I Don’t Think “Openness To Life” Means What You Think It Means.

November 4, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

In a curious piece in Aleteia, David Mills wonders if having a fat bank account doesn’t make being open to life easier and if the bourgeois class of Catholics aren’t being just a little insensitive promoting openness to life when so many people can’t afford more than one or two children. A Common Misunderstanding Sadly, among other problems, (like not mentioning NFP or the doctrine of responsible parenthood which contextualizes the Church’s teaching on openness to life) David perpetuates a... Read more

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! 9 Signs They’re Not Telling the Truth (AND 3 Things You Can Do About It).

November 3, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

New research suggests that, rather than going with our gut to know whether someone is being truthful or not, it is better to focus on a particular cue, like how hard someone has to think about what they’re saying or how much what they are saying squares with what we know to be true. In general, studies find that the average person has a slightly better than even chance (54%) of detecting a lie from a stranger. This goes up... Read more

RAISE FAITHFUL KIDS! SAVE 50% on a Great New Resource!

November 3, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

If you or your parish are looking for a way to empower families to foster intentional discipleship in the home, I wanted to let you know about a special offer. Several parishes have expressed an interest in giving my and my wife’s latest book, Discovering God Together: The Catholic Guide to Raising Faithful Kids as a gift to parents for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation classes. In light of this, Sophia Institute Press has offered a 50% discount to any... Read more

What’s YOUR Catholic Marriage IQ? Take the Quiz!

November 2, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Do YOU know the truth about the Catholic difference in marriage? One thing that became stunningly clear in light of the recent Synod on the Family is how little people really understand the Catholic vision of marriage — perhaps most especially Catholics! Test your Catholic marriage IQ with the following questions. Q: What is the primary job of the Catholic husband and wife? A: The primary job of a Catholic husband and wife is to help get each other to... Read more

The Power of “Family Stories” –What Story Does YOUR FAMILY LIFE Tell Your Kids about Faith, Life and Relationship?

October 29, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

If you ever want to know what your kids will grow up to think about media use, alcohol, sex, faith, managing conflict, and a host of other important issues, don’t ask yourself what you believe, or what other people are telling them. Ask, “What story does our family life tell about X?” Once Upon A Time… It isn’t unusual for me to have conversations with a parent (usually a mom) who is concerned that she and her husband aren’t on... Read more

Are Your Relationships “Frozen”? What Disney Can Teach Us About A Common Relationship Problem

October 27, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

There is a terrific article at The Science of Relationships on what Disney’s Frozen can teach us about a common relationship problem and how it can negatively impact even our physical health! While the Disney animated film “Frozen” is most famous for its lovable characters and award-winning song “Let it Go”, this kids’ movie can teach us a thing or two about attachment styles in close relationships and the important interplay between partners’ preferences for intimacy versus independence. In “Frozen,”... Read more

4 Ways Parents and Adult Children Can Get Along

October 27, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Relationships between parents and adult children–and vice versa–can be tricky. Today, on More2Life Radio, we discussed the challenges that these relationships face and how to negotiate them more effectively. In particular, we focused on four action-steps that help parents relate more effectively with their adult children and, for that matter, allow adult children to relate more effectively to their parents. We used the acronym RISE. R–RELATIONSHIP I–INTERCEDE S–SUPPORT E–ENCOURAGE Relationship In general, parents and adult children tend to assume too... Read more

Want Better Sex? Talking Together More Effective Than “Female Viagra”, New Study Says

October 20, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

A hormone treatment with oxytocin improves the sexual experience of women suffering from sexual dysfunction. This is the finding of a study conducted at MedUni Vienna, which has now been published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. However, a control group that only received a placebo via a nasal spray, showed similar improvements. Sexual dysfunction in women is therefore not merely a question of a chemical hormone deficiency but is often also a sign of a lack of communication with a partner... Read more

Bad Parenting: Why The Ban Against Communion for Divorced and Remarried Catholics Is Unjust and 3 Ways to Fix It.

October 20, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

In all the debate about what should be done to help those Catholics who have divorced and remarried without the benefit of an annulment, there is one solution I have not heard debated. Let’s Be Honest… I agree that it is seriously problematic to allow those who have remarried without the benefit of an annulment to receive communion for the reasons I have mentioned elsewhere. But let’s face it, Did the vast majority of people who are on this path... Read more

Sloth at the Synod? OR…Why Cardinal Johnny Can’t (be bothered to) Read

October 19, 2015 By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Some years back, Rudolph Flesch wrote a book called, “Why Johnny Can’t Read” about the poor state of literacy among children. As I listen to the various conversations going on at the Synod on the Family in Rome, I wonder if Flesch could be persuaded to write a sequel for Catholic Cardinals and Archbishops. During the synod, there have been many discussions about how to handle various challenges such as what can be done to help Catholics who have remarried... Read more