The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

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Excerpts from the English translation of The Liturgy of the Hours (Four Volumes) © 1974, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

The post Mystical Wisdom – St. Bonaventure from the Office of Readings – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s teaching on education in the digital age. The Holy Father reminds us that children, adolescents, and young people need more than access to technology. They need formation in truth, dignity, relationship, judgment, and freedom.

This reflection considers why education cannot be reduced to a technical skill. A child may know how to search, click, post, message, and create, while still needing help to recognize manipulation, falsehood, cruelty, exploitation, and pressure. Pope Leo XIV teaches that young people must learn to defend their own dignity, respect the dignity of others, and seek the truth in digital environments that often shape identity, imagination, and relationships.

Through the light of Proverbs 22:6, this episode invites parents, teachers, pastors, and mentors to form young hearts with courage and patience. A discerning heart asks whether digital habits are helping young people grow in wisdom, reverence, prayer, self-control, and love. Education for a discerning heart begins when truth is loved, dignity is protected, and the young are helped to live with freedom before God.

Selection from Magnifica Humanitas

Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Chapter Four, nos. 142 – 143:

“It is also necessary to teach children, adolescents and young people how to recognize manipulation, defend their dignity and respect that of others in digital environments.”

“School is the place where new generations can learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life and to recognize the dignity of every person.”

“Yet parents have the primary and inalienable right to choose the kind of education and formation for their children, in a manner consistent with their moral, cultural and religious convictions.”

Proverbs 22:6, RSV–Catholic Edition

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print, or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

The post MH24 – Education for a Discerning Heart – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

We glory in wearing your holy habit,

Look down with love,

Look down graciously,

Look down mercifully,

Look down tenderly,

Recite the following prayers…

Our Father…

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

The post Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.

Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”

Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…

From the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew 11:25-27

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

What word made this passage come alive for you?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

What did your heart feel as you listened?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

What touched your heart in this time of prayer?

What did your heart feel as you prayed?

What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

 but deliver us from evil.

Amen

The post Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode of Inside the Pages, Kris McGregor talks with Dr. Matthew Bunson about St. Kateri: Lily of the Mohawks, published by Our Sunday Visitor. Dr. Bunson reflects on the life and witness of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the young Native American woman whose heroic faith made her one of the most beloved saints of North America. Though she died at only 24 and was a Christian for just a few years, Kateri’s life revealed extraordinary courage, purity, perseverance, and love for Christ. Dr. Bunson explains how her conversion, her refusal to marry, her vow of chastity, and her willingness to endure rejection from her own community all point to a soul entirely given to Jesus.

The conversation also places St. Kateri within the larger story of the North American martyrs, the Jesuit missionaries known as the black robes, and the spiritual legacy of the Church in New France. Dr. Bunson highlights Kateri’s mystical depth, her suffering after smallpox, her devotion to Christ, and the way her sanctity was recognized almost immediately after her death. Her life remains a powerful witness for young people, for those who suffer, for those who face rejection because of faith, and for anyone seeking courage in a culture often hostile to holiness. This episode invites listeners not only to learn about St. Kateri but also to pray with her and ask her intercession as part of the great cloud of witnesses.

You can find the book here

From the book description:

This authoritative account of the first Native American woman to be declared a saint by the Church is sure to inspire you. Discover an extraordinary young woman who was called by Pope Blessed John Paul II, God’s “bountiful gift” to His Church and a “sweet, frail yet strong figure of a young woman who died when she was only twenty-four years old: Kateri Tekakwitha, the ‘Lily of the Mohawks.'”

Kateri was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and canonized in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Kateri Tekakwitha’s faith and love for Christ in the face of overwhelming hostility and her own debilitating illnesses will encourage you as you seek God’s grace to overcome challenges in your own life! She is a powerful role model for converts to the Church, young people striving for chastity, and anyone looking to deepen their own prayer life. She is also a shining example that God’s call to holiness is truly universal and is heard by men and women in all walks of life and all ages.

Written by experienced and prolific authors Matthew and Margaret Bunson, St. Kateri: Lily of the Mohawks is the most definitive biography of Kateri Tekakwitha.

Experience the extraordinary stories of the French Jesuit missionaries, the famed Blackrobes,” in the wilderness of North America and the heroic conversions of the Native Americans to the Catholic faith. Follow Kateri’s life from when she contracted smallpox as a toddler – a disease that swept through her village – claiming her family and leaving her severely disfigured and half-blinded. Drawn to the Catholic faith by the Bible stories and teachings of the French Jesuits, Kateri amazed them by her perfection of the virtues, her mystical prayer life, and her total love for Christ.

Kateri Tekakwitha’s life of faith is an inspiration to everyone!

The post Dr. Matthew Bunson – St. Kateri on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

St. Bonaventure you have said:

Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee,

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee,

may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end;

and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably.

Amen.

Dear St. Bonaventure

All-powerful Father,

The post St. Bonaventure Novena – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Grant that our hope may not be in vain but that,

Recite the following prayers…

Our Father…

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

The post Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.

Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”

Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…

From the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.

What word made this passage come alive for you?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:

Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.

What did your heart feel as you listened?

What did you sense the Lord saying to you?

Once more, through Him, with Him and in Him listen to the Word:

Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.

