St. Gregory the Great…with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts

We talk with Mike Aquilina  about St. Gregor the Great, a father of the Church.


St. Gregory the Great…the tradition of the Church considers him one of the four great doctors of the Latin Church.  Born in Rome, Italy, in AD 540, St. Gregory was the son of Gordianus, a wealthy senator, and Silvia, who later became a saint.  (Saints make saints after all…).

His youth was a troubled one.  In his writings he chronicles the perpetual seiges that Rome endured at the hands of the barbarians.  Those nasty Lombards! Pillaging, raping, massacring, they would plague the Church and the people of the land for 200 years, you name it..by any standard, they were bad!

Saint Gregory became the Prefect of Rome at the age of thirty, and the people loved him because he was able to keep them safe.  A few years later, like his parents, he gave his wealth away.  He became a Benedictine monk. But the pope of the time, recalled him to Rome to serve as a deacon and to help the city, which was again attacked by the Lombards.

On the third day of September in 590, after he had first been ordained a priest, Saint Gregory was consecrated Pope and Bishop of Rome, in Saint Peter’s Basilica. He was the first monk to become Pope.   The Holy Spirit didn’t waste anytime moving him to service!

Through Saint Leander and his brother, Saint Isidore of Seville, as well as the martyr Saint Hermenegild, Saint Gregory recovered Spain from the Arians. Through Queen Theodelinda, the wife of the Lombard King Agilulf, he was able to begin the conversion of the Lombard nation and the tempering of their ferocious and cruel natures. He won France back and began conversions in England. Saint Gregory was, above all else, a vigilant guardian of the Church’s doctrine, always the mark of a holy Pope. He ordained, early in his pontificate that the first four Ecumenical Councils of the Church should be treated with the respect given to the four Gospels. He worked unceasingly to stamp out heresy. He ordered that at the beginning of Lent the blessed ashes should be placed on the foreheads of the faithful, instead of only the head of the Pope — as had been the custom up to that time — and that the priest should repeat to each one, “Remember man, that dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return”. excerpted in part from an article by Sister Catherine Goddard Clark, M.I.C.M.

He is known for his magnificent contributions to the Liturgy of the Mass and Office. The “Gregorian Chant” is named in honor of Saint Gregory’s patient labor in restoring the ancient chant of the Church and in setting down the rules to be followed so that Church music might more perfectly fulfill its function.

Saint Gregory the Great died on the twelfth of March, 604, at the age of sixty-four. He was canonized immediately after his death. Later, because of the volume, the extraordinary insight and the profundity of his writings, the depth and extent of his learning, and the heroic holiness of his life, the Church gratefully placed him beside Jerome and Ambrose and Augustine. Saint Gregory the Great became the fourth of the Church’s four great Doctors of the West.  –

What would today be like without  a little Gregorian Chant in honor of our St. Gregory?

 

 

 Spiritual Writings:

– Pastoral Rule
– Register of Letters

The altar of St. Gregory the Great at St. Peter’s in Rome. One of my favorite places to pray at the Vatican. 

LFT-4 Fear and the Virtue of Obedience – Listening For Truth with Deacon James Keating episode 4 – Discerning Hearts

Episode 4 -Listening For Truth– Encountering fear in prayer.  The necessity for spiritual direction!  Purification as part of the process for spiritual growth.  The virtue of Obedience.Keating-2

Deacon James Keating, PhD, the director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation, located at Creighton University, in Omaha, is making available to ”Discerning Hearts” and all who listen, his series of programs entitled “Listening For Truth”.

Listening for Truth leads men and women in a search for a fuller experience of God that begins in prayer, grows in the rediscovery of our spiritual being, and grounds itself in the truth of Jesus Christ. A presentation of the Christian life as an engagement of the whole person — body, mind, and soul — in the challenge of daily living.

 

 

IPF logo small WOM#1   Deacon James Keating – Way of Mystery episode 1 from Resting On the Heart of Christ

For more information on the “Institute of Priestly Formation” and for other material available by Deacon Keating, just click here

Communion with Christ WOM#1   Deacon James Keating – Way of Mystery episode 1 from Resting On the Heart of Christ

Don’t forget to pickup a copy of “Communion with Christ” , it is one of the best audio sets on prayer…ever!

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Faith Check 5 – Dead Rituals

Dead Rituals

You know, Jesus warned not to babble on like the pagans who think they’ll be heard because of their many words.1 Jesus was certainly warning against empty prayers not said from the heart, but He was not condemning any and all structured prayer or ritual, as some would suggest.
Jewish worship in the synagogue had repetitious, liturgical prayer, and Jesus participated in it. The Jews prayed Psalm 136 as a litany, which repeats the phrase “His love endures forever” over 25 times! And of course most of our songs are simply structured prayers set to music.
Rituals and rote prayers have immense value in enabling God’s people to pray together. They can also be helpful when praying alone, especially if you’re going through a spiritual dry spell and don’t have much spontaneous inspiration.
So we should use structured prayers in our worship, but always heed Jesus’ warning not to go through the motions mindlessly, but strive to worship with our whole heart, mind and strength.
1 – Mt. 6:7

BKL#43 – Are You A Faithful Servant? – Building a Kingdom of Love w/ Msgr. John Esseff

Show 43 ” Building a Kingdom of Love” –  Are You A Faithful Servant?

