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    Christianity

    Discerning Hearts – Catholic Podcasts

    Trusted Catholic spirituality podcasts offering spiritual formation, prayer, and guidance for the interior life.

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    Copyright: Discerning Hearts © 2010-2020 All Rights Reserved.

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    Latest Episodes:
    Day 6 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 30, 2026
    Show notes

    Day 6 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart with Msgr. John Esseff

    Day 6: Joy

    St. Francis, your heart was filled with heavenly joy, even in the midst of trials and sufferings. You understood that true joy comes from a heart that is united with Christ and surrendered to God’s will. You rejoiced in the Lord always, knowing that even the Cross, when borne with love, leads to eternal joy. In a world that seeks fleeting happiness, your life reminds us that joy is found not in comfort or pleasure, but in living for Christ and embracing His Cross.

    Let us pray:
    Holy St. Francis, joyful servant of God, pray for me that I may know the joy of living for Christ. Help me to rejoice in all things, trusting that God’s will is always for my good. Teach me to embrace the crosses in my life with faith and love, knowing that they lead to the joy of eternal life with Christ. May my heart be filled with the joy that comes from loving and serving the Lord with all my strength.

    Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

    St. Francis, pray for us.

    For the entire 9-Day St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Hearts with Msgr. John Esseff tap here

    The post Day 6 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    A Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux – Day Nine – Discerning Hearts Podcast Sep 30, 2026
    Show notes


    St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena – Day Nine
    therese-1

    St. Therese you have said:

    “When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens, I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.”

    Saint Therese, flower of Carmel,
    you said you would spend your heaven
    doing good upon the earth.
    Your trust in God was complete.

    Listen to my prayer;
    bring before God my special intention…
    Pray for me that I may have something of your confidence
    in the loving promises of our God.
    Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me,
    and one day see the Face of God who you so ardently loved.

    Saint Therese,
    you kept your word to love God
    and to trust the world to that loving providence.
    Pray for us that we may be faithful to our commitment to love.
    May our lives, like yours,
    be able to touch the world and bring it to peace.

    Amen

    The post A Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux – Day Nine – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Day 5 – Overcoming Discouragement and Anxiety – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 30, 2026
    Show notes

    Day 5 – Overcoming Discouragement and Anxiety – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart

    From the Diary of St. Faustina, 1488 – Jesus speaks to Faustina:

    “The greatest obstacles to holiness are discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety. These will deprive you of the ability to practice virtue. All temptations united together ought not disturb your interior peace, not even momentarily. Sensitiveness and discouragement are the fruits of self-love. Place your trust not in yourself but in God.”

    Jesus warns us that discouragement and anxiety are the greatest obstacles to holiness. These feelings often arise from self-reliance or fear of failure, and they prevent us from trusting in God. When we focus on our weaknesses instead of God’s mercy, we lose the interior peace necessary for practicing virtue. Reflect on any areas where discouragement or anxiety may be keeping you from growing in holiness. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient, and He asks only that you trust in His love. Turn to Him with your worries, knowing that He can transform even your greatest weaknesses.

    Prayer & Petition:
    Lord, You know my heart and how easily I fall into discouragement when faced with challenges. Help me to trust in Your Divine Mercy and to remain at peace, even in the face of trials. May I grow in confidence that You are always at work in my life, even when I cannot see it. St. Faustina, intercede for me so that I may overcome discouragement and anxiety, trusting fully in God’s Divine Mercy. Amen.

    Closing Prayer

    Lord Jesus, through the intercession of St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, I ask for the grace to live more fully in Your mercy. Help me to trust in You completely, to offer mercy to others, and to live in the joy of Your love. May St. Faustina guide me in my journey toward holiness, and may her prayers obtain for me the graces I most need. Amen.

    St. Faustina, pray for us.

    You find the entire 9-Day St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart tap here

    You can find the Discerning Hearts “Chaplet of Divine Mercy” tap here

    .

    You find the Diary here

    The post Day 5 – Overcoming Discouragement and Anxiety – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast Sep 30, 2026
    Show notes

    

    Wednesday of the Twenty-Sixth 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 9:57-62

    As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
    Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
    Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

    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:

    As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
    Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
    Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

    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:

    As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’
    Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’
    Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

    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

    Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.