What touched your heart in this time of prayer?

What did your heart feel as you prayed?

What do you hope to carry with you from this time with the Lord?

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

 but deliver us from evil.

Amen

The post Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode of Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart, we reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s teaching on truth as a common good. The Holy Father reminds us that the digital transformation is reshaping the way we communicate, learn, work, argue, search for answers, and form opinions. In this environment, truth must be sought, protected, and shared with responsibility.

This reflection considers how digital platforms and artificial intelligence can foster dialogue and participation, but can also blur the line between truth and falsehood. A headline, video, post, rumor, fabricated quote, or misleading summary can move quickly before anyone has time to examine it. Pope Leo XIV warns that disinformation did not begin with AI, but AI can make it more powerful.

Through the light of Ephesians 4:25, this episode invites us to speak truthfully because we belong to one another in Christ. A discerning heart slows down before sharing, verifies before repeating, distinguishes fact from opinion, and asks whether its words serve charity, communion, and the dignity of the person.

Selection from Magnifica Humanitas

Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, Chapter Four, nos. 131 – 132:

“In light of the principles of the Church’s Social Doctrine, the digital transformation invites us to rediscover truth as a common good, to protect the dignity of work and to safeguard freedom against all forms of dependence and commercialization.”

“The use of digital platforms and AI systems is driving profound changes in public and political communication. Tools that could foster dialogue and participation are often used to construct distorted narratives and blur the boundaries between truth and falsehood, mixing facts with opinions.”

“Disinformation did not begin with AI, yet today it finds a powerful amplifier in AI.”

Ephesians 4:25, RSV–Catholic Edition

Copyright © 2026 Kris McGregor. All rights reserved. No portion of this content may be reproduced, distributed, published, or transmitted in any form, including audio, print, or digital media, without prior written permission from Discerning Hearts®.

The post MH23 – Truth as a Common Good – Magnificent Humanity for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 8 -The Sixth Rule:

Although in desolation we ought not to change our first resolutions, it is very helpful intensely to change ourselves against the same desolation, as by insisting more on prayer, meditation, on much examination, and by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance.

Episode Eight of The Discernment of Spirits: Setting the Captives Free focuses on Rule Six, one of the most hope-filled teachings in Ignatian discernment. Fr. Timothy Gallagher, in conversation with Kris McGregor, explains why God never asks us to passively endure spiritual desolation.

Fr. Gallagher begins by naming a common misunderstanding. Many faithful people believe that God asks them to simply carry spiritual heaviness as a permanent burden. They remain faithful. They continue to pray. Yet they assume joy in the Lord belongs only to the past or to eternal life. Rule Six directly challenges this belief. Spiritual desolation is never meant to be carried passively. It is meant to be resisted.

Ignatius teaches that while we do not change our spiritual commitments during desolation, we must change ourselves intensely against the desolation itself. This resistance is not aggressive or anxious. It is hopeful and active. Ignatius gives four concrete means for doing this. They are prayer, meditation, much examination, and suitable gestures of penitential courage.

Fr. Gallagher explains that prayer in desolation means simple petition. It is the act of turning toward God when everything feels heavy. Even the smallest prayer matters. A simple “Lord, help me” can begin to lift the heart. This turning toward God often weakens the power of desolation immediately.

Meditation follows prayer. In desolation, Ignatius invites us to recall the truths of faith that assure us of God’s faithful presence. Scripture becomes especially powerful here. Verses remembered from the Psalms or the Gospels remind the heart that God is present even in darkness. Fr. Gallagher shares personal examples of recalling God’s fidelity in past trials as a way of sustaining hope in present struggle.

The third means is what Ignatius calls much examination. Rather than fleeing into distraction, we stop and look at what is happening. Fr. Gallagher shows how examination often reveals when and how the desolation began. A conversation. A remark. A moment of neglect. Understanding brings freedom. It allows concrete and healing action to be taken.

Ignatius then calls for suitable gestures of penitential courage. These are small acts of resistance. They are never excessive. They are always possible. Waiting a few minutes before turning to distraction. Completing a prayer even when it feels difficult. Offering a small act of service when there is no inclination to do so. These gestures break the momentum of desolation.

Fr. Gallagher stresses that these practices do not deepen desolation. They weaken it. When prayer, meditation, examination, and small acts of courage are practiced, desolation loses its grip. It passes more quickly. Freedom returns. Hope is restored.

Episode Eight presents Rule Six as a true spirituality of hope. It teaches that desolation is not a life sentence. With grace and spiritual wisdom, it can be resisted. Captives are set free.

Have you ever assumed that spiritual heaviness was something God wanted you to endure passively?

How do you usually respond when prayer feels difficult or empty?

What Scriptures or memories of God’s fidelity strengthen you during hard moments?

Are you willing to pause and examine what may have triggered discouragement?

What small act of courage might help you resist desolation today?

Why does Ignatius insist that spiritual desolation must always be resisted?

How do the four means of Rule Six work together?

Why is simple prayer so powerful in times of desolation?

How does examination restore clarity and freedom?

How might small gestures of courage change the spiritual life of a parish or community?

 The 14 Rules for Discerning Spirits –

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”

The post The Sixth Rule – Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.