Terrence Wright – Dorothy Day: An Introduction to Her Life and Thought on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Dr. Terrence Wright discusses his book Dorothy Day: An Introduction to Her Life and Thought, highlighting Day’s complex early years, her lifelong attraction to God, and the gradual, uneven journey that led her into the Catholic Church. He explains how childhood influences, the beauty of Catholic worship, and key encounters—especially with a compassionate Sister of Charity who helped her seek baptism for her daughter—opened her heart to grace. Her appreciation for strong spiritual figures like Teresa of Ávila influenced difficult but decisive choices she made in relationships, choosing fidelity to the Church even when it meant personal sacrifice.
The conversation then turns to Dorothy Day’s partnership with Peter Maurin and the birth of the Catholic Worker Movement, rooted in Matthew 25, the Sermon on the Mount, and a rhythm of work and prayer reminiscent of Benedictine spirituality. Wright describes the interplay of her writing, social action, and interior life, as well as her later years—marked by family reconciliation, spiritual depth, and enduring concern for the poor. He reflects on her relevance today as a witness of mercy whose story resonates deeply with modern struggles, and he encourages listeners to seek her intercession, especially for those who feel lost or burdened by the “long loneliness.”
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How does Dorothy Day’s slow, imperfect path to conversion invite me to see God at work in the unfinished parts of my own life?
When have I experienced someone accompanying me with compassion the way Sister Aloysius accompanied Dorothy?
Which “small seeds” of grace—beauty, kindness, prayer, or example—have quietly shaped my faith over time?
How does Dorothy’s reverence for Christ in the poor challenge the way I interact with those who suffer?
Where do I sense God asking me to integrate prayer and action more intentionally, as Dorothy learned to do?
How do Dorothy’s sacrifices in her relationships call me to examine the cost of discipleship in my own decisions?
In what ways does the partnership of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin encourage me to collaborate more deeply in works of mercy?
How might I invite Christ into places of “long loneliness” in myself or others, trusting His mercy as Dorothy did?
What part of Dorothy’s later-life reconciliation and family healing speaks to areas of forgiveness I may need to seek or offer?
How can I ask for Dorothy Day’s intercession this week in a concrete area where I need courage, clarity, or hope?
In this introduction to the life and thought of Dorothy Day, one of the most important lay Catholics of the twentieth century, Terrence Wright presents her radical response to God’s mercy. After a period of darkness and sin, which included an abortion and a suicide attempt, Day had a profound awakening to God’s unlimited love and mercy through the birth of her daughter.
After her conversion, Day answered the calling to bring God’s mercy to others. With Peter Maurin, she founded the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933. Dedicated to both the spiritual and the corporal works of mercy, they established Houses of Hospitality, Catholic Worker Farms, and the Catholic Worker newspaper.
Drawing heavily from Day’s own writings, this book reveals her love for Scripture, the sacraments, and the magisterial teaching of the Church. The author explores her philosophy and spirituality, including her devotion to Saints Francis, Benedict, and Thérèse. He also shows how her understanding of the Mystical Body of Christ led to some of her more controversial positions such as pacifism.
Since her death in 1980, Day continues to serve as a model of Christian love and commitment. She recognized Christ in the less fortunate and understood that to be a servant of these least among us is to be a servant of God.
About the Author
Terrence Wright, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Pre-Theology Program at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. His academic interests include phenomenology and personalism, particularly the work of Edith Stein and Emmanuel Mounier. He has also published on the relationship between philosophy and literature.
All Shall Be Well: A Journey Through Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love with Kris McGregor
Episode 13: The Anent Reflections, Part One — Mercy, Wrath, and Peace
Summary:
In this episode, we begin Julian of Norwich’s Anent reflections, a meditative pause in her Revelations of Divine Love. Instead of recounting new visions, Julian turns inward to contemplate the truths already revealed to her. These reflections open a contemplative space filled with theology and spiritual insight, helping us see what God has shown her more clearly.
We explore Julian’s teaching on God as unchanging Truth, Wisdom, and Love, and how our souls are created to share in those very attributes. We also reflect on her striking claim that there is no wrath in God — only goodness and mercy. Julian teaches that our judgment is distorted by sin, but God’s gaze remains fixed on the soul as He created it, whole and beloved.
Julian then introduces five inner movements of the soul: enjoying, mourning, desire, dread, and sure hope. Each one reveals a layer of the soul’s journey with God and helps us understand how grace is at work, even in moments of struggle.
Finally, we hear her deep assurance that God’s mercy never ceases. No matter how often we fail, fall, or fear, His gaze of love never turns away. In God’s sight, the soul that belongs to Him has never died, nor ever shall.
