St. Therese of Lisieux and the Martin Family - Bearers of Hope with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Episode 1 - Fr. Gallagher discuss the importance of St Therese of Lisieux, who Pope St. Pius X called the most important saint of the 20th century.  We discuss the significance of "letters" in revealing aspects of the saints and their relationships. In the case of St. Therese, Fr. Gallagher notices the "other centeredness" of her letters.  He also sets into context the age and culture of France and how it touched the lives of the Martin family. In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher chooses to begin with a look at the lives and letters of her canonized parents, Louis and Zélie Martin as seen through the eyes of St. Therese's family members. Here are some of the various texts Fr. Gallagher refers to in this episode: St. Therese of Lisieux by Those Who Knew Her (Testimonies from the Process of Beatification) Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (1864-1885) The post LST1 – Introduction – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 2 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the letters of  Zélie Martin, which offers a compelling glimpse of the life of the Martin family and the tender love she had for her children and others. Here are some of the various texts Fr. Gallagher refers to in this episode: St. Therese of Lisieux by Those Who Knew Her (Testimonies from the Process of Beatification) Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (1864-1885) The post LST2 – A Glimpse of Zélie – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 3 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher continues the reflection on the letters of  Zélie Martin, which offers a compelling glimpse of the life of the Martin family and the tender love she had for her children and others.  She was a beautiful example of what Pope St. John Paul II called "the gift of self." The post LST3 – Zélie Martin and the Gift of Self – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 4 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher begins reflecting on the letters written by St. Therese, which offers a tender glimpse of the life of the Martin family after the death of Zélie and the love the sisters had for their father Louis Martin. The post LST4 – The Love for Louis – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 5 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher reflects on letters written by St. Therese to her sister Celine who very much needed the contact given the suffering that was being endured by the family because of their father's illness.  Celine bore much of the burden of the situation.  The emotional suffering, sorrow, and helplessness are aspects of what Fr. Gallagher refers to as the "crucible of suffering."  Also, we discuss the "mother wounds" suffered by St. Therese because of the four separations in her young life from the "mothers" in her life. The post LST5 – The Crucible of Suffering – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 6 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher continues to reflect on the letters written by St. Therese to her sister Celine who very much needed the contact given their father's illness.  He also talks about the depths of St. Therese's devotion to the Suffering Holy Face of Jesus.  Fr. Gallagher also reflects on her desire to be a person who loves. The post LST6 – The Suffering Holy Face of Jesus – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 7 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher continues to reflect on the illuminating personality of St. Therese, by examining several letters written about her and letters she wrote to extended family members. The post LST7 – The Personality of St. Therese – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 8 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher reflects an important aspect of "the little way" as imaged by St. Therese of "casting flowers." This is demonstrated by her relationship with a challenging novice, Sister Marie of Saint-Joseph The post LST8 – Casting Flowers – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 9 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the suffering of St. Therese and her experience of it in light of the "Little Way" as seen in her letters and the observations from others. The post LST9 – The Passion of St. Therese – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 10 - In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher continues his reflection on "the little way" and then discusses the Christmas moment that St. Therese described as her "complete conversion" moment. The post LST10 – The Complete Conversion Grace – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Episode 11 – In this conversation, Fr. Gallagher reflects on the ordinary quality of St. Therese’s holiness by reading from the testimony of those who knew her.  He answers the question, “Could St. Therese be considered a mystic?” Here are some of the various texts Fr. Gallagher refers to in this episode: The Letters of ... Read more The post LST11 – The Ordinary Quality of St. Therese’s Holiness – The Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor begin a new series that reflects on the life of the "forgotten" sister of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Servant of God Léonie Martin.   Fr. Gallagher says, "Léonie's life holds a very important story because she was the forgotten one; she was the one who was in the last place; she was the one who was less gifted than the others. Today we would call her a ‘problem child', and we'll see that she certainly was the source of great anxiety to her parents, especially to her mother, Zélie, who loved her dearly." As a child, Léonie suffered from severe illnesses and physical maladies that would plague her entire life. She also struggled with understanding social clues and interactions, and with behaving appropriately. Conventional educational models of the day failed to meet her particular needs, and she was labeled "developmentally delayed". Yet those who knew her well described her as having a "heart of gold". Who was Léonie and what were her struggles? Why has her cause of canonization begun?  Father Gallagher, along with Kris McGregor,  answers these questions and explains why Léonie is "a bearer of hope” in this landmark series. The post Ep 1 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode, we hear a little more about her younger sister, Marie Hélène, who died at the age of 5, as well three other siblings, Joseph Louis, Joseph Jean-Baptiste, and Marie Mélanie-Thérèse, who all died during infancy. We then begin to experience the challenges of Leonie's education and the ability to interact with others appropriately. What is the family to do? How can her challenges be addressed in love? We also here more from Leonie's loving aunt, Zélie's sister, Elise, now known as Sister Marie-Dosithée, a member the Visitation Sisters. The post Ep 2 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

