Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts » Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

Adam Blai on “The History of Exorcism,” Part Two

Join Kris McGregor as she continues discussing the book “The History of Exorcism” with Adam Blai in Part 2 of this two-part conversation.

For part 1 of this discussion visit: IP#501 Adam Blai – The History of Exorcism, Part 1 on Inside the Pages w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts

You can find the book here.

From the book description:

“Due to the advancement of observable evil in our society, the topic of exorcism has increasingly come to the forefront in the West in this century. In Hollywood movies, exorcism has often been sensationalized and misconstrued. Although volumes have been written about demons and exorcism, little has been explained about what solemn exorcism really is within the larger context of deliverance ministry. But now, Church-decreed expert on demonology and exorcism Adam Blai thoroughly explores the roots of exorcism and breaks open its significance for you.

You will find answers to wide-ranging questions such as: Is possession an exclusively Christian phenomenon, or is it a universal problem? Did exorcism exist before Jesus, or did He introduce it? If it predated Christianity, how did other cultures see it and deal with it? How do other world religions view the phenomenon of possession and exorcism? Are there other methods of confronting it besides the Catholic rite?

Blai lays out how exorcisms were performed in the earliest days of the Church. Over time, a liturgical rite was developed and teachings were provided to safeguard the faithful in the practice of exorcisms.
In these pages, Blai reveals:

• • Twenty-one guidelines for exorcists, produced under St. Charles Borromeo
  • Fascinating examples of actual exorcisms (some made famous in movies!)
  • Astounding examples of how saints helped drive out demons (even from the great beyond!)
  • Which psalm is known for offering protection and deliverance from evil spirits (Can you guess?)
  • The revolutionary way in which Jesus performed exorcisms

You will learn about how a harpist helped deliver King Saul of an evil spirit and how the spirits of giants tormented people. As you read about the evolution of exorcism, you will observe how strange practices sometimes occurred through the use of magic and superstition. You will also find five exorcism guidelines from the Middle Ages and four signs of genuine possession today.

Additionally, you will see how the 1614 rite of exorcism differs from the 1998 rite. You will also find a helpful appendix about how to determine whether a disturbance is spiritual, mental, or medical. Extensive references are included throughout the book.”

About the Author: Adam Blai (pronounced “Bly”) is a Church-decreed expert on religious demonology and exorcism in the Pittsburgh diocese. He is an auxiliary member of the International Association of Exorcists based in Rome. Over the past decade, he has helped educate priests regarding exorcism at national conferences, seminars, and through consultation on many cases in a number of dioceses.

The post IP#502 Adam Blai – The History of Exorcism, Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Adam Blai on “The History of Exorcism,” Part One

Join Kris McGregor as she discusses the book “The History of Exorcism” with Adam Blai in Part 1 of this two-part conversation.

You can find the book here.

From the book description:

“Due to the advancement of observable evil in our society, the topic of exorcism has increasingly come to the forefront in the West in this century. In Hollywood movies, exorcism has often been sensationalized and misconstrued. Although volumes have been written about demons and exorcism, little has been explained about what solemn exorcism really is within the larger context of deliverance ministry. But now, Church-decreed expert on demonology and exorcism Adam Blai thoroughly explores the roots of exorcism and breaks open its significance for you.

You will find answers to wide-ranging questions such as: Is possession an exclusively Christian phenomenon, or is it a universal problem? Did exorcism exist before Jesus, or did He introduce it? If it predated Christianity, how did other cultures see it and deal with it? How do other world religions view the phenomenon of possession and exorcism? Are there other methods of confronting it besides the Catholic rite?

Blai lays out how exorcisms were performed in the earliest days of the Church. Over time, a liturgical rite was developed and teachings were provided to safeguard the faithful in the practice of exorcisms.
In these pages, Blai reveals:

• • Twenty-one guidelines for exorcists, produced under St. Charles Borromeo
  • Fascinating examples of actual exorcisms (some made famous in movies!)
  • Astounding examples of how saints helped drive out demons (even from the great beyond!)
  • Which psalm is known for offering protection and deliverance from evil spirits (Can you guess?)
  • The revolutionary way in which Jesus performed exorcisms

You will learn about how a harpist helped deliver King Saul of an evil spirit and how the spirits of giants tormented people. As you read about the evolution of exorcism, you will observe how strange practices sometimes occurred through the use of magic and superstition. You will also find five exorcism guidelines from the Middle Ages and four signs of genuine possession today.

Additionally, you will see how the 1614 rite of exorcism differs from the 1998 rite. You will also find a helpful appendix about how to determine whether a disturbance is spiritual, mental, or medical. Extensive references are included throughout the book.”

For Part 2 of this conversation visit: IP#502 Adam Blai – The History of Exorcism, Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts

About the Author: Adam Blai (pronounced “Bly”) is a Church-decreed expert on religious demonology and exorcism in the Pittsburgh diocese. He is an auxiliary member of the International Association of Exorcists based in Rome. Over the past decade, he has helped educate priests regarding exorcism at national conferences, seminars, and through consultation on many cases in several dioceses.

The post IP#501 Adam Blai – The History of Exorcism, Part 1 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.



What a delight to be joined by Fr. Thomas Berg to discuss Choosing Forgiveness: Unleash the Power of God’s Grace. Hands down, this is one of the very best books I’ve read on the subject of forgiveness. Practical, compelling, and needed today more than ever, Choosing Forgiveness is a must for every home and vital to every heart. Don’t miss this conversation!

