Marriage Books and Gifts
"Every marriage is an event in human history," declared renowned preacher Msgr. Ronald Knox, articulating the animating principle of Bridegroom and Bride. "In the tapestry that Divine Providence weaves out of our lives, love of man for woman and love of woman for man" is the underlying structure.
Msgr. Knox delivered a treasure trove of wedding homilies -- whether at the marriages of earls or those of numerous former students whom he served as chaplain. The result is this classic spiritual gem of a collection containing twenty-four wedding sermons befitting for both engaged and married couples as well as all seekers of genuine human affection. Each chapter is "the kind of thing for which five minutes is too short and ten minutes is too long."
With his customary charm, wisdom, and assurance, Msgr. Knox underscores the goodness and beauty of human love. Taking its cues from the features and Scripture readings of the nuptial liturgy, these precious pages i
Catholic annulment is often viewed as an obstacle to marriage or a formality of cannon law. Few people realize that annulment is more than just a process -- annulment leads to healing. The authors draw upon their own experience of Catholic annulment to describe not only the procedure but also the peace it brought into their lives.
Beginning with the process of annulment, the book presents a section of frequently asked questions, such as: What is the cost? How long will it take? Then the book explains why an annulment process is necessary, and tells how to find a procurator to initiate the annulment process. After discussing the process, the book considers the healing aspects of annulment. Healing must include forgiving others and yourself for all past pain and sorrow. The last chapter of the book discusses how to deal with your children after an annulment.
Booklet
Marriage has been variously described as a great work, a great adventure, a great responsibility, and a great joy. Author Frederick Marks' Catholic Handbook for Engaged & Newly Married Couples (Third Edition) supplies everything needed to make a marriage truly great in every way.
First introducing the nature of the sacrament of marriage, Marks then proposes ways that couples can grow closer emotionally and spiritually both before and after their wedding. Emphasizing "marriage preparation" over "wedding planning", the Catholic Handbook for Engaged & Newly Married Couples offers a mature perspective on the first years of marriage as well as family life, spirituality, and sexuality.
About the Author
Frederick Marks has lectured widely and taught courses on the fundamentals of the Catholic faith at both the university and parish level. He is the author of numerous articles and several books, including Think and Believe.
Endorsements
"If you are looking for some help to make your Catholic marriage the best it can possibly be, in my opinion, you will be amply rewarded by a careful reading and reflection on the Catholic Handbook for Engaged & Newly Married Couples and by having a frank discussion of it with your spouse."
--Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J., former editor of Homiletics & Pastoral Review
Marriage has been variously described as a great work, a great adventure, a great responsibility, and a great joy. Author Frederick Marks’ Catholic Handbook for Engaged & Newly Married Couples (Third Edition) supplies everything needed to make a marriage truly great in every way.
First introducing the nature of the sacrament of marriage, Marks then proposes ways that couples can grow closer emotionally and spiritually both before and after their wedding. Emphasizing “marriage preparation” over “wedding planning”, the Catholic Handbook for Engaged & Newly Married Couples offers a mature perspective on the first years of marriage as well as family life, spirituality, and sexuality.
- the neurological research revealing the reality that husband and wife truly "become one,"
- the medical science indicating that the human person transcends the limits of the visible world, and
- the neurological reality that spouses are driven to be profoundly merciful to each other. Along the way, you'll hear amazing stories destined to touch your heart:
- the Nobel Laureate in Medicine who witnessed two instantaneous miracles,
- the mother whose prayers transformed the heart of a mafia enforcer, and
- a very special couple who reveals the power of love to transcend the limits of this world to have a foretaste of Paradise. The Choice Wine will help you experience the superabundant joy intended for marriage from the beginning.
In these pages, Fr. Thomas Morrow, author of the best-selling book, Overcoming Sinful Anger, offers a practical guide to dating in a secular world.
He explores a range of dating issues including choosing Mr. or Miss Right, the four meanings of love, how to have a warm but chaste relationship, the goodness of affection, modesty, restoring the dignity of women, and how to overcome the most common problems with communication.