Full Julian of Norwich Quotations Used in Episode 13:
From Revelations of Divine Love, Long Text, Chapters 41-43, trans. Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., 1901 (PDF edition).
Truth, Wisdom, and Love
“Truth seeth God, and Wisdom beholdeth God, and of these two cometh the third: that is, a holy marvellous delight in God; which is Love. Where Truth and Wisdom are verily, there is Love verily, coming of them both. And all of God’s making: for He is endless sovereign Truth, endless sovereign Wisdom, endless sovereign Love, unmade; and man’s Soul is a creature in God which hath the same properties made, and evermore it doeth that it was made for: it seeth God, it beholdeth God, and it loveth God. Whereof God enjoyeth in the creature; and the creature in God, endlessly marvelling.” (Ch. 44)
God’s Judgment and Ours
GOD deemeth us [looking] upon our Nature-Substance, which is ever kept one in Him, whole and safe without end: and this doom is [because] of His rightfulness [in the which it is made and kept]. And man judgeth [looking] upon our changeable Sense-soul, which seemeth now one [thing], now other,—according as it taketh of the [higher or lower] parts,—and [is that which] showeth outward. And this wisdom [of man’s judgment] is mingled [because of the diverse things it beholdeth]. For sometimes it is good and easy, and sometimes it is hard and grievous. And in as much as it is good and easy it belongeth to the rightfulness; and in as much as it is hard and grievous [by reason of the sin beheld, which sheweth in our Sense-soul,] our good Lord Jesus reformeth it by [the working in our Sense-soul of] mercy and grace through the virtue of His blessed Passion, and so bringeth it to the rightfulness.” (Ch.45)
God Is Not Wroth
“For I saw truly that it is against the property of His Might to be wroth, and against the property of His Wisdom, and against the property of His Goodness. God is the Goodness that may not be wroth, for He is not [other] but Goodness: our soul is oned to Him, unchangeable Goodness, and between God and our soul is neither wrath nor forgiveness in His sight. For our soul is so fully oned to God of His own Goodness that between God and our soul may be right nought.” (Ch. 46)
The Five Workings of the Soul
“For I felt in me five manner of workings, which be these: Enjoying, mourning, desire, dread, and sure hope. Enjoying: for God gave me understanding and knowing that it was Himself that I saw; mourning: and that was for failing; desire: and that was I might see Him ever more and more, understanding and knowing that we shall never have full rest till we see Him verily and clearly in heaven; dread was: for it seemed to me in all that time that that sight should fail, and I be left to myself; sure hope was in the endless love: that I saw I should be kept by His mercy and brought to His bliss. And the joying in His sight with this sure hope of His merciful keeping made me to have feeling and comfort so that mourning and dread were not greatly painful.”(Ch. 47)
The Working of Mercy
“Mercy is a sweet gracious working in love, mingled with plenteous pity: for mercy worketh in keeping us, and mercy worketh turning to us all things to good. Mercy, by love, suffereth us to fail in measure and in as much as we fail, in so much we fall; and in as much as we fall, in so much we die: for it needs must be that we die in so much as we fail of the sight and feeling of God that is our life. Our failing is dreadful, our falling is shameful, and our dying is sorrowful: but in all this the sweet eye of pity and love is lifted never off us, nor the working of mercy ceaseth.” (Ch. 48)
Where God Appears, Wrath Has No Place
“For I saw full surely that where our Lord appeareth, peace is taken and wrath hath no place. For I saw no manner of wrath in God, neither for short time nor for long; for in sooth, as to my sight, if God might be wroth for an instant, we should never have life nor place nor being. For as verily as we have our being of the endless Might of God and of the endless Wisdom and of the endless Goodness, so verily we have our keeping in the endless Might of God, in the endless Wisdom, and in the endless Goodness. For though we feel in ourselves, frail wretches, debates and strifes, yet are we all-mannerful enclosed in the mildness of God and in His meekness, in His benignity and in His graciousness. For I saw full surely that all our endless friendship, our place, our life and our being, is in God.” (Ch. 49)
Mercy and Forgiveness: The Soul Never Dies
AND in this life mercy and forgiveness is our way and evermore leadeth us to grace. And by the tempest and the sorrow that we fall into on our part, we be often dead as to man’s doom in earth; but in the sight of God the soul that shall be saved was never dead, nor ever shall be.” ” (Ch. 50)
Scripture Featured
(Translations used: Revised Standard Version [RSV-CE] )
(Zephaniah 3:17)
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
(1 Samuel 16:7)
“Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
(James 1:17)
“Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
(Exodus 34:6–7)
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.”
(1 Peter 1:8–9)
“Though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.”