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


    A Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux – Day Eight – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes


    St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena – Day Eight
    St.-Therese-5 (1)

    St. Therese you have said:

    “And it is the Lord, it is Jesus, who is my judge. Therefore I will try always to think leniently of others, that He may judge me leniently, or rather not at all, since He says: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.”

    Saint Therese, flower of Carmel,
    you said you would spend your heaven
    doing good upon the earth.
    Your trust in God was complete.

    Listen to my prayer;
    bring before God my special intention…
    Pray for me that I may have something of your confidence
    in the loving promises of our God.
    Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me,
    and one day see the Face of God who you so ardently loved.

    Saint Therese,
    you kept your word to love God
    and to trust the world to that loving providence.
    Pray for us that we may be faithful to our commitment to love.
    May our lives, like yours,
    be able to touch the world and bring it to peace.

    Amen

    The post A Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux – Day Eight – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Day 5 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    Day 5 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart with Msgr. John Esseff

    Day 5: Poverty

    St. Francis, you embraced Lady Poverty, imitating Christ who was born in a humble manger and died naked upon the Cross. By detaching yourself from the things of this world, you found the riches of Heaven, for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). You remind us that the true wealth of a soul is found in loving and serving God above all else, and that spiritual poverty is the path to perfect freedom in Christ.

    Let us pray:
    St. Francis, you gave up everything to follow Christ, finding perfect joy in holy poverty. Obtain for me the grace to detach from the fleeting things of this world and to seek the eternal riches of Heaven. Teach me to live with a spirit of poverty, trusting in God’s providence and finding contentment in His love. May I always place God first in my life, knowing that He alone is my true treasure.

    Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

    St. Francis, pray for us.

    For the entire 9-Day St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Hearts with Msgr. John Esseff tap here

    The post Day 5 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Day 4 – Humility Before God – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    Day 4 – Humility Before God – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart

    From the Diary of St. Faustina, 593 – Faustina writes:

    “A humble soul does not trust itself, but places all its confidence in God. God defends the humble and delivers him from snares and miseries. The humble man, though he be amidst great sufferings, keeps his peace, for he trusts in God and does not depend on himself.”

    Humility is a virtue that allows us to recognize our complete dependence on God. St. Faustina reminds us that the humble soul trusts in God, not in its own abilities. In times of difficulty, humility helps us to turn to God in trust, knowing that He will defend us and provide for our needs. Reflect today on areas in your life where pride or self-reliance may be hindering your spiritual growth. Ask God for the grace to cultivate true humility and to place all your confidence in Him, especially in moments of trial.

    Prayer & Petition:
    Lord Jesus, I place my confidence in You. Teach me to let go of my pride and self-reliance, and to trust in Your providence. May I grow in humility each day, accepting that all I have and all I am comes from You. St. Faustina, pray that I may grow in humility and always trust in God’s grace rather than relying on my own abilities. Amen

    Closing Prayer

    Lord Jesus, through the intercession of St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, I ask for the grace to live more fully in Your mercy. Help me to trust in You completely, to offer mercy to others, and to live in the joy of Your love. May St. Faustina guide me in my journey toward holiness, and may her prayers obtain for me the graces I most need. Amen.

    St. Faustina, pray for us.

    You find the entire 9-Day St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart tap here

    You can find the Discerning Hearts “Chaplet of Divine Mercy” tap here

    .

    You find the Diary here

    The post Day 4 – Humility Before God – St. Faustina Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Feast of the Archangels – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    

    Feast of the Archangels – 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. John 1:47-51

    When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’

    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:

    When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’

    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:

    When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’

    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

    Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.

    The post Feast of the Archangels – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Temptation Under the Appearance of Good – Rule One – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast Sep 28, 2026
    Show notes

    
    Fr. Timothy Gallagher OMV

    When to Apply the Rules

    Temptation Under the Appearance of Good –
    Second Week Rule One

    In this episode, Fr. Timothy Gallagher explains when the Second Week Rules become necessary. As a person grows in prayer, generosity, and love of God, the enemy may change tactics. Instead of discouraging through spiritual desolation, he may tempt under the appearance of good. A thought can be good and holy. It can even be accompanied by spiritual consolation. Yet that alone does not mean it should be followed.

    Fr. Gallagher then introduces Rule One. God and his angels give true joy and spiritual gladness, while the enemy works against that consolation through apparent reasons, subtleties, and persistent fallacies. Through the examples of Patricia and Charles, Fr. Gallagher shows why greater discernment matters. When several possibilities appear good, the question becomes more subtle: Which one is truly the path God is asking this person to follow?

