Welcome to Catholic Classics from Ascension! Each season we'll read through a great Catholic spiritual writing providing insightful commentary and practical guidance along the way. Informative and enriching, these 20-30 mins episodes will allow you to learn from the Catholic Church’s most revered saints and teachers as you seek to cultivate your spiritual life. In season three of Catholic Classics, join Fr. Jacob Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph Paris as they read and explain Story of a Soul: ...
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Journeying with the Saints is a podcast that picks a Saint for a year to walk with through their writings. Each episode, there will be a short reading and then a reflection. This podcast helps to move through the writings of the Saints and understand how their wisdom applies to our lives today. Each Saint has a unique insight into living out the Catholic Faith well and a deep understanding of how to draw closer to Christ. This podcast offers a great opportunity to learn from them.
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public domain audiobook podcast - for people with catholic tastes
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A Walking Audio Tour of the Spiritual Geography of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Funded in part by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the opinions expressed in this walking audio tour are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. Thank you for listening to Spirit & Stone, an audio tour of the historical and geographical heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This tour highlights some of this historic campus's rich re ...
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims. Welcome back to a very short reading. For the past seven readings, we’ve been examining the state of our souls with regards to different things: To God, to ourselves, to others, etc. Today, St. Francis is going to tell us what to do now that we’ve done these examinations. So, let’s turn to Chapter Eight of the Fifth Part.…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims. We are narrowing down our days, for sure. There are hardly any pages left here at the back of the book. It’s looking pretty skimpy. My son and I were talking the other day about the rich, young man that comes to Jesus and asks what he needs to do to order to inherit eternal life. Jesus ends up telling him to sell his stuff…
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims. We’ve got a super short reading today and we’ve got some more soul searching questions. St. Francis has asked about the state of our devotion to God, he’s asked about how we view ourselves, and, today, he’s going to ask us about our souls with regards to our neighbors. So, let’s turn to Chapter Six of the Fifth Part.…
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Welcome back, Catholic Pilgrims. Only 15 more readings to go, can you believe it? Today, we are asked more questions. This time with regards to ourselves. Last time, St. Francis asked a lot of questions that probed deeper into our relationship with God. Today, he’s going to probe into our how we think about ourselves. Just like last time, these are…
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Welcome to another reading, Catholic Pilgrims. Today, we are going to get asked lots of questions. St. Francis is going to ask us questions in order to examine the state of our souls. They are different than most questions from, say, like an examination of conscience. These are questions that don’t need a lot of reflection from me but that we do ne…
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Bonus Episode: Epilogue (Story of a Soul)
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As a conclusion to this season of Catholic Classics and to the life of St. Thérèse, Fr. Michael-Joseph provides an introduction to the epilogue of Story of a Soul. His introduction is followed by the reading of the epilogue. In the epilogue, we are given an account of the final months of St. Thérèse’s life. To get your copy of the complete reading …
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims. How’s life treating you out there in the big wide world? I hope well, but if you are struggling right now, I pray that God blesses you with many graces to hang in there. When I was a young teen, after I was baptized, I pretty much thought that was the pinnacle of my spiritual life. Now, I hadn’t read the Bible yet and I …
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Day 28: Union with God (Story of a Soul)
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What does one reflect on in the days leading up to death? In these last pages of Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse is also very near to the day of her death. She reflects on prayer being the source of all good. She writes about intercessory prayer and how the people entrusted to us can be our treasures. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph offer th…
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Day 27: Loving in Little Ways (Story of a Soul)
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It can be challenging to let the small things go. For St. Thérèse, it was the small things that she saw as the greatest opportunities for love. She recounts in these pages several instances where she struggled with the behavior of fellow sisters in the convent. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph explain how St. Thérèse’s perception of hersel…
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Day 26: The Simplicity of Prayer (Story of a Soul)
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Not many people would describe prayer as something simple. However, the way in which St. Thérèse describes it conveys the possibility of simplicity in prayer. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph reflect on prayer as friendship with God and how prayer may not be easy, but it can be simple. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit a…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims, welcome back to another great day of learning from St. Francis. Last time, we heard about how we need to renew our devotions to God, at least once a year. We need to look thing over to determine how we are doing. Have we neglected things in our spiritual life? Have we given up on things that we pledged to do? If so, why? W…