In a few short minutes, the Scripture quotes, passages from Church documents, and thoughts from the Saints which begin the days in this book will provide comfort and guidance for married couples as they seek to live their vocation to the fullest. A brief reflection and prayer complete this dynamic daily practice.
In an entertaining yet factual manner, the author explores 21 different traditions of marriage in our biblical, European, North American heritage. It is the author's hope that this book will help people transcend some of the overblown rhetoric and heated emotions surrounding the institution of marriage.
Everyone seeks happiness and love and most people experience them in marriage. While dreaming about this kind of love, young adults often misunderstand the true meaning of marriage and lack the attitudes and skills needed for successful relationships. The material in this booklet has been drawn from the experiences of many married and engaged couples. The first section helps individuals choose a partner and build a happy relationship. The second section highlights facets of a lifelong, holy marriage.
Getting Married will help couples begin their journey from the period of dating to married life and support them during their first years of marriage.
Booklet
This life is preparation for eternity, and from the beginning, God created marriage to help married couples become saints. Indeed, God has given to married couples the profound gift of being able to fulfill the purpose of their creation through, with, and in each other. Marriage is a foreshadowing of Heaven, and each married couple must work with God if their marriage is to be a foretaste of eternity.
In this thought-provoking and uplifting book, Fr. Robert Altier unpacks the theological significance of the Sacrament of Marriage and brilliantly explains how it has been a part of Godï1/2ï1/2ï1/2s plan from the beginning - and will eventually be fulfilled at the Marriage Banquet of the Lamb in Heaven. Teeming with practical wisdom and clear examples, these pages delve into the surpassing dignity of marriage as a covenant and a sacrament - and a call to holiness.
You will learn how the graces and virtues that are conferred in the Sacrament of Marriage transform the unity of the couple - not just in the flesh but in the heart and soul. Youï1/2ï1/2ï1/2ll learn how to predispose yourself to receive this divine power and, best of all, how to love your spouse more deeply. You will also explore the significance of marriage vows and how men are called to be the spiritual leaders and women are called to be the heart of their families.
Fr. Altier tackles contemporary questions and concerns, such as the real meaning of "being subject to one another in marriage" and those sensitive and controversial issues regarding sexual morality. Arguably one of the most theologically eye-opening books on marriage ever written, this book also explains:
With its historic origins in Spain, the wedding Lasso rosary is a double rosary that forms the infinity symbol when placed over the heads of the wedding couple after they have exchanged their vows at the end of the ceremony. The Lasso rosary is a symbolic declaration of intention that the bride and groom are voluntarily binding themselves together before their family, friends, and God.
This oversized rosary by Creed® is handcrafted by linking two rosaries together. It is joined in the center by one silver tone crucifix and made with brilliant clear Aurora Borealis crystal 10 mm beads with gemstone cut appearance and lovely silver accents to form a figure eight shape. The silver tone centerpiece is a lovely image of the Madonna. Comes with a deluxe keepsake box.
Material: Zinc Alloy/Silver Plate
Size: 10 mm Bead, 48-1/2"L, 4-1/4" Crucifix
With its historic origins in Spain, the wedding Lasso rosary is a double rosary that forms the infinity symbol when placed over the heads of the wedding couple after they have exchanged their vows at the end of the ceremony. The Lasso rosary is a symbolic declaration of intention that the bride and groom are voluntarily binding themselves together before their family, friends, and God.
This oversized rosary by Creed® is handcrafted by linking two rosaries together. It is joined in the center by one silver tone crucifix and made with brilliant Faux Ivory Pearl 10 mm beads and lovely silver accents to form a figure eight shape. The silver tone centerpiece is a lovely image of the Madonna. Comes with a deluxe keepsake box.
Material: Zinc Alloy/Silver Plate
Size: 10 mm Bead, 48-1/2"L, 4-1/4" Crucifix
If you ask legendary football coach Lou Holtz about his greatest accomplishment, he doesn't talk about winning a national championship at the University of Notre Dame. Instead, he's most proud of his fifty-nine-year marriage to Beth and raising their four successful children together.
