we discuss various aspects of Adrienne’s life.  What was her childhood like?  What were the relationship dynamics within her family?  We discuss her marriages and professional career.  Dr. Walker delves into her conversion to the Catholic faith and her mystical experiences.

…indifference impregnated with Johannine theology. The theory of mysticism which Adrienne formulated culminates in the one statement: Mysticism is a particular mission, a particular service to the Church which can only be properly carried out in a continual and complete movement away from oneself, in self-forgetfulness (she loved the word éffacement) and virginal readiness for the Word of God. Personal states as such are of no interest and ought not to be reflected upon, all psychologizing introspection becomes without fail a deviation from the main concern—God’s Word—and therefore a distortion of one’s mission. This basic law is also, according to Adrienne, the principal guideline for spiritual directors.

By this time, Adrienne had been interpreting books of Holy Scripture for about a decade: after the Johannine writings, some of Paul, the Catholic Epistles, the Apocalypse, books or parts of books from the Old Testament. In later years one could give her at random any text of Scripture with the request that she interpret it immediately; she would close her eyes for a few seconds, and then in her quiet, objective tone of voice she would begin to speak in sentences that were almost ready for publishing. She usually dictated in the afternoon after she had returned from her two-o’clock office hours and had had a cup of tea. She seldom dictated for more than half an hour per day. During vacations, she would occasionally dictate for two or three hours, but this was rare. More will be said later about one exception, regarding the commentary on the Apocalypse.

Balthasar, Hans Urs von (2012-08-21). First Glance at Adrienne von Speyr (Kindle Locations 345-356). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

 

adrienne_von_speyr1Adrienne von Speyr was a Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor and author of over 60 books on spirituality and theology. She’s inspired countless souls around the world to deepen their mission of prayer and compassion. She entered the Catholic Church under the direction of the great theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar. In the years that would follow, they would co-found the secular institute, the Community of St. John.

 

Adrian Walker is an editor of the journal Communio, an International Catholic Review, who received his doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Dr. Walker has served as a translator for the English edition of Pope Benedict XVI’s, ” Jesus of Nazareth”, as well as numerous other theological works, including those of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Adrienne von Speyr.

Our series recorded at “Casa Balthasar“, a house of discernment for men located in Rome, Italy. The Casa, was founded in 1990 by a group of friends and is directed by Rev. Jacques Servais, S.J.; Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) has been closely associated with the Casa Balthasar from the very beginning as its Cardinal Protector.

 Many of Adrienne von Speyr’s books can found through Ignatius Press

 

HM-1 “A Handmaid of the Lord”: the Life and Legacy of Adrienne von Speyr with Dr. Adrian Walker – Discerning Hearts Podcast

 

Episode 1 –  “Introduction – A Meeting With von Balthasar” –  “A Handmaid of the Lord”:  The life and legacy of Adrienne von Speyr with Dr. Adrian Walker, Ph.D.

Adrian-Walker

With Dr. Adrian Walker, we begin our conversation on the life and legacy of Adrienne von Speyr.  To lay the groundwork for our discussion, we begin by exploring the influence of  one of the most significant figures in Adrienne’s life:  Hans-Urs-von-BlathasarHans Urs von Balthasar.  Balthasar (12 August 1905 – 26 June 1988) was a Swiss theologian and Catholic priest who was to be created a cardinal of the Catholic Church by St. John Paul II but died before the ceremony. He is considered one of the most important Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century.

 

adrienne_von_speyr1Adrienne von Speyr was a Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor and author of over 60 books on spirituality and theology. She’s inspired countless souls around the world to deepen their mission of prayer and compassion. She entered the Catholic Church under the direction of the great theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar. In the years that would follow, they would co-found the secular institute, the Community of St. John.

 

Adrian Walker is an editor of the journal Communio, an International Catholic Review, who received his doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Dr. Walker has served as a translator for the English edition of Pope Benedict XVI’s, ” Jesus of Nazareth”, as well as numerous other theological works, including those of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Adrienne von Speyr.

