It is not everyday that we get a new Carmelite Saint, but it happened again on 16 October of 2016 when the Church Canonized Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity. In this conversation Mark and Frances discuss the importance of St. Elizabeth's Canonization, her ...

It was through the lens of intimate friendship with Jesus Christ that the many foundations of St. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila) were begun. In her book, “The Way of Perfection,” she wrote: “All my longing was and still is that since He {Jesus} has so many e...

There is perhaps no greater challenge for those of us who are pursuing the spiritual life then that apparent dichotomy of pain and joy. St. Paul tells us that we must, like him, be a person of joy, and in fact, we should expect to experience joy even in ...

Think about one of the most common acts you perform every day as a Christian, the Sign of the Cross. Now ask yourself whether you truly understand the meaning of this sacramental act, or what it signifies to us Christians. In this program Mark and France...

What can you do to fight the suffocating plague of indifference and immorality? Eucharist Adoration!! Guests Teresa Gooding and Marika Zimmerman share the details on how to get started. What is Eucharistic Adoration and how does one go about doing this? ...

We so often hear the phrase, ‘Purity of Heart’ but what does this actually mean. More importantly, what does it mean in a spiritual context. Many people rightly believe the definition includes such characteristics as keeping our thoughts pure or keeping ...

Parents have a very important obligation to teach their children how to pray. Secular Discalced Carmelite, Colleen Sollinger, has much to share with us on this topic. She is a mother of 6 and has homeschooled all of them. 2 of the 6 are in college now. S...

People have access to an amazing amount of technology thru their computers, tablets, and smartphones. How can this technology be used to help us grow in our spiritual life? How can it help us grow in prayer? How can we use it so it enhances our growth ra...

The conversation on humility continues in this 3rd program of 3. Why is “humility” such an important virtue among all the other virtues? What does a humble soul really look like? What characteristics does a truly humble soul have? What can help motivate ...

Guest: Chris Cotter, OCDS Without the virtue of humility, the house of our interior life falls, as humility is the bedrock foundation on which to build. Guest, Chris Cotter, continues the conversation about humility because of its great importance in our...

St. Teresa of Avila said: “There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the world.” With that in mind, we begin a “little study of humility.” We begin with St. Teresa’s quote: “Humility is to wa...

In the final segment of the three part series, Mark and Frances start with St. John of the Cross’s counsel on the attitude the soul should take during the transition to the beginning of the supernatural gift of contemplation. We then discuss different me...

In this segment, Mark and Frances delve into more of the particulars of the transition from active mental prayer to passive contemplative prayer. We start with a discussion of how to prepare for the gift of infused contemplation. St. Teresa of Avila reco...

Join Mark and Frances on an introduction and discussion on contemplative prayer. We start by defining the words: prayer, grace, and contemplation. The word “contemplation” means many different things depending on the context and culture it is used. There...

In this second of a two part series, Mark and Frances continue a discussion of the important role of silence in our contemplative prayer life, and in our daily life. Building on the more objective list of the twelve degrees of silence they discussed in t...

Here Mark and Frances reintroduce a topic they believe does not get enough attention in our discussion of contemplative prayer or even in conversations about the spiritual journey. The topic is the important role of silence in our daily prayer and in our...

In this conversation Mark and Frances invite Fr. Don Brink into the studio for a lively conversation on a range of topics, all things Carmel. Fr. Don reflects on the different stages of Contemplative prayer and how we might identify some of the elements ...

How did St. Teresa of Avila express her Marian devotion and how might we imitate her? Although St. Teresa did not write a major work on the Blessed Virgin Mary, there is no doubt the importance she played in St. Teresa’s life, from her youth up through h...

In this second of a two part series on the Holy Spirit, Mark and Frances speak about the work of the Holy Spirit in our individual souls. After providing a brief list of the names given to the Holy Spirit, the conversation moves to a deeper exploration o...

By studying the book of Acts, one may learn a great deal about the Holy Spirit. Of great importance to each person is the way to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit. The earlier verses from Acts give us lots of indicators on how the Apostles prepared and ...

Books:  “Divine Intimacy” by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD; Tan Books. “Prayers of Hope” by Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan; Pauline Books & Media Documents: “On Christian Hope” encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI. Scripture Passages: Romans...

What a difference one soul can make! If it weren’t for Madame Barbara Acarie, who later in life became Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, we might not have had the likes of St. Therese of Lisiuex, St. Mary of Jesus Crucified, or Blessed Elizabeth of the Tr...

Mark and Frances took this opportunity to discuss some of their recent and favorite “Great Books.” The definition of Great refers to any of a number of Spiritual books that help to lead the reader into a deeper appreciation for and experience of the Livi...