Posts by Francine & Byron Pirola
The Nature of Love
We all ‘know’ what love is: it’s that feeling of affection and attachment we experience for another person. But is love just a feeling? Or is there more to it?
Read MoreThe Way you Hold Me
Holy Is the way we hold each other holy? Newlywed Justin Bieber seems to think so in this music video (Holy) expressing some unexpected themes. We’re not a fan of Justin, but we think he’s created something very interesting here. What is your reaction? Share it with us in the comments. Justin Bieber Lyrics “Holy”…
Read MoreOur family is a mess!
The Christmas Vigil Mass features the Gospel of Matthew (1:1-25). Depending on whether you get the long or short version, you might hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ – a rather long list of the forebears of Jesus, going all the way back to Abraham. It includes some of the most dysfunctional characters from the…
Read MoreWalking the Talk is More Than You Think
This morning a friend from Canberra forwarded us a reflection on walking called: Keep Moving. It noted that walking was good for physical health but that it is also good for spiritual health. It recalled the many stories of the New Testament where Jesus and/or the disciples were walking, not just physically from one place…
Read MoreEngaged Couple Interview with Priest
So, you’re getting married in the Catholic Church and you’ve booked a meeting with the parish priest. You may be wondering: What questions will the priest ask? We’ve got you covered below! Welcome! We’re really glad you’re here and are honoured to be part of your journey to marriage. The Catholic Church is a community…
Read MorePrayer for Catholic Engaged Couples
Congratulations on your engagement! This is an important formation period and we encourage you to pray regularly, preferably daily, for your upcoming wedding and the commitment you will make. Here are two prayers you could use, or you can write your own!
Read MoreSpiritual intimacy shouldn’t be taboo
Religious practice and spiritual belief is often a point of difference for couples, especially if they come from different religious traditions. But having religious differences should never be a reason for avoiding a topic or making it taboo. Even for couples of the same faith like us, differences persist and make sharing our spiritual life…
Read MoreWhen history repeats, choose freedom
We remember sitting with a young couple who were locked in combat. She was prone to reactive outbursts and he was mystified as to what he was doing to trigger it. As we probed her on her family of origin the penny dropped; she was repeating a relationship pattern that she had established with her…
Read MoreHow can I make your day better?
I read a blog post recently from a husband who brought his marriage back from the brink with this one simple, daily habit. Each morning he asked his wife: how can I make your day better? The wife was suspicious at first and deliberately gave him tedious and demanding tasks, like cleaning out the garage,…
Read MoreLove in the Waiting
Advent is the season of waiting; we wait in anticipation of the coming of Christ. But are we the only ones doing the waiting? I (Francine) was hurrying to get out the door for 7am Mass. I looked at the time on the car clock and sighed in defeat: 6:58. There was no way I’d…
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