Catholic Classics

The Christian life is not simply about fighting temptations that might knock us off our path; it is about pursuing Christ. These temptations are not to be feared when met with the fidelity of God's grace. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand invite us not to be distracted by the battle of temptations, but to fix our eyes on the one who has already won the battle: Jesus Christ. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Why does God allow temptation? When does experiencing temptation become sinful? St. Francis de Sales highlights the dangers of inviting temptations while pursuing the Devout Life. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explore practical ways to help us cling to Christ rather than temptation through setting boundaries and practicing prudence. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

As we begin Part 4, St. Francis de Sales builds the framework for us of what temptation is and how temptations work, explaining the differences between experiencing them and consenting to them. Father Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand remind us not to be surprised or discouraged when temptation arises but to trust that God gives us the grace to withstand that reality, to choose the good, and be formed in the midst of it. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this special bonus episode, Fr. Jacob Bertrand reads the commentary to Part 4 of Introduction of the Devout Life, helping us understand the topic of temptation that St. Francis De Sales explores in this part of the book. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

St. Francis De Sales provides encouragement for widows and single people who can often feel left out in society. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertand explain St. Francis de Sales’perspective on these states in life, remining us that being a widow or a single person doesn’t mean God has forgotten about you, rather, it means that God is preparing you in a particular way for himself. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

As we continue our reading on marriage today, St. Francis De Sales helps us understand the role of sex in the context of marriage and how grace and virtue should shape the marital act. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand further elaborate on God’s plan for human sexuality how it contributes to the holiness of married couples To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

What does it look like to live the devout life in the context of marriage and family? In today’s chapter, we learn about the sacrament of marriage and how spouses sanctify each other through their love and sacrifice. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand highlight the obstacles and challenges of marriage and emphasize the importance of leaning on God to persevere in this life-giving vocation. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In these chapters, St. Francis De Sales reminds us that we are called not only to be faithful in big asks and big things, but in small things, too. Using the virtues of faithfulness and perseverance, Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand make practical connections between living a virtuous life and living a life of devotion. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support

Recognizing the importance of relaxing our minds and bodies, Saint Francis de Sales explores the potential dangers of recreational activities. He leads us to consider our amusements and cautions against excess. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand share principles we can follow to ensure devout and contemplative leisure. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support

In pursuing a Devout Life, Saint Francis de Sales addresses sins of speech and explains how gossip and slander harm the speaker and those spoken of. He likens harmful speech to that of murder and charges us to express ourselves cautiously. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the gravity of daily, mundane offenses and how these can be more seductive and harmful than larger, rarer sins. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support

In this episode, Saint Francis de Sales begins exploring judgment and what it means to judge rashly or righteously. He reminds us that God judges wrongdoers. Rather than concerning ourselves with our neighbors, we should turn our judgments to our own lives. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand define what it means to make hasty or poor judgments, and they encourage us to seek nothing but that which leads us to a deeper devotion. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a financial gift at ascensionpress.com/support

Saint Francis de Sales continues showing us the path to devotion by addressing our overall manner of life. He charges us to recognize the importance of modesty in action, dress, and speech. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the various messages people can send through their appearances and demeanors. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In today’s episode, Saint Francis de Sales addresses the importance of external mortifications and, in particular, the practice of fasting and sleeping. He explains that mortification is a tool for purification. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the importance of putting to death the desires in our lives that have become idols. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Completing his examination of friendship, Saint Francis de Sales offers advice on companionship for those seeking to live the Devout Life. He discusses the presence of imperfection and sin within friendship. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand encourage us to analyze the good and evil of our own relationships. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Today we return to the theme of friendship. Saint Francis de Sales describes the necessity and danger of communion, arguing that a true friendship communicates in virtue. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss friendship between men and women, pointing out concrete and practical examples of how to approach such relationships virtuously. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Today, Saint Francis de Sales completes his consideration of poverty. He reminds us that to live a Devout Life means to embrace poverty as the dear friend of Jesus Christ. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explain what true friendship looks like and the shared life it entails. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

St. Francis de Sales continues his examination of chastity and poverty. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand that St. Francis de Sales is aiming to help us strive for the highest good and not lower goods. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

After covering patience, humility, and meekness, St. Francis de Sales shifts the conversation towards poverty, chastity, and obedience. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand why these virtues are not reserved only for religious or clergy, but are important for all pursuing the Devout Life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

