Discover

In this week's episode, we spoke with writer and mother of six, Rachel Balducci, for an honest conversation about building a home rooted in peace and simplicity. Rachel shares real-life wisdom on parenting without comparison, letting children exercise free will, and creating stronger family relationships through ordinary living.Rachel has written several notable books including <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Make-My-Life-Simple-Bringing/dp/1681922398/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RFV1LP1WTUDR&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rScbTZSvDhU79RxKCfEbvQ.09SgvL6Bl53J9rg5jmPa5JS5GhDAaarIQp1RLWo4a_4&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=make+my+life+simple+rachel+balducci&amp;qid=1765479704&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=make+my+life+simple+rachel+balducci%2Cstripbooks%2C113&amp;sr=1-1">Make My Life Simple</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/How-You-Tuck-Superhero-Delightful/dp/080073372X">How Do You Tuck in a Superhero?</a>Be sure to check out her additional work on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://rachelbalducci.com/">her website</a>!

Why Simple Living Is the Secret to Stronger Families with Rachel Balducci

Welcome to this transformative spiritual retreat led by renowned author and spiritual director Fr. Jacques Philippe. In a world filled with noise, distraction, and anxiety, this collection of conferences offers a sanctuary of profound stillness, grounded in the deep well of Catholic spiritual tradition.
The eight videos in this series:
1. Be At Peace With God 2. Find Peace With Ourselves 3. Maintain Peace Over Time 4. God's Presence in Nature &amp; Creation 5. God's Presence In Holy Scripture 6. God's Presence In the Eucharist 7. God's Presence In the Humanity of Christ 8. God's Presence in Our Hearts
Throughout this series, Fr. Jacques guides us on a step-by-step journey to discover where God truly dwells and how we can cultivate an unshakeable interior peace across all seasons of life.&nbsp;
🌿 What You Will Discover in This Series: &bull; The Dimensions of God&rsquo;s Presence: Learn how to recognize and encounter the divine in Holy Scripture, the Holy Eucharist, the concrete humanity of Jesus Christ, and the hidden "little palace" of your own heart. &bull; The Foundations of Interior Peace: Receive practical, gentle guidance on how to be at peace with God, how to be at peace with yourself, and how to maintain that peace over time despite daily struggles and psychological wounds. &bull; The Source of True Freedom: Discover how small, two-second moments of silent recollection during a busy workday and simple acts of charity toward your neighbor unlock a life lived in constant communion with the Trinity.
📖 About Fr. Jacques Philippe Fr. Jacques Philippe is a member of the Community of the Beatitudes and the author of modern spiritual classics, including "Searching for and Maintaining Peace," "Interior Freedom," and "Time for God." His reassuring and accessible insights have helped millions of believers worldwide deepen their prayer lives and rest securely in God&rsquo;s love.
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📚 Brought to you by Scepter Publishers. Explore more books and resources to transform your spiritual journey.

Spiritual Retreat: Finding Peace & God's Presence

Become the leader you were made to be with the&nbsp;Leading Citizen Lecture Series&nbsp;from <a href="https://thomasmorestudies.org/">The Center for Thomas More Studies</a>

Leading Citizen Lecture Series

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/social-doctrine-daily/voicemail" target="_blank">Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.</a>Social Doctrine Daily is a daily podcast reading the social encyclicals of the Catholic Church.This podcast exists for people who want to work their way through catholic social teaching, but struggle to find the time. Each episode offers about ten minutes of a simple, uninterrupted audio reading from the documents themselves.You can listen on the Scepter Publishers app or wherever you get your podcasts.Download the free Scepter Spiritual Reading app here:Apple App Store:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scepter-publishers/id6755748736">https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scepter-publishers/id6755748736</a>Google Play Store:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.scepterpublishers.app&amp;hl=en_US">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.scepterpublishers.app&amp;hl=en_US</a>You can read more about Scepter here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.scepterpublishers.org">www.scepterpublishers.org</a>These encyclicals—from popes such as Pope Leo XIII, Pope Pius XI, Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis—form the heart of what is known as Catholic social teaching, a tradition that seeks to guide society toward what many have called a civilization of love.Core Documents of Catholic Social TeachingRerum Novarum — Pope Leo XIII (1891)Quadragesimo Anno — Pope Pius XI (1931)Mater et Magistra — Pope John XXIII (1961)Pacem in Terris — Pope John XXIII (1963)Gaudium et Spes — Second Vatican Council (1965)Populorum Progressio — Pope Paul VI (1967)Octogesima Adveniens — Pope Paul VI (1971)Justice in the World — Synod of Bishops (1971)Evangelii Nuntiandi — Pope Paul VI (1975)Redemptor Hominis — Pope John Paul II (1979)Laborem Exercens — Pope John Paul II (1981)Sollicitudo Rei Socialis — Pope John Paul II (1987)Centesimus Annus — Pope John Paul II (1991)Evangelium Vitae — Pope John Paul II (1995)Deus Caritas Est — Pope Benedict XVI (2005)Caritas in Veritate — Pope Benedict XVI (2009)Evangelii Gaudium — Pope Francis (2013)Laudato Si’ — Pope Francis (2015)Fratelli Tutti — Pope Francis (2020)Querida Amazonia — Pope Francis (2020)Laudate Deum — Pope Francis (2023)Magnifica Humanitas - Pope Leo XIV (2026)If you’d like to follow along with the text, all documents are available online through the Vatican website.