(Psalm 42:1–2)
“As a hart (deer) longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
(2 Corinthians 4:7)
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(Hebrews 10:23)
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
(Luke 1:54–55)
“He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”
(Lamentations 3:22–23)
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.”
(Ephesians 2:14)
“For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility.”
(John 11:25–26)
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.” (CCC 27)
“The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant.” (CCC 2563)
“God is infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” (CCC 1)
“The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners.” (CCC 1846)
“There are no limits to the mercy of God.” (CCC 1864)
“By revealing himself to Moses, God reveals that he is rich in mercy and fidelity. God is Love. His very being is Love. By sending his only Son and the Spirit of Love in the fullness of time, God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange.” (CCC 214, 221)
“By his death Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life.” (CCC 654)
Teachings of the Saints
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross:
“The deeper one is drawn into God, the more one must go out of oneself; that is, one must go to the world in order to carry the divine life into it.” (Essays on Woman, “The Separate Vocations of Man and Woman According to Nature and Grace”)
St. John of the Cross:
“In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.” (Sayings of Light and Love, 64)
St. Augustine of Hippo:
“The wrath of God is not a disturbed feeling of His mind, but a judgment by which punishment is inflicted upon sin.” (City of God, XV.25)
St. John Chrysostom:
“When you hear that God is angry in the Scriptures, do not suppose that God is subject to some passion. Such expressions are condescensions, teaching us that His acts of punishment are the consequence of our sins.”(Homilies on Genesis, 6:6)
St. Faustina Kowalska:
“Let the sinner not be afraid to approach Me. The flames of mercy are burning Me—clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls.” (Diary, 50)
St. Teresa of Ávila:
“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.” (Poem: Nada te turbe)
St. Gregory of Nyssa:
“For it is not when we begin to exist, but when we are joined to God, that we truly live.” (On the Soul and the Resurrection)
Reflection Questions for Prayer
Julian insists that wrath has no place in God. How does this challenge the way you may have imagined His response to your sins or failings?
She teaches that mercy never ceases and that God’s gaze of love never leaves us. Where in your life do you most need to trust this truth?
Julian ends by assuring us that in God’s sight, the soul He loves never dies. How might this hope shape the way you endure trials and sorrow in this life?
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You who are endless Truth, Wisdom, and Love, draw us into Your peace, where wrath has no place and mercy never ceases. When we fail, lift us with Your pity; when we fall, keep us in Your forgiveness; when we fear death, remind us that in You we live forever. Let us rest in Your unchanging goodness, until the day we see You face to face and rejoice with You in the fullness of love.
Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer O.P. & Dr. Anthony Lilles – Named for Glory: Saint Elisabeth of the Trinity’s Identity and Mission on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast
Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P. and Dr. Anthony Lilles discuss their collaboration on Named for Glory: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s Identity and Mission, a book exploring the spirituality of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. A warm reflection on how they came to love St. Elizabeth—her contemplative depth, her letters, and her theological insight. Fr. Ignatius shares how reading St. Thérèse led him to Elizabeth’s writings, whose lofty yet practical spirituality bridges heaven and daily life. He and Dr. Lilles describe how St. Elizabeth’s understanding of the indwelling Trinity reveals the Christian’s interior union with God, forming the heart of contemplative prayer and identity. Their book, born during the COVID period with coauthor Julie Enzler, grew from meditations on St. Elizabeth’s letters and her three “names”: House of God, Praise of Glory, and Host of Praise.
They reflect on how Elizabeth’s mystical writings illuminate divine intimacy as both transcendent and deeply personal. Dr. Lilles describes her influence on St. John Paul II and praises her integration of Scripture, sacrament, and Trinitarian mystery. Both he and Fr. Ignatius note how her retreats and letters reveal that holiness is discovered in surrender—where the “abyss of misery meets the abyss of mercy.” Through trials and interior transformation, Elizabeth teaches that each soul is called to discover its true identity in Christ, to live as a radiant expression of divine life.
Discerning Hearts spiritual reflection questions:
How does St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s teaching on the indwelling Trinity deepen your understanding of God’s presence within you?
In what ways can you live out your baptismal identity as a “house of God” in your daily life?
When have you experienced the “abyss of misery meeting the abyss of mercy” in your relationship with God?
How can you allow Scripture, as Elizabeth did, to shape your prayer and transform your heart?
What prevents you from resting in silence before God, and how might you open yourself more fully to His divine touch?
How does Elizabeth’s example invite you to see suffering as a pathway to deeper communion with the Trinity?
What does it mean for you personally to be a “praise of glory” for God?
How can Elizabeth’s contemplative spirit guide your response to the distractions and busyness of modern life?
