Podcasts about Jansenism

“Our longings are much more powerful than our logic, and our desires are stronger than our reason.” (Graham Tomlin on the thought of Blaise Pascal)The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Tomlin (St. Mellitus College, the Centre for Cultural Witness) joins Evan Rosa for a sweeping exploration of Blaise Pascal—the 17th-century mathematician, scientist, philosopher, and theologian whose insights into human nature remain strikingly relevant. Tomlin traces Pascal's life of brilliance and illness, his tension between scientific acclaim and radical devotion, and his deep engagement with Descartes, Montaigne, and Augustine. The conversation moves through Pascal's analysis of self-deception, his critique of rationalism and skepticism, the transformative Night of Fire, his compassion for the poor, and the wager's misunderstood meaning. Tomlin presents Pascal as a thinker who speaks directly to our distracted age, revealing a humanity marked by greatness, misery, and a desperate longing only grace can satisfy.Episode Highlights“Our longings are much more powerful than our logic, and our desires are stronger than our reason.”“The greatness and the refuse of the universe—that's what we are. We're the greatest thing and also the worst thing.”“If everybody knew what everybody else said about them, there would not be four friends left in the world.”“Only grace can begin to turn that self-oriented nature around and implant in us a desire for God.”“The reason you cannot believe is not because of your reason; it's because of your passions.”Show NotesGraham Tomlin introduces the Night of Fire and Pascal's meditation on “the greatness of the human soul”Evan Rosa frames Pascal as a figure of mystery, mechanics, faith, and modern technological influence.Tomlin contrasts Pascal with Descartes and Montaigne—rationalism vs. skepticism—locating Pascal between their poles.Pascal's awareness of distraction, competition, and “all men naturally hate each other” surfaces early as a key anthropological insight.Evan notes Nietzsche's striking admiration: “his blood runs through my veins.”Tomlin elaborates on Pascal's lifelong tension between scientific achievement and spiritual devotion.The story of the servant discovering the hidden Night of Fire parchment in Pascal's coat lining is recounted.Tomlin reads the core text: “Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy… Let me never be separated from him.”Pascal's distinction: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers.”Discussion of Jansenism, Augustinian anthropology, and the gravity of human fallenness.Tomlin sets the philosophical context: Pascal as a counter to both rationalist optimism and skeptical relativism.Pascal's core tension—grandeur and misery—is presented as the interpretive key to human nature.Quote emerges: “the greatness and the refuse of the universe—that's what we are.”Tomlin describes Pascal's political skepticism and the idea that politics offers only “rules for a madhouse.”Pascal's diagnosis of self-deception: “If everybody knew what everybody else said about them, there would not be four friends left in the world.”Evan raises questions about social hope; Tomlin answers with Pascal's belief that only grace can break self-love.They explore Pascal's critique of distraction and the famous line: “the sole cause of man's unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.”Tomlin ties this to contemporary digital distraction—“weapons of mass distraction”.The conversation turns to the wager, reframed not as coercion but exposure: unbelief is driven by passions more than reasons.Closing reflections highlight the apologetic project of the Pensées, Pascal's brilliance, and his ongoing relevance.Helpful Links and ReferencesSpecial thanks to the Center for Christian Witness and Seen and Unseen https://www.seenandunseen.com/Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World, by Graham Tomlin https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/graham-tomlin/blaise-pascal/9781399807661/Pensées, by Blaise Pascal https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18269Provincial Letters, by Blaise Pascal https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2407Why Being Yourself Is a Bad Idea, by Graham Tomlinhttps://www.amazon.com/Why-Being-Yourself-Bad-Idea/dp/0281087097Montaigne's Essays https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3600Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23306Augustine's Confessions https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3296About Graham TomlinGraham Tomlin is a British theologian, writer, and church leader. He is the former Bishop of Kensington (2015-2022) in the Church of England and now serves as Director of the Centre for Cultural Witness and President of St Mellitus College in London. He is widely known for connecting theology with cultural life and public imagination. Tomlin is the author of several books, including Looking Through the Cross, The Widening Circle, and Why Being Yourself Is a Bad Idea: And Other Countercultural Notions. His latest book is an intellectual and spiritual biography, Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World.Production NotesThis episode was made possible in part by the generous support of the Tyndale House FoundationThis podcast featured Graham TomlinProduction Assistance by Emily Brookfield and Alexa RollowEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaA production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Friends of the Rosary,Today, October 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Memorials of St. Hedwig (1174-1243) and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690).Our Lord chose Margaret Mary Alacoque, a nun in the Visitation Convent at Paray-le-Monial, France, to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart and to establish the devotion of the Holy Hour.This was at a time when the Protestant rebellion and the heresy of Jansenism were trying to separate Catholics from the faith.Jesus appeared to Margaret Mary often, usually as the Crucified Christ, revealing His burning desire to be loved by all men.She communicated Our Lord's wish that the faithful receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month and observe the Feast of the Sacred Heart on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.After nineteen years in the convent, St. Margaret Mary expired on October 17, 1690. Since then, many pilgrims to her tomb have sought and obtained favors.Through her apostolate of devotion to the Sacred Heart, many sinners have repented and found grace with God.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• October 16, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Send us a textWe trace the Sacred Heart from Scripture and early mystics to Saint Margaret Mary and papal teaching, then make it practical with consecration, First Fridays, the Holy Hour, and home enthronement. Stories, symbols, and promises show how this ancient devotion brings peace, courage, and community today.• scriptural roots in John 19:34 and early Church interpretation• medieval mystics preparing the ground for personal devotion• Saint Margaret Mary's revelations amid Jansenism and resistance• papal endorsements from Pius IX, Leo XIII, Pius XII• theology and symbols of the Heart, from flames to thorns• the twelve promises applied to modern family and work life• consecration steps, renewal, and daily practices• First Fridays and the Holy Hour as rhythms of reparation• enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the home• sacred heart art and iconography across cultures• practical ways to begin and sustain the devotionVisit Journeys of Faith today and take the first step on a pilgrimage, physical or spiritual, that could change everythingSacred Heart Devotion CollectionOpen by Steve Bailey Support the show

He Believes America Should Be a Theocracy. He Says His Influence Is Growing. https://pca.st/x2ihuwpm Why Life on Mars Will DOOM Humanity https://youtu.be/PuHrtlJPk3o?si=SujMe8SjzRHwiJYN (via ChatGPT) Calvinism and Jansenism history https://chatgpt.com/share/68e7ce6d-9cf0-8006-9818-3008cc720892 canal do radinho no whatsapp! canal do radinho no telegram:   http://t.me/radinhodepilha meu perfil no Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renedepaulajr meu perfil no BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/renedepaula.bsky.social meu twitter http://twitter.com/renedepaula aqui ... Read more The post América teocrática??? vida em Marte é uma má notícia para a Terra? appeared first on radinho de pilha.

