The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives

IP#149 Katherine Becker – The Dating Fast on Inside the Pages

In this episode we have a conversation with Katherine Becker, author of “The Dating Fast: 40 Days to Reclaim Your Heart, Body, and Soul”. Katherine is wonderfully articulate in describing her experience with “fasting” from the dating scene and how others can benefit from the practice. The books description really does describe it best:

The endless cycle of boyfriends and breakups got to be exhausting–emotionally and spiritually. When a friend introduced Katherine to the idea of the “dating fast,” she rediscovered her joy for life. You don’t have to “kiss dating good-bye,” but a forty-day, Scripture-based retreat from the fray works wonders. Romantic love isn’t dead, says Katherine, but you have to know where to look for it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:21 — 50.1MB) | Embed

You can find the book here

Be sure to visit Katherine’s website

“In order to be truly ready for a romantic relationship, you must first love and respect yourself. Katherine Becker’s forty-day dating fast is an excellent tool for self-reflection to understand yourself better and grow in love, confidence and faith. Following this fast will better prepare you for relationships, and is a solid step toward a fulfilling life, with or without a spouse.” —Anita A. Chlipala, MA, MEd, LMFT, Relationship Reality 312, Inc.

Prayer of St. Bernadette and the miracles of Lourdes

Prayer of Saint Bernadette

“Let the crucifix be not only in my eyes and on my breast, but in my heart.O Jesus! Release all my affections and draw them upwards. Let my crucified heart sink forever into Thine and bury itself in the mysterious wound made by the entry of the lance.”

Prayer to St. Bernadette

O Saint Bernadette, who, as a meek and pure child, did eighteen times at Lourdes contemplate the beauty of the Immaculate Mother of God and received her messages, and who afterwards wished to hide yourself from the world in the convent of Nevers, and to offer thyself there as a victim for the conversion of sinners, obtain for us the grace of purity, simplicity and mortification that we also may attain to the vision of God and of Mary in Heaven. Amen.

The Life of St. Bernadette and the miracle of Lourdes

IP#148 Emily Stimpson – The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years on Inside the Pages

Emily Stimpson is a delight to talk with and her book “The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years: The Nuts and Bolts of StayingSane and Happy While Waiting for Mr. Right” is a great subject to discuss! With style and class, and a great big portion of honest hopeful heart sharing, Emily crafts a work that is a must for all Catholic women, not just the single girl.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:50 — 66.0MB) | Embed

Filled with humor and reflection, as well as practical insight, it is “steeped in the Church’s teachings on the feminine genius, marriage, and theology of the body, The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide dishes with both wit and wisdom on some of the most pressing questions single women face: vocation, dating, sex, finances, work, depression, and more.” Not to missed, and must be passed on to others!

You can find the book here

Also visit Emily Stimpson.com

“Emily Stimpson has written a book that manages to be light-hearted about the serious subject of singleness for Catholic women, but is still full of practical, nitty-gritty suggestions for growing through difficulties. Always uplifting, “The Catholic Girls Survival Guide for the Single Years,” offers timeless truths that help women see beyond current circumstances to grasp the bigger picture of life as a beloved daughter of God. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a single Catholic woman—or anyone who wants to learn how to love single women better. I don’t know of another book that does what this book does for single women—it’s simply outstanding! Kimberly Hahn, Author “Life-Giving Love”

Divine Mercy with Msgr. John Esseff

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:14 — 46.2MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff begins a series of reflections on Divine Mercy and it’s importance in the life of the Church today. He exhorts us to remember that it is not about

something that occurs outside of ourselves, but that the spirit of the Divine Mercy lives in us by virtue of our baptism and through our participation in the sacraments. And we are called to assist Jesus to reaching out to our brothers and sisters, in Him, with Him, and through Him.

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website: “Building A Kingdom Of Love”

The Freedom that flows from Forgiveness – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:07 — 47.8MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff discusses the freedom that comes from forgiveness.

It can be very difficult to for us to forgive, but not for God. How can we forgive those who have really hurt us…emotionally and physically. How is this forgiveness a matter of justice…we forgive for we have been forgiven. What is an unjust wound? How does this all connect to the Divine Mercy?

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

The Transformation of Resentments – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:12 — 53.5MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff discusses to be truly alive in joy and happiness we have to forgive. Forgiveness is always a choice and in that is

joy. We shouldn’t put conditions on our forgiveness…that can be a challenge for some, but it is necessary. We need to take the person where they are…we don’t love them because they have changed, but we love them where they are at. We can become slaves to our resentments. Resentments, hatred, bitterness, retaliations harden our hearts and destroy us. Allowing the love of Jesus to penetrate our hearts we are freed. We can not perfectly forgive, it is grace from the Father that allows to enter into that forgiveness.

The transformation of resentments is a key:

For ourselves

To name them, the painful moment or event
To look inside as to why and to what it touched so deeply within me
To allow yourself to feel fully the depth of impact of the pain
Talk to yourself about the experience and then begin to journal or share it with another
Choose what will bring peace, joy, relief and tranquility
To cling to continuation of pain brings anxiety, anger, turmoil and desolation

For another

Listen to the painful experience
Don’t talk to them out of their pain, don’t try to fix the situation for them
Offer them a choice to continue in the pain or begin to move out of the pain; to continue in the pain gives the power over to the one they resent and diminishes your own power

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

Happiness and Joy – What it really looks like – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:39 — 68.9MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff reflects on the true meanings of happiness and joy. What does it really look like? How can we live a life of

happiness and joy? Msgr. Esseff discusses the beatitudes and forgiveness and the keys to a proper understanding.

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website: “Building A Kingdom Of Love”

“Christ our Hope” – Easter Morning with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:03 — 51.4MB) | Embed

Msgr. Esseff reflects on Pope Benedict XVI’s Easter message.

The more we aware of our death, the more we are aware of the resurrection! In a time were the darkness seems to be spreading, Christ is the brightest

light of Truth shining shining in our times! We are called to be bearers of the light to the world. How do we do that? It is not “I” who will do it…but Christ who will accomplish the will of the Father through our surrender to Him.

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website: “Building A Kingdom of Love”