“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.
“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
“You are bait on the hook” is the lead topic of this episode of “The Spiritual Journey Podcast with Kris McGregor.” A portion of this podcast was originally recorded during an episode of “The Good Book Club” segment on the Spirit Morning Show. Kris reflects on six martyrs, two which died over 1800 years, Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, and four Missionary of Charity Sisters who were killed in recent years in Yemen. The Paschal Mystery and the grace of Martyrdom are explored and the question becomes what does that look like in my life. Kris also offers a book recommendation further delve into this mystery: “The Cross: Word and Sacrament” by Adrienne von Speyr
There is no greater mystery to be contemplated than the Paschal Mystery. In this spiritual gem, von Speyr leads us to the foot of the Cross, and with her we gaze upon the crucified Christ and listen deeply. The Word, who became flesh and made his dwelling among us, cries out in his suffering seven last words, which open up the portals of divine grace that are known as the sacraments. These mysterious gifts, which come at such an indescribable cost, deserve to be cherished, reverenced, and contemplated.
The Cross: Word and Sacrament will challenge, surprise, and encourage the reader to welcome the Paschal Mystery into his own life. Guided into the depths of this mystery by von Speyr, the reader encounters a very real Jesus, who knows us all too well and still loves us without end. He speaks to us personally. The words he utters from the Cross contain not only gifts experienced in the sacraments of the Church but also questions: Do you truly understand what is being offered to you? Will you accept my gifts? Will you suffer the mystery contained in such love?
This small book contains the spiritual richness that is the fruit of her deep meditation on the Word. It calls the reader to conversion, which is a continual process of turning toward the Son, who leads us, in union with the Holy Spirit, into an ever-deepening relationship with the Father. Thus is the reader brought into the very life of the Trinity, that communion of love without end.
Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts mentioned in the podcast:
“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.
…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.
“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.
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.
Episode 5 – “Confession” – A Handmaid of the Lord: The life and legacy of Adrienne von Speyr with Dr. Adrian Walker, Ph.D.
With Dr. Adrian Walker, we reflect on various aspects of Adrienne’s insight into the nature of confession as described in her book of the same name.
An excerpt from “Confession” Chapter 1: Introduction – The Search for Confession
Let us assume you are my friend, and I say to you, “I can’t go on like this.” We discuss the situation together; perhaps we discover where I got off the track, and perhaps we even refer to my childhood. What we find will help me to make a new start. In every discussion of this sort, however, the individual is viewed as an isolated person, and it does not become clear that he lives in a community both of saints and sinners. Only God knows the laws both of the community of saints and of the community of sinners. In confession I am, of course, this individual sinner, but I am simultaneously a part of humanity, one of its fallen members. Thus conceptual factors are completely different in confession than in analysis. They are both personal and social; indeed, they comprise a totality that draws into focus the world as a whole, its relationship to God, and the first and last things, even if this larger context only falls into our field of vision momentarily and is experienced only indirectly. And since the situation is different, so also are the means of healing. The truth of God is involved, not the truth of the human being, nor the truth of his soul, his existence or the structure of his deeper being, but decisively the truth of God. None of the human techniques takes this divine truth seriously; at most they save it for the hour of death, and they do not help a man to become the kind of person he will need to be in that hour.
As long as aid for the human being is offered by other human beings and is mobile within the human sphere, it can operate only with human means. Everything approaching a person from external sources can be considered only as accidental and external and be supplied with a positive or negative label; the unity between interior and exterior, however, cannot be effected. The psychological session can offer me only “modes of behavior” applicable to the present, which themselves can and must change under altered conditions. Confession, on the other hand, brings a person face to face with his divine destiny and places him directly within it—within that which is final and ultimate.
As long as a person is not confessing, he feels free to speak or keep silent about whatever he wishes. What he then hates in confession is not the humbling experience of revealing himself, and not the fact that he is a sinner—he already knows that somehow—but the necessity of capitulating before and within total confession, the fact that the freedom of selection has been withdrawn and that the only choice remaining is to reveal everything or nothing. He is sick as a whole person and must be healed as such, and not eclectically. That is the first humbling experience. The second is that he is only one of many and has to accept the same conditions as do the others, even external conditions such as having to appear at the confessional at an appointed hour: a kind of marked condition, the elimination of all external differentiation—the factory owner and the watchman, the lady and her cook, all on equal footing. Precisely when one confesses that which is most intimate, one no longer has a choice or selection, is put on a level with all other sinners and is merely one penitent in the line of other sinners. The peculiarities of my particular “case”, which made it seem so interesting to me and which I would so gladly have explained to the listener, do not matter at all any more. Confession [Beichten] is above all precisely that: a confession [Bekenntnis] not only of my sins but also a confession to God and to God’s precepts and institutions, indeed to his Church with her own weakness and her myriad ambiguous, even disturbing, aspects.