Friends of the Rosary,On September 27, the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul.This 17th-century French priest is recognized as the patron of Catholic charities for his apostolic work for those in need.He was encouraged by the love of Christ to "organize permanent forms of service" to provide for the poor and marginalized, as Pope Benedict XVI noted.In 1605, five years after receiving ordination as a priest and as a tutor to students in Toulouse, during a sea voyage was captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery. His ordeal of captivity lasted until 1607, during which time the priest converted his owner to the Christian faith and escaped with him from Tunisia. Afterward, he spent time studying in Rome and moved with compassion for the poor, began undertaking missions and founding institutions to help them both materially and spiritually.Vincent established the Congregation of Priests of the Mission in 1625, as part of an effort to evangelize rural populations and foster vocations to remedy a priest shortage. He also worked with the future Saint Louise de Marillac to organize the Daughters of Charity, the first congregation of women religious whose consecrated life involved an extensive apostolate among the poor, the sick, and prisoners.Doctrinally, Vincent was a strong opponent of Jansenism, a theological heresy that denied the universality of God's love and discouraged reception of the Eucharist. He was also involved in the reform of several religious orders within France.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠September 27, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Augustin Fresnel didn’t live a long life, but he contributed significantly to the understanding of light and to the safety of coastlines. Neither of those had anything to do with his career. Research: Anderson, F.L. “Huygens' Principle geometric derivation and elimination of the wake and backward wave.” Sci Rep11, 20257 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99049-7 Aglialoro, Todd. “Jansenism.” Catholic.com. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/jansenism Garcia-Atutxa, Igor, et al. “The epistemological impact of Augustin-Jean Fresnel and his wave theory of light in the 19th century.” History of Science and Technology. Vol. 14, No. 1. 2024. https://www.hst-journal.com/index.php/hst/article/view/616 Clingan, Ian C.. "lighthouse". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/technology/lighthouse Crew, Henry. “The wave theory of light; memoirs of Huygens, Young and Fresnel.” New York. Cincinnati American Book Company. 1900. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/wavetheoryofligh00crewrich/page/n3/mode/2up Davidson, Michael W. “Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788-1827).” Molecular Expressions. Florida State University. https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/timeline/people/fresnel.html The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Augustin-Jean Fresnel". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Jul. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augustin-Jean-Fresnel The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "François Arago". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francois-Arago “The Genius of Augustin-Jean Fresnel and his Lens.” Ponce Lighthouse & Museum. July 19, 2023. https://www.ponceinlet.org/the-genius-of-augustin-jean-fresnel-and-his-lens/ Herivel, John. "Christiaan Huygens". Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Jul. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christiaan-Huygens. “July 1816: Fresnel’s Evidence for the Wave Theory of Light.” Advancing Physics. American Physical Society. https://www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/201607/physicshistory.cfm Linden, Teri Clark. “A Short Bright Flash: Augustin Fresnel and the Birth of the Modern Lighthouse.” W.W. Norton. 2013. “May 1801: Thomas Young and the Nature of Light.” Advancing Physics. American Physical Society. https://www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/200805/physicshistory.cfm “Napoleon’s Russian campaign: From the Niemen to Moscow.” Napoleon Foundation. https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/timelines/napoleons-russian-campaign-from-the-niemen-to-moscow/ Rehman, Ayaz Ur, and Muhammad Sabieh Anwar. “Light Is a Transverse Wave.” LUMS Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering. August 21, 2018. https://physlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/LightTransverse-v2.pdf Silliman, Robert H. “Fresnel and the Emergence of Physics as a Discipline.” Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences , 1974, Vol. 4 (1974), pp. 137- University of California Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/27757329.pdf Tag, Thomas. “Lens Use Prior to Fresnel.” United States Lighthouse Society. https://uslhs.org/node/1481 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:00 Emily and Edmund kick off the episode by introducing the sixth and seventh petitions: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. They explore how modern generations oscillate between moral relativism and hyper-vigilance about right and wrong, despite many still praying regularly. This sets the stage for examining how the Catechism helps us discern objective morality amid today's shifting cultural views. 08:08 Edmund and Emily show how over-intellectualizing the Faith led to two extremes, either thinking we can resist temptation on our own (Pelagianism) or feeling powerless without special election (Jansenism). These often show up today as indifference or scrupulosity. They unpack the Greek roots of “lead us not into temptation,” noting it means both “don't let us enter” and “don't let us yield,” and encourage praying for God's help to trust His will and avoid yielding to temptation.15:46 Edmund and Emily emphasize that temptation isn't sinful, only yielding to it is. They encourage humility and reliance on God's grace instead of shame. Using everyday examples like marital frustrations over an unloaded dishwasher, they show how praying for virtues (e.g., patience) can help in the midst of temptation. They highlight the Catechism's wisdom on discernment, distinguishing growth-forming trials from temptations that lead to sin and discuss the importance of avoiding both indifference and scrupulosity.22:15 Edmund and Emily illustrate how charity and community can justly take precedence over strict observance, reminding us that relationship trumps anxious rule-keeping. They stress discernment in distinguishing between trials and temptations. The motto: “rules without relationship lead to rebellion,” highlights the heart's posture in prayer. 28:05 Edmund and Emily wrap up with practical tips for catechists: integrate the Ten Commandments into prayer by guiding an examination of conscience that moves beyond a checklist to a heartfelt dialogue with God. They stress honest, heart-level prayer and bringing specific struggles before Jesus, asking for grace so that doctrine informs our lived encounter, not just intellectual assent.An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 405The Saint of the day is Saint Alphonsus LiguoriSaint Alphonsus Liguori’s Story Moral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly nourished by Scripture, and show the nobility of the Christian vocation of the faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950, would rejoice in that statement. In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, which went through 60 editions in the century following him, concentrated on the practical and concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to this model of moderation and gentleness. At the University of Naples, Alphonsus received a doctorate in both canon and civil law by acclamation, at the age of 16, but he soon gave up the practice of law for apostolic activity. He was ordained a priest, and concentrated his pastoral efforts on popular parish missions, hearing confessions, and forming Christian groups. He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother. But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved 17 years later, though its troubles were not over. Alphonsus' great pastoral reforms were in the pulpit and confessional—replacing the pompous oratory of the time with simplicity, and the rigorism of Jansenism with kindness. His great fame as a writer has somewhat eclipsed the fact that for 26 years he traveled up and down the Kingdom of Naples preaching popular missions. He was made bishop at age 66 after trying to reject the honor, and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese. His greatest sorrow came toward the end of his life. The Redemptorists, precariously continuing after the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, had difficulty in getting their Rule approved by the Kingdom of Naples. Alphonsus acceded to the condition that they possess no property in common, but with the connivance of a high Redemptorist official, a royal official changed the Rule substantially. Alphonsus, old, crippled and with very bad sight, signed the document, unaware that he had been betrayed. The Redemptorists in the Papal States then put themselves under the pope, who withdrew those in Naples from the jurisdiction of Alphonsus. It was only after his death that the branches were united. At 71, Alphonsus was afflicted with rheumatic pains which left incurable bending of his neck. Until it was straightened a little, the pressure of his chin caused a raw wound on his chest. He suffered a final 18 months of “dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies were frequent. Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church. Reflection Saint Alphonsus was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all. Saint Alphonsus Liguori is the Patron Saint of: TheologiansVocations Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Fr Timothy Gallagher is a priest of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and co-founder of the Ignition Discernment Institute. Fr Gallagher has written a book of letters from Venerable Bruno Lanteri, who lived through tumultuous times (war, revolution, Jansenism) yet his letters teach how to prayerfully live with patience and hope amid life's challenges. Fr Timothy Gallagher OMV Download the Veritas mobile app Joe & Joe on X Joe & Joe on YouTube

In the latest episode, I take a deeper look at a recent controversy. Two Catholic scholars recent wrote an article in Commonweal Magazine comparing Traditionalist Catholics--those who attend the Latin Mass--to a heresy known as "Jansenism." In this short episode, I talk about why this comparison does not hold, but is actually a polemical use of history designed to smear Traditionalists. In it, I discuss the history of Jansenism and the danger of taking historical analogies too seriously.

