DOS#11 The Ninth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 11 -The Ninth Rule:

There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate.

The first is, because of our being tepid, lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us.

The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise without such great pay of consolation and great graces.

The third, to give us true acquaintance and knowledge, that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to get or keep great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and that we may not build a nest in a thing not ours, raising our intellect into some pride or vainglory, attributing to us devotion or the other things of the spiritual consolation.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:53 — 25.5MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#12 The Tenth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 12-The Tenth Rule:

Let him who is in consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after, taking new strength for then.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DOS#13 The Eleventh Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 13-The Eleventh Rule:

Let him who is consoled see to humbling himself and lowering himself as much as he can, thinking how little he is able for in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his Creator and Lord.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:00 — 25.6MB) | Embed

The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free – Serves as an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –
“The Different Movements Which Are Caused In The Soul”
as outlined by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be found here

For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series visit
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD1 – Living the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:52 — 19.2MB) | Embed

Living the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss the Ignatian practice of the Examen prayer. Fr. Gallagher explains that the Examen is a method of prayer designed to help individuals reflect on their daily spiritual experiences. It involves a brief period of introspection, typically 10-15 minutes, during which one reviews the events of the day to discern where God was present, how one responded to His presence, and how to improve future responses to both consolations and desolations.

The Examen is deeply rooted in Ignatian spirituality and serves as a practical way to apply the teachings on discernment of spirits to everyday life. He illustrates this with examples from the lives of saints such as St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Brother Lawrence, and Blessed Pierre Favre, highlighting how ordinary moments can be transformed into profound spiritual encounters through attentive reflection and openness to God’s grace.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Understanding the Examen Prayer: How can the Examen prayer help me recognize God’s presence in my daily life?
Application of Discernment: In what ways can I apply the teachings on discernment of spirits to my everyday experiences?
Daily Reflection: How can I incorporate a 10-15 minute period of reflection to review my day and my spiritual responses?
Recognizing Consolation and Desolation: What moments of consolation or desolation have I experienced today, and how did I respond to them?
Openness to Grace: How can I be more open to recognizing and responding to God’s grace in the small, ordinary moments of my day?
Spiritual Growth: How does regularly practicing the Examen prayer contribute to my spiritual growth and awareness?
Relationship with Jesus: In what ways does the Examen prayer deepen my personal relationship with Jesus?
Contemplation in Action: How can I become more of a contemplative in action, finding God in the midst of my busy life?
Learning from Saints: What can I learn from the experiences of saints like St. Thérèse, Brother Lawrence, and Blessed Pierre Favre regarding attentiveness to God’s presence?
Commitment to Practice: How committed am I to making the Examen prayer a regular part of my spiritual routine, and what steps can I take to ensure consistency?

St.-Ignatius-4

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD2 – Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:33 — 19.7MB) | Embed

Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss the Examen Prayer, a significant practice in Ignatian spirituality introduced by St. Ignatius of Loyola. It’s role in enhancing one’s spiritual life by fostering a clear-sighted faith and increasing awareness of God’s presence and actions in daily life. Fr. Gallagher explains that the Examen Prayer is not just introspection or examination but a relational dialogue between the person and God.

The first step in the Examen is gratitude, where one reflects on the day to recognize and appreciate the gifts and love received from God. This step sets a positive foundation for the rest of the prayer, encouraging individuals to focus on God’s actions before considering their responses. Gallagher shares personal anecdotes to illustrate how recognizing these daily gifts can transform one’s perspective and deepen the relationship with God.

Gratitude, he argues, is the most effective way to grow in love for God, as it opens the heart to the endless outpouring of God’s gifts. This practice, even when initially challenging, gradually reshapes one’s spiritual awareness and relationship with the divine.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

The Essence of the Examen Prayer How does the Examen Prayer foster a deeper relationship with God rather than being just an act of introspection or examination?
Importance of Gratitude Why does St. Ignatius prioritize gratitude as the first step in the Examen Prayer, and how can this practice transform our daily spiritual lives?
Recognition of God’s Gifts Reflect on a specific instance in your life where recognizing God’s gifts changed your perspective. How can daily acknowledgment of these gifts impact your overall spiritual growth?
Overcoming Initial Challenges What challenges might you face when starting the Examen Prayer, especially in the step of gratitude, and how can persistence help in overcoming these challenges?
Daily Application and Benefits How can setting aside a few minutes each day to practice the Examen Prayer, specifically focusing on gratitude, lead to a richer and more fulfilling spiritual life?
Relationship Dynamics In what ways can recognizing and appreciating the gifts from God change your relationship with Him and others in your life?
Practical Implementation Considering Fr. Gallagher’s examples, how can you practically implement the Examen Prayer in your daily routine to enhance your spiritual awareness and relationship with God?

