Episode 33- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez – We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church”  Chapter 7 – What is “economics” and why does the Church have a role in how it is lived out?  Who are the poor?  How are we called to live out our Catholic faith in the area of the “economy”?

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CHAPTER SEVEN
ECONOMIC LIFE

I. BIBLICAL ASPECTS
a. Man, poverty and riches
b. Wealth exists to be shared

328. Goods, even when legitimately owned, always have a universal destination; any type of improper accumulation is immoral, because it openly contradicts the universal destination assigned to all goods by the Creator. Christian salvation is an integral liberation of man, which means being freed not only from need but also in respect to possessions. “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith” (1 Tim 6:10). The Fathers of the Church insist more on the need for the conversion and transformation of the consciences of believers than on the need to change the social and political structures of their day. They call on those who work in the economic sphere and who possess goods to consider themselves administrators of the goods that God has entrusted to them.

II. MORALITY AND THE ECONOMY

We live at a very special time. The confluence of many things has brought forth the clear need to be able to articulate the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church in a way that is accessible and applicable. This is not to be an effort where high-minded theories are to be bandied about. Rather, this is a time of opportunity wherein we can apply the Social Doctrine to the concrete so as to bring about a New Kingdom, a Revolution. – Omar G.

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101

FG#1 – Interior Freedom episode 1 – Fountains of Grace: reflections on contemporary spiritual classics with Donna Garrett

Join host Donna Garrett, with Fr. Daniel Brandenburg, LC, as they discuss the spiritual classic “Interior Freedom” by Fr.  Jacques Philippe  a priest of  Communaute des Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right founded in France in 1973.  The members of the Community, which has a contemplative vocation based on Carmelite spirituality, are actively engaged in the service of the poor and the proclamation of the Gospel.

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Discussed in this episode, among other topics,  from “Interior Freedom” page 12

Donna Garrett is joined in this particular series by Fr. Daniel Brandenburg, LC

“Human beings were not created for slavery but to be the lords of creation. This is explicitly stated in the Book of Genesis. We were not created to lead drab, narrow, or constricted lives, but to live in the wide-open spaces. We find confinement unbearable simply because we were created in the image of God, and we have within un an unquenchable need for the absolute and the infinitive. That is our greatness and sometimes our misfortune.

We have this great thirst for freedom because our most fundamental aspiration is for happiness; and we sense that there is no happiness without love, and no love without freedom. This is perfectly true. Human beings were created for love, and they can only find happiness in loving and being loved.”

For other episodes in the this series click here “Fountains of Grace w/Donna Garrett”

You can find “Interior Freedom” here

Fr. Jacques Philippe

What a delight to talk with Tom Peterson!  With a joyful enthusiasm fueled by his rich prayer life, Tom has become a compelling leader in the New Evangelization, especially in the United States.  With his book ,”Catholics Come Home: God’s Extraordinary Plan for Your Life” , he expands his list of significant contributions to that effort  which have encouraged countless souls to embrace the gift of the Catholic faith.  Not only does he share his own powerful witness, but he offers practical catechesis to foster on-going conversion in the heart of the seeking soul and encouragement to all to share the Good News.  Excellent!

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You can find the book here

Also check out Tom’s work at virtuemedia.org and CatholicComeHome.org

“We are in the midst of a New Evangelization; and I believe this book is a signal moment in its success. It is also a sign that will lead many folks back home to the family of God, which is Catholic Church.”
—Dr. Scott W. Hahn, author of The Lamb’s Supper and Signs of Life
 
“Catholics Come Home is a powerful sacramental, a means of grace. It is a willing, waiting taxi to take us home, to our home away from Home, the Catholic Church, the Mystical Body of Christ.”
—Dr. Peter Kreeft, author of Handbook of Christian Apologetics

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Msgr. Esseff offers insights on the Transfiguration of Jesus and it’s meaning for our lives today.

From the NAB Gospel  LK 9:28B-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.As they were about to part from him,
Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love”

Episode 2 -Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating –
The Stations of the Cross – one of the most powerful devotionals alive in the heart of the Church. Reflecting and deeply meditating on the Passion of the Christ, Deacon Keating guides us through the 3rd station (Jesus falls the first time), the 4th station (Jesus encounters His Blessed Mother), and the 5th station (Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the Cross) along the Way of the Cross.

For other episodes in the “Stations of the Cross” series click here

Deacon James Keating, PhD, the director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation, located at Creighton University, in Omaha, is making available to ”Discerning Hearts” and all who listen, his series of programs entitled “Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating”.

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For more information on the “Institute of Priestly Formation” and for other material available by Deacon Keating, just click here

Don’t forget to pickup a copy of “Communion with Christ” ,it is one of the best audio sets on prayer…ever!