In your own vocation or mission, where do you sense God calling you to go “out into the deep”?
How might you practice spiritual friendship or intercession, as Elizabeth did through her letters, to help others grow closer to God?
“I am going to bury myself in the depths of my soul, that is, in God. Will you follow me in this very simple movement?” — St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
St. Teresa of Avila said that every soul is made for transforming union with God. In her footsteps, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906) invites you to rendezvous with her in the interior castle and experience the indwelling presence of the Holy Trinity.
Go out into the deep: My Three, my All!
In describing her intimate relationship with God, St. Elizabeth referred to her Divine Bridegroom as “Maestro.” Here, she guides you in hearing His song and living the chorus of love, drawing ever closer to His very Heart. Through her powerful spiritual wisdom, as reflected in her letters to relatives, loved ones, and priests, you will find:
How to live in the freedom of silence and recollection and remain absorbed in love of God while fulfilling practical demands
Guidance on offering your life to God by uniting yourself to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist
Ways to deepen your life of prayer to experience the Holy Trinity’s indwelling presence
The secret to letting go and clinging to God with the intimacy of a contemplative gaze
How to imitate Mary in offering your life as a House of God, Praise of Glory, and Host of Praise
St. Elizabeth’s Oblation to the Trinity and how to enter the Furnace of Love in the altar of your heart
In these awe-inspiring pages, St. Elizabeth unveils the union that you were made to enjoy through Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs and Gate of Heaven. By reflecting on her name and vocation as Virgin, Spouse, and Mother, St. Elizabeth invites us to answer the universal call to holiness so that our lives will also flow into the very life of God — and His life will flow into ours. By imitating our Blessed Mother in her deep simplicity and making little acts of love and sacrifice each day, we unite with Jesus in the Sacred Host, become living oblations, and thus glorify our Crucified and Risen Lord.
About the Authors
Dr. Anthony Lilles: Anthony Lilles is co-founder and Academic Dean of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and also serves as the Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Theology at St. John’s Seminary. He is a founding faculty member of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary where he was Academic Dean for nine years. Dr. Lilles has provided graduate level courses on a variety of topics including the Eucharist, the Sacraments of Healing, Church History, Spiritual Theology, Spiritual Direction and on various classics of Catholic Spirituality.
Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer O.P.: Fr. Ignatius John Schweitzer, OP is a Dominican priest of the St. Joseph (Eastern) Province. He was ordained in 2011. He spent six years living as a monk in a Carthusian monastery. He then returned to the Dominicans, discerning a strong call from the Lord to help others grow in the spiritual and mystical life. Upon returning, he completed his STL, writing on “The Life, Light, and Fire of Triune Love: A Trinitarian Spirituality from Scripture, Aquinas, Ruusbroec, and John of the Cross.” He is the promoter of the Dominican Laity, adjunct professor, spiritual director, and formator at St. Joseph’s Seminary. He hopes to be of service to the Lord’s loving cry to souls and souls’ cry for the Lord: “Abyss calls to abyss!”
Sr. Mary Ann Fatula on “The Wonders of the Mass and the Eucharist: Insights of the Saints”
Sr. Mary Ann Fatula discusses her book The Wonders of the Mass and the Eucharist: Insights of the Saints with Kris McGregor. Sr. Mary Ann shares how the Holy Spirit inspired her to gather the most moving and profound reflections of the saints on the Mass and the Eucharist. She describes how these writings reveal the tenderness, depth, and divine intimacy found in the Eucharist, where heaven and earth meet. Through the Mass, the faithful truly encounter Christ’s sacrifice, presence, and love, joined by all of heaven and by their departed loved ones. The saints’ meditations invite the soul to rest upon Christ’s heart, to recognize the sacred reality of the Eucharist, and to experience it as a foretaste of heaven.
Sr. Mary Ann also reflects on the Church Fathers and how their insights, filled with strength and devotion, continue to nourish faith today. The Mass, she explains, is not merely symbolic but a living encounter with Jesus Himself—the “sacrament of love.” Deeper participation in daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration is where Christ draws souls into communion with Himself and one another.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How do I personally experience the presence of Christ during the Mass and in receiving the Eucharist?
In what ways can I slow down and truly “savor” the mystery of the Eucharist as the saints did?
How might I deepen my faith in the real presence of Jesus through prayer and meditation on Scripture?
Do I recognize that at every Mass, I am united not only with Christ but also with all of heaven and my loved ones who have gone before me?
How can the example and writings of the saints inspire me to approach the Eucharist with greater love and reverence?
What steps can I take to participate in Mass more frequently or spend more time in Eucharistic adoration?
How does understanding the Eucharist as a “sacrament of love” call me to greater self-giving in my daily relationships?