Magnifica Humanitas (Part 7)

Prayer is the breath of the soul &mdash; and yet so many Christians feel they don't quite know how. Rev. Francis Luna cuts through confusion and discouragement with straightforward, encouraging guidance rooted in the Church's rich tradition. Whether you are just beginning or have been praying for years, this booklet will deepen your conversation with God and renew your desire to seek his face.

How to Pray

Hosted by evangelist Matthew Leonard at <a href="https://www.scienceofsainthood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science of Sainthood</a>, in a special partnership with Scepter Publishers, Introduction to Real Prayer&nbsp;introduces viewers to the basics of prayer, its necessity, and how to make it a part of their daily lives.
But it does a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;more.
Matthew guides viewers through the ins and outs of vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer, showing&nbsp;not just what they are, but how to do them.
He also covers the three stages of the spiritual life (which many Catholics have never heard of), as well as the practical steps to make actual progress in the spiritual life in the easy-to-understand, conversational style for which he is known.
It's time to get real about prayer . . . and watch people's lives be radically transformed.&nbsp;
Purchase now for a year's access to Introduction to Real Prayer (includes entry into Science of Sainthood's email accompaniment sequence for this course)
View more courses like this at <a href="https://www.scienceofsainthood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science of Sainthood</a>.&nbsp;
Number of Lessons - 9 | Lesson Length - 20 Minutes&nbsp;

Introduction to Real Prayer

Sanctity is not improvised. St. Josemar&iacute;a Escriv&aacute; believed that the soul, like any serious endeavor, requires structure &mdash; a daily rhythm of prayer, work, and sacrifice that keeps God at the center of everything. In this booklet he lays out the practical framework of a plan of life: not a rigid schedule, but a set of anchoring habits that give each day its supernatural direction. Clear, demanding, and deeply encouraging, it is essential reading for anyone who wants their ordinary hours to count for eternity.

A Plan of Life

She was seventeen years old, a student from Barcelona with a quick smile, a guitar, and a love of mountain hikes &mdash; and she is now a candidate for beatification. Montserrat Grases lived nothing that looked extraordinary from the outside: school, friends, family, the small daily struggle to be kinder and more generous. Then came a terminal cancer diagnosis at sixteen, and the world saw what that hidden interior life had built. Written with warmth and precision by Mercedes Eguibar, this booklet follows Montse from her first encounter with Opus Dei to her death on Holy Thursday 1959 &mdash; a death as serene, joyful, and unhurried as her life. A quietly electrifying portrait of what it actually looks like to become a saint.

Montserrat Grases

Montserrat Grases died in Barcelona of bone cancer at 17 years of age. Throughout her painful illness, Montse, as she was known to her family and friends, maintained a contagious cheerfulness and a focus on her friends and family rather than on herself. In a 2016 decree, Pope Francis confirmed that Montse had lived a life of heroic virtue and named her as venerable.
Resources to learn more about Venerable Montserrat Grases:
<ul>
 <li>⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://opusdei.org/en-us/montse-grases/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Website for Her Cause of Canonization⁠⁠⁠</a>.</li>
 <li>Cejas, José Miguel. Like Any Other: A Girl Named Montse. New York: Scepter, 2016. (<a href="https://scepterpublishers.org/products/like-any-other-a-girl-named-montse" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Scepter</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Like-Any-Other-Named-Montse/dp/1594172722" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a>)</li>
 <li>Eguibar Galaraza, Mercedes. Montserrat Grases. Una vida sencilla. Madrid: Rialp, 2018. (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Montserrat-Grases-dBolsillo-868-Spanish-ebook/dp/B01FXE1NSU/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a>, in Spanish)</li>
</ul>
For more information about Opus Dei or to inquire about Opus Dei activities in your area, visit <a href="https://opusdei.org/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.opusdei.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.
You can buy the book "Encounters: Finding God in All Walks of Life" from <a href="https://scepterpublishers.org/products/encounters" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scepter Publishers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> or on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/159417511X" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.

