Fr. Timothy Gallagher

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Forms of Dryness – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life. This episode explores spiritual discouragement and forms of dryness in the spiritual life.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “A Need for Formation”:

“Paul’s father’s dryness in prayer does not arise from any fault on his part. On the contrary, he is diligent in preparing and approaches his prayer with goodwill. It derives, rather, from a lack of formation in prayer. Signs of this abound. When Paul’s father begins to pray, he chooses the Rosary because he saw his parents pray it. He knows little about the Rosary beyond its mechanics and, understandably, is easily distracted when he prays it.

Paul’s father has never read the Bible. He has no formation in Scripture and, again unsurprisingly, struggles to comprehend it. When he tries to meditate, he encounters more questions than spiritual insight. He does not understand why given Gospel passages are chosen for given days. With good intentions but unwisely, he chooses a time and place that render prayer difficult. Most likely, if Paul’s father continues to pray in this way, his prayer will be dry. Even more likely, he will not persevere.

This will change when he receives formation in prayer. Bible study will help him to understand the texts and so permit them to nourish him spiritually. Parish classes on prayer; spiritual books about meditation; resources on the web; meetings with a spiritual director, if possible; conversation with Paul, who is more experienced in prayer — all this will prepare Paul’s father to meditate fruitfully. As his schooling in prayer deepens, his meditation will no longer be dry. The Rosary, too, understood as contemplation of Jesus, will be less distracted. Formation in prayer resolves this form of dryness.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 96-97). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

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An excerpt from the chapter, “Something Has Slipped”:

“In this experience of dryness, the issue is negligence regarding prayer. The solution is to reverse that negligence. We all have routines, times of day, ways of choosing material, places, and the like that we know help us to pray. When we are faithful to them, this form of dryness resolves.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 100-101). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

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Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

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I Feel Alone – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life. This episode explores spiritual discouragement and a form of spiritual desolation involving feelings of being alone from God.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Feel Alone “:

“In a final form of spiritual desolation, Ignatius tells us, a person feels “as if separated from his Creator and Lord.” Cathy experiences this strongly in the weeks described: “All that closeness and warmth of God’s love? It’s gone like smoke. . . . I’m sitting in the kitchen as I write, and I feel like I’m here, and God is a million miles away.” I’m here, and God is a million miles away. I’m here, sitting in my kitchen, alone in my apartment, commuting to work, driving to pick up the children, sitting at my computer . . . and you are a million miles away, distant, remote.

Have you ever felt that? Yes, certainly, you have, and I have. Once more: no shame, no surprise; be aware, identify, reject.”

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 89). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:23 — 20.3MB) | Embed

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I Have No Fervor & I Feel Sad – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life. This episode explores spiritual discouragement and lack of enthusiasm as well as sadness as forms of desolation.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Have No Fervor”:

How should we understand Beth’s experience this Wednesday evening? We have no indication that Beth is at fault. She is faithful. She prepares and attends the class in her usual way. She does her best to participate — so well in fact, that none perceive her lack of enthusiasm. What, then, is Beth experiencing?

Having followed Ignatius thus far, we can guess the answer! This Wednesday evening, Beth experiences a form of spiritual desolation. She feels, to use Ignatius’s words, “totally tepid,” that is, completely without fervor as she performs a spiritual practice. In this form of desolation, we feel spiritually lukewarm, indifferent, unenthusiastic, without affect. When we pray, serve the Lord, live our vocations, take new steps in our spiritual lives, seek holiness, but find ourselves tepid and without fervor as we do these things, we are experiencing spiritual desolation. The adverb “totally” is again expressive.

Have you ever felt this form of spiritual desolation? Yes, certainly, we all have at times. Obviously, the enemy’s goal is that such tepidity cause us to question ourselves, to lose heart, to abandon these helpful practices. Beth responds well when she remains faithful, the right response for us as well.