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 366The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph CafassoSaint Joseph Cafasso's story Even as a young man, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism—an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Liguori to moderate the rigorism popular at the seminary. Joseph recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition to his teaching duties, Joseph was an excellent preacher, confessor, and retreat master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners, he helped many of them die at peace with God. Joseph urged one of his former pupils—Saint John Bosco—to establish the Salesians congregation to work with the youth of Turin. Joseph Cafasso died in 1860, and was canonized in 1947. His liturgical feast is celebrated on June 23. Reflection Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well: Saint Francis, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta among them. Saint Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of: PrisonersPrussia Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

This is a preview. Join the Guild community or become a Patron of one of the following for full access:https://www.patreon.com/traditionalthomisthttps://meaningofcatholic.com/register---https://www.gofundme.com/f/new-family-emergency The Meaning of Catholic is a collaborative lay apostolate dedicated to uniting Catholics against the enemies of holy Church through the domestic church, catechetics, and the public promotion of truth and charity. https://meaningofcatholic.com/ -Confession of Faith: https://meaningofcatholic.com/my-confession-of-faith/ -Internet Promise: https://meaningofcatholic.com/my-promise/ Join the Guild to support our work and access the online community, free books, and exclusive content: https://meaningofcatholic.com/register or donate: http://meaningofcatholic.com/donate or if you can't afford to join and would like free membership, contact us: https://meaningofcatholic.com/contact Join our lay sodality which offers up penance for clergy and seminarians: https://meaningofcatholic.com/2022/03/01/fellowship-st-anthony/

Episode 11 – Spiritual Fruits of Small Acts – St. Thérèse and Marie: The Story of Two Cousins with Fr. Timothy Gallagher Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor take a look at the spiritual development of Marie, cousin of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, through her letters to Celine, and Thérèse's teachings. After Thérèse's death, Marie grew into a spiritual guide for Celine, who faced challenges in her married life. The letters reveal Marie’s assimilation of Thérèse’s “Little Way,” focusing on love in daily, seemingly small acts. Thérèse's advice, including humility, joy, and charity in daily interactions, reflects her practical approach to holiness. She urged Marie to let go of self-focus, embrace sacrificial love, and make virtuous choices in ordinary settings, even during recreation, fostering relationships through selfless acts of love. They also discuss Thérèse's transformation of spiritual attitudes prevalent in her time, such as the lingering effects of Jansenism. Thérèse believed in God's merciful love over fear and judgment, demonstrating a path to holiness accessible to all, even in mundane tasks. Her counsel to “forget oneself” and focus on love for God and others highlights her conviction that profound spiritual growth lies in simple, consistent acts of love. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions * Spiritual Growth Through Relationships: How can I guide others spiritually while remaining open to my own growth in faith? * Embracing Humility: In what ways can I practice humility by seeking forgiveness, even when I am not at fault? * Living the “Little Way”: How can I fill the small, everyday moments of my life with love and intentionality? * Overcoming Self-Focus: What steps can I take to forget myself and center my thoughts and actions on loving God and others? * Finding Joy in Sacrifice: How can I offer small sacrifices in my daily interactions as acts of love and charity? * Sanctifying Ordinary Activities: How can I approach routine or recreational moments with the same fidelity and virtue as prayer or work? * Being Cheerful for Others: How can I bring joy and encouragement to others, even when I am facing personal sadness? * Rediscovering God’s Mercy: How do I view God’s love and mercy, and how can I overcome fears rooted in a harsh image of God? * Reflecting on Daily Duty: How does my approach to daily responsibilities reflect my love for God and commitment to holiness? * Building Virtuous Relationships: How can I intentionally foster love, patience, and kindness in my relationships, following the example of Thérèse? About this Series Fr. Timothy Gallagher reflects upon the enduring legacy of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, exploring how her life and spirituality were deeply influenced by her family and how it offers profound insights into everyday holiness. He examines the role of family and spiritual friendships in nurturing faith, the importance of compassionate care for others, and how Thérèse’s example can inspire listeners to seek sanctity in their daily lives. He also brings forth more details of the spiritual bond between the Martin and Guérin families, offering a model for fostering deeper connections within one’s own family and community. 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.” For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers's various books and audio, which are available for purchase, please visit  his  website:  

Discover the profound connection between God's mercy and justice. We often think of them as opposites, but what if they're not? Explore how this truth transforms your understanding of God's love and deepens your capacity to receive His mercy. (Divine Mercy mini series, part 1 of 2) Discussed in this episode: Why this may be the most important topic ever discussed on the Being Human podcast; The surprising truth: mercy and justice are not opposites but inseparable; Why God is never angry with us, even if there are corrections we need to make; The idea of a wrathful God is a misunderstanding rooted in Calvinism and Jansenism, not Catholic teaching; God knows every detail of our lives—our wounds, weaknesses, and struggles—and judges us with complete understanding and compassion; Justice means seeing the full picture of our lives, and God's infinite mercy flows from this perfect understanding; How the Enlightenment and postmodern thinking shaped our misconceptions of authority and objective truth; Why God's justice isn't about wrath but about seeing the whole picture of our lives; The deep psychological connection between forgiveness, mercy, and justice; The invitation to deepen our capacity to receive God's mercy. Resources mentioned or relevant:  Grow in self-awareness and self-compassion through Catholic Mindfulness; Need help? Schedule a free consultation to discuss your next best step;  Feeling called to help others? Learn more about our Certification program (CPMAP): CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism; Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych; Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available; Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, courses, prayer resources, and more; Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE's - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more! Follow:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicPsych  Instagram: @catholicpsych  X: @CatholicPsych Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you! Rate, review, and subscribe Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends. Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings. For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review.” Then type your sincere thoughts about the show! If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!

Accompaniment in times of suffering, Jansenism, Islam, LSD, are some of the topics on today's Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders.

Accompaniment in times of suffering, Jansenism, Islam, LSD, are some of the topics on today's Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders.