    The Second Week Rules teach us not to assume that spiritual consolation surrounding a good idea automatically confirms that it comes from God. Ignatius invites us to become more attentive to the movements of the heart, the reasoning surrounding them, and the direction in which they lead.

    Fr. Gallagher, by using St. Ignatius’ 10th Annotation, continues to break open the Title Statement and describes those who need the second set of rules. Such a person in the second spiritual situation, as described in the teaching, is mature, dedicated, generous, deeply loves the Lord, and desires to dedicate his or her life to the Lord. They have a solid, faithful life of prayer and service in their vocations. This is a set of rules to protect the beauty of that portrait so that the enemy is not able to lead the soul astray through any temptation under the appearance of good and it goes solidly toward the Lord.

    The Title Statement: “Rules for the same effect with greater discernment of spirits, and they help more for the second week. (328)

    Tenth Annotation. The tenth: When the one who gives the exercises perceives that the one who receives them is assaulted and tempted under the appearance of good, then it is proper to explain to him the rules for the second week already mentioned. For the enemy of human nature commonly tempts more under the appearance of good when the person is exercising himself in the illuminative life, which corresponds to the exercises of the second week, and not so much in the purgative life, which corresponds to the exercises of the first week.

    Discerning Hearts Questions for Reflection and Study

    Personal Reflection

    1. Have you ever assumed that a good and holy thought must necessarily be from God?
    2. How might spiritual growth change the kinds of temptations you experience?
    3. When several good possibilities are before you, how do you seek clarity about what God is actually asking?
    4. Have you experienced reasoning that seemed convincing at first but eventually became confusing or exhausting?
    5. How can spiritual direction help when consolation accompanies more than one possible path?

    Group Reflection or Study

    1. What does Ignatius mean by temptation “under the appearance of good”?
    2. Why are the Second Week Rules especially important for someone who has matured in prayer and the spiritual life?
    3. Why isn’t spiritual consolation by itself sufficient to determine that a particular thought is from God?
    4. What does Ignatius mean by “apparent reasons, subtleties, and persistent fallacies”?
    5. What do Patricia and Charles teach us about discerning between two genuinely good possibilities?

    For other episodes in this series visit: The Second Week Rules for the Discernment Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – DH Page

    Spiritual Consolation
    This series is based on Spiritual Consolation by Fr. Timothy Gallagher

    You can find the book here

    Also, here are the 2 handouts mentioned by Fr. Gallagher in Talk 2:

    Guidance for a Greater Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Timothy Gallagher O.M.V.

    For the PDF document:

    Handout Number 1 – The Text of the 8 Rules of the Second Week
    https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/The_Text_of_the_Rules.pdf

    Handout Number 2 – Examples – Discernment of Spirits – 2nd Week rules
    https://www.discerninghearts.com/Gallagher/EXAMPLES-DISCERNMENT_OF_SPIRITS-SECOND_WEEK_RULES.pdf

    The Discernment of Spirits: The First Week Rules /w Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV

    The Daily Prayer of Discernment: The Examen Prayer with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

    The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallager

    The post Temptation Under the Appearance of Good – Rule One – The Second Week Rules for the Discernment of Spirits w/ Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


    Day 4 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts Sep 28, 2026
    Show notes

    Day 4 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart with Msgr. John Esseff

    Day 4: Love of Creation

    St. Francis, you praised God through all of His creation, seeing in every creature the hand of the Creator. In your “Canticle of the Creatures,” you praised the Lord for Brother Sun and Sister Moon, recognizing that all of nature reflects God’s goodness and beauty. You remind us that creation is a gift from God, entrusted to us as stewards, and that we are called to use it for His glory and the good of others. At the same time, you knew that creation must never be worshiped, for only God, the Creator, is to be adored.

    Let us pray:
    St. Francis, lover of all God’s creation, intercede for me that I may grow in my appreciation for the beauty of the world around me and my responsibility to care for it as a gift from God. Help me to respect the earth and all its creatures, using the resources God has given us wisely and for His glory. May I see in the wonders of creation a reflection of the Creator’s infinite love and majesty.

    Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

    St. Francis, pray for us.

    For the entire 9-Day St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Hearts with Msgr. John Esseff tap here

    The post Day 4 – St. Francis of Assisi Novena for the Discerning Heart – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.


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