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Day 25: The Depths of Charity (Story of a Soul)
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Love is not always easy. In fact, love can be very hard. In this final chapter of Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse is drawing near to the end of her life. As she does, she contemplates the mysterious depths of charity. She ponders what it means to love and how Christ loves through us. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph discuss how each of us is …
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Day 24: Not Me, But Christ (Story of a Soul)
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Are there people in your life that you struggle to get along with or even be around? St. Thérèse admits in her writings to there being sisters within the convent that she struggled to show charity towards. She uses these examples to reflect on Christ’s love acting within her. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/c…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims. Welcome to the fifth and final part of the book. We only have 19 more readings left together in the season. The whole Fifth Part is about renewing our souls in devotion, which makes sense as the the book is called, “Introduction to the Devout Life.” So, let’s go ahead and open our books to Chapter One of the Fifth Part.…
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Day 23: Temptation of Doubt (Story of a Soul)
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A common temptation is the temptation to doubt. St. Thérèse was faced with this temptation in a significant way and she explains it within her writings. She also shares insight on fraternal charity. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph ponder some of the triggers that may have contributed to St. Thérèse’s trial of faith. To get your copy of th…
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Day 22: Suffering with Joy (Story of a Soul)
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Are relationships ever easy? In her third manuscript, St. Thérèse focuses on her life in Carmel. She shares about the new prioress and how she gets along with the other sisters in the convent. St. Thérèse also begins to describe her trial of faith. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph use St. Thérèse’s writings to draw the distinction between …
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Introduction to the Devout Life: Fourth Part--Chapter 15
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Welcome back, Catholic Pilgrims, to the last reading from the Fourth Part. If you remember, the Fourth Part has been all about temptations. Last time, we talked about dryness and barrenness in the spiritual life. There is a real temptation when we feel dryness to think that God has utterly abandoned us and that nothing we do makes any difference. W…
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Day 21: The Vocation of Love (Story of a Soul)
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What is my vocation? This is a question St. Thérèse pondered even after entering Carmel. As she continues to convey her Little Way, St. Thérèse contemplates the vocation of love. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph discuss how the vocation of love is for all and that this vocation does not require a felt love, but is, instead, an act of the w…
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Day 20: A Worthy Ambition (Story of a Soul)
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What is the Little Way? Today’s reading brings us to the second manuscript of Story of a Soul. This manuscript is also known as the charter for the Little Way. Within her writings, St. Thérèse expresses to her sister Marie some of what God has revealed to her as well as her intense desire to love. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph also disc…
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Day 19: Doubts of Heaven (Story of a Soul)
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For some, doubtful thinking can be very distressing. As St. St. Thérèse continues to experience dryness in her spiritual life, she is also plagued with doubts, including doubts about Heaven. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph encourage us that even in times of struggle, we can persevere with faith and hope just like St. Thérèse. To get your …
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Introduction to the Devout Life: Fourth Part--Chapter 14
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Welcome back, Catholic Pilgrims. Today, our topic is on spiritual dryness, something that most of us feel at one time or another. It’s also something many of the saints dealt with in their lives. I belong to a book club and we recently had our October meeting to discuss the book “All That Remains.” It’s a book by a forensic anthropologist. Our grou…
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Day 18: Experiences of Death (Story of a Soul)
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St. Thérèse recounts a trying time within Carmel during which almost the entire monastery was overcome with influenza. During this trial, St. Thérèse experienced death very closely as a number of nuns who fell ill did pass away. St. Thérèse recounts the tasks that fell to her as she was one of the few that was not bedridden. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and …
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Day 17: Learning Poverty (Story of a Soul)
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Change almost always brings challenges with it. This is true for St. Thérèse as she begins her life in Carmel. She expresses some of the challenges she faced in this drastically different way of life. However, she also shares how she sought growth in virtue through all of it. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph explain the typical stages of r…
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Introduction to the Devout Life: Fourth Part--Chapter 13
