On Prayer Archives

IP#306 Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC – Champions of the Rosary on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

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It’s always a delight to talk with Fr. Donald Calloway, particularly when it’s about Our Lady! In “Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon”, Fr. Calloway proves once again to be one of the Blessed Mother’s great knights in our modern-day spiritual battle. His humble, joy-filled witness is inspiring! Along with the Sacraments of the Church and Sacred Scripture, Fr. Calloway knows exactly what we need to enhance and deepen our experience of grace in these crazy challenging times which we now live in – The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary! For the restless contemplative heart, there is no place better to ponder the presence and mysteries of God than in Our Lady’s “garden of prayer.” In that prayer, she will bring us to encounter Christ, and through Him, with Him, and in Him, the world will be transformed. This fantastic book is like a multi-faceted diamond. In its pages, Fr. Calloway shares the rich history of the Holy Rosary, beautifully pious devotional reflections (with stunning artwork as well), and the stories of those whose lives encourage us to become champions of this devotion as well! This is a must have in every Catholic home and parish!

You can find the book here

“Champions of the Rosary is an encyclopedic and inspiring work on the rosary, the spiritual weapon that has been given to the Church. In a remarkable way, it presents the fascinating saga of the birth and development of the devotion so linked to the Dominican Order! This is a wonderful tool for better understanding the rosary, promoting its use, and championing it in our troubled world. I am certain that these pages will inspire us all to take up our rosary!” Fr. Louis-Marie Arino-Durand, OP. Promotor Generalis pro Rosario. Rome, Italy

“Champions of the Rosary is an extremely insightful, pious, and scholarly work on the rosary. Father Calloway’s insights and contributions into the history and heroes of the rosary will not go unnoticed or unappreciated.” — His Eminence Christoph Maria Cardinal Schonborn, OP, STD Archbishop of Vienna, Austria

IP#273 Fr. Christopher Collins S.J. – Three Moments of the Day on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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“Three Moments of the Day: Praying with the Heart of Jesus” by Fr. Christopher Collins S.J. is outstanding!

Our conversation with Fr. Collins may leave you feeling that you’ve received a wonderful spiritual “booster shot”! What seemed old is beautifully new again. What we may have taken for granted is revealed to have delightfully renewing facets for us to explore. Highly, highly recommended!

From the book description:

On the strength of the Apostleship of Prayer’s worldwide reach, retreat master Christopher Collins introduces a powerful approach to both the Sacred Heart devotion and classic Ignatian spirituality.
In the tradition of Michael Gaitley’s bestselling 33 Days to Morning Glory, Three Moments of the Day presents a classic Catholic tradition in a way that is fresh and compelling. Jesuit retreat master Christopher Collins introduces three simple, yet powerful prayer habits that are at the foundation of both the Sacred Heart devotion and Ignatian spirituality and that assist the reader in turning intentionally toward the Sacred Heart of Christ. Readers are guided through morning offering, evening reflection, and how to ponder the gift of the Eucharist throughout the day.

You can find the book here

“Fr. Collins has written a dynamic and entertaining invitation to the Church: Let Jesus love us and heal us at the depth of our wounds. Here, in this accessible source, we can encounter the fire of the Sacred Heart, a fire of love searching for us all.” ––Deacon James Keating, Director of Theological Formation, Institute for Priestly Formation, Creighton University

“This simple yet profound program of three moments a day will bless all who undertake it. In this book, a rich spiritual content is conveyed in heartfelt and accessible language.” —Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., Author of The Discernment of Spirits

IP#294 Fr. Donald Haggerty – Contemplative Hunger on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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“Contemplative Hunger” is a beautifully reflective expression of our experience with the “still, small voice of God”. Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, has been a Professor of Moral Theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland. He has a long association as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. From this background, Fr. Haggerty writes about the value of silence, truth, and the need for interior surrender to God. He also illumines the link between contemplation and love for poverty and the poor. Fr. Haggerty identifies the longing of souls for a deeper contemplative encounter and the need to nurture it properly. A truly lovely work that could very well become a classic in spiritual writing.

You can find the book here

“A great invitation stirs within these pages to embark on the ultimate quest for God and holiness.”
— Fr. Augustine Di Noia, O.P.

“Fr. Haggerty provokes, encourages, and reassures Christians who struggle to remain faithful to prayer when the Lord seems to be silent. This work offers a very fresh, attractive, and compelling challenge, inviting readers to take heart, to expect more, and to give more to the Lord.” –Sr. Sara Butler, M.S.B.T.