The act of “speaking” with someone about my life does not oblige me further. Afterward, I can experience a certain feeling of gratitude or of awkwardness toward the person who has listened to me, but I remain the free person who can detach himself again. Confession is not an individual act in the same sense; nothing in it can be isolated. The act of confession expressly involves the whole person, his whole life, his whole world-view, his whole relationship to God.
Adrienne von Speyr was a Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor and author of over 60 books on spirituality and theology. She’s inspired countless souls around the world to deepen their mission of prayer and compassion. She entered the Catholic Church under the direction of the great theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar. In the years that would follow, they would co-found the secular institute, the Community of St. John.
Adrian Walker is an editor of the journal Communio, an International Catholic Review, who received his doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Dr. Walker has served as a translator for the English edition of Pope Benedict XVI’s, ” Jesus of Nazareth”, as well as numerous other theological works, including those of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Adrienne von Speyr.
Our series recorded at “Casa Balthasar“, a house of discernment for men located in Rome, Italy. The Casa, was founded in 1990 by a group of friends and is directed by Rev. Jacques Servais, S.J.; Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) has been closely associated with the Casa Balthasar from the very beginning as its Cardinal Protector.
Many of Adrienne von Speyr’s books can found through Ignatius Press
Susan Conroy – Praying with Mother Teresa on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor
What an absolutely wonderful book! In “Praying with Mother Teresa: Prayers, Insights, and Wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta” author Susan Conroy takes into the depths of her heart through her tremendous devotion to prayer. Susan is exceptional in sharing the joy of Mother Teresa’s particular charism: “to care for the poorest of the poor”. Who are the “poorest of the poor”? The answer might surprise you. Full disclosure is necessary: I LOVE THIS BOOK! It has become one of my favorite devotional works, and hopefully one of yours too! Susan is inspiring as well, an obvious fruit from this beautiful ministry. Don’t miss!
Praying with Mother Teresa brings us into the heart of Mother Teresa’s prayer life! Author Susan Conroy, a personal friend of Mother Teresa, gives us a meditative look at Mother Teresa’s insights on suffering, joy, peace, humility, and poverty, and brings us right into the prayer life of one of the most beloved women of our time, Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Each prayer has been carefully, and prayerfully, selected for use in daily prayer. Mother Teresa gave Susan her blessing and approval to share these words and prayers with others “to bring them peace and joy too.”
Dr. Lilles continues the spiritual explorations of the Letters of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. In this episode we discuss letter 224, with a special focus on Elizabeth’s insights on fear, death, hope and renunciation:
L 224
To Madame Angels
[a little before March 8, 1905]
J. M. + J. T.
“Abandonment is the delicious fruit of love”
Very dear Madame,
Before entering the great silence of Lent, our Reverend Mother is allowing me to tell you how much my dear community and I are praying for you. I can understand what apprehensions you must feel in facing an operation; I am asking God to ease them, to calm them Himself. The holy Apostle Paul says that “He works all things according to the counsel of His will,” thus we must receive everything as coming directly from that divine hand of our Father who loves us and who, through all trials, pursues His goal, “to unite us more closely to Himself.” Dear Madame, launch your soul on the waves of confidence and abandonment, and remember that anything that troubles it or throws it into fear does not come from God, for He is the Prince of Peace and He promises that peace “to those of good will.” When you are afraid you have abused His graces, as you say, that is the time to redouble your confidence, for, as the Apostle says, “where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more,” and farther on, “I boast of my weaknesses, for then the power of Jesus Christ dwells in me.” “Our God is rich in mercy because of His immense love.” So do not fear the hour we must all pass through. Death, dear Madame, is the sleep of the child resting on the heart of its mother. At last the night of exile will have fled forever, and we will enter into possession of the inheritance of the saints in light. Saint John of the Cross says we will be judged in love. That corresponds well with the thinking of Our Lord, who said to Mary Magdalene: “Many sins have been forgiven her because she has loved much.” I often think I will have a very long purgatory, for much will be asked of the one who has received much and He has been so overwhelmingly generous to His little bride, but she abandons herself to His love and sings the hymn of His mercies while still on earth! Dear Madame, if we made God increase in our soul every day, think what confidence that would give us to appear one day before His infinite holiness! I think you have found the secret and that it is indeed that we arrive at this divine goal through renunciation: by that means we die to self in order to leave all the room to God. Do you remember that beautiful passage from the Gospel according to Saint John where Our Lord says to Nicodemus: “Truly I say to you, if one is not born anew, one cannot see the kingdom of God”? Let us therefore renew ourselves in the interior of our soul, “let us strip off the old and clothe ourselves anew, in the image of Him who created him” (Saint Paul). That is done gently and simply, by separating ourselves from all that is not God. Then the soul no longer has any fears or desires, its will is entirely lost in the will of God, and since this is what creates union, it can cry out: “I live no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” Let us pray much for each other during this holy time of Lent; let us retire to the desert with our Master and ask Him to teach us to live by His life.
