Investment in Marriage
Anything worth having is never free. As Francine and I raced around on a typical Saturday afternoon we found ourselves at the local shopping village together. Never one to
Resurrecting Our Marriages
Easter Sunday is the greatest celebration in the Christian calendar because we celebrate the triumph of Christ’s redemption of humanity. We celebrate this day as an important day in
Our Many Marriages
People heading towards separation and divorce often tell long-time marriage educators, Byron & Francine Pirola, that they simply aren’t the same person as when they married. Their unspoken reaction to
The Epic Battle in Every Marriage
If there is one thing that the seasons of Lent and Easter bring into focus, it’s the struggle between good and evil. At its heart, the Easter story is
Sleep Deprivation
Sleeping our way to a successful marriage Our granddaughter is three months old. She is pure delight and we are loving being Nonnina and Nonno. Naturally her parents are
A marriage of contention
What seems hard in marriage is often doing us good A few weeks ago, we were invited to attend an event featuring Jordan Peterson. Curious to see this Canadian
Kicking the Bucket List
Some thirty years ago, before ‘Bucket Lists’ were even a thing, we came across an advertisement for The Maldives in a wedding magazine. We were engaged at the time
Marriage and the Plenary Council
Asking the Right Questions No matter where you live in the world, the Catholic Church is undergoing significant introspection and renewal. In Australia, one of the formal mechanisms is
For Marriage and Country
Maybe it’s just us, but it often feels like the world around us is getting more hysterical about things we once would have taken in our stride. A misspoken
Hear Me, Touch Me, Know Me
In relationships, the word ‘intimacy’ is often used as a euphemism for sex, but this is a very narrow and impoverished view. Some people have suggested that the meaning
Gratitude: Plant Now, Reap Later
As we look forward to the new year, lots of us are making resolutions, setting goals, planning for the coming months. Most of our colleagues in the marriage education
A Smarter Way to Love
Falling in love is easy. Staying in love requires a conscious decision and focused investment. Loving the Smart way is easy when you know how. Our romance was a
A very grand Advent
It’s Advent again – the season of waiting. This year, our waiting takes on a special focus – we are awaiting the arrival of our first grandchild. Actually, Francine
Trigger warning: there’s a landmine below
Over the previous columns we have been exploring how our formation from our family of origin can continue to impact us and our marriage negatively. In this article we
The easy way or God’s way?
In this column we continue our exploration of the different ways that our formation, especially from our family of origin, can detrimentally play out in our marriage. We’ve already