An introductory synthesizing its history, structure, content, major themes, and contemporary significance of Pope St. John Paul II’s great catechesis on love and communion to believers and nonbelievers alike.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult

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Joy is one of the few human “universals” transcending time, culture, religion, politics, and ideology. Joy is the fruit of love, wisdom, truth, freedom, and right order. The “good news” of Christian Proposal is that we are made for joy “to the full” and Jesus Christ desires our joy even more than we do! Joy is not something to be grasped. We must discover its divine source, then receive it as we were meant to “from the beginning.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult

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Who are we? Why am I here? How do we live our lives in true happiness and joy? The most urgent questions of our existence have universal and particular answers. Drawing from Tradition, applying the language of Theology of the Body, and appealing to our own lived experience, there is a beautiful love story weaving our origin, history, and destiny that reveal the mystery of life, love, and true joy.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, High School, Young Adult

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Though “munus” appears 248 times throughout the documents of Vatican II, few have heard of this richly Catholic word that uniquely informs our understanding of the divine meaning of marriage as a God-given honor, office, vocation, task, duty, role, mission of woman to motherhood (matrimony) and man to fatherhood (patrimony). It is time to rediscover this crucial link of marriage to God’s entire plan of Salvation.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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Made for love, every human person has stamped in his or her body a sign that is a call to communion. Marriage is both a reality of that love, and an icon of an even more profound communion with God Himself. In the mystery of love, there is a necessary tension between intimacy that pulls in, and awe that pushes away.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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In the sexual embrace, man and woman can “express themselves in the fullest and most profound way made possible for them.” (TOB 123:4) What is this profound expression? What does it “speak”? What then does contraception “speak” in this “language of the body”?
Audience: Parish, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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The family is a “school of love.” Pope St. John Paul II wrote extensively on the family as irreplaceable to individual, community, and cultural flourishing. Building on the truth of who God revealed Himself to be and who we are made “in His image and likeness”, a beautiful story unfolds connecting marriage and the family from “the beginning”, through our unique life, all the way to our destiny in Heaven.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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“The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine…created to transfer into the visible reality of the world the mystery hidden from eternity in God…” (TOB 19:4). What is this “mystery hidden?” Come discover how understanding this “theology” of the body can transform your lifelong search for joy.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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The purpose of marriage is nothing less than holiness. The power to create life is a privileged stewardship uniquely enhanced through the understanding and use of natural family planning. Synthesizing his developments on marriage and sexuality rooted in self-giving love, Pope St. John Paul II urges a full embrace of natural family planning as a means to marital holiness.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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What is natural family planning? Can it help my marriage and fertility? Does it work? Can it work for me? A comprehensive synthesis of the history, science, theology, philosophy, medical advances, personal testimony, and pastoral approaches of modern natural family planning tailored to any group. Topics drawn from my 13 part television series that aired in 2010.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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Drawn from my 2012 13 part television series, every element of our faith can be understood through a both an objective and a subjective/relational lens. Major themes covered include truth, freedom, love, sexuality, marriage, contraception, and the law (natural and divine).
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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What is love? How can you know true love from the counterfeits? All love is good. All love is from God. But, not all love is the same. By recovering the classic Greek terms of eros, philia, storge, and agape, we can understand more clearly how we are to live, love, and radiate true joy.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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How do we parents grow in love as the “primary educators” of life and love for our children? How is love “taught”? Building on a theology of the family, there are complementary yet distinct roles within the family that are ordered toward building a community of love. Personal testimony as a father of eight (seven daughters, one son) and married for 24 years is infused with some of the most beautiful theological developments of Pope St. John Paul II.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, Marriage & Family

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The adoption stories of my son and youngest daughter frame an exploration of the theological significance of being adopted children of God the Father. My adoption experiences revealed to me the intimacy, humility, and grace that are also central to our relationship with God in the New Covenant.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, Marriage & Family

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The rapid acceleration of the public debate on homosexuality has left many Christians struggling to understand – let alone proclaim – the Church’s wisdom on human sexuality, especially within our own families. Peeling away the poisonous anger, fear, judgmentalism, misunderstanding, and politics is difficult, but necessary in order for believers and people of good will to dialogue in love, mercy, and respect on the personal and public questions surrounding same-sex attraction. That dialogue requires grace, mercy, precision in our language, a true desire for the good of others, and an understanding of some key truths.
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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What is marriage? The current public same-sex “marriage” debate is demanding clarity on the meaning of marriage with which too few believers have been equipped. The public framing of the question leaves a good-hearted person questioning why marriage should not be an option for anyone who desires it. Is it bigoted to speak of marriage as the union of one man and one woman? Can anyone marry? What harm does it cause? Is it any of our business? How do we speak to others about marriage with joy and love when it evokes such public anger?
Audience: Parish Mission, Men’s/Women’s/Clergy/Diocesan Conferences, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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Navigating the college campus is more perilous than ever for students. Contrary to popular “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” philosophy, the college years have an impact that echoes our lives for eternity. Sharing my own testimony of the loss and recovery of my faith, I encourage young people to relook at their college years through vocational and sacramental lenses. Why are you here? Who do you dream to be? What has God revealed to you about Himself and His plans for you?
Audience: College & Seminary, Young Adult

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Casting a vision of a life well-lived, this is a beginners talk to “begin and begin again.” Featuring very practical daily norms, this talk proposes an order, meaning, and purpose to life that is an adventure to be discovered. Major themes include the dignity of masculinity and femininity, the meaning of love (eros, philia, storge, agape), freedom, truth, God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and prayer, Eucharist, and Reconciliation as the infallible means to holiness.Mbr /> Audience: Parish Mission, High School, College & Seminary, Young Adult, Marriage & Family

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