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the teaching of Jesus:

Gospel

LK 12:35-40

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

 

 

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book byvisiting here

 

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love

 

St. Lawrence, THE model for today’s deacon with Deacon James Keating – Discerning Hearts

Deacon James Keating, of the Institute for Priestly Formation, speaks about “The Role of Deacon” and St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.

His story is so touching (click here for a thorough telling). He models the charism of diakonia…genuine “ministry” of the gospel in the heart of the Church.  He witnessed to and lived out the command of Our Lord as found in Matthew 25.  Oh…to truly know modern day deacons in the order of Lawrence…

Often we see holy cards that depict Lawrence fully vested and holding what looks like a rack from a Weber kettle.  But his martyrdom was actually horrific and deserving of deeper reflection.  He could have avoided it, given the Roman official what he desired and spared his own life…but he didn’t.  The grace he received to bear witness lives for the centuries as a tremendous testimony of faith speaking out in truth and love…no matter what.  The image below is by Titian, and is the one I hold in my heart for St. Lawrence.

On Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross – the brilliant radiance…In Conversation with Sr. Renee Mirkes

We are joined by the incredible Sr. Renee Mirkes, a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity, who is director of the Center for NaProEthics, the ethics division of the Pope Paul VI Institute.  So many have already said so much about St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross’  life, but to really honor her is to explore (the best we can) her incredible work.  Sr. Renee is someone who has.    Sr. Renee offers to us just the tip of the iceberg of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross’ tremendous legacy. Edith…brilliant.  Sr. Renee…brilliant.

A Prayer to St. Dominic – Mp3 Audio Download and Text – Discerning Hearts

Saintly Masters of Prayer
St. Dominic

O Holy Priest of God
and glorious Patriarch, St. Dominic,
thou who wast the friend,
the well-beloved son
and confidant of the Queen of Heaven,
and didst work so many miracles
by the power of the Holy Rosary,
have regard for my intercessions.
On earth you opened your heart
to the miseries of your fellow man,
and your hands were strong to help them;
now in heaven your charity has not grown less
nor has your power waned.
Pray for me to the Mother of the Rosary
and to her Divine Son,
for I have great confidence
that through your assistance
I shall obtain the favor I so much desire:

(mention your intentions).

Amen.

Pope Paul VI – Christian Values and Virtues….In Conversation with Karl Schultz

Bruce and I had a conversation with Karl Schultz, editor of  “Christian Values and Virtues”  comprised of   Pope Paul VI’s Karl-Schultzteachings on peace, hope, humility, faith, suffering, love, and joy as comprised through his public audiences and his writings. Karl also shares little known things about Pope Paul VI. This book is a must read for those interested in understanding the impact of Pope Paul VI’s papacy on the modern Catholic Church.

Pope-Paul-VI-book

 

You can find the book here

 

Pope-Paul-VI-1
Ora pro nobis, Paulus Sextus. + August 6, 1978

 

 

“When was your day of Transfiguration?” with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the feast of the Transfiguration.  He asks us to take time and prayerfully reflect and ask God to show you those moments of “transfiguration” in our lives.Msgr. John Esseff

Gospel                              LK 9:28B-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up a mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, Transfiguration
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Faith Check 4 – Mary Our Mother

Mary Our Mother

On this faith check let’s talk about why Catholics believe the Virgin Mary is not just Jesus’ mother, but our mother too.

It was during the crucifixion in St. John 19 that Our Lord looked down at Mary and the apostle John at the foot of the cross and said to Mary, “Woman behold your son,” and to John, “Behold your mother.” 1

Bear in mind here that Jesus is suffering the pains of the cross—He must be doing something bigger than simply asking John to watch after his Mother.  John here is a representative of all of Jesus’ followers, and Jesus is giving his mother to all of us.

In Revelation 12 John describes his vision of a “woman clothed with the sun,” 2 who brings forth a male child to rule the nations and defeat the ancient dragon who is the devil.  Verse 17 says that the offspring of this woman are those who keep God’s commandments and bear testimony to Jesus.

Friends, God has given us Mary, the Woman chosen from all eternity, 3 to be our spiritual mother and draw us closer to her son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 –  Jn. 19:26-27

2 –  Rev. 12:1

3 –  cf. Gen. 3:15, Is. 7:14; Jer. 31:22, etc.