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims, to our 100th episode of Season Four! It’s really amazing if you think about it. So, since it’s our 100th episode and that’s quite a milestone, I thought I’d share with you who I am reading for Season Five. But, you’ll have to hear about that after our reading. I know, I know, I’m terrible, aren’t I? Today’s reading is th…
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Day 16: Entering Carmel (Story of a Soul)
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The day has finally come! Today’s episode brings us to a pivotal moment in St. Thérèse’s life: her entrance into Carmel. St. Thérèse describes her final moments with her family and the emotions she felt as she bid them farewell. She also describes what her reception was like at Carmel. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph reflect on these mome…
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Day 15: Patience in Following God’s Will (Story of a Soul)
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Even a young person can offer great wisdom. In these pages, we walk with St. Thérèse through the aftermath of her encounter with Pope Leo XIII. She reveals her patience with the will of God and her refusal to be discouraged. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph discuss how there is never a good reason to delay a pursuit of holiness. To get you…
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Introduction to the Devout Life: Fourth Part--Chapter 12
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims. Thank you for joining along today. There are five people in my family and I am the only one with a melancholic personality that manifests itself sometimes. My oldest daughter barely lets anything get her down, my middle finds a way to keep smiling through adversity, my son can turn a frown into a smile pretty quickly, and …
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Day 14: Holy Boldness (Story of a Soul)
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Seeing the city of Rome through the eyes of a saint is a delight. St. Thérèse provides the details of her visit to Rome and some of the sites she visited. She writes of the most significant part of her time in Rome: meeting Pope Leo XII. She describes the visit itself but also her feelings through the whole process. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Micha…
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Day 13: Being in the World (Story of a Soul)
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The world holds so much beauty and wonder. In today’s reading, we go with St. Thérèse as she begins her pilgrimage to Rome. She outlines what it is like for her to be out in the world and seeing some of nature’s beauties for the first time. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph explain the significance of what St. Thérèse shares in these pages,…
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Day 12: Overcoming Timidity (Story of a Soul)
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The growth of an individual can happen very gradually, and therefore, be unnoticeable. In the case of St. Thérèse, her growth is quite tangible. It is clear in her writing that she is making conscious efforts to overcome her timidity. This is clear in her visit to the bishop as she requests his special permission for entrance into Carmel. Fr. Jacob…
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Introduction to the Devout Life: Fourth Part--Chapter 11
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims. Today we are going to read about an issue that we hear all over the place—anxiety. Even though we are the most counseled, self-helped, medicated people in all of history, rates of anxiety are not going down, they are increasing at alarming rates. My daughters’ generation—Gen Z—is the most depressed and anxious generation…
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Day 11: Humility & Perseverance (Story of a Soul)
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Revealing our greatest desires can be a very vulnerable experience. St. Thérèse describes the circumstances of sharing her desire for Carmel to both her father and uncle. As she faces the initial denial of her uncle and the rector of Carmel, we begin to see the perseverance St. Thérèse possessed when it came to her vocation, and ultimately, her pat…
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Day 10: A Christmas Conversion (Story of a Soul)
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Many of us are able to look back on our lives and point to significant moments of change or growth. St. Thérèse is no different. In today’s readings, St. Thérèse reflects on one of the more significant moments in her life: her Christmas conversion. She outlines what happened exactly and how it impacted her. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph…
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims. Including today’s reading, we only have 25 readings left from this book. Isn’t that crazy? We will be done before we know it, but it’s been wonderful having this time to get to know St. Francis and learn from him. So, with 25 readings left, we still have much to learn. Today is the last day where St. Francis will focus o…
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Day 9: Loss & Loneliness (Story of a Soul)
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There is great heartache that can come with the experience of loneliness. St. Thérèse continues to struggle in developing friendships and writes of the loneliness she feels. She also shares her reaction to learning that her sister Marie will be entering Carmel. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph share the testimony of one of St. Thérèse’s si…
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Day 8: Dealing with Scrupulosity (Story of a Soul)
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It is a good thing to be concerned about doing what is right. However, fear of not doing the right thing can become excessive and turn into something called “scrupulosity.” St. Thérèse struggled with scrupulosity and details how her sister Marie helped her in this struggle. She also outlines the challenges she faced in making friends. Fr. Jacob-Ber…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims, welcome to another day. We have another short reading today on temptations and, if you remember, that’s what this whole fourth part is about—temptations. So, it’s clearly a topic that St. Francis sees as important to discuss from many different angles. Temptations are the path that sin starts on. If we resist the temptatio…
