Best Introduction To The Devout Life Podcasts (2025)

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St. John Henry Newman - The Indwelling Spirit 30:38

24m ago30:38

30:38

"The Comforter who has come instead of Christ, must have vouchsafed to come in the same sense in which Christ came; I mean, that He has come, not merely in the way of gifts, or of influences, or of operations, as He came to the Prophets, for then Christ's going away would be a loss, and not a gain, and the Spirit's presence would be a mere pledge, …

1
Rule of St. Benedict | Ep. 3 - Work, Governance, and Conclusion 55:05

18d ago55:05

55:05

"Prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And may He bring us all together to life everlasting!" The Rule of St. Benedict is a foundational spiritual guide composed by St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, around 530 AD. In this third episode, covering Chapters 39–73, Benedict details daily routines like meals and work, outlines hosp…

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Rule of St. Benedict | Ep. 2 - Prayer and Community Life 37:22

25d ago37:22

37:22

"We believe that the divine presence is everywhere... But we should believe this especially without any doubt when we are assisting at the Work of God." The Rule of St. Benedict is a foundational spiritual guide composed by St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, around 530 AD. In the chapters comprising this second episode, Bene…

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BONUS: All About Saints of the First Monasteries (with Fr. Gregory Pine and Fr. Boniface Hicks) 25:18

1M ago25:18

25:18

A new "Catholic Classics" season with Fr. Mike Schmitz is coming this fall! In the meantime, Ascension has released a new book in the Catholic Classics series titled "Saints of the First Monasteries." Fr. Boniface Hicks, a contributor to the book, joins Fr. Gregory Pine to explore the key patristic texts featured in the book and the lives of early …

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Rule of St. Benedict | Ep. 1 - Foundations of Monastic Life 40:02

2M ago40:02

40:02

"And so we are going to establish a school for the service of the Lord. In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome. But if a certain strictness results… do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation, whose entrance cannot but be narrow." In this first of five episodes, we begin The Rule of St. Benedict, a foundat…

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St. Dionysius the Areopagite - On Minding One's Own Business 29:09

3M ago29:09

29:09

"It is not for Demophilus to set these things straight. For if the Word of God commands us to pursue just things justly... this must be pursued by all justly, not beyond their own fitness." This letter—historically attributed to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, a 1st-century convert of Saint Paul from Acts, but now considered the work of an anonymous …

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St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 2. The Influence of Natural and Revealed Religion Respectively 36:47

4M ago36:47

36:47

"The philosopher aspires towards a divine principle; the Christian, towards a Divine Agent." St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were isntrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England and ultimatel…

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St. John Henry Newman - The Oxford Sermons | 1. The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospels 22:50

4M ago22:50

22:50

"The philosopher might speculate, but the theologian must submit to learn." St. John Henry Newman's Oxford Sermons, delivered during his time as an Anglican preacher at the University of Oxford, were instrumental in shaping the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive High Church traditions within the Church of England. In this collection of fifteen…

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St. Vincent Ferrer - On the Purification of Mary 38:15

4M ago38:15

38:15

“This present feast is one of the greater of the whole year... Because there are three grades of sanctity which we celebrate in this feast.” St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) was a Spanish Dominican friar, theologian, and renowned preacher known for his fiery sermons and missionary work across Europe. He was deeply devoted to calling people to repenta…

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St. Francis de Sales - Introduction to the Devout Life | Full 9:28:30

4M ago9:28:30

9:28:30

"Be sure that wherever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life." Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results. Themes include: Pursuing…

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Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 2 55:38

5M ago55:38

55:38

“Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world—this is the invita…

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St. John Henry Newman - Reverence, a Belief in God's Presence 30:54

6M ago30:54

30:54

"They are the class of feelings we should have—yes, have in an intense degree—if we literally had the sight of Almighty God; therefore they are the class of feelings which we shall have, if we realize His presence." This sermon appears among a collection of sermons originally written and preached by St. John Henry Newman before his conversion to Ca…

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St. Henry Walpole - Upon the Death of M. Edmund Campion 12:16

6M ago12:16

12:16

"You thought perhaps when learned Campion dies, His pen must cease, his sugared tongue be still; But you forgot how loud his death it cries How far beyond the sound of tongue and quill." In 1581, a young Englishman named Henry Walpole attended the execution of the Jesuit Edmund Campion. As Campion was hung, drawn and quartered, Walpole stood close …

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Pope Benedict XVI - Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love) | Part 1 48:17

7M ago48:17

48:17

“This is love in its most radical form. By contemplating the pierced side of Christ, we can understand the starting-point of this Encyclical Letter: “God is love”. It is there that this truth can be contemplated. It is from there that our definition of love must begin. In this contemplation the Christian discovers the path along which his life and …

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G.E.M. Anscombe - Contraception and Chastity 1:03:45

7M ago1:03:45

1:03:45

"For we don't invent marriage... any more than we invent human language. It is part of the creation of humanity and if we're lucky we find it available to us and can enter into it. If we are very unlucky, we may live in a society that has wrecked or deformed this human thing." Elizabeth Anscombe was a prominent 20th-century British philosopher, kno…

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Bonus Episode: Epilogue (Story of a Soul) 30:00

7M ago30:00

30:00

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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Day 28: Union with God (Story of a Soul) 27:46

7M ago27:46

27:46

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) 33:25

7M ago33:25

33:25

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) 34:49

7M ago34:49

34:49

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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Day 25: The Depths of Charity (Story of a Soul) 31:34

7M ago31:34

31:34

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) 38:07

7M ago38:07

38:07

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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Day 23: Temptation of Doubt (Story of a Soul) 38:35

7M ago38:35

38:35

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) 36:05

7M ago36:05

36:05

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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Day 21: The Vocation of Love (Story of a Soul) 33:23

8M ago33:23

33:23

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) 33:18

8M ago33:18

33:18

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) 39:01

8M ago39:01

39:01

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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Day 18: Experiences of Death (Story of a Soul) 37:10

8M ago37:10

37:10

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) 31:54

8M ago31:54

31:54

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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Day 16: Entering Carmel (Story of a Soul) 29:15

8M ago29:15

29:15

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) 34:02

8M ago34:02

34:02

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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Day 14: Holy Boldness (Story of a Soul) 36:18

8M ago36:18

36:18

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) 35:53

8M ago35:53

35:53

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) 24:28

8M ago24:28

24:28

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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Day 11: Humility & Perseverance (Story of a Soul) 36:22

8M ago36:22

36:22

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) 39:11

8M ago39:11

39:11

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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Day 9: Loss & Loneliness (Story of a Soul) 32:31

8M ago32:31

32:31

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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Introduction To The Devout Life Podcasts

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