I woke up this morning to the most glorious sound. Well, first I woke up to someone throwing a laundry basket at my door before he went downstairs, but after that I woke up to the squeals and giggles of an (almost) 12 week old baby girl – our tenth baby (on earth). As I […]
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you! Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. (Song of […]
The king of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever. -From “The King of Love my Shepherd Is” by Henry Williams Baker Marriage is an image of Christ and His bride, the Church. It is a sanctuary for love, for the bringing […]
The Atlantic recently posted an article by Rachel R. White entitled, “The Role Non-Monogamy Will Play in the Future of Marriage” (Oct. 3, 2011), in which she interviews Pamela Haag, the author of the book Marriage Confidential. Haag claims that “marriage has changed over time in both perception and practice,” stating that “even the Bible was […]
Mexico City lawmakers are currently considering a further redefinition of the meaning of marriage. They are proposing to implement a policy that would allow couples to decide on the length of their commitment. The minimum contract would be two years, after which a couple could “re-up” if they decide they are happy with one another […]
In his seminal work, After Virtue, philosopher Alisdair MacIntyre argues that the abandonment of Aristotelian ethics lies at the heart of modern society’s slide into moral decadence and decline. Having abandoned an ontological, “is-ought” conception of the world, MacIntyre maintains that society now lacks a foundational vision to guide and order itself. Individualism, reigns supreme. […]
At Adoration yesterday, deep in thought with Christ, I noticed gleaming shine from two places catching my sight. One was the monstrance, where the Holy Eucharist was displayed; the other was on my own hand. My wedding band seemed to match the golden monstrance made to enhance and protect Christ’s Body in the humble form of bread. […]
Dr. Morse gave this speech April 23, 2011, at Hong Kong Baptist University, at a conference of Western and Chinese scholars, entitled “The Family and Sexual Ethics: Christian Foundations and Public Values.” China is experiencing numerous problems due to family breakdown, including the one child policy, high divorce rates, and an imbalanced sex ratio. This […]
Dr. Morse gave this speech April 23, 2011, at Hong Kong Baptist University, at a conference of Western and Chinese scholars, entitled “The Family and Sexual Ethics: Christian Foundations and Public Values.” China is experiencing numerous problems due to family breakdown, including the one child policy, high divorce rates, and an imbalanced sex ratio. This […]
The last thing in the world same-sex “marriage” advocates want to talk about is polygamy. If you ever tell them marriage recognition for same-sex relationships requires recognition of polygamy as well, the usual response is, “we’re not talking about polygamy.” Nor will they, even if you want them to. Polygamy exposes the weakness of the […]
Living as we are in a period that exalts individual desires, especially regarding sexuality, many persons who consider themselves Catholics believe that they have a right to contract marriage in the Church in accordance with their own opinions on marriage. But really that is not the case. Baptized Catholics have the right to celebrate marriage […]
Before my husband and I married, I was blessed with the opportunity to live in Austin and work for a leading pro-life lobbying organization. Ironically, one of the biggest benefits of my work was the exposure to the talking points of the abortion-rights camp. You see, I very quickly realized that in order to sustain […]
Dogs are often given the title “man’s best friend.” I get that. However, a new title has surfaced which turns one’s dog from friend to family. These days people address their dogs as “baby.” Last December, I received a Christmas card in the mail with someone’s dog in the spotlight posing as Santa. Cute? Sure… […]
Father’s Day is a day for honoring fathers. But I would like to take a step back and honor men as husbands. In our enlightened, liberated era, we have a tendency to overlook men as husbands, since the father is so often not the husband of the mother. But without some kind of connection between […]
One of the patron saints of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia, was Blessed Peter To Rot, a native son of Papua New Guinea. A second-generation Catholic during the evangelization of his Southern Pacific island in the early twentieth century, he was an exemplary husband, father and catechist. In 1945 he suffered martyrdom at […]
Spring is wedding season, and though few celebrations can top last month’s royal wedding, plenty of brides hope to give Kate Middleton a run for her tiara. The $27,800 price tag for the average American wedding may be chump change compared to the $32 million royal nuptials, but it’s enough to drive an $86-billion-a-year wedding […]
They grace the cover of Time magazine this week, do Kate and William, with not one but two full-page spreads inside: of the coach ride after the wedding and of the Westminster Abbey recession. Days after the grand affair, the world still gawks and talks. Much of the talk is about what the newlyweds have […]
Years ago, after attending a natural family planning class my husband and I had taught, one of the students called me to tell me why she wasn’t coming to the next class. After a brief span of conversation that let me know she felt very intimate with God, she proceeded to inform me that the […]
Last Wednesday was “Ash Wednesday,” when Catholics and other Christians receive ashes on their foreheads as a sign of penitence (Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent). I’d had over 700 hits on the 40-Day Challenge. It seems there are many women who think their marriage needs a “faith lift”! Several women left comments […]
This week I’ve been reading Servant of God Fulton Sheen’s Love, Marriage and Children, and was struck by how much this man – a celibate who died more than thirty years ago – understood about contemporary married life. (His profound understanding of the human condition is partly responsible for the fact that his nationally syndicated […]
Along Rte 28A in Falmouth on Cape Cod there used to be this quaint, seasonal café that a good friend and I loved to frequent. The building that housed the café was really just an ordinary old barn. However, when the café’s owner returned each summer and arranged three or four small umbrella-covered tables on […]
One of the hidden gems promoted by the Catholic Church is Natural Family Planning (NFP). NFP is a way of life and love that enables married couples to be aware of how their bodies and fertility work and to respond accordingly to their family planning needs. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about this great gift […]
Ever notice how when folks are getting married they make it everybody’s business? From announcements to bridal registries to showers to showing off the ring. From guest lists and invitations to bridesmaids to something borrowed — everybody is expected to get in on the act. Interesting isn’t it how these same people can decide to […]
10. NFP is based on scientific fact and modern technology. We’re not talking the “Rhythm Method” here! The rhythm, or calendar, method is the “Model T” of today’s NFP methods, which are based on over 30 years of scientific research on human fertility. 9. NFP users learn more about their bodies and about their fertility. […]
