Theology
Marriage or Matrimony?
People call a lot of relationships ‘marriage’. Everything from cohabitation (common law marriage) to civil contracts (secular marriage) to the Judeo-Christian concept of covenant. In a Christian marriage there is a desire for the marriage to be open to the Lord and a willingness to look to scripture and the Church community for direction. If…
Read MoreUnity in Scripture
Father… As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all…
Read MoreThe Light of Bethlehem Heals
More than any other time of year, Christmas connects us with powerful childhood memories. For some, these are joyful: for many however, the memories are tinged with grief. Remembering Most of us have lovely memories of Christmas from our childhood: the excitement of gifts under the tree, beautiful liturgies, magical store displays and the movie…
Read MoreNatural Fertility
True love cannot be contained; it always gives life in some form, bursting forth from the couple with irrepressible urgency. For most couples, this life-giving impulse will result in the biological birth of a child. For others, it will be expressed in a shared effort to generously give of their time and talents to others.…
Read MoreThe 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 MoreNewsflash: Pope says sex is ‘a gift from God’
In Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis writes extensively about many aspects of marriage and family life. In it is a section that is dedicated to affirming the sexual relationship of the married couple as good and holy. Saint John Paul II wrote extensively about the sacredness of marital love making. In this…
Read MoreRomance in Scripture
Why is the Song of Songs favoured by mystics? What is it about this book in the Bible that attracts so much attention? Surely the answer is that the language – poetic, erotic and sensual – speaks profoundly to the hearts of those who hunger for intimacy with the lover of our souls. This…
Read MoreWindows of the Soul
A useful framework for developing our Emotional Intelligence, The Johari Window, helps us visualise how we can expand our self-awareness and deepen our intimacy. Picture a four-paned window that represents you. Within the window is everything that is known and unknown about you. It includes factual information such as your age, sex, which school you…
Read MoreThe Fine Print
It’s important to read the fine print before you sign on a dotted line and marriage in the Catholic Church is no different. Matrimony is more than just getting married in a church; in order to make a free and informed commitment on your wedding day, there are specific obligations of which you should be aware. THE FREEDOM TO MARRY…
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