Once again, no shame! No surprise! Be aware, identify, reject.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 76-77). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

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An excerpt from the chapter, “I Feel Sad”:

Before Paul — or we — can answer these questions, we need to identify the sadness he feels. Paul is faithful to prayer and has been for years. He loves it, and he feels its fruits. Though the sadness weighs on him, Paul does not let it stop him. In fact, he is progressing in prayer, as his increased awareness of his experience reveals. Paul now notes spiritual movements, even this undramatic, nonclamorous sense of sadness. He can identify the thoughts from which it originates. Paul’s sadness, then, does not derive from negligence on his part.

How, then, should we understand it? Paul experiences a form of spiritual desolation that Ignatius describes as finding oneself “totally sad.” Paul is not yet “totally” sad, but things appear to be moving in that direction.

Once again, no shame, so surprise; be aware, identify, reject. This sadness is distinct from the healthy — even if painful — sadness we feel at the loss of a loved one, the termination of a rewarding occupation, and the like.

This is a spiritual sadness with nothing healthy about it. It arises from lies of the enemy. He tells you that you should be ashamed to bring such “small” things to prayer — to the God who knows when a sparrow falls to the ground and counts the hairs on your head (Luke 12:6–7), the God to whom everything in your life is important. The enemy tells you that you are not really praying — when, in reality, God is calling you to a simpler and richer prayer. The enemy tells you that you have stopped at the threshold of deep prayer — when you have only encountered the dry and distracted moments that all who pray faithfully experience. All this is from the liar and father of lies! The only fitting response is to unmask the lies and reject them.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 81-82). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

 

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:28 — 18.3MB) | Embed

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I Don’t Have the Energy – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and a form of spiritual desolation that takes on the form of tiredness and exhaustion.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Don’t Have the Energy”:

In this form of desolation, we feel spiritually sluggish, indolent, lazy, lackadaisical. The adverb “totally” is powerful: in time of spiritual desolation, we may feel totally sluggish, lazy, and slothful as regards various aspects of our spiritual lives. We feel no energy for prayer, for God’s service, for involvement in our parish, for holiness in our vocations, and the like. The feeling of slothfulness in spiritual desolation may contrast sharply with the energy we more habitually feel for these same things when not in desolation.

There is no shame in experiencing this form of spiritual desolation. We all do at times. What is important — Julie is on target with this — is to be aware of it, understand it for the tactic of the enemy that it is, and firmly reject it. For Bob, this means that he should not renounce leadership of the group until he has greater clarity about his spiritual situation (rule 5: in time of desolation, never make a change). That change will not resolve his lack of energy; identifying and rejecting the desolation will. Bob may further apply the means Ignatius offers to resist and overcome the desolation: prayer of petition, meditation, examination, suitable penance, and the rest.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 72-73). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:53 — 15.1MB) | Embed

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I Don’t Feel God’s Love – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and a form of spiritual desolation: times when we do not feel any sense of God’s love for us.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “I Don’t Feel God’s Love”:

This is yet another form of spiritual desolation: times when we feel no sense of God’s love, of His closeness, of warm love for others in God, but rather, we feel a kind of spiritual distance and coldness. As we’ve said so often, there is no shame in experiencing this. To feel this form of spiritual desolation does not mean that God does not love us, that we do not love Him, or that we do not desire to love others.

It simply means that God is permitting us to undergo a time of spiritual desolation because of the growth we gain when we go through it well (see the final paragraph of chapter 8). Cathy’s spiritual desolation as she prays with the calming of the storm is actually a sign that her prayer is progressing richly. For ten years, a wound in her heart has remained unhealed. God loves her too much to allow this to continue unaddressed. Almost inevitably, as she grows closer to God in prayer, this wound is touched. When it is, spiritual desolation results: pain, anger, a sense of distance from God, and an absence of all warmth. If Cathy finds wise counsel to help her understand this and if she does not stop praying, then, for the first time in ten years, deep spiritual healing can occur. Like the disciples in the boat and like Lazarus’s sisters, she will find that if Jesus slept and if he delayed two days, it was because he loved them and had a greater gift to give.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 66-67). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:48 — 15.8MB) | Embed

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I’ll Try, but Nothing Will Come of It – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and a tactic of the enemy to induce a lack of hope, another form of a spiritual desolation, and ways to fight against it.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter, “I’ll Try, but Nothing Will Come of It”:

With Father Reed’s help, Bob recognizes a tactic of the enemy, another form of spiritual desolation. Ignatius describes this as “lack of hope.” When we experience this form of desolation, our thoughts are like Bob’s: we lose hope of any real progress in loving God, in prayer, in holiness, and in living our vocation well. If we think like this, we will be tempted, like Bob, to give up — precisely the enemy’s goal.