Friends of the Rosary, Today is the Memorial Day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). Our Lord chose this French Visitation nun and mystic to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart. This privilege took place at a time when Protestantism and the heresy of Jansenism were trying to separate Catholics from their faith and their God. Margaret had always intensely loved the Blessed Sacrament and preferred silence. In one of her visions, she was instructed to spend an hour every Thursday night meditating on Jesus' Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, a practice known as “The Holy Hour” that later became widespread. In December 1673, Jesus appeared to Margaret Mary again and allowed her to rest her head on His heart. His human heart was to symbolize His divine-human love. He revealed to her the wonders of His love and explained to her that he wished to make these wonders known to all the world. A group of theologians declared her visions delusions and suggested she eat better. Even parents of children she instructed began calling her an imposter. Margaret eventually gained the support from the community's confessor, St. Claude de la Colombiere, who declared her visions were genuine. St. Margaret Mary later led the monastery in observing the Feast of the Sacred Heart and inspired the construction of a chapel to honor it. Margaret Mary died a couple of years later, at 43, on October 17, 1690, while being anointed. She said, “I need nothing but God and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.” After her death, the Jesuits adopted devotion to the Sacred Heart, but it remained controversial within the Church. The practice did not become officially recognized until 75 years later. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was officially canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. In 1928, Pope Pius XI upheld the Church's position. He stated that Jesus “manifested Himself” to Margaret and confirmed the chief features of devotion to the Sacred Heart were the “reception of Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month, Eucharistic adoration during a ‘Holy hour' on Thursdays, and the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart.” Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Pray for Us! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • October 16, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

The very words of St. John Climacus seem to carry us up to heights hitherto unknown and unexpected. The experience of this ascent takes place as we feel our hearts begin to burn for love of God and the desire for him in prayer.  St. John quickly moves us away from looking at prayer as a mere discipline and rather our being drawn into the depths of Mystery, the very Mystery of the Triune God.  The act of praying is a blessing in and of itself. To enter into this converse with God is also to experience the action of the Spirit within our hearts, the groans of Love that are beyond words.   In all of this, St. John reshapes are understanding of the nature of prayer. It is not a discipline but an expression of our true nature in Christ. We are to become prayer, consumed by love for the Lord; anxious to show that love and treat it cheaply.  Faith, St. John tells us, gives wings to prayer. Through it we see with clarity our hearts' desire. An urgent longing takes hold of the heart that seeks quick satisfaction; that is, seeks to take hold of the Beloved without delay. --- Text of chat during the group:   00:08:23 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 237, #26   00:12:17 iPhone: Thank you, Bob   00:12:37 Myles Davidson: Hi Father. Which edition of Isaac the Syrian's AH will you be using?   00:13:38 iPhone: Beautiful book   00:13:51 Bob Cihak, AZ: Previous posts don't show for newcomers, so I repeat: P. 237, #26   00:14:02 Bob Cihak, AZ: Yes! “The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian, revised 2nd Edition” published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635 .   00:14:16 Cindy Moran: I just got mine in the mail---loving the glossary.   00:14:43 Cindy Moran: Excellent...yes!   00:26:15 Anthony: I think the focus on law and duty that we see in some Catholic subcultures damages our understanding of prayer in this mystical way. At least, I think it was not healthy for me, with efforts like "storm heaven with this novena."   00:27:53 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "Yes! “The Ascetical ..." with ❤️   00:30:43 Anthony: Another thing about legalism is that it chokes faith.   00:34:13 Anthony: Like how God said His name was blasphemy among the nation's by bad behavior of the Chosen people.   00:35:35 Kate : I have had to undo a lot of this strict legalistic teaching over the years.  Sometimes I fall back into it, and I think it is actually easier for my mind to grasp this legalism rather than open myself and surrender myself to the Love of God.  His Love is almost incomprehensible sometimes, but wonderfully so!   00:35:42 iPhone: Glad you mentioned corporal punishment. When I was five or six, I realized how unjust this violence was and I saw that the nun hit us hard enough to make us cry. In my desire for Justice, I resolved not to cry and I didn't. After that I was marked as a problem child and never got a break. So, yeah, learning to trust is big   00:36:49 iPhone: The nuns meant our best, I'm sure. But something was really off with Irish Catholicism at that time (early 60s)   00:37:13 Anthony: Replying to "The nuns meant our b..."     It's Jansenism   00:38:19 iPhone: I think Jansenism is applicable but not the whole story   00:39:21 iPhone: Oh this is Una. Forget to put in my name   00:55:33 Cindy Moran: It's a sort of Divine healing radiation   01:04:21 Erick Chastain: Sorry about that got in car mode   01:04:27 iPhone: Ignatius and remote preparation   01:06:53 Jeff O.: So it all starts with obedience….is this the general movement…recognizing that it's not quite so linear? obedience —> humility —> discernment —> dispassion —> true prayer   01:12:22 Jacqulyn: Reacted to "Sorry about that got..." with

St Alphonsus Liguori - Being Who God Made Him to Be *St Alphonsus - Saint for a Difficult Time  *St Alphonsus and Jansenism *Uniformity with God's Will *Confession, Means of New Evangelization

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 404The Saint of the day is Saint Alphonsus LiguoriSaint Alphonsus Liguori’s Story Moral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly nourished by Scripture, and show the nobility of the Christian vocation of the faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950, would rejoice in that statement. In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, which went through 60 editions in the century following him, concentrated on the practical and concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to this model of moderation and gentleness. At the University of Naples, Alphonsus received a doctorate in both canon and civil law by acclamation, at the age of 16, but he soon gave up the practice of law for apostolic activity. He was ordained a priest, and concentrated his pastoral efforts on popular parish missions, hearing confessions, and forming Christian groups. He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother. But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved 17 years later, though its troubles were not over. Alphonsus' great pastoral reforms were in the pulpit and confessional—replacing the pompous oratory of the time with simplicity, and the rigorism of Jansenism with kindness. His great fame as a writer has somewhat eclipsed the fact that for 26 years he traveled up and down the Kingdom of Naples preaching popular missions. He was made bishop at age 66 after trying to reject the honor, and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese. His greatest sorrow came toward the end of his life. The Redemptorists, precariously continuing after the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, had difficulty in getting their Rule approved by the Kingdom of Naples. Alphonsus acceded to the condition that they possess no property in common, but with the connivance of a high Redemptorist official, a royal official changed the Rule substantially. Alphonsus, old, crippled and with very bad sight, signed the document, unaware that he had been betrayed. The Redemptorists in the Papal States then put themselves under the pope, who withdrew those in Naples from the jurisdiction of Alphonsus. It was only after his death that the branches were united. At 71, Alphonsus was afflicted with rheumatic pains which left incurable bending of his neck. Until it was straightened a little, the pressure of his chin caused a raw wound on his chest. He suffered a final 18 months of “dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies were frequent. Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church. Reflection Saint Alphonsus was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all. Saint Alphonsus Liguori is the Patron Saint of: TheologiansVocations Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 365The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph CafassoSaint Joseph Cafasso's story Even as a young man, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism—an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Liguori to moderate the rigorism popular at the seminary. Joseph recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition to his teaching duties, Joseph was an excellent preacher, confessor, and retreat master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners, he helped many of them die at peace with God. Joseph urged one of his former pupils—Saint John Bosco—to establish the Salesians congregation to work with the youth of Turin. Joseph Cafasso died in 1860, and was canonized in 1947. His liturgical feast is celebrated on June 23. Reflection Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well: Saint Francis, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta among them. Saint Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of: PrisonersPrussia Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Guile.  It is rarely a word that is used in our day; nor one which we use to examine our own minds and hearts. Yet, as St. John describes it, guile has an impact upon our vision of life, God, ourselves, and others. Our vision becomes wholly distorted and perverted. While guile is a kind of intelligence - it is sly and cunning. Understanding, then, is used to manipulate others and circumstances for one's own benefit. This in turn creates an aversion to humility and repentance. The pretense of religion and religiosity begins to prevail in a person's life. Reverence and piety becomes a sham.  One becomes diabolical, and they use what is good in order to commit evil. It creates within the human heart a love of sin and so makes an individual the companion of the devil.  We are to live upright lives; that is, we are stand upright with our eyes fixed forward toward the life that God has made possible for us. How often we choose the path of beasts; our eyes directed downwards towards the things of this world and the satisfaction of our own appetites. The mind and the heart become sick and incapable of seeing the truth - so deeply have they sunk into the abyss of this unholy cunning. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:17:26 Celine Fournier: Hello I am new to the zoom.   00:18:12 FrDavid Abernethy: page 178 para 20   00:18:44 Walter Viola: First time attending. Been following via YouTube for a year.   00:29:39 David Swiderski: Wouldnt this be what we call today sociopaths? Often highly intelligent but are only able to see this benefits me now and this does not. There is no empathy or concept of a right and wrong. Working with excecutives in several pulbic companies I am convinced this is abnormally high in that group.   00:30:46 Louise: Guile seems to be the modus vivendi of psychopaths, or people I call satanic souls.   00:30:59 Kevin Burke: What is meant by “hindrance to resurrection?”   00:31:19 sue and mark: how would gaslighters come into play with this?   00:31:20 Anthony Rago: Yesterdays Gospel mentioned guile. Christ addresses Nathaniel as an Israelite in whom is no guile, is that to show he was outstanding in a crowd of people with guile? Or is it that he is an excellent specimen of a crowd of honest people? And what does that have to do with sitting under the fig tree?   00:32:38 Louise: If you meet one, go away, leave the scene ASAP.   00:36:02 Louise: Could we say that the ones are the bad seeds, the weeds?   00:36:49 Louise: ''he guile ones''   00:38:17 Carol: do you think guile can exist more subtly in the hearts of all of us   00:39:38 Maureen Cunningham: Guile is when you plan to hurt another soul.   00:44:01 Daniel Allen: Not to change texts but this makes me think of the wisdom of St Isaac, “above all things love silence”. I tend to regret my words more than biting my tongue   00:44:37 Anthony Rago: This is why Jansenism was so serious. Pure as angels; Proud as devils   00:46:47 Maureen Cunningham: I did see that movie   00:47:06 Cindy Moran: Love that movie   00:48:32 Louise: What is the name again?   00:48:38 Cindy Moran: Jennifer Jones   00:48:40 Rod Castillo: Jennifer Jones   00:48:52 Rod Castillo: Song of Bernadette   01:00:30 Louise: Father, we lost you.   01:00:36 Cindy Moran: Frozen   01:03:09 David Swiderski: A priest in Spain explained this well to me. All churches are filled with stainglass windows of the saints who let the light of God enter into our lives. By struggling we slowly clean our own windows and dark stains to let the light of God to enter into this world and our communities.   01:17:26 Maureen Cunningham: If we are always looking at what is bad in us ? In the same way can gaze at how far we have come closer to Him   01:20:59 Cindy Moran: Fun fact: Jennifer Jones was married to movie mogul studio film executive David O. Selznick [Gone With the Wind] who was born here in Pittsburgh   01:21:08 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you