“This work will stand the test of time as it is anchored in an authentic Catholic anthropology, psychology and spirituality. It is a complete and robust presentation on forgiveness. Every page invites realism and hope. This would be a useful book for pastors and clinicians and spiritual directors. The Church will be aided greatly by the authors’ insights and faith.” — Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., Professor of Spiritual Theology, Kenrick Glennon Seminary

For Part 2 of this conversation visit: IP#486 Fr. Thomas Berg – Choosing Forgiveness Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

You can find the book here

To say that offering forgiveness is a challenge is an understatement. Forgiveness is tough! Forgiveness is often messy. Forgiveness doesn’t feel good to most of us. And when it comes to the biggest, deepest hurts in life, forgiveness can seem impossible.

Some hurts are the everyday, garden-variety irritations we endure for having to live in the company of other human beings who lose their tempers, get up on the wrong side of the bed, say nasty things, are ungrateful, selfish, and irritable. Some hurts are of a magnitude that far transcend these — degradation, exploitation, abandonment, rejection, humiliation, racism, bullying, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. But with God’s grace, even in those most difficult cases, forgiveness is possible.

In Choosing Forgiveness, Fr. Thomas Berg and Dr. Timothy G. Lock are your guides on the way toward forgiveness through the grace of God. This book will help you discover the pathway to healing, peace, and interior freedom, releasing you and those who have wronged you from the bondage of unforgiveness.

The post IP#486 Fr. Thomas Berg – Choosing Forgiveness Part 1 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Dr. Larry Chapp on “Confession of a Catholic Worker: Our Moment of Christian Witness,” Part 2

Join Kris McGregor as she discusses the book “Confession of a Catholic Worker: Our Moment of Christian Witness” with Dr. Larry Chapp in part one of this two-part interview.

You can find the book here.

From the book description:

“Everyone knows there is a “crisis” in the Catholic Church and in the world around us. Some say it is capitalism gone wild. Others say it is the decay of tradition, family, and objective truth. Still others say it is the rise of radical, reactionary conservatism. Though all may not agree on the nature of the crisis, who doesn’t agree that there is one, and who isn’t worried?

For Larry Chapp, crisis is always the norm of Christian existence. In a cold, dying world choked by greed, the Gospel calls for radical love and radical living according to the Sermon on the Mount. Using the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Peter Maurin, and Dorothy Day, Chapp argues that the real remedy to the disease of sin is not niceness, not political liberation, not fancy liturgical dress, not technical rigor, but a free decision to live totally and joyfully in Jesus Christ, without compromise.

Just as the martyrs chose God over life itself, so each Christian must, in the crucial hour, choose Jesus over all things. Everything hinges on the moment of Christian witness.”

About the Author: ​Larry Chapp, Ph.D., is a retired professor of theology who taught at DeSales University for twenty years. He received his doctorate from Fordham University in 1994 with a specialization in the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar. He is now the owner and manager of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Farm near Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

The post IP#496 Dr. Larry Chapp – Confessions of a Catholic Worker, Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Fr. Basil Nortz on Holy Silence: A Practical Guide to Recollection in God, Part 2

Join Kris McGregor as she continues her discussion on the book Holy Silence: A Practical Guide to Recollection in God with Fr. Basil Nortz in the conclusion of this two-part interview.

For part 1 of our conversation visit:
IP#497 Fr. Basil Nortz – Holy Silence, Part 1 on Inside the Pages w/ Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts

You can find the book here.

From the book description:

“Fr. Basil Nortz masterfully builds upon the classic reflections of Sr. Marie-Aimée de Jésus, a nineteenth-century spiritual mystic and Carmelite nun, on the twelve degrees of silence. By cultivating these types of silence, you will find out how you can — even amid your busy days filled with chatter, commotion, and noise — listen to the voice of God.

In these profound pages you will find ways to overcome your fear of silence and discover:

• • Keys to obeying God’s will
  • Kinds of silence that are holy and kinds that are unholy
  • Ten tips on what to do — and what to avoid — to bridle your senses
  • Seven ways to guard your imagination and foster recollection
  • How to direct your emotions with reason and foster silence of the heart
  • Effective ways of responding to injustice

You will learn the one sinful attitude that cuts us off from the merciful forgiveness of God and will acquire ways to stop passing judgment against others. Additionally, you will learn the most important attitude that disposes us to God’s plans and allows us to enter into His love and converse with Him affectionately throughout the day. Moreover, you will find practical techniques for overcoming distractions in prayer and advice from the saints on methods of meditation to develop silence of the spirit.

Above all, you will glean how to maintain peace of soul and live free from anxiety and despair, regardless of temptations or life’s battles. By relying totally on God, you will fearlessly rise after falls and begin again. You will begin to see the loving hand of God in all things, contemplate the light of His presence, and “be still” in the silence of His love.

“Holy silence is what helps the soul acquire the strength necessary to bear the presence of the all-pure God, who is ipsum esse subsistens (subsistent being itself),” explains Fr. Nortz. “The intensity of that fullness, far from inspiring languid inaction, produces a vibrant joyfulness that St. John expresses in the book of Revelation in terms of the saints singing with full voice.”

About the Author: Reverend Basil Nortz, O.R.C., is a priest in the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross. He graduated from Christendom College in 1986 with a B.A. in theology. His seminary studies were at the Insitutum Sapientiae in Anapolis, Brazil.

The post IP#498 Fr. Basil Nortz – Holy Silence Part 2 on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.