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Episode 12 “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher.

In this episode with Fr. Gallagher,  the series concludes with an instruction on the Third Mode and summary overview of “Discerning the Will of God”.

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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

USCCA34  Chapter 28 

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 28:

The Fourth Commandment deals with all aspects of family life—parental and filial duties and responsibilities, that is, those of love from child to parent. This includes the duties of children toward their parents, the duties of brothers and sisters toward each other, and the responsibilities of adult children toward their older parents. This Commandment also addresses the duties of government and the duties of citizens (cf. CCC, nos. 2234-2246), including the responsibility of the state and society to foster family values and to strengthen the family in every possible way.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

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.
Also we wish to thank Bruce McGregor  for his vocal talents in this episode.

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“Eucharistic Adoration: Holy Hour Meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ” is a marvelous book for enhancing your experience of one of the Church’s richest devotions.  Msgr. Charles Murphy pours into this work over 50 years of priestly life and pastoral experience in spreading the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.  He ties together reflections on the seven last words of Jesus with the profiles of seven modern Christians known for their devotion to the Eucharist, including Simone Weil, Edith Stein, Dorothy Day, Blessed John XXIII, Blessed John Paul II, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.  In this conversation, we also discuss his book “The Spirituality of Fasting”

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You can find the book here

Monsignor Charles M. Murphy is currently the director of the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Portland, Maine. He is the author of a number of scholarly articles and several books, including The Spirituality of Fasting, At Home on the Earth, Wallace Stevens: A Spiritual Poet in a Secular Age, and Belonging to God. Murphy is the former academic dean and rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome and served as part of the editorial group working in Italy under Cardinal Ratzinger on the third draft of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which became the fourth and final version.

Murphy currently serves as consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops committee on catechetics, reviewing materials for conformity with the Catechism. He served as chair of the editorial committee that produced the pastoral letter on environmental issues by the Bishops of the Boston Province and he served as a consultant to the USCCB for their statement on global warming. He has been the pastor of four parishes in Maine and has served his diocese in ecumenical and educational capacities. Murphy holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the Gregorian University, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in classics from the College of the Holy Cross.

It’s all about conversion…continually turning towards the Lord and allowing Him to heal us.  Deliverance ministry really acknowledges the power of Jesus Christ to make all things new and to heal the damage done to us by sin and those spirits which get into our brokeness and wounds to drive us away from God.  Neil Lozano has done extraordinary work with the “Unbound Ministries” ; it truly allow us to let the Father “deliver us from evil”. This is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject.  Absolutely a must for everyone on the spiritual journey!!! “Be not afraid”, and really “all you need is love”.

find Neil’s work at www.heartofthefather.com

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From the book description:

Do you feel chained to a particular sin pattern that you cannot break?

Do you still feel guilty, ashamed, and doomed to repeat a besetting sin even after receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation?

Then you may find a way to spiritual freedom through deliverance prayer.
In Resisting the Devil, author Neal Lozano shows that sometimes evil spirits tell us lies that lock us into sins and personal problems. He explains the practice of deliverance, a way of dealing with such demonic influences that is supported by the teaching and traditionof the Catholic Church.
–Learn how to recognize the activity of evil spirits
–See how deliverance from spiritual bondage can be gentle, safe, and effective –Understand how deliverance differs from exorcism and how deliverance and Reconciliation can work together–Read the testimonies of women and men who have been freed through deliverance ministry.

I’ve had the blessing of reading many wonderful books, but this one in particular, has become a fast favorite!  Dr. Taylor Marshall has penned one of those works that you want to take the time to completely absorb, but also want to read quickly because it such a great story.  What a joy.  Filled with unexpected connections, rich in fascinating  details, and abundant with “I-knew-that-but-I-didn’t-know-I-knew-that” moments, Dr. Marshall’s gifted teaching and storytelling engages the mind and the heart of his reader.  He pours fuel on the fire of our ongoing conversion. This is a great gift to give to yourself and to someone you know who desires a fuller appreciation of our Roman Catholic faith. A must have for your Catholic library. (P.S. Scripture devotees and Patristic fans are going to LOVE this book)

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You can find the book here

Also check out Dr. Marshall’s “Canterbury Tales” website

From the book description:

Read this book if you have ever wondered why the Catholic Church specifically claims to be Roman? It would seem that the Church of Jesus Christ would be centered in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jews, since Christ died and rose again in Jerusalem. Catholic theologian Taylor Marshall, Ph.D. provides a layman’s account of how Christ chose the Rome as an instrument of redemption for the nations. Beginning with the Old Testament prophets, Dr. Marshall explains how the Messiah would come and assume reign over the nations through the Roman Empire. This book provides an exciting and popular account establishing Rome as ‘the Eternal City’ of Christ the King.