“Father Haggerty reveals that the most active of saints found the wellspring of their energies in the prayer of contemplation, by developing the habit of talking to God, intimately.” –Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P.

BTP-IC7 – Fourth Mansions Chapter 1 – The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles Podcast

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In this episode, Dr. Lilles discusses the Fourth Mansions Chapter 1 of the “Interior Castle” which covers:

1. Souls in the Third Mansions. 2. Insecurity of this life. 3. Our danger of falling from grace. 4. The Saint bewails her past life. 5. Our Lady’s patronage. 6. Fear necessary even for religious. 7. St. Teresa’s contrition. 8. Characteristics of those in the Third Mansions. 9. The rich young man in the Gospel. 10. Reason of aridities in prayer. 11. Humility. 12. Tepidity. 13. We must give all to God. 14. Our debt. 15. Consolations and aridities

For the Discerning Hearts audio recording of the “Interior Castle” by St. Teresa of Avila you can visit here

For other audio recordings of various spiritual classics you can visit the Discerning Hearts Spiritual Classics page

For other episodes in the series visit
The Discerning Hearts “The Interior Castle with Dr. Anthony Lilles”

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D. is an associate professor and the academic dean of Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo as well as the academic advisor for Juan Diego House of Priestly Formation for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. For over twenty years he served the Church in Northern Colorado where he joined and eventually served as dean of the founding faculty of Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Through the years, clergy, seminarians, religious and lay faithful have benefited from his lectures and retreat conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church and the writings of St. Elisabeth of the Trinity.

IP#322 – Fr. Donald Haggerty – Conversion on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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“Conversion: Spiritual Insights Into an Essential Encounter with God” is another wonderful offering of spiritual reflections by Fr. Donald Haggerty! What is “conversion”? Fr. Haggerty brings us to a clearer understanding by relating it in our life in God. Sin, mercy, and responding to the will of God are just some of the elements he addresses in this deeply penetrating book. Take a listen to our conversation and then obtain a copy of the book for yourself and friend. An excellent gift for the questing heart.

You can find the book here

“Fr. Haggerty uses a clear and direct style to make the point that conversion is the daily heartfelt response of a disciple to the Master.”
—Fr. George Rutler, Author, He Spoke to Us

“This is that rarest book, one that needs no praise because its spiritual truth and radical love are evident on every page.”
—Matthew Levering, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

IP#121 Fr. Larry Richards – Surrender on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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“Surrender! The Life Changing Power of Doing God’s Will” is another outstanding offering from Fr. Larry Richards! From start to finish Fr. Larry challenges us to place Jesus Christ first in our lives and our relationships with others and the world. Once we can do that, things begin to fall into place. Then he helps us to recognize the difference between God’s will and our will, and to trust that His will be better for us if we trust, love and….SURRENDER!

Fr. Larry Richards is an engaging writer, who never fails to keep us hooked through the entire book. This will be one of those books that you want to purchase at least two copies, because you’ll want to pass it on to another, and you’ll want to keep one for yourself for years to come.

You can find the book here

From the book description:

…Surrender outlines concrete steps you can take to dwell in peace. Simply put, God wants every one of us to be a saint which is a lot of work! It requires developing a plan for your life, in accordance with the Lord’s will.

Prayer is the key to this, as it opens the soul to hearing God’s voice and accepting his guidance. But prayer too requires discipline and planning. Father Richards is the life coach every one of us needs on the sidelines of our daily life the tough love coach who calls it like he sees it.

Allow yourself to move out of the driver seat and surrender to the one who knows all God.

IP#318 Fr. John Burns – Lift Up Your Heart on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

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“Lift Up Your Heart: A 10-Day Personal Retreat with St. Francis de Sales” is outstanding. A wonderful “introduction to the devout life”… literally! Fr. John Burns breaks open up the teachings of the great spiritual director and Doctor of the Church St. Francis de Sales in a wonderfully fresh new way. Very practical and perfect for meditation during prayer times during the day, this is a mini-retreat we can all benefit from.

You can find the book here

From the book description:

This practical book goes right to the heart of helping you kick the habit of floating along on your spiritual journey to start actively pursuing holiness and devotion to God. During the course of the retreat, you ll learn the basics of forming a daily prayer routine, including how to offer yourself to God, meditate on his love, and maintain peace in the face of suffering and clarity in the midst of temptation.

The meditations will help you:

Adopt gratitude as a daily prayer practice.

Examine and reorder your priorities and relationships to better reflect your love for God.

Discern between good and evil in your life.

Desire to love and serve as Jesus did.

