If you enjoyed my post from yesterday, “There’s No Such Thing as NFP” you’ll appreciate today’s post from Dr. Pia De Solenni’s post that builds on some of the themes I raised. Here’s a taste… For quite some time, I’ve been making the case that NFP is pedagogical….NFP, when a couple learns it together, provides a much needed basis for learning how to communicate about vulnerable and deeply private/sensitive topics. What happens in some cases, unfortunately, is that the wife... Read more
The USCCB has proclaimed July 20-26 National NFP Awareness Week. This is one of a series of posts I’ll be doing to increase awareness of the Catholic vision of love. At the Theology of the Body Congress last week, I participated in a panel discussion on Natural Family Planning. I began my comments by asserting, to the surprise of the audience, that the most important thing to remember in discussions about NFP is that there is really no such thing... Read more
It’s NFP Awareness Week according to the USCCB and several Patheos bloggers are taking a look at the topic. Simcha is doing a massive give-away contest over at her place. Tom McDonald has a solid post on the havoc the Pill is wreaking on the environment. Others are taking notice as well. It is strange to me that with so few people actually practicing it (about 2% of Catholics) NFP Catholics still come under fire from far right providentialists... Read more
Check out this great post on Catholic fatherhood by Dave McClow. Dave works for me as a clinical pastoral counseling associate with the Pastoral Solutions Institute’s Tele-Counseling Practice. He has some great insights. I hope you enjoy! The “prodigal father” is the story of our time. It is the story of fatherlessness in our families. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is and has always been highly aware of the crisis of fatherhood and its implications for society (see my previous blog). He... Read more
I often joke on my radio program that I am on a campaign to stamp out “nice.” I have always been of the mindset that “nice” is Satan’s plagiarism of charity and kindness. Where charity and kindness seek the good of the other, stand up for what is true, and are intentional, mindful virtues, nice merely goes along to get along. It has no aim. It has no intention. It has no principles. It merely follows the path of... Read more
Yesterday, I reported on research that exposed the surprising (not for me, but for some) truth that men are not naturally dogs who are, by nature, obsessed with sex. Apparently this is gender-stereotype busting week because a new study takes on yet another truism about the genders. You have no doubt heard the pop-psych claim that women use something on the order of 3 million words a day and men use 6 (OK, I’m exaggerating–the actual claim was something like... Read more
At the Theology of the Body Congress last week, I got into a conversation with some of the other speakers about the way Catholics do ministry with teens, especially teen boys. I have long objected to the weird double-standard Christians take in ministering to teen boys versus girls. My son, who was part of the discussion, feels even more strongly than I do about this–and I feel pretty strongly. Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.... Read more
For his presentation at the recent Theology of the Body Congress. Jacob Popcak, a student at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, led a group discussion on “How to Start a TOB Organization on Campus.” “People have wounds. We’re all dealing with similar hurts. Our culture has done a number on everybody both in and outside of the church. Theology of the body is not a mandate, it’s not a get fixed quick solution,” Popcak told CNS in an interview... Read more
Lisa and I just returned from Philadelphia and the Theology of the Body Congress where we presented a seminar on Capturing Your Child’s Heart Through the Theology of the Body. In addition, I participated in a panel discussion on Natural Family Planning and the Theology of the Body and our son, Jacob, led a round-table discussion on Theology of the Body at College: Promoting TOB on Campus. The Congress was a tremendous success and our contributions were terrifically well-received.... Read more
The Patheos Catholic Channel is hosting a Symposium on the Family in light of the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family in October and the recent release of the working document for the Synod. As a pastoral counselor, I often work with people who are either going through divorce or who have been recently divorced. Often these individuals have very important questions about the annulment process: What is it? Should they seek one? What difference does it make? The following... Read more
Faith on the Couch
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