A Monstrance Experience: Viewing a monstrance is always a grace filled experience for me. Recently I was privileged to visit a delightful primary school in a diocese. During my visit the local deacon came and did a monthly afternoon of Eucharistic Adoration for the...
Our nation needs fathers. The other night, I had been cradling my fourteen-month-old son while saying bedtime prayers. I am home with Peter all day. He knows me better than anyone in the world. We have a bond beyond comparison, as all children and mothers do. But when...
Stewardship of a Backpack: Can a backpack be an example of stewardship? It’s not easy taking little kids on a strenuous hike. My wife and I have five kids and when our oldest son was 3 or 4 we decided to take our young family on a hike to Hanging Lake, outside of...
Conflict is Inevitable: Conflict will arise in marriage. Do not rush through the conflict, just to avoid it! “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” James 1:19. These are wise...
Commitment is a Weird Place, but it is OKAY: The commitment of engagement found me in a weird place. Once Joshua and I went from dating to engaged, I developed a strange feeling of disappointment. Not disappointment in my decision, and certainly not disappointment in...
Work Before Being Engaged and Married: If you are planning to get engaged and married, don't be this couple: “You got married without talking about if you want to have kids?!” Terry Crews’ character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine says this, and it makes me laugh without fail....
Those Pesky Expectations: Almost three years ago I wrote an article about “unmet expectations.” https://agapecatholicministries.info/family-life/unmet-expectations/ This topic continues to be just as relevant today! As I continue to work with engaged couples,...
Spouses=Primary Agents of Evangelization Spouses are the primary agents of evangelization in our world. According to the late Cardinal Carlo Caffara, a little more than a month before he died on June 28th 1978, Pope St Paul VI said, “One day, you will thank God and...
Respecting My Spouse: Am I respecting my spouse? My husband is very passionate about recycling. It’s honestly a very small environmental contribution. We save our plastics, aluminum, and cardboard and take them to the recycling center once a month rather than throw...
Deepening Our Love of Jesus: We all desire to deepen our love for Jesus. A while ago, I came across a beautiful insight about finding the Real Presence of Christ. We can find Him at the Holy Mass and in the tabernacle, but we may also find Jesus in others. Blessed...