What does it mean for me to rest on the heart of Christ as St. John did at the Last Supper?
How do the teachings of the Church Fathers strengthen my understanding and devotion to the Eucharist?
In what ways is the Mass a foretaste of heaven that prepares my soul for eternal communion with God?
“Above all other blessings, the most precious gifts of the Holy Trinity to us are the Mass and the Eucharist. In this awe-inspiring book, Sr. Mary Ann Fatula takes you to the feet of the saints to ponder these Sacred Mysteries. You will learn how to rest in the Lord’s intimate physical presence and gain peace of soul, receiving the remedy for temptation, sweetness in struggles, and healing from pain.
As Sr. Mary Ann breaks opens the treasure house of writings on the Holy Eucharist, the saints will lovingly teach you about the immeasurable graces the Lord gives you at Mass and through this most wondrous sacrament. You will learn how to grow in recollection during Mass, how to cherish the Lord’s intimate presence in Holy Communion, and how to rest in the Lord in Eucharistic adoration. As your love for the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament deepens, you will begin to treasure anew the delight of the Trinity’s intimate love, the light and warmth of the Holy Spirit’s anointing, and the joyful hope of eternal salvation.
In pondering with Sr. Mary Ann the insights of Church Fathers and other beloved saints, such as Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, John Henry Newman, John Vianney, Thérèse of Lisieux, and John Paul II, the Mystery of Faith will come alive to you in a new way. You will never experience Mass in the same way again, nor will you tire of returning to these saints’ insights to be inspired again and again.
You will learn that, at every Mass, the Lord Himself makes present to us His most tender Last Supper, His sacred death on the Cross, and His glorious Resurrection in order to feed us with His own precious Body and Blood. You will discover many other astounding blessings that the Lord wants to pour out on us at Mass, such as the grace that transformed St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s skepticism about the Catholic Church into a desire to give everything for the Faith. As you discover how to come to Mass with eagerness and awe, Sr. Mary Ann will unveils:
The key to seeing with faith the profound mysteries invisibly taking place at Mass
The depth of the Lord’s desire to work miracles of love for us through the Mass and the Eucharist
The comfort, tenderness, and sweetness of the Lord’s intimate physical presence within us in the Eucharist
Many other wonderful blessings the Lord lavishes upon us when we receive Holy Communion with the desire to love Him
How the Holy Eucharist ignites our love for one another, especially the poor and the suffering
The wondrous power of the Precious Blood of Jesus — even in the lives of hardened sinners
The power of the Eucharist to make the devil flee from us
The grace that the Eucharist gives us to approach death with confidence and trust
This is a must-read book for the Eucharistic revival. The saints show us that when people begin to appreciate the truth about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit powerfully draws them to the Church, or back to the Church, and immeasurably deepens the joy and love of those who learn to cherish the life-giving treasures of the Mass and the Eucharist.”
About the Author: Sr. Mary Ann, O.P., holds a doctorate in systematic theology from The Catholic University of America and taught theology for more than 30 years at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio.
Thomas Jacobi – How Saints Die by Fr. Antonio Maria Sicari on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
Thomas Jacobi
How Saints Die: 100 Stories of Hope is more about how to live than how to die. With Ignatius Press editor, Thomas Jacobi, we discuss life and death, and the challenges of living a life which strives for holiness. We discuss how the saints are great beacons of hope for the world and our essential companions for the spiritual journey.
As Thomas Jacobi will says in our conversation:
“Each Saint is a unique revelation actually of the personality of God, in Christ. Each Saint is so different and each saint reveals something new that we didn’t or couldn’t see before about Christ, about God. And that’s why it’s so important to get to know the saints. They reveal to us who God is in a fresh and exciting way. So I would encourage people to pick up this book for that reason.”
We would agree with Thomas!
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How does viewing death as “the moment when death itself dies” transform your understanding of eternal life in Christ?
In what ways do the saints’ final moments reveal the depth of their love and trust in God?
How can reflecting on the deaths of the saints help you confront your own fears about mortality?
What does it mean for death to be “the supreme act of one’s life,” as described in the conversation?
How might you unite your daily sufferings to Christ’s Passion, as the saints did?
Which saint’s story from this discussion most inspires you to live with greater hope and surrender?
How does Madeleine Delbrêl’s acceptance of her fear of death challenge your own expectations of faith?
In what ways can humility, like that shown by St. Dominic and St. Josemaría Escrivá, deepen your spiritual growth?
How can meditating on the lives and deaths of saints renew your sense of purpose and mission today?
What does this episode teach you about finding joy—even within suffering—as a sign of union with Christ?