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Day 7: The Source & Summit (Story of a Soul)
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How good is it when great joy follows great suffering? In today’s reading, St. Thérèse describes a number of significant moments of joy in her life. She shares about the reception of her future religious name, her growth in prayer, and the reception of her First Holy Communion. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph reflect on their own experien…
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Day 6: The Strange Sickness (Story of a Soul)
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It can be very difficult to say “good-bye” to someone. For St. Thérèse, the departure of her sister Pauline to Carmel was almost unbearable. This experience leads to a significant sickness for St. Thérèse. She describes her experience in the sickness and the miraculous healing she received. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph reflect on St. T…
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Day 5: The Most Difficult Years (Story of a Soul)
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The experience of loneliness is one that many people can relate to. What St. Thérèse describes as her “saddest” years are marked with loneliness. Her years at school found St. Thérèse without many friends and even bullied. Another element of her suffering in these years was the entrance of Pauline into Carmel. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Jos…
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Welcome, Catholic Pilgrims, to another day where we are learning about resisting temptations. Today, though, St. Francis is talking about resisting small ones. It’s another short reading today. Lately, we’ve had a few quick and concise readings, so let’s go ahead and jump on in and open our books to Chapter Eight of the Fourth Part.…
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Day 4: Liturgical Living in the Family (Story of a Soul)
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Each family is unique and may come with their own traditions or day to day practices. St. Thérèse describes some of the practices held in her own family that were majoritively centered around liturgical living. She also shares a vision she had of her father and her experience of visiting the ocean for the first time. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Mich…
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Day 3: The Love of a Mother and Father (Story of a Soul)
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The presence of a mother and father is important for every child. St. Thérèse was no different. However, as described in today’s reading, she lost her mother at a very young age. Out of this experience, St. Thérèse describes how her sister Pauline stepped into the role of mother and how her father’s love was the greatest witness of God the Father’s…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims, thank you for joining me today. When I was growing up, most people tried to be pretty quiet about their sins or their temptations. There was a real push to seem perfect or as if you didn’t really struggle with anything. We all know that we struggle, but we just didn’t want to appear like we did. Today, we have almost swung…
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Day 2: First Memories (Story of a Soul)
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It is not common to have first hand accounts of the early lives of saints. However, St. Thérèse gives a thorough account of some of her earliest memories. She shares about each of her sisters and her relationships with them. In these pages, we also read through the story surrounding St. Thérèse’s prophetic statement “I choose all!” Fr. Jacob-Bertra…
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Day 1: The Mercies of God (Story of a Soul)
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St. Thérèse begins her autobiography explaining why she is writing it. She describes her reluctance to write, but also her sense of obedience to Mother Agnes. In these first pages, St. Thérèse touches on the importance of her family’s influence as well as the prevalence of God’s mercy throughout her life. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand and Fr. Michael-Joseph c…
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Bonus Episode: Prologue (Story of a Soul)
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To help set the scene for the autobiography of St. Thérèse, Fr. Michael-Joseph provides an introduction to the prologue of Story of a Soul. His introduction is followed by the reading of the prologue. In the prologue, we are given a deeper look at the family of St. Thérèse’s, especially her parents. The prologue also gives insight into the first ye…
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Hello, Catholic Pilgrims, welcome back to another great day to learn from St. Francis. When my girls were little, Taylor Swift broke onto the scene. Taylor’s first cd played almost non-stop in our house and my car for months and months. Some songs were fun, some were sad, but all-in-all they were harmless. They were just a teenage girl singing abou…
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O St. Therese, seraphic virgin, beloved spouse of our Crucified Lord, you who on earth did burn with a love so intense toward your God and my God, and now glow with a bright and purer flame in paradise, obtain for me, I beseech you, a spark of that same holy fire which shall help me to put things of the world in their proper place and live my life …
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O glorious St. Therese, who, burning with the desire of increasing the glory of God, invariably attended to the sanctification of your soul by the constant practice of prayer and charity so that, becoming in the Church a model of holiness, you are now in Heaven the protector of all those who have recourse to you in faith, look down upon me who invo…
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