Going in to the Altar of God
It seems to me that many young people, and people entering their thirties, are too anxious to make life choices grounded in practicalities, natural desires, and the normal flow of life.
Recovering Love and Marriage in a Loveless and Divided Culture
Sandwiched between arranged marriages and committing sins of the flesh with random strangers is an intentional culture designed to weed out bad matches and encourage real courtship.
A Rich Book for Marriage Preparation
Every marriage preparation program would do well to incorporate the practical marriage advice from the Archduke of Austria, Eduard Habsburg.
From Pemberley to Pinterest: We Need a Better Love Story
The female obsession with Jane Austen’s captivating look into Regency-era England can quickly turn from an innocent diversion to a deeply unrealistic vision of marriage.
Catholic Parents: Free the Hearts of Your Daughters
Catholic parents, do your daughters know that it’s okay—even good and holy—to desire a life as wife and mother, even above (and even forgoing) all other earthly considerations?
An Often Forgotten Sacramental
The wedding rings of a bride and groom are always a centerpiece of the ceremony and seen as a symbol of the marital bond. But for Catholics, it is much more than that.
Catholic Singles, Pray to This Saint for a Spouse
Why leave the most important decision of your Catholic life to chance when you have a royal intercessor ready to come to your aid!
The Prince Charming Problem
The “soul mate” ideal is ruining marriage as people seek Prince Charming instead of real partners. True love is found in regular, not perfect, people.
Love’s Conquest of the Cosmos
What moves the earth and the planets and all the stars above? The answer is Love.
Stemming the Tide of Divorces and Annulments
The default and public position of many in diocesan family life offices is to assume that if one is divorced, he or she is in need of “healing” or “moving on” by way of an annulment. This is wrong.
The Curious Case of the Purloined Precept
Why did the sixth precept—”To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage”—disappear from Catholic catechisms?
From Marital Debt to Marital Credit
While the language of “marital debt” can turn the self-giving human relationship of marriage into a legalistic project of obedience, what is the proper approach to the marital relationship?
Defending Marriage When Church Leaders Don’t
The institution of marriage is under attack; in fact, in many ways it seems to be on its last legs. How have Catholic leaders failed in defending marriage, and how can Catholics rebuild our respect for this sacred institution?
Nine Bad Arguments for Catholics Attending Invalid “Weddings”
We’ve become so used to Catholic priests and influencers telling us that we may go to these invalid “weddings” that we’ve forgotten to question the premise: What is the authoritative source for that advice?
If You Want a Happy Marriage, Take the Marital Debt Seriously
Few subjects raise such ire and disgust as the marital debt, but it is the teaching of the universal Church, and it does matter.
The Trouble With Debates About “Marital Debt”
The trouble with discussions of marital debt is they overlook the larger context of human relationships that render the truth or falsity irrelevant.
The Marriage/Parenthood Disconnect
While conceptually distinctive, Catholic theology has always recognized marriage and parenthood typically go in tandem and that openness to life is a prerequisite to entering a valid marriage.
Husbands, Lead and Cherish Your Wives
It is divinely revealed truth that husbands are called to lead their wives in the way that Christ leads the Church. This means that husbands are called to serve, direct, die for, and cherish their wives.
The Church of England: Not of Sound Mind
Church of England bishops have decided to stick to the church’s traditional teaching that marriage is “between a man and a woman,” which will lead to no small amount of lamenting within that Church about not keeping up with secular morality.