In this episode, we begin to hear from the perspective of St. Therese and her early memories of Léonie.  Also, Zélie continues to share her fears, frustrations, deep concerns for her Léonie.  She thinks she has found an answer with the arrival of two retired nuns. They might be able to teach her challenging daughter, but not all is what it appears to be with these two women.  There is also something of a mystery surrounding Zélie and Leonie's relationship.  What is preventing Zélie from breaking through to her daughter?  Then another sad death affects the family, while Zélie begins to experience her own health failing.  What will become of her poor Léonie? The post Ep 3 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The post Ep 5 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The post Ep 6 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The post Ep 7 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The post Ep 8 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The post Ep 9 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

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n this episode, we jump ahead 15 years to 1915. Léonie is now a cloistered religious Sister Françoise-Thérèse of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in Caen.  She is doing her best to live the "little way" as described by her younger sister Thérèse, whose cause for canonization is rapidly moving forward.  This process graces her with an opportunity to visit with her three living sisters, Marie, Celine, and Pauline at the Carmel in Lisieux. Pauline, now Mother Agnes of Jesus and prioress of the Carmel, develops a close relationship with Léonie.  She will serve Léonie as a mother figure and spiritual director for the rest of her life.  Their correspondence speaks of Léonie's spiritual growth during this period. The post Ep 12 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

n this episode, we jump ahead 15 years to 1915. Léonie is now a cloistered religious Sister Françoise-Thérèse of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in Caen.  She is doing her best to live the "little way" as described by her younger sister Thérèse, whose cause for canonization is rapidly moving forward.  This process graces her with an opportunity to visit with her three living sisters, Marie, Celine, and Pauline at the Carmel in Lisieux. Pauline, now Mother Agnes of Jesus and prioress of the Carmel, develops a close relationship with Léonie.  She will serve Léonie as a mother figure and spiritual director for the rest of her life.  Their correspondence speaks of Léonie's spiritual growth during this period. The post Ep 13 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin - Bearer of Hope with Fr. Timothy Gallagher - Episode 14 We pick up with Léonie at the dawn of the 1930s, in an era where world events begin to collide cataclysmically.   She is writing to her older sister, Marie, about Pauline's jubilee and recalling challenging medical procedures. We also discuss the profound impact the teachings and writings of St. Francis de Sales and, to a lesser extent, St. Jane de Chantal and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had on Léonie. Finally, Fr. Gallagher observes how the Salesian spirituality is very much in keeping with the "Little Way" of her sister, St. Therese, they are. Léonie then imparts profound insights to her sisters following a retreat, which still rings true for all of us today. The post Ep 14 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin - Bearer of Hope with Fr. Timothy Gallagher - Episode 14 We pick up with Léonie at the dawn of the 1930s, in an era where world events begin to collide cataclysmically.   She is writing to her older sister, Marie, about Pauline's jubilee and recalling challenging medical procedures. We also discuss the profound impact the teachings and writings of St. Francis de Sales and, to a lesser extent, St. Jane de Chantal and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had on Léonie. Finally, Fr. Gallagher observes how the Salesian spirituality is very much in keeping with the "Little Way" of her sister, St. Therese, they are. Léonie then imparts profound insights to her sisters following a retreat, which still rings true for all of us today. The post Ep 15 – A Sister of St. Thérèse: Servant of God, Léonie Martin – Bearer of Hope w/Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.