A rare in-person episode! Join us as we look into the beginnings of the scientific revolution and what that meant for Church history. We look at new ways that politics plays into religion, various degrees of religious toleration, some great saints, the rise of Jansenism, and more! And as to be expected with in-person episodes, we go on plenty of tangents, including about the issues with modern Classics scholars and hating the skeptics!Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/UlmtdOpinions

Friends of the Rosary: One of the saints we honor today is St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a French nun chosen by Our Lord to spread devotion to his Sacred Heart, at a time when Protestantism and the Jansenism heresy tried to separate Catholics from the true faith.Our Lord appeared to her often, usually as the Crucified Christ. In this revelation of the Sacred Heart to the nun, Christ Jesus made known His burning desire to be loved by all men. Margaret Mary communicated Our Lord's wish that the faithful receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month and observe the Feast of the Sacred Heart on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. Through her apostolate of devotion to the Sacred Heart, many sinners have repented and found grace with God. Many pilgrims to St. Margaret Mary's tomb have sought and obtained favors. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Pray for Us! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠October 16, 2023, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

In this episode, I take a look back at a 1995 book by the Polish philosopher Lezsek Kolakowski, "God Owes Us Nothing: A Brief Remark on the Religion of Pascal and the Spirit of Jansenism." Kolakowski's book tackles the problem of theodicy (how a good and just God can allow evil in the world) via an examination of the 17th century heresy of Jansenism. In this episode I take a look at his arguments for the idea that God is not a subject of any human moral obligations, and that the modern split between faith and science has left believers with an all-powerful but inscrutable God who "owes us nothing." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/churchcontroversies/message

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 402The Saint of the day is Saint Alphonsus LiguoriSaint Alphonsus Liguori’s Story Moral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly nourished by Scripture, and show the nobility of the Christian vocation of the faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950, would rejoice in that statement. In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, which went through 60 editions in the century following him, concentrated on the practical and concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to this model of moderation and gentleness. At the University of Naples, Alphonsus received a doctorate in both canon and civil law by acclamation, at the age of 16, but he soon gave up the practice of law for apostolic activity. He was ordained a priest, and concentrated his pastoral efforts on popular parish missions, hearing confessions, and forming Christian groups. He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother. But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved 17 years later, though its troubles were not over. Alphonsus' great pastoral reforms were in the pulpit and confessional—replacing the pompous oratory of the time with simplicity, and the rigorism of Jansenism with kindness. His great fame as a writer has somewhat eclipsed the fact that for 26 years he traveled up and down the Kingdom of Naples preaching popular missions. He was made bishop at age 66 after trying to reject the honor, and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese. His greatest sorrow came toward the end of his life. The Redemptorists, precariously continuing after the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, had difficulty in getting their Rule approved by the Kingdom of Naples. Alphonsus acceded to the condition that they possess no property in common, but with the connivance of a high Redemptorist official, a royal official changed the Rule substantially. Alphonsus, old, crippled and with very bad sight, signed the document, unaware that he had been betrayed. The Redemptorists in the Papal States then put themselves under the pope, who withdrew those in Naples from the jurisdiction of Alphonsus. It was only after his death that the branches were united. At 71, Alphonsus was afflicted with rheumatic pains which left incurable bending of his neck. Until it was straightened a little, the pressure of his chin caused a raw wound on his chest. He suffered a final 18 months of “dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies were frequent. Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church. Reflection Saint Alphonsus was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all. Saint Alphonsus Liguori is the Patron Saint of: TheologiansVocations Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Lectionary: 573The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph CafassoSaint Joseph Cafasso's story Even as a young man, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism—an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Liguori to moderate the rigorism popular at the seminary. Joseph recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition to his teaching duties, Joseph was an excellent preacher, confessor, and retreat master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners, he helped many of them die at peace with God. Joseph urged one of his former pupils—Saint John Bosco—to establish the Salesians congregation to work with the youth of Turin. Joseph Cafasso died in 1860, and was canonized in 1947. His liturgical feast is celebrated on June 23. Reflection Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well: Saint Francis, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta among them. Saint Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of: PrisonersPrussia Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Heresy has always been a hot topic — not just today, but also many hundreds of years ago. Fr Columba looks at two of the big ones, Arianism and Jansenism, and what we can learn from them. Turns out we need to think of God as a "both and", not an "either or" in most cases.