“Italian Carmelite Antonio Maria Sicari’s vibrant biographies of saints—from Augustine to Catherine of Siena to Faustina Kowalska—have been read across Europe for decades. In How Saints Die, Sicari turns to the most difficult challenge in the life of a Christian: the hour of death.
What he uncovers in this darkest moment, however, is not desolation, but inexplicable joy. “I have recounted the death of many saints,” he writes, “but all of them have confirmed for me the truth of this ancient Christian intuition: in the death of a saint, it is death that dies!”
With in-depth research and a flair for storytelling, Sicari brings before our eyes the gracious last hours of one hundred men and women—lovers and martyrs, thinkers and workers, ancients and moderns, old men and teens. Included are Kateri Tekakwitha, Maximilian Kolbe, Mother Teresa, Thomas Aquinas, Josephine Bakhita, Jérôme Lejeune, Clare of Assisi, and many more. In each, a new shade of the divine light shines through.
Those seeking insight into the mystery of death and suffering will find in this book not only wisdom, but rich and realistic consolation.“
Dr. Scott Hahn and Kris McGregor discuss his book Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body. Dr. Scott Hahn explores the sacred significance of the human body, created not as a mere vessel but as a bridge to communion with others and with God. Christianity confronts both the fear of physical death and the deeper reality of spiritual death. True hope lies not in escaping mortality but in the promise of resurrection—life that is divine rather than merely biological. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, death itself becomes a prayer and sacrifice of love that unites humanity to God’s eternal life.
It connects this mystery to the Eucharist, calling it the sacrament of the Resurrection. The same body of Christ that hung on the cross is now glorified and offered to the faithful, transforming not just bread and wine but the hearts and bodies of those who receive Him. Baptism and confession are likewise “sacraments of resurrection,” restoring the divine life lost through sin. In reclaiming a true Christian understanding of life, death, and resurrection, Dr. Scott Hahn offers a joyful antidote to modern fear—an invitation to live and die in the radiant hope of eternal communion with God.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
How does viewing the body as a “bridge” rather than a “barrier” shape the way I relate to others and to God?
In what ways do I struggle to see death as a passage to eternal life rather than an end to earthly existence?
How does the Eucharist help me understand the reality of Christ’s resurrected body and my own future resurrection?
What does my participation in the Mass reveal about my belief in the real presence of Jesus?
How can I renew my appreciation for the sacrament of baptism as a true sharing in Christ’s death and resurrection?
When I receive the sacrament of reconciliation, do I recognize it as an encounter with the risen Christ restoring divine life within me?
How do I allow fear or anxiety about physical death to overshadow the hope of eternal life promised in Christ?
What practical steps can I take to treat my body—and the bodies of others—as temples of the Holy Spirit?
How might reflecting on the communion of saints and the resurrection of the body transform the way I view suffering and mortality?
In what ways can I “blow off the dust” of my faith, rediscovering the beauty and power of the Church’s teachings in Scripture and the Catechism?
As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body. We profess it in our creed. We’re taught that to bury and pray for the dead are corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We honor the dead in our Liturgy through the Rite of Christian burial. We do all of this, and more, because when Jesus Christ took on flesh for the salvation of our souls he also bestowed great dignity on our bodies.
In Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body, Scott Hahn explores the significance of death and burial from a Catholic perspective. The promise of the bodily resurrection brings into focus the need for the dignified care of our bodies at the hour of death. Unpacking both Scripture and Catholic teaching, Hope to Die reminds us that we are destined for glorification on the last day.
Our bodies have been made by a God who loves us. Even in death, those bodies point to the mystery of our salvation.
About the Author
Scott Hahn is the Fr. Michael Scanlan Professor of Biblical Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. Founder and President of the St. Paul Center, Dr. Hahn has been married to Kimberly since 1979; they have six children and twenty-three grandchildren. He is the author or editor of over fifty popular and academic books, including best-selling titles Rome Sweet Home, The Lamb’s Supper, and Hope to Die.
Fr. John Horgan – His Angels At Our Side on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
In this special episode of Inside the Pages, Kris McGregor interviews the late Fr. John Horgan about his book His Angels at Our Side: Understanding Their Power in Our Souls and in the World. Focusing on the role of angels in the spiritual life, Fr. Horgan explains how they guide, protect, and inspire us.
It’s important for us to understand angels as spiritual beings who reflect the majesty of God rather than projecting our human traits onto them. Fr. Horgan discusses the relationship between humans and their guardian angels, noting that these angels are given by God to guide and protect every soul, not just the baptized. He advises against naming angels, as their names and missions come directly from God.