In a very real sense, Burns helps you take St. Francis de Sales as your spiritual director for ten days. As you do so, you’ll feel God’s fatherly love and restart your faith life, equipped with the tools to connect with God and live for heaven now.

IP#220 Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B. – The Ear of the Heart on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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This is the best biography I have read in years! What a glorious testament to the fruitfulness of the Benedictine rule and how it transforms lives. Mother Dolores Hart brings to us a generous sharing of her life experience and the joy found in the peace and stability in the living with her monastic community. How could a woman walk away from “having it all”? Mother Dolores discovered the “pearl of great price”, and she found it by listening to the “ear of the heart”. An absolutely fantastic read and spiritually fulfilling work. A must read!!!! This conversation will go down as one of my favorites of all time!!! Thank you God!!!

You can find the book here
“What a joy to be in the company of Mother Dolores Hart. She is a compassionate narrator, from her childhood days, darkened by parental alcoholism, to her Hollywood career and her calling as a Catholic nun. Mother Dolores talks candidly about the difficulty of becoming a cloistered, Benedictine nun. The struggle with years of discipline and the rigorous farm work at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. We learn there was something in her deepest heart she sought.” — —-Pia Lindstrom, television journalist, daughter of Ingrid Bergman

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.”
Saint Benedict

“Mother Dolores Hart is a remarkable woman with a remarkable story-one of love, devotion, and faith.”
—Maria Shriver, bestselling author of Just Who Will You Be?

USCCA44 – God Calls Us To Pray pt 1 – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

USCCA44 Chapter 35- God Calls Us To Pray – The Foundations of Prayer pt 1

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 35:

Descriptions of prayer are abundant throughout Christian history. “True prayer,” wrote St. Augustine, “is nothing but love.” Prayer should arise from the heart. “Prayer,” said St. John Vianney, “is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.” “Everyone of us needs half an hour of prayer each day,” remarked St. Francis de Sales, “except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” Definitions of prayer are important, but insufficient. There is a huge difference between knowing about prayer and praying. On this issue, the Rule of St. Benedict is clear: “If a man wants to pray, let him go and pray.”

St. John Damascene gave a classic definition of prayer: “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (CCC, no. 2559, citing St. John Damascene, De Fide Orth. 3, 24).

The Catechism clearly defines prayer as a “vital and personal relationship with the living and true God” (CCC, no. 2558). Prayer is Christian “insofar as it is communion with Christ” (CCC, no. 2565), and a “covenant relationship between God and man in Christ” (CCC, no. 2564).

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (2012-04-02). United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Kindle Locations 6658-6667). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Kindle Edition.

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas leads the Archdiocese of Omaha.

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This programs is based on:

More information can be found here.

We wish to thank the USCCB for the permissions granted for use of relevant material used in this series.

IP#304 Fr. Ed Broom, O.M.V. – From Humdrum to Holy on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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What a delight to talk and to LEARN from Fr. Ed Broom, of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary! His book “From Humdrum to HOLY: A Step-by-Step Guide to Living Like a Saint” is great! In our conversation, we discuss the value of the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the great legacy of Ven. Bruno Lanteri and of having a spiritual program in our lives. He offers in this work, among other things, “10 Ways to Start (or Continue) Becoming a Saint” . Through the “10 M’s” he presents practical entryways to help souls who desire to establish spiritual practices in their everyday life. Fr. Ed speaks of the importance of self-knowledge and the practice of the Daily Examen Prayer as well as, the need to form a healthy conscience. We are only able to touch the tip of the iceberg in this episode, but that’s the beauty of having the “From Humdrum to HOLY” your hands! Fr. Ed Broom’s writing is so engaging and filled with clarity. Take an important first step in growing in holiness and get this book!

You can find the book here

“I’m a direct beneficiary of Fr. Ed Broom’s extraordinary zeal for souls. His passionate pastoral concern for ‘lost sheep’ helped bring me back to the practice of my Catholic Faith in high school, and his stirring homilies enkindled in me an ardent desire for holiness. I pray that the potent practical wisdom of these pages will inspire many others to strive for greater sanctity.”
Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC
Author, 33 Days to Merciful Love

“In Fr. Broom’s book, readers will find an accessible and practical guide toward the goal of holiness.”
Fr. Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV

“Those who long for a serious, yet simple and doable, path to spiritual growth, to holiness and to wholeness, will find a treasure in this wonderfully-readable spiritual gem.”
Mother Miriam Of The Lamb Of God, O.S.B.
Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope

IP#304 Fr. Ed Broom O.M.V – From Humdrum to Holy on Inside the Pages from Discerning Hearts on Vimeo.