Friends of the Rosary: Today, April 28th, the Universal Church celebrates the memorial day of Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, a 17th-century saint who is revered for his intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through the Holy Rosary. "Mary is the safest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus," he wrote. In this spirituality, he preached the total consecration to Jesus through Mary and the fidelity to the Cross. He wrote: "The Incarnation of the Word is for him the absolute central reality." Born in Montfort, Brittany (France), in 1673, this priest and poet took the name Marie at his confirmation. St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort formulated the prayer of entrustment to Our Lady, "Totus Tuus ego sum," which means, "I am all yours." The late Pope John Paul II took the phrase "Totus Tuus" as his episcopal motto. Another motto of this saint was "God Alone", repeated over 150 times in his writings. A gifted preacher, he often drew crowds of thousands to hear his sermons in which he encouraged frequent communion (not the custom then) and devotion to Mary. But he also met with opposition, especially from the Jansenists, a heretical movement within the Church that believed in absolute Predestination, in which only a chosen few are saved, and the rest damned. Much of France was influenced by Jansenism, including many bishops, who banished St. Loius Marie from preaching in their dioceses. He was even poisoned by Jansenists in La Rochelle, but survived, though he suffered ill health after. While recuperating from the effects of the poisoning, he wrote the masterpiece of Marian piety, "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin," which correctly prophesied it would be hidden by the devil for a time. His seminal work was discovered 200 years after his death. The book became a classic explanation of Marian's devotion and the basis for the consecration to Mary. Louis Marie de Montfort also wrote another masterpiece, The Secret of the Rosary. [PDF, free Download] He founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (for priests and brothers) and the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick in hospitals and the education of poor girls. On this special day, we will celebrate at 7:00 pm in St. Catherine of Siena Parish, in Greenwich, Connecticut, a Holy Mass for the eternal rest of María Blanca Gonzalez de Amigot, Blanki. At 6:30 pm it will take place the Holy Rosary – today the Sorrowful Mysteries. María Blanca went to the Father on October 28, 2021, eighteen months ago today. The Amigot Gonzalez family invites everyone to the event.  Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, Pray for Us! + Mikel A. | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠April 28, 2023, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

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Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cathy McClive (Florida State University) offers the first full-length bilingual edition of an extraordinary treatise on childbirth written by a seventeenth-century French midwife in The Art of Childbirth: A Seventeenth-Century Midwife's Epistolary Treatise to Doctor Vallant (University of Toronto Press, 2022). In 1671, Marie Baudoin (1625-1700), head midwife and governor of the Hôtel-Dieu of Clermont-Ferrand, sent a treatise on the art of childbirth to her powerful Parisian patron, Dr. Vallant. The story of how Baudoin's knowledge and expertise as a midwife came to be expressed, recorded, and archived raises the question: Was Baudoin exceptional because she was herself extraordinary, or because her voice has reached us through Vallant's careful archival practices? Either way, Baudoin's treatise invites us to reconsider the limits of what we thought we knew midwives "could be and do" in seventeenth-century France. Grounding Marie Baudoin's text in a microanalysis of her life, work, and the Jansenist network between Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, this book connects historiographies of midwifery, Jansenism, hospital administration, public health, knowledge and record-keeping, and women's work, underscoring both Baudoin's capabilities and the archival accidents and intentions behind the preservation of her treatise in a letter. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Today on the show, we look at Jansenism and the life of Pierre Nicole. @1517 #christianhistory #christian #history  — SHOW NOTES are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac GIVE BACK: Support the work of 1517 today CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (gillespie.media).

Level: intermediate In this video I am joined by Dr. Shaun Blanchard to speak about Jansenism and the synod of Pistoia.Shaun Blanchard is Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Newman Studies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A graduate of North Carolina, Oxford, and Marquette, Shaun writes on a variety of topics in early modern and modern Catholicism. He is the author of The Synod of Pistoia and Vatican II (OUP: 2020) and, with Ulrich Lehner, co-edited The Catholic Enlightenment: A Global Anthology (CUA: 2021). Forthcoming works include an anthology of Jansenist sources (co-edited with Richard Yoder), and Vatican II: A Very Short Introduction (co-authored with Stephen Bullivant).  He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife Ann-Marie, and loves cats, fried chicken sandwiches, and English beer. Shaun's devotion to the University of North Carolina's football team has taught him more about eschatological hope than any of his theological study.Dr. Blanchard's book on Pistoia:https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-synod-of-pistoia-and-vatican-ii-9780190947798?cc=us&lang=en&Dr. Blanchard's book on Vatican II:https://global.oup.com/academic/product/vatican-ii-a-very-short-introduction-9780198864813?cc=us&lang=enIf you enjoy this content, please leave us a review!Support the show

September 27: Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest1581–1660Memorial; Liturgical Color: WhitePatron Saint of all charitable societies, hospitals, and leprosy victimsA powerhouse priest organizes multitudes for charity and renews priestly formationToday's saint was one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of saintly men and women whose light rejuvenated Catholicism in seventeenth-century France. Saint Vincent de Paul established charitable societies that have endured to this day. He also founded male and female religious orders that still thrive in the twenty-first century. He was a trusted counselor to bishops, cardinals, and royalty. His ideas reformed how seminarians and priests were trained so fundamentally that this vision became normative for the world-wide Church. He was the hub of many spokes: a close friend of Saint Francis de Sales, his own co-founder Saint Louise de Marillac, and the almost-saint Pierre de Bérulle. Saint Vincent had a great influence over Jean-Jacques Olier, the founder of the Sulpician Order and a prime mover behind the group of French Catholics who risked everything to found Ville-Marie de Montreal, the explicitly Catholic settlement at the farthest edge of French Canada. Our saint also inspired Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the lay intellectual who established the Saint Vincent de Paul Societies so commonly found in parishes throughout the world.Few saints achieved as much as Vincent de Paul. He stood at the core of an evolving group of similarly minded French saints who left an impact like a meteor on the face of the Church. So, although he cannot be understood apart from the charitable Society that bears his name, neither can his achievements be confined to that Society alone. Saint Vincent tried to use his education and personal charm to correct the errors of Jansenism, an overly rigorous spiritual and moral approach to the Christian life that infected wide swaths of the French faithful. When his personal efforts were unproductive, he became more polemical and was instrumental in procuring a papal denunciation of Jansenism.Our Saint's contributions to the renewal of the life of the clergy were notable. He was a proponent and founder, along with de Bérulle, of the so-called French school of spirituality, which has been so universally adopted in priestly formation that there is, in reality, no other approach. This spirituality combines asceticism, practical and active concern for the poor, a missionary drive to the unconverted, a sophisticated theological education, simple and direct preaching, and a total reliance on the Virgin Mary and the Holy Trinity in seeking to do the will of God. These high ideals, this total approach, also inspired Vincent's near contemporaries Saints John Eudes, Louis de Montfort, and Jean-Baptiste de La Salle to become who they were. To be a man of action and contemplation. To be educated but able to discourse with the simple. To focus on the salvation of souls but also on the material concerns of the needy. To be fully a priest but to have wide circles of lay friends and followers. This was the vision of Saint Vincent de Paul for all priests, and the vision he himself put into action in his own life. He was a force of nature who stormed through life for the glory of Christ alone. Devotion to Saint Vincent followed soon after his death. He was canonized in 1737. His remains are displayed for veneration in a glass coffin above the altar in the ornate chapel of the Vincentian Fathers in central Paris, not far from the chapel of the Miraculous Medal. A partially concealed staircase allows access for the faithful to see the great man up close.Saint Vincent de Paul, you worked tirelessly for the poor, orphans, and widows. You gathered around yourself numerous helpers. Your primary motivation was not social justice but the pure will of God. Inspire us to be so committed, so dedicated, and so faithful.