All of this is a lie! If ever you feel “defeated before you begin” in your spiritual life, recognize the lie of the enemy and reject it. Do not relinquish your efforts to grow spiritually. God’s love and the power of his grace are with you in these efforts. Compared with this, the enemy’s lies are a very small thing. Further, we can prepare to reject such lies even before the enemy brings them (Ignatius’s rule 10). After this attack by the enemy, for example, Bob can prepare himself to reject similar lies should the enemy bring them again.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 59-60). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:47 — 25.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

I’m Troubled and I’m Tempted; I’m Going to Fail – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and the disquiet that can come from temptations and ways the enemy can bring desolation into areas of nonspiritual vulnerability in our lives.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the chapter “I’m Troubled and I’m Tempted”:

John experiences a form of spiritual desolation that Ignatius describes as “disquiet from various agitations and temptations.” If John can identify his experience as the tactic of the enemy that it is — spiritual desolation — peace will begin to return, and he will be strengthened to resist it. If John is further aware that there is no shame in undergoing such spiritual desolation, that all do from time to time, he will be additionally encouraged in his struggle.

The enemy brings this spiritual desolation into a nonspiritual vulnerability in John: a place of worry — his understandable concern about the growth on his face and his anxiety as he awaits the results of the second biopsy. John deals well with this: he speaks with his wife, and he is faithful to prayer. Texts of the Bible help him. But even as he turns to the Lord, the enemy brings spiritual desolation, “disquiet from various agitations and temptations.” This need not surprise John or us! Ignatius helps us understand this experience and points the way to freedom.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 45). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

An except from the chapter “I’m Going to Fail”:

Julie’s experience permits an important observation. If the enemy ordinarily brings spiritual desolation into areas of nonspiritual vulnerability (tiredness, discouragement, depression, and the like), then whatever you do to reduce or eliminate that nonspiritual vulnerability will greatly ease your spiritual life. If, for example, Julie and Bob communicate and resolve their tension, Julie will find herself much less susceptible to the “lack of confidence” described here. The same is true for all of us when we experience nonspiritual vulnerabilities. Julie also writes, “I’m up, then so quickly down. You and the others seem so much more stable and so faithful. I must be different.” A further lie of desolation is this: “It’s just you. Other people don’t go through this. You’re up, then down. Other people are steady. It’s only you.” Again, emphatically no!

When Julie knows the others better, and they share on a deeper level, she will find that all undergo these ups (times of spiritual energy, of feeling God’s closeness — that is, of spiritual consolation) and downs (times without spiritual energy, of not feeling God’s closeness — that is, of spiritual desolation). If you experience times of spiritual consolation and times of spiritual desolation, then you share the experience of every man or woman who has ever loved the Lord. What matters is — by now you can tell me! — to be aware, understand, and take action. Take action: that is, to accept God’s gift of spiritual consolation and to reject the enemy’s discouraging lies in spiritual desolation.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 52-53). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:38 — 18.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

How Can I Be Drawn to Such Things? – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and ways the enemy draws us to “low” and “earthly” things to harm us in our spiritual life.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the book:

Into this vulnerable space the enemy brings the further burden of spiritual desolation, and specifically what Ignatius calls a “movement to low and earthly things.” Obviously, telephones, refrigerators, the Internet, and similar things serve in good ways: that is why we have them. But, like Beth, in time of spiritual desolation we may feel drawn to them in “low” and “earthly” ways — that is, in ways harmful to us spiritually.