In A Lifetime of Love, Holtz offers couples young and old practical advice on marriage and parenting gleaned from his fifty-nine year marriage. He shares stories from he and Beth's life away from the football field that reveal the couple's deep faith in God and commitment to each other and their children.
The Holtzes faced many challenges throughout their marriage: Lou's coaching jobs meant he was often away from home and caused their family to move multiple times. Beth suffered a long battle with illness. Through it all their marriage--and family--remained strong because of the practical lessons they learned as they rode the ups and downs of life.
In this inspiring story, you'll find Lou and Beth's powerful examples for successful marriage and parenting, including:
The Holtzes intended to write this book together, but after Beth's death Lou decided to celebrate his wife's memory by completing the story of their life together. Their children--Luanne, Skip, Kevin, Elizabeth, and their spouses--also share memories of growing up in the Holtz family, adding their voices to the story of their parents' love.
There are certain aspects of life that we simply shouldn’t tackle alone, one of them being finances. The complexities of financial responsibility—from life insurance to health insurance, debts to savings, assets to charitable donations, and everything in between—can seem like rocket science! In this highly user-friendly book, Joe Salem offers a solid, well-balanced outline for financial stability and responsibility that will benefit all married couples.
As a firm believer that strong marriages are the basis of every healthy society, Joe lends his expertise so that the financial pillar of your marriage will benefit greatly. His advice is sure to mitigate financial tensions, collaborate on a long-term plan, and help you see eye-to-eye as you work towards your financial goals and dreams. If you desire to move forward in your married life with a commitment to living financially responsibly, in solidarity as a couple, these pages will prove quite indispensable.
May argues, drawing on Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, that marriage fully respects the equal dignity of husband and wife as persons, while recognizing their unique, exclusive, enduring, complementary contributions to their union. Likewise, he shows how marriage honors the truth that each new human life brought about by sexual union is a person equal in dignity to his mother and father. What's more, both reason and revelation are used to show that only the family, founded on marriage as an enduring, mutually-exclusive union of one man and one woman, provides the proper context for begetting and raising children.
Reproductive technologies are also critically examined and the author argues that human beings ought to be begotten in an act of spousal love, not made through in vitro fertilization. Furthermore, the role of the family as the domestic church, a community of holiness, is explored. This expanded edition includes new chapters: 'Man and Woman He Created Them': Pope John Paul II's Catechesis on Human Sexuality and Pope Benedict XVI and Marriage, the latter summarizing Benedict's thought on marriage, particularly as found in his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est. Also included is Pope John Paul II's Letter to Families.
Fr. Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II's name before he became the pontiff in 1978) published Love and Responsibility in 1960. It revealed his fully formed philosophy of marriage and sheds light on the dynamics between men and women. Some consider his analysis of the true meaning of human love as life changing and practical, shedding light on real issues between men and women.
This updated and expanded edition of Edward Sri's classic meditation on Pope John Paul II's Love and Responsibility includes a new introduction, new chapters for single people and engaged couples, and maybe most importantly the stories of people whose lives have been transformed by Pope John Paul II's foundational teaching on relationships. "Edward Sri is a gifted teacher and an equally talented writer. This book shows why. He breaks open Karol Wojtyla's great text, Love and Responsibility, in a way that's clear, engaging and very practical for the challenges of daily life." - Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Archbishop of Philadelphia.
In Men, Women and the Mystery of Love, Edward Sri breaks down the contents of John Paul's epic work, making it more accessible to the reader. It isn't a manual on sexual ethics, more so a no-nonsense discussion on issues we face as couples. He emphasizes the down-to-earth nature of Love and Responsibility, giving readers actionable advice on issues like: How to determine if a relationship is one of authentic love or is doomed to failure; The problem of pornography; The meaning of friendship; How to achieve greater intimacy in marriage; The difference between feeling "I'm in love" and love itself; and so many other valuable questions.