Our series recorded at “Casa Balthasar“,  a house of discernment for men located in Rome, Italy. The Casa,  was founded in 1990 by a group of friends and is directed by Rev. Jacques Servais, S.J.; Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) has been closely associated with the Casa Balthasar from the very beginning as its Cardinal Protector.casa-balthasar-300x224

 

 

 Many of Adrienne von Speyr’s books can found through Ignatius Press

 

Day 3 Prayer 2 – Heaven in Faith by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Audio and Text

Day 3 Second Prayer

11. “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” St. Paul comes to bring us a light to guide us on the pathway of the abyss. “You have died!” What does that mean but that the soul that aspires to live close to God “in the invincible fortress of holy recollection” must be “set apart, stripped, and withdrawn from all things” (in spirit). This soul “finds within itself a simple ascending movement of love to God, whatever creatures may do; it is invincible to things which” pass away, “for it transcends them, seeking God alone.”

12. “Quotidie morior.” “I die daily.” I decrease, I renounce self-more each day so that Christ may increase in me and be exalted; I “remain” very little “in the depths of my poverty.” I see “my nothingness, my misery, my weakness; I perceive that I am incapable of progress, of perseverance; I see the multitude of my shortcomings, my defects; I appear in my indigence.” “I fall down in my misery, confessing my distress, and I display it before the mercy” of my Master. “Quotidie morior.” I place the joy of my soul (as to the will, not sensible feelings) in everything that can immolate, destroy, or humble me, for I want to make room for my Master. I live no longer I, but He lives in me: I no longer want “to live my own life, but to be transformed in Jesus Christ so that my life may be more divine than human,” so that the Father in bending attentively over me can recognize the image of His beloved Son in whom He has placed all His delight.

Elizabeth of the Trinity. Elizabeth of the Trinity Complete Works, Volume I: I Have Found God, General Introduction and Major Spiritual Writings (pp. 97-98). ICS Publications. Kindle Edition.

Day 1 Prayer 1 – Heaven in Faith by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Audio and Text

Day 1 First Prayer

1. “Father, I will that where I am they also whom You have given Me may be with Me, in order that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, because You have loved Me before the creation of the world.” Such is Christ’s last wish, His supreme prayer before returning to His Father. He wills that where He is we should be also, not only for eternity, but already in time, which is eternity begun and still in progress. It is important then to know where we must live with Him in order to realize His divine dream. “The place where the Son of God is hidden is the bosom of the Father, or the divine Essence, invisible to every mortal eye, unattainable by every human intellect,” as Isaiah said: “Truly You are a hidden God.” And yet His will is that we should be established in Him, that we should live where He lives, in the unity of love; that we should be, so to speak, His own shadow.

2. By baptism, says St. Paul, we have been united to Jesus Christ. And again: “God seated us together in Heaven in Christ Jesus, that He might show in the ages to come the riches of His grace.” And further on: “You are no longer guests or strangers, but you belong to the City of saints and the House of God.” The Trinity—this is our dwelling, our “home,” the Father’s house that we must never leave. The Master said one day: “The slave does not remain with the household forever, but the son remains there forever” (St. John).

Elizabeth of the Trinity. Elizabeth of the Trinity Complete Works, Volume I: I Have Found God, General Introduction and Major Spiritual Writings (p. 94). ICS Publications. Kindle Edition.

IP#328 Fr. George Rutler – The Stories of Hymns on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

What a delight to talk once again speak with Fr. George Rutler!  This we discuss his book “The Stories of Hymns:  The History Behind 100 of Christianity’s Greatest Hymns”!  A gifted story teller and a devotee of great hymnody, Fr. Rutler guides us into the richness of prayer through our sacred song.

You can find the book here

From the Inside Flap

WM4 – Infant Baptism: Welcoming our Children – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

Catholic Spiritual Formation - Catholic Spiritual Direction 3

Episode 4 “Infant Baptism: Welcoming our Children” – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

In this episode we continue our conversation on why baptism matters.  We will discuss, among other things, the reason for infant baptisms in the life of the Church, the vital role the parents have in nurturing baptismal grace in the hearts of their children and how godparents, grandparents and the entire parish community contribute to the life of faith of the newly baptized child.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Christian Initiation

1229 From the time of the apostles, becoming a Christian has been accomplished by a journey and initiation in several stages. This journey can be covered rapidly or slowly, but certain essential elements will always have to be present: proclamation of the Word, acceptance of the Gospel entailing conversion, profession of faith, Baptism itself, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and admission to Eucharistic communion.

1231 Where infant Baptism has become the form in which this sacrament is usually celebrated, it has become a single act encapsulating the preparatory stages of Christian initiation in a very abridged way. By its very nature infant Baptism requires a post-baptismal catechumenate. Not only is there a need for instruction after Baptism, but also for the necessary flowering of baptismal grace in personal growth.

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