That Beth — and we — feel this pull in time of spiritual desolation should not surprise us, nor is there any shame in feeling this pull. It is simply a tactic of the enemy, a form of spiritual desolation. Again, such is the spiritual life in a fallen but redeemed and loved world. What does matter and matters greatly, is that we be discerning: that we note this pull to low and earthly things, identify it as the tactic of the enemy that it is, and, with God’s grace and courage, reject it.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (pp. 40-41). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

---

From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

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Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:31 — 15.6MB) | Embed

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I’ve Lost My Peace – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and the enemy’s “war against the peace” people experience in it.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the book:

When people love the Lord, Ignatius says, and rejoice in the peace this brings, the enemy may attempt to undermine that peace by troubling them. Elsewhere, Ignatius describes this spiritual disturbance as the enemy’s “war against the peace” these people experience. Note that the enemy does not, at this point, tempt Paul to anything sinful. He seeks rather to diminish and even eliminate Paul’s peace, replacing it with trouble of heart. Again, there is no shame in experiencing this or similar tactics of the enemy. It is simply what happens when we live the spiritual life in a fallen but redeemed and loved world. As with Julie, Paul will not be harmed if he is aware of, identifies, and rejects the enemy’s spiritual desolation.

Obviously, if Paul — or any one of us — does not identify and reject this tactic of the enemy, it will cause harm. What, then, of Paul’s questions? Is his disturbance a sign that he is doing something wrong? That he is trying too hard? Trying too little? That he is regressing? The answer to all these questions appears to be no. In Paul’s journal, we see no sign of regression — quite the contrary. Most probably, precisely because Paul is progressing so well, the enemy induces this “disturbance of soul” and “war against peace” in an attempt to hinder his progress. How does Paul and how do we reject such disturbance from the enemy? As already said, the first need is to make no changes, to relinquish nothing of the spiritual program we have in place.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 36). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

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From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

---

Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:32 — 21.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | Anghami | RSS | More

I Can’t See – Struggles in the Spiritual Life with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor continue a 20-part series on the various Struggles in the Spiritual Life.  This episode explores spiritual discouragement and how it affects our ability to pray.

You can pick up a copy of the book here:

An excerpt from the book:

The enemy’s lie says, “Look how badly things are going! You are confused. You can’t see clearly. You are regressing. And things will only get worse.” No! For months, Julie has prayed faithfully and sought to grow. She is simply — again, there is no shame in this — experiencing a tactic of the enemy: a spiritual desolation that the enemy hopes will impede her growth.

By enemy, Ignatius intends Satan and his associated fallen angels, together with the wound of concupiscence — a legacy of original sin — and harmful influences around us in the world. By spiritual desolation, he intends a heaviness of heart (and so, desolation) on the level of our relationship with God (and so, spiritual).

Julie experiences one form of such spiritual desolation, a form that Ignatius calls “darkness of soul.”11 In such spiritual desolation, a burden, a confusion, a heaviness — a darkness — enters our prayer and our efforts to love God. A feeling that this will worsen may accompany this darkness.

Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy ; Gallagher O.M.V, Fr. Timothy. Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies (p. 32). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

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To find more episodes from this series, visit the Struggles in the Spiritual Life Podcast

---

From the book’s description: “Here is a powerful, life-changing book that will help you understand and conquer the struggles you face in your spiritual life. It’s a book for those who love the Lord and desire holiness yet often feel adrift or stagnant in their search for spiritual growth.

All of us encounter valleys on our journey with the Lord — those periods of spiritual desolation that are a painful yet unavoidable feature of our prayer life. Spiritual desolation is as complex as we are, so understanding what is happening and responding to it properly are critical to reaching the heights of holiness.

With warmth and understanding, Fr. Gallagher carefully identifies in this book the various forms of spiritual and nonspiritual desolation and supplies the remedy for each. You’ll learn how to discern whether your struggles derive from medical or psychological conditions or whether those struggles are spiritual and permitted by the Lord for reasons of growth. In each case, you’ll be given the remedy for the struggle. You’ll also learn the forms of spiritual dryness and of the Dark Night — and how to respond to them.

In chapter after chapter, Fr. Gallagher presents a particular struggle as experienced by fictional characters and then provides the advice he gives to those who come to him for spiritual direction about that struggle. You’ll gain confidence as you journey through desolation, and you’ll learn to reject the enemy’s ploys to infect you with a sense of hopelessness.”

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Did you know that Fr. Timothy Gallagher has 14 different podcast series on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts?
Visit here to discover more!