I saw Mama, Marguerite, and her dear little Sabeth; it was the last parlor visit until Easter, they find that very long. I know Marie-Louise is also expecting a little angel and I recommend her particularly to God. Remember me to your dear ones. I am writing a little note in reply to Monsieur le Chanoine2 and, as a poor Carmelite, I am being so bold as to entrust it to you to deliver to him whenever you have a chance; I hope that is not being indiscreet. A Dieu, dear Madame, courage and confidence, I kiss you as I love you.
Catez, Elizabeth of the Trinity. The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 2: Letters from Carmel (pp. 192-194). ICS Publications. Kindle Edition.
Special thanks to Miriam Gutierrez for her readings of St. Elizabeth’s letters
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.
Dr. Lilles continues the spiritual explorations of the Letters of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. In this episode, we discuss letter 169, with a special focus on Heaven as a spiritual reality.:
L 169
To Canon Angles
[ July 15, 1903]
Dijon Carmel,
J. M. + J. T.
Monsieur le Chanoine,
My dear Mama, whom I saw last week, brought me your good letter, and I assure you that I can indeed sympathize with the suffering your eyes are causing you, and I am praying fervently for you. I was wondering a little what had become of you, but you find your little Carmelite close to God, don’t you? And that is where she finds you too; then no more distance, no more separation, but already, as in Heaven, the fusion of hearts and souls! . . . How many things have happened since my last letter! I heard the Church say “Veni sponsa Christi” [Come, bride of Christ]; she consecrated me, and now all is “consummated.” Rather, everything is beginning, for profession is only a dawn; and each day my “life as a bride”3 seems to me more beautiful, more luminous, more enveloped in peace and love. During the night that preceded the great day, while I was in choir awaiting the Bridegroom, I understood that my Heaven was beginning on earth; Heaven in faith, with suffering and immolation for Him whom I love! . . . I so wish to love Him, to love Him as my seraphic Mother did, even to dying of it. We sing “O charitatis Victima” on her feast day, and that is my whole ambition: to be the prey of love! I think that in Carmel it is so simple to live by love; from morning to evening the Rule is there to express the will of God, moment by moment. If you knew how I love this Rule, which is the way He wants me to become holy. I do not know if I will have the happiness of giving my Bridegroom the witness of my blood [by martyrdom], but at least, if I fully live my Carmelite life, I have the consolation of wearing myself out for Him, for Him alone. Then what difference does the work He wills for me make? Since He is always with me, prayer, the heart-to-heart, must never end! I feel Him so alive in my soul. I have only to recollect myself to find Him within me, and that is my whole happiness. He has placed in my heart a thirst for the infinite and such a great need for love that He alone can satisfy it. I go to Him like a little child to its mother so He may fill, invade, everything, and then take me and carry me away in His arms. I think we must be so simple with God!
I am longing to send you my good Mama; you will see how God is working in this beloved soul. Sometimes I cry for happiness and gratitude; it is so good to be devoted to your mother, to feel that she, too, is completely His, to be able to tell her about your soul and to be completely understood! . . . You really are the great attraction of the trip, I assure you; I love to remember those vacations at Saint-Hilaire, then at Carcassonne and Labastide, they were the best ones I had. With what fatherly goodness you received the confidences I so loved to make to you; I would be happy if one day they could be made once again through my dear grilles. Won’t you come to bless your little Carmelite and, quite close to her, thank Him who “has loved her exceedingly,” for, you see, my happiness can no longer be expressed. Listen to what is being sung in my soul and all that is rising from the heart of the bride to the Heart of the Bridegroom for you whose little child she will always be. Send her your best blessing; at Holy Mass, bathe her in the Blood of the Bridegroom; it is the purity of the bride, and she is so thirsting for it! A Dieu, monsieur le Chanoine, affectionately and respectfully yours,
Sr. Elizabeth of the Trinity r.c.i.
