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Fr. Timothy Gallagher continues a reflection on the life and letters of Zélie Martin, mother of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and her deeply personal letters to her brother during the years when she was raising her growing family amid intense physical, emotional, and spiritual trials. Fr. Gallagher narrates Zélie’s account of caring for her elderly, dying father-in-law while managing her lace business and family, enduring migraine headaches, and responding to the illnesses and deaths of her infant sons. Her expressions of maternal love, grief, and faith illustrate how suffering and joy coexisted in her vocation. Her happiness was most often found in the presence and well-being of her children, and her love for them gave her strength even in sorrow.

Through her words, we witness a heart formed by trust in God’s will, even while enduring anguish, such as the loss of two sons to illness and the death of her own father. Fr. Gallagher draws parallels between Zélie and Thérèse, particularly in their tendency to quietly bear suffering without burdening others. He notes the strength of their spiritual lives, anchored in prayer and a quiet surrender to divine providence. The episode closes with reflections on how Zélie’s ordinary home life and deep familial love became the context for sanctity, reminding us that holiness is accessible in the everyday trials of family life.

Fr. Gallagher obtained his doctorate in 1983 from Gregorian University. He has taught (St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA; Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, MA), assisted in formation work for twelve years, and served two terms as provincial in his own community. He has dedicated many years to an extensive ministry of retreats, spiritual direction, and teaching about the spiritual life. Fr. Gallagher is the author of six books (Crossroad) on the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The post HIDT2- Conference 2 – Hope in Difficult Times with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.