Recent Archives - Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts

The Queenship of Mary: A Mother and Queen of Every Heart – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

In this episode of Building a Kingdom of Love, Msgr. John Esseff reflects on the Queenship of Mary, revealing a queenship rooted not in earthly power or grandeur, but in motherhood, humility, and love. Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth because she is the Mother of God and the mother given to us by Jesus from the Cross. From Guadalupe and Fatima to Lourdes and the Miraculous Medal, Msgr. Esseff shows Mary continually re...

St. Bernard and the 12 Steps to Humility and Pride – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles

Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor have a discussion about St. Bernard of Clairvaux. They begin by discussing St. Bernard’s deep devotion to the Virgin Mary and his belief that Mary serves as the “neck” of the Mystical Body of Christ, through whom all grace from Christ is mediated to humanity.

Dr. Lilles outlines the historical context in which St. Bernard lived (1090-1153), highlighting his role in the Crusades, monastic reform, and his influence on other saints a...

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Pt. 2 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss the life and influence of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century Cistercian monk and doctor of the Church. St. Bernard played a significant role in the Second Crusade, being called upon due to his reputation as a powerful preacher. Despite the Crusade’s failure, which was attributed to the incompetence and infighting of its leaders, Bernard was heavil...

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Pt. 1 – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunsen and Kris McGregor discuss the life and influence of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. St. Bernard, a Doctor of the Church, is celebrated for his deep spirituality, theological brilliance, and reformative impact on monastic life. He was instrumental in building the Cistercian order and defending Church teachings. Bernard’s upbringing in a noble family provided him with a strong education and a profou...

The 14 Rules of the Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher with Kris McGregor

Episode Thirteen: Rule Eleven – Humility in Consolation and Trust in Desolation

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 Cre...

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

Msgr. John Esseff and Kris McGregor discuss the theological significance of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Msgr. Esseff uses the Assumption as a sign of Mary’s unique role in salvation history, being free from sin and death, like her Son, Jesus Christ. He connects Mary’s Assumption to the broader Christian belief in the resurrection and eternal life; that death has no power over those united with Christ.

He also shares personal reflections on the de...

“Why Did You Doubt?” Growing in Faith and Trust in Jesus – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

In this episode of Building a Kingdom of Love, Msgr. John Esseff reflects on what it truly means to say, “I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.” Drawing from the Gospel account of Peter walking on the water, he asks whether faith remains something we profess with our lips or becomes a living reality that changes the way we act, pray, trust, and respond when Christ calls. Peter gets out of the boa...

Anne Costa – Embracing Edith Stein on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

In this episode of “Inside the Pages”, Kris McGregor and Anne Costa discuss Anne’s book, Embracing Edith Stein: Wisdom for Women from St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, which aims to introduce Edith Stein’s rich spirituality to a broader audience and her significance for women today.

Describing Edith Stein’s life, from her birth in Germany as the youngest of 11 children, through her rise as a prominent philosopher, to her eventual conversion to Catholicism inspired by the writings of St. Teres...

The Nine Ways of Prayer of St. Dominic

Holy teachers like Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory, Hilary, Isidore, John Chrysostom, John Damascene, Bernard, and other saintly Greek and Latin doctors have discoursed on prayer at great length. They have encouraged and described it, pointed out its necessity and value, explained the method, the dispositions which are required, and the impediments which stand in its way. In learned books, the glorious and venerable doctor, Brother Thomas Aquinas, and Albert, of the Order of Preachers, as well as William in his treatise on the virtues, have considered admirably and in a...



Episode 3 – Responding to the Call – And Mary’s ‘Yes’ Continues Afresh with Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz

Join Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz and Kris McGregor as they discuss:

1. Responding to the Call
2. How is God Present?
3. The Need for More Teachers
4. Give God Permission
5. Letting Go of the Baggage

Visit here to pick up a copy of the book

From the book description:

Our world is constantly changing and each generation faces new challenges of faith and identity. In this increasingly post-Christian, radically secular cult...

The Sacred Heart and the Contemplative Life – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff

In this reflection, Msgr. John Esseff explores the Sacred Heart through the lens of the contemplative life, asking why so many people fail to recognize God’s immense love. He explains that God continually calls every person into a deeper relationship with Him, yet the noise of self-centeredness often prevents us from hearing His voice. The contemplative, whether living in a monastery or in the ordinary circumstances of daily life, becomes a living bridge between heaven and earth by l...

St. Peter Chrysologus – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson

Dr. Matthew Bunson and Kris McGregor discuss St. Peter Chrysologus, a Doctor of the Church known as the “Doctor of Homilies” due to his exceptional preaching skills. Chrysologus, who lived from around 380 to 450 AD, was noted for his brief, clear, and impactful homilies that conveyed deep theological truths concisely to avoid boring his congregation. His teachings emphasized prayer, fasting, and mercy, which he believed were interdependent and vital for a steadfast faith a...



Episode 2 of 4 of And Mary’s ‘Yes’ Continues Afresh with Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz one of the founders and the vocation director of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

Join Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz and Kris McGregor as they discuss:
1. The Maternal Nurturer
2. Where Are The Women?
3. The Call to Teach
4. The Presence of a Sister
5. The Importance of Grandparents

Visit here to pick up a copy of the book

From the book description:

Our world is constantly changing and each gen...