St.-Ignatius-4

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

For the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD3 – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 3 The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher.
The conversation continues on the subject of the first step in the Examen – GRATITUDE. Why? Because first, above all things, God is love. So at the start of the prayer, we should recall the gift of love God has blessed us with that day and give Him thanks and praise and be concrete. Fr. Gallagher offers examples of what that could look like. Then the conversation begins the next step – PETITION. Asking God to show you what see clearly the spiritual realities of that day.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:57 — 25.6MB) | Embed

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD6 – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 6 The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher.
Fr. Gallagher continues to discuss the fourth step – FORGIVENESS. Then we approach the fifth step – RENEWAL – which is how we move forward after our encounter with God in our prayer.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:12 — 19.4MB) | Embed

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD8 – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 8 The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher.
Fr. Gallagher, in this concluding episode, reviews the different dimensions of the Examen prayer and applications for our lives.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:41 — 17.7MB) | Embed

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

DPD7 – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 7 The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher.
Fr. Gallagher continues to discuss the fifth step – RENEWAL – which is how we move forward after our encounter with God in our prayer.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:41 — 46.0MB) | Embed

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(translated from the autograph by Fr. E. Mullan, S.J. 1909 in the public domain)

METHOD FOR MAKING THE GENERAL EXAMEN
It contains in it five Points.

First Point. The first Point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the benefits received.
Second Point. The second, to ask grace to know our sins and cast them out.
Third Point. The third, to ask account of our soul from the hour that we rose up to the present Examen, hour by hour, or period by period: and first as to thoughts, and then as to words, and then as to acts, in the same order as was mentioned in the Particular Examen.
Fourth Point. The fourth, to ask pardon of God our Lord for the faults.
Fifth Point. The fifth, to purpose amendment with His grace.

OUR FATHER.

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on books and audio available for purchase from Fr. Timothy Gallagher check out his website: www.frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out
Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

POA3 – Temptation – Put On The Armor – A Manual for Spiritual Warfare w/Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D. – Discerning Hears Catholic Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:54 — 21.3MB) | Embed

Put On The Armor - A Manual for Spiritual Warfare w/Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D. 2

Episode 3 – “Temptation” – Put on The Armor – A Manual for Spiritual Warfare with Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D

Dr. Thigpen offers insights on the Manual for Spiritual Warfare Chapter 2:

The ordinary activity of demons is subtle and occurs within our thought life. They plant ideas within our minds seeking to influence our reason, memory, and imagination — and ultimately, our will. They can suggest such ideas indirectly through our senses, especially through what we see and hear. The ideas may come through conversations, reading, or various social and communications media. Demons may also have a role in arranging circumstances around us in a way that leads to certain thoughts.

Meanwhile, thoughts may come into our mind directly from the Enemy as well. How is that possible? As we’ve noted, when words come to us from outside ourselves, they normally come through our senses, which help us to discern the physical medium that is their source.

But the demons have no physical bodies. So when they communicate thoughts to us without using a physical medium, we may not discern that the thoughts come from outside us. Instead, we may mistake the thoughts as our own — and that misperception is obviously to the Enemy’s advantage.

What kinds of thoughts do evil spirits suggest to us? Most often, they influence us through temptation. They entice us to commit sin. But how exactly do they provide us occasions of sin?

Visit here for other episodes in this series:

Put On The Armor – A Manual for Spiritual Warfare w/Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D.

The “Manual for Spiritu al Warfare” can be found here

Paul Thigpen, Ph.D, is the Editor of TAN Books in Charlotte, North Carolina. An internationally known speaker, best-selling author, and award-winning journalist, Paul has published forty-three books in a wide variety of genres and subjects: history and biography, spirituality and apologetics, anthologies and devotionals, family life and children’s books, study guides and reference works, fiction and collections of poetry and prayers.

Paul graduated from Yale University in 1977 summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with Distinction in the Major of Religious Studies. He was later awarded the George W. Woodruff Fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, where he earned an M.A. (1993) and a Ph.D. (1995) in Historical Theology. In 1993 he was named as a Jacob K. Javits Fellow by the U.S. Department of Education. He has served on the faculty of several universities and colleges.

In 2008 Paul was appointed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to their National Advisory Council for a four-year term. He has served the Church as a theologian, historian, apologist, evangelist, and catechist in a number of settings,speaking frequently in Catholic and secular media broadcasts and at conferences, seminars, parish missions, and scholarly gatherings.

There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate.

The first is, because of our being tepid, lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us.

The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise without such great pay of consolation and great graces.

Let him who is in consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after, taking new strength for then.

Living the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Ignatian Wisdom of the Examen Prayer – The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

As outlined from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Episode 3 – “Temptation” – Put on The Armor – A Manual for Spiritual Warfare with Dr. Paul Thigpen Ph.D

Visit here for other episodes in this series:

The “Manual for Spiritual Warfare” can be found here

The “Manual for Spiritu al Warfare” can be found here