Consummation of Love: From the Depths to the Heights
Continuing with the series on the life of the Discalced Carmelite mystic, St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this program delves into the depths of aridity that caused this Saint to view her religious duties and devotions with repugna...
Battling Scrupulosity and Aridity in the Dark Night: What the Experience of St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart Can Teach us
In this conversation, the battle of scrupulosity and aridity in the Dark Night of St. Teresa Margaret are examined. What is it like to be in the midst of these battles? What is the cause of scrupulosity and aridity? What are some good counsels and str...
The Lord Thy God is a Consuming Fire: St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Dark Night of the Spirit
After the great grace of “Deus Caritas Est/God is Love,” the Discalced Carmelite St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus enters a stage of marked passivity in which God is purifying her soul. This stage is referred to as the Dark Night of ...
More to Learn about Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace
An important Marian celebration associated with the Order of Discalced Carmelites is the Memorial of ”Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace,” celebrated on July 23. What connection does this title have to “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel?” What other connections are...
Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will"
What exactly is required of us in the spiritual journey? How do we make progress? What disposition of heart is necessary for us to be drawn into the heart of the Lord? These are important questions. If we are truly seeking the Lord and we genuinely desir...
The Glories of St. Joseph with Frances Harry
After the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph was the greatest Saint ever! In pondering the “glories” of St. Joseph, we are made aware of how God prepared him and used him for the lofty mission of being the Spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. In t...
The Use of God’s Gifts with Deacon Rusty Baldwin
We are beginning a new monthly series of talks by Deacon Rusty Baldwin, a Secular Discalced Carmelite who gives a presentation to our Community in Dayton each month. These are recorded live during our Holy Hours. In this program, Deacon Baldwin compares ...
Deus Caritas est
It is often convenient for us to imagine that the Saints all had a continuing series of mystical experiences throughout their lives. It is believed then, that these experiences are what drew them to holiness, complete transformation and ultimately union ...
St. Teresa Margaret and the Practice of the Presence of God
One of the single most important disciplines we can adopt is the continual practice of the presence of God in our lives. This practice is not achieved by simply thinking about God be everywhere, though certainly He is all around us as well as in us, and ...
For the Return of the Prodigal Catholic
Do you have a loved one who was raised Catholic and is no longer practicing their faith? Do you wish there was something you could do to help bring them “home?” Carmelite Conversations host, Frances Harry, interviews Teresa Gooding, a Secular Order Disca...
St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and making our lives a Sacrifice to the Lord (PART 3)
At some point in our individual spiritual journey, most of us will decide to make a more formal, firm and specific commitment to the Lord. It may be, like many Saints, that we will choose to write out our commitment, or our oblation. This is exactly what...
Preparing to Receive Jesus in the Eucharist
n honor of the upcoming feast day of Corpus Christi Sunday, Frances pulls together thoughts and teachings on how to improve one’s preparation for the reception of Jesus in the Eucharist. Many approach Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in a routine way. This...
St. Teresa Margaret's Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (PART 2)
Following her entry into Carmel, at the young age of 17, the future St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, committed herself unflinchingly to two great Carmelite practices for those who aspire to holiness. In this program, Mark and Frances dis...
St. Teresa Margaret: The forgotten Saint of Carmel's Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (PART 1)
Saint Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart is known as the forgotten Saint of Carmel. This is unfortunate as she has much to offer all of us in our spiritual journey. As sometimes happens when we read the lives of the saints, we can be put off by what we ...
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
June is the month the Church dedicates to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a very rich and powerful devotion, and one all Catholics should take the time to learn more about. In this conversation, Mark and Frances discuss the importance of devotion to t...
Tribute to St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi for her Feast Day
Carmel is privileged to have the “Refulgent Flower of Florence, St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi” as a beacon of light of the love of God. Though she was a mystic and stigmatic with many extraordinary supernatural gifts, it was her love of God and purity of s...
A Journey to the Deep Interior of the Soul (part 2)
Building upon last week’s conversation and using the spiritual navigational tools of 1) rest on the bosom of Jesus/in His Heart/in adoration; 2) embrace Jesus in the night via night vigils; 3) silence the faculties of the soul and listen interiorly to th...
Short Takes: Holy Week Poems
In honor of National Poetry Month, and with Holy Week in mind, Frances recites two of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s poems: My Cruicified Love and The Carmelite. Both may be found in the book, Barb of Fire translated by Alan Bancroft, Gracewing Publicati...
A Journey to the Deep Interior of the Soul (part 1)
The life of contemplation is itself a lifetime journey. Just as with any significant journey, and there is no more important journey then the journey to the interior of our soul, we must make preparations. We must understand the mode of transportation we...
Catholic Poetry as a Spiritual Exercise with host Frances Harry, OCDS and Guest, Tim Bete, OCDS
Frances chats with Tim Bete, poet and Secular Carmelite, about the how poetry can increase your faith, its relationship to Scripture and what some of the Carmelite saints said about poetry. Tim is also poetry editor for the Catholic Poetry Room feature a...
The Faith of St. Joseph with host Frances Harry, OCDS and Guest, Marika Zimmerman, OCDS
What do we know about St. Joseph from Scripture? What does Scripture tell us about his faith? Guest, Marika Zimmerman, shares about the virtue of faith and the importance of faith as well as applying it to the person of St. Joseph. We also discuss what...
A Man of Few Words: the Silence of St. Joseph with hosts Mark Danis, OCDS and Frances Harry, OCDS
What were some of the most significant Biblical accounts in St. Joseph’s life? What do these accounts tell us about the silence of St. Joseph? What was the key to St. Joseph’s silent serenity? How does St. Joseph model asceticism and recollection for ...
Testing and Discerning a Vocation to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites with Guest, Colleen Sollinger, OCDS
Who is called to be a Secular Discalced Carmelite? How do you distinguish between those who are called and those who are not called? What are some principles that you can use to discern the vocation to the OCDS? Guest, Colleen Sollinger, shares 6 disti...
Fifteen Days of Prayer with Blessed Fr. Marie-Eugene and the Child Jesus (part 2)
In this second part of the two part series titled, 'Fifteen Days of Prayer with Blessed Fr. Marie-Eugene and the Child Jesus,' Mark and Frances explore more deeply the need for each of us, as we begin to make more progress in prayer, to begin to dispose ...