“Well, the children have always come first” is a remark that echoes in the offices of too many marriage therapists. Imagine if their wedding vows had been, “I, John, take you, Jane, to be my beloved wife. I promise to stand by idly, but with deep emotional pain...
I find that the term “spiritual warfare” often makes me think it’s more dramatic and epic than it actually is. I think of saints doing heroic penances and exorcists fighting off demons, but truly spiritual warfare is often a subtle battle the devil wages against us to...
He’s such a great guy, Ash – but I don’t know how to talk to him about, about. She paused searching carefully for her words. About, huff, you know! Ah, I told my sister, searching everywhere in that airtight moment for some wise words, which of course weren’t mine to...
This beautiful spoken-word piece titled “A Crucifixion Type Love” was written and performed by Brent Rice and, although (disclaimer) we don't know much about Mr. Rice and his personal religious beliefs, there is no doubt that his poetry is stunning, passionate, and a...
One of the best things about the Catholic Church (which of course, there are many, many things) is the communion of saints. The wisdom and holiness of the men and women who have gone before us can guide us toward the light that is Christ. There are few areas of our...
Gospel of Luke 6:17, 20-26 Jesus came down with the Twelveand stood on a stretch of level groundwith a great crowd of his disciplesand a large number of the peoplefrom all Judea and Jerusalemand the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.And raising his eyes toward his...
Natural family planning has the potential to bring out either our best or our worst traits as people and as spouses. There’s nothing quite like sacrificing our own physical desires (think along the lines of dieting or...
Every year over a million children experience the divorce of their parents, and at least one-quarter of all young adults are children of divorce. And those numbers grow when you include people whose parents never married but later split up, or those whose parents...
oday's video could be useful for illustrating the daily quarrels that we can all relate to. Although I myself am not married and am on my way towards the priesthood, more than once I have witnessed –with a bit of awe to be honest–the surprising...
It doesn’t take long when first discovering the world of natural family planning to realize that most couples have a love/hate relationship with NFP. The reasons to love it are obvious and the reasons to hate it are obvious. It is a strange mix of sweet...
Let’s face it. As wonderful as the idea of Natural Family Planning (NFP) can sound, the reality for many couples can be far from that beautiful ideal. A common thread amongst frustrated couples trudging their way through the trenches of NFP is that the...
Chaste dating is no walk in the park, but it is possible. We’ve been in relationships in the past that were unchaste and ended very badly. When we started courting, we didn’t want to repeat the same habits from our past relationships, so we had to do things...
What are the secrets of creating a marriage that doesn’t just survive… but THRIVES? Have you ever asked yourself this question? I know we did, especially throughout our courtship and engagement as we were discerning marriage together. We’ve experienced our fair...
What is the purpose of intimacy? This question is at the heart of the video "Theology of the Body (Catholic Sexuality). The Church's teaching about sex is a topic that probably garners the most attention in today's culture. Why? Because the idea of waiting until...
“I’m going to take a pregnancy test!” I shouted across the apartment to my husband as I anxiously walked into our bathroom to find out if I was having phantom pregnancy symptoms or if I was in fact carrying another life inside of me. I was bracing myself...
If someone asked you what was said in the Nuptial Blessing at a wedding, would you know? Probably not. This rather lengthy prayer is tucked between the Exchange of Consent and the Our Father and if you aren't paying attention, you may miss one of the most beautiful...
What I Notice About My Wife I am by no means a perfect husband. I have many faults and do not always show my wife how much I love her. Even when I do not mention the things I see, I do notice quite a bit. Here is what I notice. I notice when my wife gets up early to...
This week's readings might cause people to get upset. Marriage is a touchy subject in the life of the Church right now. Take time to look at these important readings and talk about them in the light of the culture vs the light of Christ and what He wants from us. We...
When I'm out and about running errands with my children, it's inevitable that someone will comment on the size of my family. Are they all yours? Were you trying for the girl? My, you've got your hands full! And, my personal favorite, you do know how that happens,...
Today’s society makes us doubt that finding a well-rounded, virtuous, faithful, Christ-like spouse is possible. As the popularity of one-night-stands increases, both women and men are left wondering if anyone exists who will see them and treat them as a child of the...
Praying with my husband is something that has never been easy for me to do. Though I tell him everything and share all aspects of my life with him, I've always seemed to stumble when it comes to our prayer time together. Our first few years of marriage, I forced...
When I was dating and engaged, I often wondered what chastity in marriage looked like. Having just celebrated my fourth wedding anniversary with my dear husband, and also having counseled couples in a faith-based therapy setting, here are a handful of takeaways that...
Looking back, I only have one regret from our wedding. The day was filled with joy, family, friends, a beautiful Mass, and plenty of dancing, but every time I go to a wedding I'm reminded of the one thing that we did not do at ours and it breaks my heart. We did not...
Here in my home diocese, the Diocese of Phoenix, taking a multiple-month class on Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a mandatory part of marriage preparation. I honestly wish this was the case everywhere. NFP, when used properly, is just as effective or more effective...
Does God make people gay? Due to some comments allegedly made by Pope Francis, this question is on many people's minds. Is our sexual attraction determined even before birth by our Creator or is it something we choose as a result of life's circumstances? Many...
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