Relationship Tips
Marriage Lessons from a Dog Trainer
A few months ago, our young Australian Shepherd went to doggie boot camp. Over five weeks she was trained by professional dog-handlers to walk calmly, socialise nicely and keep her focus under the pressure of distractions. Video footage taken by the trainers proved she was capable. What really remained was the question: can her owners be similarly trained? When the time came to…
Read MoreThe Power of Ritual
Routines can be very useful in keeping our lives purposeful and organized. Rituals are like routines with one important difference – they have positive emotional meaning. Rituals connect us with others by providing a focus or activity that enables us to interact together in an enjoyable and meaningful way. Almost anything can become a ritual…
Read MoreCatholic Courtship Summit 2022
Do you have a family member or friend that is currently in a serious dating relationship, and you desire to help them discern with more confidence? If so, please invite them to join us for FREE at the Catholic Courtship Summit Taking place from 18-20 August 2022. The Catholic Courtship Summit is targeted for young adult…
Read MoreThe Auto-Pilot Marriage
Crammed schedules, kids to care for, a demanding boss, the ever-present television. No wonder our attentiveness to our couple relationship erodes over time, leaving us with less connection, less spark, and less intimacy. Without an active, intentional mindset, most contemporary marriages end up on ‘auto-pilot’. During courtship, our relationship is central in our awareness and…
Read MoreRestoring hope in life long marriage
Divorce creates a problem for us, a cognitive dissonance: Love is not permanent, vast, unrelenting, faithful. Redefining the ideals we have for marriage however, leads to more divorce and pain, not less.
Read MoreThe Eleventh Commandment
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he added a postscript for parents: passing on the faith makes parents the first – and most important – educators. Over a period of 24 years, our five children attended Catholic education across six schools. These schools included the local parish school, two private schools, and three regional…
Read MoreFrom Death Comes Life
Why does death and decay so horrify us? Why do our hearts restlessly seek immortality, everlasting peace, enduring joy and beauty? In this Easter message from the Theology of the Body Institute, Dr Christopher West shares powerfully about his experience at the death bed of his sister. And, drawing on the reflections of Pope Benedict…
Read MoreA Love Stronger than Death
“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.” (Songs 8:6) As we celebrate the Easter mystery this verse is worthy of contemplation.
Read MoreFive Ways to Build Trust
Today we had a meeting. Sigh… The dreaded meeting! Being a couple and working together is complex. We’re both strong-willed and passionate about what we do so it’s easy for us to slip into a mode where we single-mindedly pursue what we believe is the best course of action. It triggers us both for different…
Read MoreThe Family Models Synodality
Only two of our five children, now adults, still reside with us. As resident adults, we respect their right to make decisions about their personal life, but we also impose some house rules. For example, we require them to communicate about their movements, tidy their rooms, do their own laundry, and participate in the preparation…
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