Posts by Francine & Byron Pirola
#18 Anchored
In the summer of 2021, Tony Manfredonia, a songwriter, found himself on the brink of destroying his marriage. Lost in the relentless pursuit of career success, he had forsaken the most precious pillars of life: Love, Family, and Faith in God. His album, “ANCHORED”, is a testament to the snares of temptation that threaten to…
Read MoreCriticism: the not-so-silent killer
Criticism kills. It undermines our confidence and corrodes relationship trust. In relationship research, it is identified as one of four destructive relationship habits. We’ve all experienced the negative impact of criticism, especially from loved ones. Sadly, it’s been present in our marriage and family far too often. Most of our criticism originates in a complaint.…
Read More#17 Accompanying The Abandoned
When a marriage breaks down, it’s rarely by mutual agreement. More commonly, one spouse wants to leave and the other wants to rebuild. For the abandoned spouse, it is bewildering, traumatic and distressing. Yet the situation is complicated – both spouses are in pain. How can we, as a community and as individuals accompany the…
Read MoreSoftly Spoken Wins the Heart
“Honey, we need to talk!” Every spouse knows that what follows will be an uncomfortable conversation – one that will likely be bruising if not outright hurtful. Yet, having a difficult conversation is sometimes necessary. All couples need to be able to maturely address issues ranging from selfishness, neglect, or simple differences of opinion. So…
Read More#16 Frustrated Marriage
Frustration, disillusionment, irritation – it’s common for spouses to experience a variety of disappointments in marriage. From mild and temporary setbacks, to sustained desolation, spouses are often unsure how to get out of the marital funk. In this episode we explore some key ideas to ease the marital frustration and regain serenity. Guest: Byron Pirola…
Read MoreThe Power of Why
Our three-year-old granddaughter has entered the ‘why’ stage. Parents everywhere know exactly what this is… the endless rounds of ‘but why?’ dialogue. Sometimes, she just doesn’t like the answer to why she may not have a second piece of cake. Like the parable of the lazy judge, perhaps she can compel a more favourable response…
Read More#15 Passing on the Faith
Passing on the faith to our children is complicated for modern parents. In this episode, Francine explores some strategies and practical tips with young mother, Kiara Black – who also happens to be her daughter! Guest: Kiara is the mother of three toddlers and a long-time contributor to CathFamily – a free online database…
Read MoreFrustrated Marriage
Frustrated in your marriage? Four ideas to ease the pain. Over the past decade, we’ve frequently had frustrated husbands or wives approach us for help. Their marriage was in trouble, but their spouse was unwilling, or unable, to participate in one of the marriage courses we offered. This led us to create the BreakThrough course…
Read MoreThe Little Things in Marriage
In marriage, the little things are really the big things. In business it is well recognised that getting the ‘big things right’ are important, but it is often the so-called ‘little things’ that make the difference between good and great companies. We were remined of this the other day when reading about a US company…
Read MoreMyths about Natural Fertility Methods
Despite decades of research that have made Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) an effective way for couples to manage their fertility, myths still abound. It’s time to correct the misinformation about these life-affirming alternatives to invasive birth control. July 25 marked the 55th anniversary of Humanae Vitae – St Pope Paul VI’s document on birth control.…
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