Angels are models of prayer and adoration, constantly gazing upon God. They can teach us how to deepen our relationship with God, especially through prayer, obedience, and silence. While angels don’t usually communicate with us through mystical experiences, they offer daily guidance and inspiration; encouraging a spirit of openness to the guardian angel’s influence through prayer and attentiveness to their subtle promptings.
They also cover the role of angels in the Mass, where they worship alongside us, and how we can invite them into our prayer life, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer. Fr. Horgan explains that angels help us align our wills with God’s and overcome temptations, and reflects on the angels’ relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary and their role in leading us closer to her and her perfect acceptance of God’s will.
How does reflecting on the nature of angels as reflections of God’s majesty help you deepen your understanding of their role in your life?
In what ways can the angels’ perfect adoration of God inspire you to include more acts of adoration in your own prayer life?
How can you cultivate a more conscious relationship with your guardian angel to better respond to their guidance and protection?
What can the obedience of angels teach you about accepting God’s will in your daily life, even when it challenges your own desires?
How does considering the presence of angels during Mass change your approach to the liturgy and deepen your reverence for the Eucharistic celebration?
How can the silence that angels lead you into help you create more space for God in your heart amid the noise of the world?
What steps can you take to better recognize the influence of evil in your life and rely more on the guidance of the angels in resisting temptation?
How does reflecting on the angels’ relationship with Mary inspire you to model her obedience and openness to God’s plan?
What are some practical ways you can invite your guardian angel to assist you in your interactions with others and in your daily tasks?
How can a deeper understanding of the angels’ mission enhance your spiritual growth and help you in your journey toward heaven?
From the book description
Meet the mighty spirits sent by God to enlighten and guide us, defend us from harm, and lead us on the path to eternal life. Learn how angels are invisibly present at every moment of your life, and how they can pray with you and for you, amplifying your praise by reflecting it directly to God face-to-face.
Angels do not form a separate universe they are an integral part of our own world sent forth for the sake of our salvation. They are pure spirits who communicate to us God’s grace, His goodness, and His truth.
In these pages, Fr. Horgan unveils the surprising role of the angels in our lives and what you must do to gain their help. You’ll learn how to imitate the angels in prayer and how they offer you the enlightenment and the encouragement God so desperately wants to give you. By praying with the angels, you will be strengthened for what lies ahead, better able to discern and do the Lord’s will in all your actions. You ll also learn:
Why the Church teaches that the angels were created at the time of creation
The responsibilities of the angels at every Mass
The key difference between spirits and angels
Seven habits you must develop to grow closer to God through His angels
The difference between Archangel Gabriel’s apparitions to Mary and Zechariah
How St. Joseph can expose you to the inspirations of the angels
The difference in the way humans and angels think
How you can imitate the warrior nature of the angels
The three ways you must respond to your angel’s guardianship
The five roles that every angel takes in their service for the Lord
The surprising ways in which angelic warfare is carried out
About the Author
Father John G. Horgan was a priest of the Archdiocese of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, and the pastor of St Pius X Parish. A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard, as well as the Angelicum in Rome, before being ordained by St. John Paul II in 1986. He lectured and consulted on questions of moral theology and healthcare ethics in Canada and the United States. Fr. Horgan had a life-long interest in the Angels and Saints and was credentialed through the Vatican’s special training course for those involved in the process of “saint-making” in 1997. He served as a vice-postulator for the cause of Blessed Marie of Jesus Deluil-Martiny and has advised on several other causes. Fr. Horgan was involved with EWTN, the Eternal Word Global Television Network, since the early 1990s; he made several appearances with Mother Angelica, and has filmed two television series. He entered into eternal rest in October of 2022.
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
God as the True End
God as the true end is the seventh attitude of a discerning heart. In Catholic discernment, all choices, prayers, and works lead us to Him, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus calls us to live the Beatitudes, keep the Great Commandment, and follow the vision of Matthew 25. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that our final end is eternal union with God, the goal and fulfillment of every desire.
Scripture Reading:
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.’” (John 14:6)
Every journey has a destination. For the Christian, that destination is God Himself. All our discernment, all our choices, all our striving find their meaning only if they lead us closer to Him.
In the discerning heart, we remember that prayer, good works, even vocations are not ends in themselves. They are means that lead us to the ultimate end: union with God. If we mistake the means for the end, we risk losing sight of the One who is the source of all goodness.
Jesus tells us plainly: He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is not one path among many, but the very road, destination, and fulfillment of our hearts.
To keep God as the true end means living the Beatitudes, following the Great Commandment to love God and neighbor, and embracing the vision of Matthew 25 — seeing Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters. Whenever discernment leads us away from love, we know we are on the wrong path.
Saint’s Teaching:
St. Thomas Aquinas taught that the final end of the human person is the vision of God — to see Him face to face in eternal life. All lesser goods must serve this greater end.
