The Discerning Hearts Blog Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

St. Robert Bellarmine – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discussing St. Robert Bellarmine, a lesser-known but pivotal figure in the Catholic Church, especially during the Counter-Reformation. Known for his gentle demeanor, he was also a fierce defender of Catholic doctrine. Born in 1542 in Tuscany, he demonstrated early intellectual brilliance, master...

The Penitential Rite – The Way of Mystery with Deacon James Keating

Deacon James Keating and Kris McGregor explore how the Eucharist is intimately tied to reconciliation and moral renewal. The Mass is truly the celebration of those who have been reconciled with God. Grave sin blocks intimacy with Christ, and so the sacrament of reconciliation is essential before receiving the Eucharist. He acknowledges past tendencies to downplay the need for confession to avoid scrupulosity but cautions against neglecting reconciliation, since true love for Christ motivates us to seek restored communion. The penitential rite at the be...

St. Hildegard von Bingen, Part 2 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor continue their discussion on St. Hildegard of Bingen, one of the great Doctors of the Church. They look at her contributions to the Church through her mystical visions, writings, and spiritual reforms. Dr. Bunson explains St. Hildegard’s deep intellectual curiosity, her commitment to the Church’s authority, and her role as a Benedictine nun in shaping her spi...

St. Hildegard von Bingen, Part 1 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss St. Hildegard of Bingen, one of the newer Doctors of the Church, declared so by Pope Benedict XVI. They explore her remarkable life, her profound mysticism, obedience to the Church, and contributions to theology, medicine, and music.

St. Hildegard, often called the “Sybil of the Rhine,” was misunderstood by some as a proto-feminist, but she was...

Day 4

St. Padre Pio you have said:

I often think that there is only one thing in this base world which can soothe the most acute pain which pierces the heart when we see ourselves far from God, the source and consolation of distressed souls.  That one thing is solitude, for here the soul enjoys sweet rest in the One who is its true peace.  I want the heavenly Father to grant you the grace of stability in all your resolutions, not least of all your resolution to grow in holiness and to be...

Wednesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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. Luke 7:31-35

Jesus sai...

The Two Standards: Christ or the Enemy – The Heart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with Fr. Anthony Wieck S.J.

Fr. Anthony Wieck and Kris McGregor explore a needed “paradigm shift”: move from self-congratulation to grateful partnership with God. Any fruit in ministry or marriage flows from prayerful union with the Lord, not from personal prowess. Comparison with others springs from insecurity; humiliations can become doorways to humility, much like Jesus’ foot-washing example that takes the lowest place. In preaching or service, the call is to be “convex”—pouring love outward—rather...

Day 3

St. Padre Pio you have said:

I am greatly comforted and very content in Jesus’ company, and who could describe the help it is to me to have Him continually by my side?  This company makes me much more careful not to do anything which would displease God.  It seems to me as if Jesus is constantly watching me.  If it sometimes happens that I lose the presence of God, I soon hear Our Lord calling me back to my duty.  I cannot describe the voice He uses to call me back, but I k...

Day 9

St. Hildegard you have said:

“A human being is a vessel that God has built for himself and filled with his inspiration so that his works are perfected in it.”

“Now, O son of God, set in the valley of true humility, walk in peace without pride of spirit, which, like a precipitous mountain, offers a difficult, or near-impossible, ascent or descent to those who attempt to scale it, and on its summit no building can be built. For a person who tries to climb higher than he can achieve...

Tuesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast

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. Luke 7:11-17

Jesus wen...