Catez, Elizabeth of the Trinity. The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 2: Letters from Carmel (pp. 110-111). ICS Publications. Kindle Edition.
Special thanks to Miriam Gutierrez for her readings of St. Elizabeth’s letters
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.
Journeying with Jesus – Is Jesus Calling You with Fr. Paul Hoesing
Fr. Paul Hoesing and Kris McGregor discuss the guide for discernment, which is not just for those considering priesthood but for all seeking to discern God’s will in their lives. They explore lessons based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, emphasizing the importance of encountering Jesus, desiring what he desires, and trusting him. The process involves becoming aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and desires, understanding them in God’s presence, and taking action. Discernment takes time, akin to the gradual conversion experienced by the apostles.
Fr. Hoesing delves into the incremental nature of discernment, where individuals progress step by step, rather than seeking immediate answers to complex questions. The importance of seminary formation is to provide young men with the necessary human and spiritual development; addressing societal pressures on career decisions and the need for proper human formation, especially in the seminary environment.
The role of spiritual direction is important, guiding individuals through discernment and helping them articulate their prayers and petitions. Fr. Hoesing concludes with reflections on finding peace in Jesus, recognizing his presence, and anchoring oneself in Christ for fruitful discernment.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:
Encountering Jesus and Trusting Him: How does the encounter with Jesus impact one’s discernment process?
Understanding Thoughts, Feelings, and Desires in God’s Presence: Reflect on the importance of becoming aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and desires in the discernment journey.
Patience in Discernment: How can we cultivate patience in our discernment process, understanding that it takes time?
Incremental Nature of Discernment: Consider the idea of discernment as an incremental journey rather than seeking immediate answers. How does this perspective shift our approach to discernment?
Role of Seminary Formation: Reflect on the significance of seminary formation in providing the necessary human and spiritual development for those discerning priesthood.
Navigating Societal Pressures: How can we navigate societal pressures on career decisions, especially regarding vocations, and prioritize discernment of God’s will?
Importance of Spiritual Direction: Reflect on the role of spiritual direction in guiding individuals through discernment and helping them articulate their prayers and petitions.
Finding Peace in Jesus: How do we recognize and anchor ourselves in the peace that comes from encountering Jesus in our discernment journey?
Closing Reflections: Consider St. Teresa of Jesus’ prayer: “Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing frighten you. Everything passes. God never changes. Patience obtains all.” How does this prayer resonate with your discernment journey?
Prayer for Guidance: Pray for God’s blessing and guidance in your discernment, seeking to live fully and radically in Christ.
Based on “Is Jesus Calling You To Be A Catholic Priest: A helpful guide”, published by National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Director.
Fr. Paul Hoesing serves at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as President Rector
What a delight to talk with Mark Joseph about “Overwhelming Pursuit: Stop Chasing Your Life and Live.” He presents in this very compelling book a practical approach to transforming your life. I simply could not have put any better than Dr. Scott Hahn who said in his ringing endorsement of Mark’s work: “In these pages you’ll learn, step by step, how to do the hard stuff: forgive from the heart, apologize, open yourself to the healing power of God’s mercy. If these graces have seemed remote, theoretical, or elusive to you, seek here and find everything you need: a prescription for spiritual health and lifelong conversion.” Excellent! Get a copy for yourself and someone in your life who really needs this solid yet caring message. Mark’s website is: https://markjosephministries.com
“Success lets me and everybody else know that I’m important – that I’m worth loving. Success is how I prove my worth in this world.”
That’s what Mark Joseph thought.
He was driven to achieve, and he did. Through his success, he felt loved and respected. He worked night and day to keep feeling important.
But success came at a price.
If you’re overwhelmed, unfulfilled, and running in circles chasing happiness, this is the book for you.
You’ll learn, as Mark did, that the overwhelming pursuit of success stems from our underlying belief that we need to earn love, and that striving for it will somehow cure our lack of self-love. He’ll show you, through his experiences and those of others, that fulfillment has nothing to do with success. It comes from knowing that – despite success or failure you were created by God for greatness, for love and to be loved.