The Names we use Matter

Our second granddaughter finally has a name. Born over a month ago, her parents took their sweet, merry time before committing it to official record. In the interim, this bonny lass (her father is of Irish-Scottish descent) ‘tried on’ a dozen names before the right fit was found. Her name, Theresa Mairead, links her to…

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The Science of Falling in Love

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Falling in love is a common experience and a wonderful one. It sweeps us up in a euphoric passion that dominates our thoughts day and night. But is there more to it than simple emotions?   Romantic love, and its impact on us, has been the subject of study for millennia. Philosophers from ancient times have mused on it, theologians have divined it and poets have waxed…

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From Valentine to Valen-TIME

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With Valentine’s day approaching, couples everywhere are looking for ways to mark the day with romance. From love-struck dating couples to couples stressed out with kids, every one of us struggles to find time to… Just. Be. Together. Insufficient time together is one of the biggest contributors to relationship breakdown. Whether our relationship is flying…

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Monogamy is Supernatural

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I came across blogger Matt Walsh and was captured with his bold articles. Here’s a great one on monogamy and marriage. His response to the frustrated professor’s letter below will leave you cheering.  Matt’s point is that monogamy is not UNnatural – it’s SUPERnatural. Read the original letter and Matt’s response below! https://smartloving.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2020-Feb4-Monogamy-PT-200×300.png For Matt’s…

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The Smarter Way to Love

|Loving smart is easy when you know how|

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 whirlwind of delight and passion. Over an intense two years, we courted with a dedicated focus: from the very beginning, it was clear that we were…

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Wrangling the Memory Factor

Our memories are a powerful influence on our present wellbeing. Good or bad, old or recent, our past experiences form us into who we are today and our memories reinforce it in the present. Memories impact our self-esteem, our emotional disposition, and our relational resilience. And they do this without us even needing to be…

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Fall in Love, stay in Love

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It was our thirtieth wedding anniversary last month. On the weekend before we took some much-needed time alone with a 24-hour escape into the city. Included in our itinerary was Reconciliation and Mass at St Patricks, Church Hill. Established in 1844, this historic church in the heart of the city was one of the earliest…

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Power and Passion

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Christians have a rather unusual perspective on passion. ‘Passion’ Sunday marks the beginning of Holy week and the holiest day in the Church calendar celebrates the ‘passion’ of our Lord. To the secular culture, passion is more about energetic living than about suffering and death. The dictionary offers the definition of passion as ‘a powerful…

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A Field Hospital For The Soul

We’ve written a lot about forgiveness, about the need to forgive others not just because Jesus’ commands us to do so but because it liberates us to receive love. As we approach 30 years of marriage, like most long-married couples we understand the relevance of forgiving the other all too well. But what about receiving…

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Celebrating Saint Valentine

Celebrating St Valentine|St Valentine's Prayer Card - Front|St Valentine's Payer card - back|St Valentine's Day Powerpoint|Powerpoint image St Valentine

Bulletin Advertisment A Message for Married Couples on St Valentine’s Day God does not call us to mediocrity. God calls us to be a radical witness; to bring alive within our marriage the passionate love and extravagant mercy he has for every human person. God calls us to live this reality within our own marriage…

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