Marriage Archives

IP#340 Dr. Timothy O’Malley – Off the Hook on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

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A great conversation with Dr. Timothy O’Malley, Director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy and author of “Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating and Marriage in a Hook-up World. ” He had me at “nuptial mystagogy.” I love a theologian who deeply appreciates the font of grace present in our liturgical expression and sacramental experience. From this point forward, this is THE book for practical, life-sustaining marriage formation. Outstanding!

You can. find the book here

From the book description:

Hookup culture is about much more than the quest for pleasure. It offers an easy way out of real communication and lasting relationships. It also teaches us to treat each other as objects for personal satisfaction. Even those who reject the hookup culture can still be negatively affected by it and develop poor habits of relating to others. In Off the Hook, Timothy P. O’Malley, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, shows how God’s plan for love serves to heal the wounds of hookup culture and is a medicine for what ails our understanding of sex, romance, love, and marriage.

In Off the Hook, O’Malley explains how the ethics of hooking up shape relationships between men and women and examines the considerable harm to individuals and society that results. By exploring the sacrament of marriage in its biblical, theological, and liturgical dimensions, he offers Catholic young adults and those charged with their formation and pastoral care a wealth of insight into God’s plan for love.

Young people will find help grappling with the Church’s countercultural understanding of sex, love, and marriage. Parents and pastoral workers will discover a refreshing presentation of the Catholic theology of marriage and wise counsel about forming young people in the Church’s vision. Newly married, and even long-married couples will find hope, courage, and the promise of sacramental love that can sustain them for a lifetime.

IJCY1 – Hearing God’s Voice – Is Jesus Calling You with Fr. Paul Hoesing – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Hearing God’s Voice – Is Jesus Calling You with Fr. Paul Hoesing

Fr. Paul Hoesing and Kris McGregor discuss the process of discernment, particularly in the context of vocational calling, with a focus on priesthood but applicable to all vocations, using the booklet “Is Jesus Calling You to Be a Catholic Priest?” authored by Father Tom Richter.

Discernment involves more than decision-making; it’s about listening attentively to God’s voice amidst the noise of the world, the devil, and our own egos. Encountering Christ personally, especially through prayer and the sacraments, is the foundation of discernment.

Fr. Hoesing shares anecdotes and insights, such as the distinction between the voices of God and those of the world, and the significance of feelings of blessing and gratitude as indicators of God’s presence.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Encounter with Christ: Where have you encountered Christ in your life, and what impact has that encounter had on you?
Gratitude and Blessings: Can you identify specific instances where you’ve felt blessed and grateful for God’s actions in your life?
Discerning God’s Voice: How do you distinguish between the voice of God and other competing voices, such as those of the world, the devil, and your own ego?
Personal Encounter with Christ: In what ways do you currently cultivate a personal encounter with Christ through prayer and the sacraments?
Embracing God’s Call: How do you respond to the call of God in your life, whether it be towards priesthood, religious life, marriage, or another vocation?
Seeking Guidance and Blessing: How can you seek guidance from God as you navigate your discernment journey

Based on “Is Jesus Calling You To Be A Catholic Priest: A helpful guide”, published by National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Director.

Fr. Paul Hoesing serves at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as President Rector

USCCA23 – The Sacrament of Marriage Part 1 – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

USCCA23 Chapter 21 The Sacrament of Marriage Part 1

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter21:

The first effect of the Sacrament of Matrimony is the gift of the bond between the spouses. “The consent by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another is sealed by God himself” (CCC, no. 1639). “The marriage bond has been established by God himself in such a way that a marriage concluded and consummated between baptized persons can never be dissolved” (CCC, no. 1640).

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas leads the Archdiocese of Omaha.

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This programs is based on:

More information can be found here.

We wish to thank the USCCB for the permissions granted for use of relevant material used in this series.
Also we wish to thank Matt Willkomb for his vocal talents in this episode.

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USCCA38 – The 6th Commandment: Marital Fidelity Part 1 – U. S. Catholic Catechism for Adults w/ Arch. George Lucas

USCCA38 Chapter 30 – Marital Fidelity pt 1

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Archbishop Lucas offers insights on the US Catholic Catechism for Adults Chapter 30:

The Catechism states that sexuality involves the whole person. “Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others” (CCC, no. 2332).

The Sixth Commandment summons spouses to practice permanent and exclusive fidelity to one another. Emotional and sexual fidelity are essential to the commitment made in the marriage covenant. God established marriage as a reflection of his fidelity to us. The vows made by the spouses at their wedding to be faithful to one another forever should witness the very covenant God has made with us.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (2012-04-02). United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Kindle Locations 5856-5861). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Kindle Edition.

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas leads the Archdiocese of Omaha.

For other episodes in the visit our Archbishop George Lucas page

This programs is based on:

More information can be found here.

We wish to thank the USCCB for the permissions granted for use of relevant material used in this series.

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DWG6 – Understanding Marriage and Priesthood – The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Understanding Marriage and Priesthood – “What am I to do?” The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions with Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Fr. Timothy Gallagher and Kris McGregor discuss the discernment of vocations, focusing primarily on marriage and priesthood/religious life. Marriage is a natural vocation inherent in human nature, while priesthood and religious life are supernatural callings. Fr. Gallagher notes that both vocations entail a spousal gift of self and fruitfulness, whether through physical or spiritual means.