We continued to listen to the Father‘s counsel on avoiding relationships or circumstances that can bring us spiritual harm. Such thought is not guided by a lack of love or charity or hospitality; rather it is rooted in an understanding that we are first to love the Lord our God with all of our mind, soul, heart, and strength. It is only having our love ordered and directed toward Him that our love of the things and and people within the world can be rightly ordered. We were given one example after another of how necessary it is to discern when relationships are drawing us away from God or the ways that the devil can use us through our negligence to harm others spiritually. We don't engage in the spiritual battle in a state of isolation. Nor do we seek to live the life of virtue simply for ourselves. Love demands that we be attentive to loving God above all things in order that we might draw all toward Christ.  Such simplicity and clarity in the way that one views the world and oneself, creates the purity of heart that is necessary to discern the path and the will of God. --- Text of chat during the group:  00:29:57 Anthony: This is how I learned there was something wrong with some Catholic commentators.  They left me agitated about the legal aspect of the Faith....am I searching myself well enough, did I do this good enough? etc.  Jansenism   00:30:31 Anthony: on the church   00:30:37 Anthony: correcting the Novus ordo   00:30:42 Anthony: noveau telogie   00:32:36 Emma C: Where do we see the line between judging others vs judging their actions to know who to avoid?   00:35:42 Kevin Clay: I think we need to see that we can be that “foolish and thoughtless friend” to ourselves and not just others. We can be unwise, greedy, quarrelsome, arrogant, etc. We need to separate ourselves from our passions and the things that stir the passions.   00:44:37 Rachel: I was wondering about what you just mentioned. About being detached from ego. I was told recently to " Be at peace." in relation to something I did not realize was a distraction. At first, it made me wonder and uncomfortable. Since if I am not at peace, then something of what I spoke of must not be of God. It reminded me instantly of what a holy and wise priest told me. He said, not to speculate over matters. and it was clear, that the only thing needed was to stay in the moment with Our Lord.   00:45:35 Rachel: That these distractions are a result of idle distractions,no matter how good they appear. That God will take care of each moment and situation in His good Providence.   00:50:27 Debra: St. Bonaventure has a beautiful post-Communion prayer   https://tinyurl.com/4de5cj7z   00:50:54 Anthony: Thinking of just yourself and God:  In "A Man for All Seasons," St. Thomas More tries to break Richard Rich from avarice by telling him of the honor he would have as a mere teacher before God as his audience.  Had Richard Rich followed this advice, he would have avoided his moral downfall later on, and maybe even in his saving his soul, much of England would have been spared some of the violence of the 1500s. "Acquire a spirit of peace and thousands around you will be saved." ~ St. Seraphim of Sarov   00:58:18 carolnypaver: If he had just said “no” the people would have wondered if the “brigand” would have been released IF ONLY the Elder had asked.  The Elder removed all doubt.   01:03:03 Rachel: I left a comment above about something you addressed. It seems his current reading ties into the discipline it takes to be detached not only from the things of this world but from oneself as well. Since our nous can be darkened, idle curiosities and distractions can wreak havoc in one's own life and those around them. Since the person given to these distractions will act from that skewed vision instead of the pure place of ordering everything to God and His good will alone   01:18:14 Rachel: You mentioned that purity in our day will be like the martyrs, because of the way the world is..in a beautiful homily our priest once gave, he mentioned St. Catherine of Siena. How she felt desperately that our Lord had left her in grave temptations. Yetm he reassured her that not only had he not left her but that she was more pleasing to him.   01:18:40 Rachel: So, it seems that fighting to stay with our Lord wont always feel rosy.   01:19:15 Ambrose Little: Advertising is not like in the old days. Moby Dick was a 900 page advert for the whaling industry.

Full Text of ReadingsMemorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 407All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Alphonsus LiguoriMoral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly nourished by Scripture, and show the nobility of the Christian vocation of the faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950, would rejoice in that statement. In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, which went through 60 editions in the century following him, concentrated on the practical and concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to this model of moderation and gentleness. At the University of Naples, Alphonsus received a doctorate in both canon and civil law by acclamation, at the age of 16, but he soon gave up the practice of law for apostolic activity. He was ordained a priest, and concentrated his pastoral efforts on popular parish missions, hearing confessions, and forming Christian groups. He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother. But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved 17 years later, though its troubles were not over. Alphonsus' great pastoral reforms were in the pulpit and confessional—replacing the pompous oratory of the time with simplicity, and the rigorism of Jansenism with kindness. His great fame as a writer has somewhat eclipsed the fact that for 26 years he traveled up and down the Kingdom of Naples preaching popular missions. He was made bishop at age 66 after trying to reject the honor, and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese. His greatest sorrow came toward the end of his life. The Redemptorists, precariously continuing after the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, had difficulty in getting their Rule approved by the Kingdom of Naples. Alphonsus acceded to the condition that they possess no property in common, but with the connivance of a high Redemptorist official, a royal official changed the Rule substantially. Alphonsus, old, crippled and with very bad sight, signed the document, unaware that he had been betrayed. The Redemptorists in the Papal States then put themselves under the pope, who withdrew those in Naples from the jurisdiction of Alphonsus. It was only after his death that the branches were united. At 71, Alphonsus was afflicted with rheumatic pains which left incurable bending of his neck. Until it was straightened a little, the pressure of his chin caused a raw wound on his chest. He suffered a final 18 months of “dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies were frequent. Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church. Reflection Saint Alphonsus was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all. Saint Alphonsus Liguori is the Patron Saint of: Theologians Vocations Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Are you a perfectionist? If so, you're at war against yourself. Though he despises sin, God loves us for who we are, regardless of how we've failed him. Fr Columba explains this and more, including the link between perfectionism and Jansenism, and how perfectionism kills performance in Olympic athletes.

