The passages chosen by world-renowned spiritual teacher of the discerning life, Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V., provides a window into Ven. Lanteri's heart: a heart that loved, that reached out to others in human and spiritual friendship, and that, itself filled with faith, rejoiced in the spiritual growth of those it approached. Through his own words and those of witnesses, we will watch Ven. Lanteri interact with laypeople, explore his sense of the dignity of their vocation, listen as he urges laypeople to live with holiness, and ponder the key emphases of his spiritual direction of the laity. It is my hope that these pages will reveal the figure of Ven. Lanteri as a spiritual guide of the laity and that his call to holiness in the lay vocation will resound again today. The first part of this book centers on basic themes in Ven. Lanteri's spiritual direction of laypeople. In the second, a selection of his letters presents this guidance in practice.

With warmth, understanding, and pastoral skill, Fr. Timothy Gallagher provides here a hopeful invitation to all who struggle to overcome the greatest obstacle of all in the spiritual life — discouragement. Our enemy actively exploits our vulnerabilities, shrewdly leading us time and again into an overwhelming sense of disturbance. But Fr. Gallagher pulls the curtain back on the wiles of the devil, offering gentle reflections that are remarkably effective in lightening the burdens of your day-to-day spiritual life. You'll learn practical ways to find peace amid your spiritual struggles, and patience in the face of even the most intense trials. Best of all, you'll learn how to profit spiritually from the afflictions that beset you. Each reflection in these pages begins with a quotation by Venerable Bruno Lanteri, the holy founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, whose wisdom has guided the uncommonly insightful spirituality of Fr. Gallagher. In these pages, you will learn: What to do when you have reached the point of despair How to evade sadness, melancholy, and temptation Ways you can be joyful even when you do not feel mirth How to leave the sins, weaknesses, and failures of your past to God's mercy How to recognize the enemy, even when he presents himself under the appearance of good What is holy presumption, why you want it, and how to get it The five benefits you'll derive from regular Confession How each part of the Mass corresponds to an affection of the heart Proven techniques for waging warfare against negative moods There is no shame in spiritual desolation. Fr. Gallagher reminds us that the greatest of saints suffered from this affliction. The key is to learn how to draw closer to God in life's darkest moments. Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement is a call to hope . . . a call to solace in time of suffering . . . and a call to stand tall in times of affliction. Read this book, and you'll learn how to enter into the sublime peace and joy that our Lord promises.

"Fr. Gallagher has written of the Founder of his religious order with a personal sense of the particular charism of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and with a historian's sense of the context of its birth and development. Quite ordinary events in Lanteri's life are unified by his strong sense of spiritual purpose often obstructed by a body weakened with constant ill health; these same events are played out in the tension between Church and State in France and Piedmont in an age of revolution; they are reflected in the lives of his co-workers and companions in the various societies and communities he formed part of. A man who sought always to remain in the background is brought forward in this book so that all can begin again to discover his virtues and apprpreciate his influence today"--

How many times have you attended Mass and desired that it more fully touched your heart? You find that everyday worries and to-do lists distract from its prayers, the readings vanish from memory, and even the consecration and Communion pass by in a moment. Too often, the Mass feels like a missed opportunity for grace. To help you fully tap into the abundance of grace offered at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Fr. Timothy Gallagher resurrects here the teachings of Venerable Bruno Lanteri. A holy priest seeking to root himself in prayer during the turbulence of war and persecution in northern Italy, Venerable Bruno developed a biblical way of praying the Mass that transforms it into a true prayer of the heart. Fr. Gallagher discovered this method of praying the Mass forty-five years ago, and it has been a blessing for him ever since. He now shares this method with you. Through a selection of biblical figures, he invites you live each part of

To navigate the inevitable ups and downs of our spiritual lives, countless souls have found comfort and guidance in St. Ignatius of Loyola���s Rules for Discernment. For the past forty years, popular retreat master and author Fr. Timothy Gallagher has been at the forefront of making St. Ignatius���s Rules understandable and applicable to hundreds of thousands of Catholics seeking greater sensitivity to the "movements��� of th