The saints remind us that every prayer, every sacrifice, every act of love is meant to draw us deeper into God, who alone is our beginning and our end.
Guided Application Questions:
In what ways do I sometimes treat spiritual practices as ends in themselves rather than pathways to God? Ask for the grace to pray and serve with your eyes fixed on Him.
How am I tempted to seek fulfillment in created things instead of the Creator? Name it in prayer, and invite the Lord to redirect your desire toward Himself.
How can I renew my intention to seek God above all else? Begin your prayer by saying: “Lord, You are my beginning and my end. All I do is for You.”
Closing Prayer:
Eternal Father, You are the beginning and the end of all things.
Through the words of Your Son, who is the way, the truth, and the life, guide me to Yourself.
Through the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas and the witness of all the saints, help me to live for You alone.
Through Christ our Lord.
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
Right Priorities
Right priorities are the sixth attitude of a discerning heart. In Catholic discernment, priorities are ordered when God comes first. Jesus teaches us: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”St. Augustine reminds us that the restless heart finds peace only in God. When we put Him first, all else finds its place in His loving care.
Scripture Reading: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” (Matthew 6:33–34)
Our lives can easily become filled with anxieties — about work, family, money, or the future. But Jesus reminds us that the way forward is not found in worry, but in ordering our hearts rightly.
In the discerning heart, priorities are clear: God comes first. Everything else takes its place under Him. When we seek His kingdom first, our decisions, our time, and our relationships all find their proper order.
This does not mean life will be without struggles. But it does mean that we face them with peace, knowing our lives are in God’s hands. Right priorities free us from being controlled by passing concerns and help us walk in the confidence of His care.
Saint’s Teaching:
St. Augustine, after years of searching, discovered that only God could satisfy the deep desires of the heart. He confessed: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.”
His words remind us that no created thing, no matter how good, can take the place of God. To give Him first place is not to lose, but to gain the peace of a heart at rest.
Guided Application Questions:
In what part of my life do I give first place to something other than God? Ask Him to re-order your heart so He is at the center.
How can I seek God first in prayer each day? Begin and end the day with a short offering of love to Him.
How is the Lord inviting me to trust that if I put Him first, He will provide for my needs? Bring that concern into prayer and say: “Lord, I seek Your kingdom first.”
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You taught us to seek first the kingdom of God.
Grant me a heart that places You above all things.
Through the prayers of St. Augustine, help me to find rest only in You.
Through Christ our Lord.
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
Prayerful Reflection
Prayerful reflection is the fifth attitude of a discerning heart. In Catholic discernment, it means pausing to notice God’s presence in daily life. The psalmist reminds us, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me,” and saints like Francis de Sales encouraged a daily examen of gratitude and humility. Reflection allows us to see grace and failure honestly, so we may respond to God with greater clarity and love.
Scripture Reading: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:1–3)
A discerning heart does not rush through life without pause. It learns to stop, to remember, and to reflect. Prayerful reflection is the space where we allow God to show us how He has been present — in the blessings and also in the challenges.
The psalmist tells us that God knows us completely. Nothing escapes His gaze. When we take time to reflect, we begin to see our lives as He sees them. We recognize moments of grace that might have passed unnoticed. We also see where we turned away, where sin or selfishness clouded our choices.
Prayerful reflection helps us grow in gratitude, humility, and clarity. It is not simply an exercise in memory, but an encounter with God’s living presence in our daily story.
Saint’s Teaching:
St. Francis de Sales encouraged the faithful to make a daily examen — not only to confess faults, but to rejoice in God’s blessings and renew the desire to walk closely with Him. He wrote that reflection helps us “turn our hearts to God, raising them above the concerns of the world.”
The Benedictines also practiced this rhythm of reflection in the Divine Office, pausing throughout the day to pray the Psalms. Their lives show us that reflection is not a luxury, but an essential rhythm of Christian life.
Guided Application Questions:
How can I make time, even briefly, to reflect on where God has been present in my day? End the day with a few minutes of prayerful review and thanksgiving.
In what moments do I experience peace, and when do I feel restlessness? Bring these to prayer, asking the Lord to deepen His peace and heal what is restless within you.
How can I begin a simple practice of reflection? Pray with gratitude, ask forgiveness where needed, and place tomorrow in God’s hands.
Closing Prayer:
O Lord, You search me and know me.
Help me to pause each day and see my life through Your eyes.
Through the example of St. Francis de Sales and St. Benedict, teach me to remember with gratitude and to return to You with trust.
Through Christ our Lord.
You can find the book 
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor
The Seven Attitudes of a Discerning Heart with Kris McGregor