Montserrat Grases: Teenager

What are we really seeking when we ask God for understanding?In Part 2 of their study of Psalm 2:10, Jake, Pat, and Louis explore the command, “O you kings, understand,” and its striking contrast with the “vain things” that consume the rebellious nations at the beginning of the psalm. Drawing from St. Bede, St. Augustine, King Solomon, and Scripture, they examine the difference between filling our minds with empty pursuits and seeking the wisdom that helps us see reality as God does.Together, they reflect on Solomon’s humble request for a discerning heart, Christ’s rejection of Satan’s empty promises in the desert, and why true understanding requires humility, dependence on God, and a willingness to empty ourselves in service. The things of this world are not necessarily bad—but they find their proper place only when they are ordered toward God and the vocation He has given us.Join us as we discover why Christian wisdom begins by seeing through the world’s “empty show” and asking God for the understanding to know what truly matters.

Verse 10, Part 2- Are You Chasing Wisdom or Empty Things?

Doug discusses several marriage topics including: complaining, where to find a good husband, and female breadwinners. He also shares several quotes to strengthen marriage. &nbsp; Listener questions and comments: <ul> <li>Robert - My wife and I have been married for 20 years and I have a problem where I lie about small things. (11:18)</li> <li>Jade - I found out my boyfriend is cheating. He says he wants to marry me. Should we continue? (23:28)</li> <li>Mark - Comment: Jade seems like the forgiving type but she can&rsquo;t trust him until he gives her time to show it. (40:33)</li> <li>Josh - The Bible says that men are to be the providers for the home so when people go against what God already set up it, doesn&rsquo;t go well. (42:38)</li> </ul> &nbsp; Resources: Emotionally Focused Therapy <a href="https://iceeft.com/">https://iceeft.com/</a>

From Complaints to Connection in Marriage

#10MinuteswithJesus

** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him.
** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end.
** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance.

10-Minute audio to help you pray.
Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God.
Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.

23-09-26 Packing List for Apostolate (MC)

Title and opening prayer

I. Jesus is condemned to death

II. Jesus takes up his cross

III. Jesus falls the first time

IV. Jesus is met by his Blessed Mother

V. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross

VI. The face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica

VII. Jesus falls a second time

VIII. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem

IX. Jesus falls the third time

X. Jesus is stripped of his garments

XI. Jesus is nailed to the cross

XII. Jesus dies on the cross

XIII. Jesus is laid in the arms of his Blessed Mother

XIV. Jesus is laid in the tomb

Let St. Josemar&iacute;a lead you through the Stations of the Cross and help you joyfully walk the way of the Cross in your daily life. St. Josemaria provides meditations for each of the stations on the Way of the Cross. These meditations are especially suited to help find paths to holiness in the ordinary circumstances of everyday life.
"The Way of the Cross is not a sad devotion. Msgr. Escriva taught many times that Christian joy has its roots in the shape of a cross. If the Passion of Christ is a way of pain, it is also a path of hope leading to certain victory. As he explained in one of his homilies:&nbsp;You should realize&nbsp;that God wants you to be glad and that, if you do all you can, you will never for a moment be without the Cross. But that Cross is no longer a gallows. It is the throne from which Christ reigns. And at his side, his Mother, our Mother too. The Blessed Virgin will obtain for you the strength that you need to walk decisively in the footsteps of her Son" (Friends of God). -Bishop Alvaro del Portillo

The Way of the Cross

Santa Teresa recomienda que tomemos a San José como maestro de oración. Y es que él tenía una relación singularísima, especialísima con Jesús y con María. Todo en su trato con ellos nos habla de cariño, de cotidianidad, de ternura, de confianza, de amistad. Busquemos modos como los suyos en nuestra vida de oración.

2026-09-22 José enseña a orar

In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio brings to life several stories from the life of St. Josemaria, including the footprints in the snow that helped him recognize his vocation and the founding of Opus Dei on October 2, 1928. Fr. Peter helps us consider the importance of being a contemplative soul in the midst of our occupation so that we can bear witness to the love of Christ in all we say and do. PAUSE &amp; REFLECT: <ul><li>Could I become a more ready apostolic instrument for the Holy Spirit to spread the blaze of Jesus Christ in and through my life? </li><li>Am I at risk of becoming worldly, and if so, what am I going to do about becoming a more contemplative soul? </li><li>What if I were to entrust myself and my resolutions from this time of prayer to my guardian angel? </li></ul> THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! If you enjoy our weekly meditations, please consider helping us keep the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast ad-free and accessible for all our listeners: <a href='https://stjosemaria.org/give/'>Give today!</a> <a rel="payment" href="https://stjosemaria.org/give/">Support the show</a>