Full Text of ReadingsFriday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 369All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph Cafassoclass="content"> Jun 17, 2020 Franciscan Media Image: Statue de San Giuseppe Cafasso | José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro Saint of the Day for June 17 (January 15, 1811 – June 23, 1860) Audio file Saint Joseph Cafasso's story Even as a young man, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism—an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Liguori to moderate the rigorism popular at the seminary. Joseph recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition to his teaching duties, Joseph was an excellent preacher, confessor, and retreat master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners, he helped many of them die at peace with God. Joseph urged one of his former pupils—Saint John Bosco—to establish the Salesians congregation to work with the youth of Turin. Joseph Cafasso died in 1860, and was canonized in 1947. His liturgical feast is celebrated on June 23. Reflection Devotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph's other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the gospel well: Saint Francis, Bishop Fulton Sheen, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta among them. Saint Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of: Prisoners Prussia Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Text of chat during the group:  00:28:07 Josie: Does the first monk who said that he wanted to trust in God in the solitude of the desert demonstrate to us that God won't save someone who is alone or that this isn't the way that we approach the idea of complete trust in God? The context of my question being the mantra that we should trust only and fully in God and only he can help us.   00:29:51 Josie: So being completely alone isn't a sort of extra trust in God?   00:33:14 Anthony: Even in a non-monastic setting, being alone, outside of accountability to family and community, opens the mind to lots of thoughts or evil suggestions.  And a person can be alone in this sense either literally solitary or in a crowd like a college.  People can be severely tried when solitary in these senses.  There's something in Ecclesiastes that Father quotes, about walking alone, when you fall, who can help?  When you are with others they are even a preventative to falling.   00:33:36 Anthony: other people are encouragement to the heart.   00:45:18 Josie: is it weird to reveal our thoughts rather than actions and sins in the confessional?   00:45:33 Anthony: On a theological or social-theological note, this destructive sense of obedience - as I understand it, comes from Jansenism.  A Catholic Calvinism...and Calvinism focused for some reason on God's election, no place for a free love, it seems to me.   00:48:21 Ren: It is so powerful to compare the image of one who commands obedience put forward by Christ - a shepherd whose voice is followed, who carries those who are not strong enough to walk; one who stands in the midst of their followers as one who serves - to what you put forward just now - a hammer who drives others into a exact place by sheer force. Wow. Really amazing to reflect on.   00:53:45 Forrest Cavalier: μεγάλε   00:56:45 Ren: Satan - the relentless bartender :-D   00:57:42 Tyler Woloshyn: Reminds of the classic cartoon villain who keeps getting foiled by the virtuous protagonist.   01:04:29 Ren: I love this story so much. One of my favorites in the book so far.   01:04:40 Josie: me too   01:04:45 Ashley Kaschl: Same. It's so good.   01:06:00 Josie: father does fasting help with the psychological temptations or only physical temptations of the body? hope this q makes sense   01:09:40 Tyler Woloshyn: We know that these texts were written in a different technological era.  Fasting seems to become more of a battle today for lay, clergy, and monastic alike given technology.  Temptations and challenges to fasts can be magnified even more now then they were in the age of the Fathers.  The devil does not need to walk down the road here, he can be at the tip of one's fingers with screen time.   01:10:37 Josie: someone said on Twitter "the Lord gives the solution then he allows the problem"   01:12:11 Josie: he was quoting a Rabbi i think, and was talking about the internet   01:12:46 Anthony: I think what matters is what flask you drink from - or don't.  Since 2018, the Catholic news has been consumed with obkective wrongs, which exist, but can become consumptive: 2018-2019: sex scandal. 2019, Pachademon in Vatican. 2020-2022, election , Great Reset and covid.  2022, Ukraine.  The imbalance and fixation is real but can be a poison to imbibe and gets in the way of classic spiritual food and drink.  But maybe we can turn this to our good   01:14:26 Anthony: and being one oriented to fixing social problems, this negative world tone affected my spiritual life.   01:17:06 Rachel: lol   01:17:55 keynote: Thank you Fr.!!   01:18:02 Josie: thank you father   01:18:07 Rachel: Thank you!   01:18:15 Tyler Woloshyn: Good night and God bless!   01:18:21 Sheila Applegate: Thank you!  

This evening we started a new Hypothesis, number 20. The focus is on receiving the advice of the fathers and how important it is not to develop an individualistic approach to the spiritual life. Asceticism can very quickly become something of our own making. Whenever we are guided simply by our own judgment, spiritual practices can very easily lead us into pride. The longer that we are in such a state, the greater the danger of falling into delusion. One who thinks he is above the elders' or anyone else's judgment, he who seeks no one else's counsel, will come to experience the greatest darkness. We are part of the living body of the Church and God has given us that which is most essential for our sanctity. Despite the darkness that we see within the world and sometimes see within the life of the Church, we do not want to lose sight of God‘s Providential care and the guidance of the Spirit. Nor do we want to lose sight of those God has put on our path to help support us and guide us. Such an attitude requires from us an openness to the guidance of the Spirit in our lives. Above all it requires humility. Our path as Christian men and women is distinctly the path of humility, the path of the cross, and so we must never be deluded to the extent that we place our own judgment above others.  In the end such an attitude will eventually lead us to place our judgment above God himself. From such a tragic darkness - we may never emerge. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:16:39 Anthony: Look at the history of Family Radio for a contemporary example.   00:18:33 John White: O felix culpa! O happy carbuncle!   00:18:52 carolnypaver:

Tonight we continued our reading of Hypothesis 19 on obedience, its value, and how is attained.  We began with the Fathers' understanding of the value of obedience. In it is realized all of the Commandments because through obedient love one conforms oneself to Christ. In this sense the person who is obedient, who embraces the will of another in whose care they are placed, becomes a “confessor of the Faith”. One who abandons his own will is rewarded more greatly than those who pursue virtue in accord with their own judgment or opinion. The clarity of the Fathers' focus upon emulating Christ is essential for us to understand.  Obedience is not a slavishness; it is a self-emptying love that is rooted in the desire to please and serve the other. It is rooted in trust and shaped by self-sacrifice. May we never complicate it so as to make it unrecognizable. Within it is the power to redeem even what seems lost in our families, in our communities, and in life as a whole. It carries within it to seed of divine love that can reshape everything; even that which seems impossible to us. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:10:32 Lyle: Looking forward to another evening where someone may decisively, yet lovingly, dismantle erroneous ecclesiology for those of us catechumens.   00:19:55 Anthony: I'm guessing it was a fig branch or twig.  That's one way to propagate figs.  In year three, you get figs.   00:21:51 Ambrose: 1 John 2:3-5 ‘And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.'   00:22:18 Ambrose: John 14:15 ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.'   00:28:35 Anthony: This has implications for laity in problem parishes and dioceses and clergy under bishops with issues.   00:28:52 Anthony: Also had political implications against revolutions.   00:42:07 Ren: How does one reclaim the spirit of obedience once it has been lost? Once you have let resentment and even contempt of a particular authority figure to establish itself?   00:42:33 Jos: this was my question too but on the level of family/ generations   00:44:34 Ambrose: This one got me this morning. From lauds intercessions: Forgive us for failing to see Christ in the poor, the distressed and the troublesome, and for our failure to reverence your Son in their persons.   (particularly the "troublesome" part)   00:45:22 Carol Nypaver: Amen, Ambrose.   00:45:43 Anthony: We find our identity in the wrong.  Yeah, that's not healthy.   00:46:37 Ambrose: and not "sharing" it in social media   00:46:59 Jos: sorry I can't unmute   00:47:23 Carol Nypaver: Can you type it, Jos?   00:48:40 Jos: I wanted to ask about whether when one is born into a culture/ family structure and many generations that is filled with this pattern of resentment, lack of obedience etc, if it is then even possible to really change without enormous amounts of effort.   00:49:22 Lyle: Fr. David, I‘ve always appreciated the way you and some other spiritual directors continually point us to the Lord Jesus as our ultimate example whenever we need an example.   00:49:41 Jos: in our culture and my generation it is very common and it seems for many of us like outside of a very concerted effort it is nearly impossible to break out of the habitual that's been solidified in the unconscious   00:50:09 Anthony: Seeing each others flaws only - it can lead to long term and serious and acute resentments as with antipathy of different Slavic or Balkan peoples - or any of the old rivalries of Europe.   00:50:59 Ren: Agreed Lyle! “He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross.”   00:52:11 Ren: I have never been willing to be “obedient to death”