Looking at the two creation stories (Genesis 1:1–2:4 and Genesis 2:4–3:24) together reveals a number of distinct senses in which men and women may be said to be complementary. Both accounts of creation offer strong affirmations of the basic equality of the sexes in...
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...
It is estimated that 1 in 6 couples struggle to get pregnant. Infertility is often a hidden suffering, and is even considered a “normal,” albeit temporary, difficulty encountered in some marriages, but easily fixed if the couple...
Let’s face it. Purity is not always the easiest virtue to cultivate. And our culture isn’t giving young men any breaks! But the battle against lust is one that every Catholic man must fight. While that fight looks different for...
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...
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,...
Authentic sexual expression is always rooted in two purposes: procreative and unitive. The procreative aspect of sex is the couple’s openness to life. The unitive is the fulfillment of the one-flesh union of man and woman within the context of marriage. If the...
“The Cry of the Heart,” is a new film by evangelist Christopher West and the Cor Project addressing JPII's Theology of the Body. Based on the General Audiences given by the pope during the course his pontificate, West explains the meaning of our corporeality, why we...
Today we present the final installment of our God and the Gym series, a poetic reflection on rigorous fitness, physical suffering, Catholic spirituality, and the redemption of the Cross of Jesus Christ. God and the Gym: No Pain, No Gain Read parts 1 -3 of this series:...
I want to develop the theme of unity of body and soul, introduced at the end of my last article on God and the Gym. Here’s what the Catechism has to say about it: Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. … For this reason, man may not despise his bodily life....
In the United States, it is officially #NFPWEEK. Understanding why the Church encourages the use of Natural Family Planning (NFP) can be a very difficult concept for many Catholics to embrace. Take the time to read some of the teachings of the Church that explain the...
Does a beautiful Church building matter to Christians? What about adornments like statues, altar rails, decorative pews and such? Stained glass... Stations of the Cross... the placement and design of the Tabernacle... If God is everywhere, especially in the humble and...
In the timeless Broadway classic "Les Miserables," character Fantine wraps up Victor Hugo's epic saga with one golden line: "To love another person is to see the face of God." Hugo's words greatly echo Saint Pope John Paul II's extremely popular lecture series called...
What is the secret to a happy marriage? The secret of how to have a happy marriage is realizing that happiness is not the purpose of marriage. If your goal in marriage is your own personal happiness, you're going about it all wrong. The first thing to do is to spend...
I wish I could say that this post is only for that “small group” of people addicted to pornography. Would that it were a “small group,” but no, it is not small, it is a group that over the years has become so great that today there are very few men (and women) who...
It’s summer and that means many couples will be entering into the Sacrament of Marriage. If you want to give a great gift to your future spouse, then I would suggest studying a bit of Saint John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. You can find information and guides at...
How can you follow a Church that still believes that sex is a sin? This is the question one friend asks of another and thus begins a fantastic overview of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Theology of the Body (TOB) is much more than just a theology of sex in the...