St. Francis de Sales continues to walk us through some of the virtues that he believes are important to cultivate in the Devout Life. In this episode, he shares about the virtue of meekness. He explains what it is and how we can put it into practice towards our neighbors and ourselves. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Today, St. Francis de Sales treats the ideas of abjection and reputation when it comes to the virtue of humility. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand how abjection is not a bad thing and why it is important. They also explain how to appropriately care about your reputation. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In this episode, St. Francis de Sales continues his examination of humility, but now turns to the more interior aspects of it. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss how to understand humility and also how to work through some of the difficulties in practicing it. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

St. Francis de Sales offers patience and humility as two virtues that need our particular attention as we strive for the Devout Life. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand how St. Francis de Sales is getting to the real meaning of each virtue. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Here in the third part of Introduction to the Devout Life, we are focusing primarily on virtue. Today, St. Francis de Sales is taking us through how to choose which virtues, in particular, we need to cultivate in our lives. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics

In this special bonus episode, Fr. Gregory offers an overview of what we can expect in the third part of Introduction to the Devout Life. He summarizes the primary theme of this section: the life of virtue. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

At the conclusion of Part 2, St. Francis de Sales offers advice on how to best receive Holy Communion. In addition, Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand review what we have learned in this second part of Introduction to the Devout Life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

As St. Francis de Sales continues to guide us in how to actively pursue the Devout Life, he shares practical steps in making a good confession and receiving Holy Communion well. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand offer advice and encouragement on taking these steps in our own lives today. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In this second part of Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales has been sharing about two of the tools that will help us grow in the Devout Life: prayer and the sacraments. In this episode, we will begin to look at the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

St. Francis de Sales acknowledges that one of the greatest struggles in prayer is how busy life can be. In today’s readings, he explains that each of us should still be finding time throughout the day for brief moments with the Lord. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explain how this might look in practice. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

How do you enter into prayer when you don’t want to pray? Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand continue to explore the advice offered by St. Francis de Sales on how to enter into prayer. In particular, this episode deals with the difficulty of dryness in prayer and how to persevere through it. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

St. Francis de Sales continues to teach about the process of entering into prayer, primarily meditative prayer. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand also take us through St. Francis de Sales’ explanation of moving from aspiration to action when it comes to the Devout Life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

The second part of Introduction to the Devout Life begins with an explanation on the necessity of prayer. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand why prayer is so important and how we can begin to establish a habit of mental prayer with the guidance of St. Francis de Sales. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In this special bonus episode, Fr. Jacob-Bertrand offers an overview of what we can expect in the second part of Introduction to the Devout Life. He summarizes the primary theme of this section which is prayer and the sacraments and how those draw us into a closer relationship with God. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

As we come to the end of the first part of Introduction to the Devout Life, Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand walk us through a profession to serve God. They also help us in understanding the continued need for purification and letting go of attachments. In addition, they share some advice on making a general confession. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In the final meditations from St. Francis de Sales, he takes time to meditate upon Heaven. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explain how this leads us to a point where we must choose between Heaven and Hell. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand continue through four more meditations from St. Francis de Sales. These meditations focus primarily on sin, death, judgment, and hell. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explain how to keep these things in mind while also keeping our focus on God and his mercy. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand continue discussing how to begin the journey towards the devout life. They explain how God’s grace moves through all of it. Lastly, they go through three of St. Francis de Sales’ meditations to help us develop better contrition. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

What do we need in this journey towards the devout life? Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand share that some of the essentials for this journey are accompaniment, purgation, and the sacraments. However, one of the greatest essentials is the sacraments. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

Welcome to Day 1 of Introduction to the Devout Life. Today, Fr. Gregory Pine and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand Janczyk begin by explaining how important it is to get the principles right when starting out in the spiritual life. They also share what devotion is and how it functions in our walk towards holiness. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In this special bonus episode, Fr. Gregory Pine gives an overview of what we can expect in the first part of Introduction to the Devout Life. Fr. Gregory’s summation and helpful outline of Part 1 will equip you to receive the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

In preparation for the beginning of Catholic Classics Season 1: Introduction to the Devout Life, Fr. Gregory Pine reads through the Dedicatory Prayer and the Author’s Preface. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.

What should you expect from this podcast? In this special pre-launch episode, Fr. Gregory Pine and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand Janczyk share all about the Catholic Classics podcast. They also offer you a brief overview of Introduction to the Devout Life which is the book we will be reading this season. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.