Clik here to view.
Celebrating Advent as a Family
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “Prayer is the life of the new heart. It ought to animate us at every moment… But we cannot pray ‘at all times’ if we do not pray at specific times,...
View ArticleLenten Resolutions for Married Couples, Inspired by Pope Francis
Are you wondering how to grow in holiness this Lent, together with your spouse? Try following some advice from the Pope! In homilies and addresses, Pope Francis has spoken quite directly about how...
View ArticleStations of the Cross for Marriages and Families
Introduction The particular needs of marriages and families prompted and largely influenced this reflection on the Stations of the Cross. Its purpose is to encourage all to reflect on Jesus’ passion in...
View ArticleChapter Seven: A Bright Teaching that Makes Good Marriages Great
Most people enter marriage wanting the best for their spouses and themselves. They want their love to last forever. They hope life won’t be too hard and that they too can have the American dream of...
View ArticleChapter Seven: Light in a Dark World
The images of light and darkness have long been used to convey the contrast between good and evil. Light is a prominent theme throughout Scripture, starting with the very third verse: “Then God said,...
View ArticleReading Laudato Si in Light of Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Life
On Thursday, June 18, 2015, Pope Francis released his second encyclical, Laudato Si, “On care for our common home.” The encyclical addresses humanity’s responsibility to protect and conscientiously...
View ArticleChapter Seven: Why the Church Cannot Endorse Same-Sex “Marriage”
Advocates of same-sex “marriage” can only make a case for its recognition by “premising marriage as mainly erotic or emotional satisfaction” and not as a social institution for the sake of uniting a...
View ArticleChapter Eight: A Home for the Wounded Heart
The eighth chapter of the catechesis for the WMOF focuses on the Church as a home for the wounded. How many times have you heard someone say, “The Church should do something about that!” or, “And what...
View ArticleChapter Eight: Encountering Brokenness
While working as a young adult minister at a parish several years ago, I had the opportunity to meet a married couple in their late 20’s at our summer Theology-on-Tap series. They wandered into the...
View ArticleThe Heart of Christianity: Finding God and the Meaning of Life Written within...
In the Fall of 2014, Fr. Chris Singer, chancellor of the Diocese of Erie, presented a lecture series on the Theology of the Body. His articles, which appeared in the FAITH magazine of the Diocese of...
View ArticleAh, It Is Summertime!
For many of us during these warm months, our thoughts turn to swimming pools, the beach or just plain working on our tan. In the summer, we tend to be more aware of —and more conscious of —our bodies....
View ArticleWhy Did the Risen Jesus Cook Breakfast for the Disciples?
I love food. My parents tell me that, as a little child, I was a mostly calm, happy-go-lucky kid—unless I was hungry. Then I turned into a monster. But once I found something to eat—serenity returned....
View ArticleChapter Nine: Mother, Teacher, Family: The Nature and Role of the Church
We all know that moms are special. Growing up, whenever I had a question about something, whether it was as banal as “How long should I put this into the microwave for?” or as deep as, “What’s the...
View ArticleChapter Nine: What’s in an Image?
The ninth chapter of the World Meeting of Families preparatory catechesis, “Mother, Teacher, Family: The Nature and Role of the Church,” begins in the following way: The Church has institutional forms...
View ArticleChapter Ten: Choosing Life
Happiness in life requires courage and work. Happiness comes at a price. Want to play the guitar like a rock star? You will have to take music lessons and practice for hours daily. Want to have a...
View Article“Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography”
At their November 2015 General Assembly, the bishops of the United States overwhelmingly approved a formal statement that addresses the many harmful effects of pornography use and offers a word of hope...
View ArticleWhy Do We Celebrate Easter for 50 Days?
Most people think of Easter as a single day. It’s never had the commercial appeal of Christmas, and because it always falls on Sunday, most people don’t get an additional day off from work. But for...
View ArticleAmoris Laetitia “Bootcamp”
Pope Francis’s Amoris Laetitia came out on April 8th—how much have you read? If you need a little push, join the AL Bootcamp with us! We will read a small bit from Chapter 4 (Love in Marriage) and ask...
View ArticleOrdinary Time?
One of the characteristics of Catholicism—indeed, of any liturgically-oriented church—is that the pattern of our worship follows a cycle of feasts and seasons. Our seasons run like this: Advent, which...
View ArticleWhat Do Catholics Read?
It’s summer, and perhaps you have the chance to catch up on your reading. Maybe even your spiritual reading. But where to start? The Bible, of course, is foundational. Consider delving into some of its...
View ArticleConvalidation: Bringing Your Marriage Into The Church
Note: The following text is intended to give a basic overview of the convalidation process. Because every couple’s situation is unique and because practices related to the implementation of the process...
View ArticleThe Nuptial Blessing
The Nuptial Blessing is a beautiful moment in the Catholic wedding ceremony. It takes place after the bride and groom have exchanged their consent and so have become husband and wife. In this blessing,...
View ArticleThe Questions Before Consent
“The Questions before the Consent” are an important part of a Catholic wedding ceremony. True to its name, this moment entails the celebrant (priest or deacon) asking the bride and groom a series of...
View ArticleSaint Joseph: My New Patron Saint
Advent is often spoken as a time of preparation. This means not just preparation for parties, celebrations and family gatherings, but preparing for the Incarnation, the birth of the Christ child,...
View Article10 Pointers for Prayer
The baby’s crying, the dog is whining, and you need to leave for work in five minutes. Finding time for prayer can seem impossible. Amid the busyness of family life, how can one respond to God’s...
View Article