Episode 1 -Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating –
The Stations of the Cross – one of the most powerful devotionals alive in the heart of the Church.  While Reflecting  deeply on the Passion of the Christ, Deacon Keating guides us through the 1st and 2nd station along the Way of the Cross.

For other episodes in the “Stations of the Cross” series click here

Deacon James Keating, PhD, the director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation, located at Creighton University, in Omaha, is making available to ”Discerning Hearts” and all who listen, his series of programs entitled “Stations of the Cross: Reflections with Deacon James Keating”.

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For more information on the “Institute of Priestly Formation” and for other material available by Deacon Keating, just click here

Don’t forget to pickup a copy of “Communion with Christ” ,it is one of the best audio sets on prayer…ever!

Check out Deacon Keating’s “Discerning Heart” page

Episode 11 “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher.

In this episode with Fr. Gallagher,  there is a brief summary of the First and Second Mode.  Then Fr. Gallagher breaks open the Third Mode, a Ponderousness of Reasons, also know as the 4 columns.

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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

At stunning moment in the recent history of the Catholic Church, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church effective February 28, we had the opportunity to George Weigel before his departure for Rome to be, once again, a witness to history.  In “Evangelical Catholicism:  Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church” he writes of this particular moment in the life of the Catholic Church.  Our conversation centers on the Papacy and its future.  I cannot encourage listeners more highly to pick up a copy of this book; it is extraordinarily compelling and filled with hopeful certainty concerning the future course of this great “barque of Peter”.  Don’t miss!!!

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You can find the book here

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“This sparkling read puts all the old Church-labels—liberal vs. conservative, progressive vs. traditionalist, pre- vs. post-Vatican II—in the shredder. Now there is only one valid adjective for all of us: evangelical! Simply put, this means we take our baptismal promises with the utmost seriousness. Like the Samaritan woman, we’ve met a man—Jesus—who has changed our lives.”

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia
“George Weigel has been the leading diarist of authentic Catholic renewal—its progress, detours, personalities, and hopes—for 30 years. In Evangelical Catholicism he turns his extraordinary skills to the needs of the Church in the coming decades, calling us back to the missionary vocation we received at baptism and offering us a road map to faithful, vigorous Church reform. Rich in its vision, engaging in style, on target in its counsel and invaluable for anyone trying to understand the Church and her challenges in the 21st Century, this book should not be missed.”

Mary Ann Glendon, author of The Forum and the Tower: How Scholars and Politicians have Imagined the World, from Plato to Eleanor Roosevelt
“This remarkable book offers nothing less than a map and compass for men and women determined to take up the challenge of living the Catholic faith in its fullness under 21st-century conditions. With its bold call for ‘deep reform’ in every single corner of the Church, Evangelical Catholicism is sure to provoke lively discussion. The book’s proposals for true renewal are presented with the clarity and verve that have made George Weigel a peerless advocate of the courage to be Catholic.”

Special 4 – Ash Wednesday and Lent

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From the archives of Spirit Mornings we bring you Deacon James Keating discussing Ash Wednesday and our Lenten practice. Deacon Keating is the Director of Theological Formation for the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University.

Click here for more Deacon Keating

It’s great to be joined once again by Mark Brumley, this time to discuss  “Knowing God: God and the Human Condition” (previously titled God and the Human Mind) authored by the great Catholic writer, teacher, and publisher Frank Sheed.   Written in 1966 during the time of the Second Vatican Council, Sheed  addresses the most challenging questions the human mind can pose about God, without presenting answers in dry academic way.  Instead, because of his gifted writing style, he engages the reader with a desire to discover “mystery” in all its forms.

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You can find the book here

“This book is vintage Sheed: clear, commonsensical, and convincing. This is the Sheed of the two masterpieces of apologetics Theology and Sanity and Society and Sanity. But this is also a new Sheed: older and wiser, more practical and human–the post-Vatican II Sheed. I mean this in all the good senses, the John Paul II senses: he is sensitive to the dangers of “the good old days”: verbalism, “dead orthodoxy,” rationalism, deism, what Sheed calls “theometry” instead of theology: an abstract, formal theological geometry that only wants to define terms and win debating points. Instead, this book is a kind of theological midrash, a deepening, a spelunking in the caves of the deepest mysteries with the clear light of honest words–honest with heart as well as head. It unites dogmatic theology with lived religion. It is precisely the breath of fresh air that Pope John XXIII opened the windows for, and in terms the layman can clearly grasp. —– Peter Kreeft, Author, Because God is Real