Using various stories, Fr. Gallagher showcases how some individuals inherently know their vocation to marriage without doubt, while others discern it through experiences and a deepening understanding of Christian marriage, advising those discerning marriage to deepen their Christian formation and human maturity.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions:

Reflecting on the Nature of Vocations: How does Fr. Gallagher describe the distinction between natural vocations, such as marriage, and supernatural callings, like priesthood or religious life? How does he emphasize the importance of understanding these distinctions in discernment?
Understanding the Sacrament of Marriage: What insights does Fr. Gallagher offer regarding the sacramentality of marriage? How does he explain the significance of marriage as a symbol of Christ’s love for the Church?
Discerning the Call to Marriage: Based on the examples provided by Fr. Gallagher, what are some indicators that suggest an individual may be called to the vocation of marriage? How does he suggest deepening one’s understanding of marriage as a vocation?
Deepening Christian Consciousness of Marriage: Fr. Gallagher emphasizes the importance of transitioning from a secular understanding of marriage to a Christian consciousness. How can individuals cultivate this deeper understanding, and why is it crucial in the discernment process?
Growing in Human Formation: In what ways does Fr. Gallagher suggest individuals can grow in their emotional and human maturity? How might this growth contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling marriage?
Gratitude for Vocations: Reflecting on Fr. Gallagher’s closing remarks, how can we express gratitude for the vocation of marriage and the gift of life provided by our parents? How does this gratitude inform our understanding of marriage as a call to holiness within the Church?

From The Discernment of God’s Will in Everyday Decisions:

“Three Times in which a Sound and Good Choice May Be Made

The first time is when God Our Lord so moves and attracts the will that, without doubting or being able to doubt, the devout soul follows what is shown to it, as St. Paul and St. Matthew did in following Christ our Lord.

The second time is when sufficient clarity and understanding is received through experience of consolations and desolations, and through experience of discernment of different spirits.

The third time is one of tranquility, when one considers first for what purpose man is born, that is, to praise God our Lord and save his soul, and, desiring this, chooses as a means to this end some life or state within the bounds of the Church, so that he may be helped in the service of his Lord and the salvation of his soul. I said a tranquil time, that is, when the soul is not agitated by different spirits, and uses its natural powers freely and tranquilly.

If the choice is not made in the first or second time, two ways of making it in this third time are given below.”

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”. For more information on how to obtain copies of Fr. Gallaghers’s various books and audio which are available for purchase, please visit his website: frtimothygallagher.org

For the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

Spousal Prayer – A Way to Marital Happiness Talk 1 with Fr. Paul Hoesing

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This is talk 1 of a 2-part presentation on “Spousal Prayer – A Way to Marital Happiness” based on the book by Deacon James Keating Ph.D. as offered by the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Fr. Paul Hoesing offers the first reflection on this subject. He discusses the value of silence and receptivity in our prayer. Then he moves on to the fundamental elements of “Spousal Prayer”: Beholding, Listening, Forgiving.

Here are the images Fr. Hoesing references in this talk:

Fr. Paul Hoesing serves as the Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Omaha, NE. He also serves as the President of the The National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors which promotes diocesan priesthood, providing resources for the formation, support, and advocacy of diocesan vocation directors as they work within the Catholic Church to foster a culture of vocations, raising up new priests for the Body of Christ.

Spousal-Prayer — You can purchase the book here

IP#250 Dr. Christopher Kaczor – 7 Big Myths about Marriage on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

In”The Seven Big Myths about Marriage: What Science, Faith and Philosophy Teach Us about Love and Happiness”, Dr. Christopher Kaczor, along with his wife Jennifer, shines an important light of truth on one of the most important issues of our day. Beginning with basic foundational principals and understandings, Dr. Kaczor rationally examines key issues in the marriage debate and carefully, and quite thoroughly, debunks the leading “myths” about marriage. An excellent resource and HIGHLY recommended for all who care about and engage in the discussions on marriage.

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You can find the book here

If I were a pastor, I would make this book required reading for engaged couples in all my marriage classes. —Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Author, Jacob s Ladder: Ten Steps to Truth

The media portrayals of the public debates over marriage and its meaning often generate more heat than light. In this carefully crafted and accessible book, Professor Kaczor provides just the sort of illumination that is absent from those portrayals. I cannot think of a better book that offers such a clear and winsome account of marriage and its meaning, and what that tells us about human dignity and happiness. —Francis J. Beckwith, Professor of Philosophy, Baylor University

‘Don’t miss:

IP#182 Dr. Christopher Kaczor – The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church on Inside the Pages

RN28 – Regnum Novum – “The Family, the Vital Cell of Society” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 5

Episode 28- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez – We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church” Chapter 5

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CHAPTER FIVE
THE FAMILY, THE VITAL CELL OF SOCIETY

I. THE FAMILY, THE FIRST NATURAL SOCIETY
a. Importance of the family for the person
b. Importance of the family for society

II. MARRIAGE, THE FOUNDATION OF THE FAMILY
a. The value of marriage
b. The sacrament of marriage

We live at a very special time. The confluence of many things has brought forth the clear need to be able to articulate the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church in a way that is accessible and applicable. This is not to be an effort where high-minded theories are to be bandied about. Rather, this is a time of opportunity wherein we can apply the Social Doctrine to the concrete so as to bring about a New Kingdom, a Revolution. – Omar G.

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101

RN29 – Regnum Novum – “Marriage, the foundation of the family” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 5

Episode 29- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez – We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church” Chapter 5 – What is marriage?