While this book is a great personal resource, it also can be used in a variety of situations like small group studies, marriage preparation classes, and other parish settings. It offers valuable advice for just about everyone, from young single adults and engaged couples to newlyweds and couples celebrating their 35th anniversary. Study questions with each chapter make this a valuable resource not only for individual personal reading, but also for small group study.
It's a miracle!
God created the miracle of marriage
so we might realize and cherish
God's love for each other
even more....
The ultimate love story.
--From Prayers and Reflections for Newlyweds
Inside are reflective meditations, Scripture, prayer, discussion questions, and activities for the two of you, all designed to help you create new memories together as husband and wife.
Newlyweds, use this book to help you celebrate falling in love, getting engaged, the joy of the wedding day, and a long future together as a married couple--all surrounded by God's grace.
In this volume five Cardinals of the Church, and four other scholars, respond to the call issued by Cardinal Walter Kasper for the Church to harmonize "fidelity and mercy in its pastoral practice with civilly remarried, divorced people."
Beginning with a concise introduction, the first part of the book is dedicated to the primary biblical texts pertaining to divorce and remarriage, and the second part is an examination of the teaching and practice prevalent in the early Church. In neither of these cases, biblical or patristic, do these scholars find support for the kind of "toleration" of civil marriages following divorce advocated by Cardinal Kasper. This book also examines the Eastern Orthodox practice of oikonomia (understood as "mercy" implying "toleration") in cases of remarriage after divorce and in the context of the vexed question of Eucharistic communion. It traces the centuries long history of Catholic resistance to this convention, revealing serious theological and canonical difficulties inherent in past and current Orthodox Church practice.
Thus, in the second part of the book, the authors argue in favor of retaining the theological and canonical rationale for the intrinsic connection between traditional Catholic doctrine and sacramental discipline concerning marriage and communion.
The various studies in this book lead to the conclusion that the Church's longstanding fidelity to the truth of marriage constitutes the irrevocable foundation of its merciful and loving response to the individual who is civilly divorced and remarried. The book therefore challenges the premise that traditional Catholic doctrine and contemporary pastoral practice are in contradiction.
"Because it is the task of the apostolic ministry to ensure that the Church remains in the truth of Christ and to lead her ever more deeply into that truth, pastors must promote the sense of faith in all the faithful, examine and authoritatively judge the genuineness of its expressions and educate the faithful in an ever more mature evangelical discernment." - St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
6mm Pearl with Gold Plate Links and Ring Our Father Beads
The secret of a good marriage, for the most part, is that there are no secrets, only commonsense, time-tested ideas practiced by countless others who have done it well.--from the Introduction
Marriage expert Dr. Ray Guarendi has counseled enough couples to know that building a better relationship with your spouse doesn't mean learning exotic new communication techniques or rearranging your lifestyle. In fact, a few of his ten "small steps" are lessons you learned in grade school, such as:Plus, with his "resistance rationales," Dr. Ray helps you overcome any reluctance you might feel to taking these small steps. Filled with straightforward advice, this book reminds you that a happier, more rewarding marriage is just a few small steps away.
True love knows no limit in giving more, being more, forgiving more. In marriage, husbands and wives are called to love one another without limits and to not lose sight of the fact that they are on the same team. When tempted to calculate or complain, they must simply love.
In this 365-day devotional for Catholic married couples, husbands and wives will be challenged and inspired to live out their wedding vows day by day. Each entry in Simply Love begins with a quotation from Sacred Scripture or a saint, followed by a brief reflection - often including a real-life story about the joys and sorrows of married life - which offers encouragement and practical insights to live a faith-filled marriage. At the end of each day's entry, a prayer fosters the important habit of praying every day together as a couple.
This daily devotional meets Catholic couples in the midst of their hectic lives, providing concise, practical, and tangible means to enrich and form their marriage each and every day.
About the Authors
Troy and Kathleen Billings met at the University of Notre Dame when paired up to perform a dance together for a Christmas show. It was not until several years later, after each of their first marriages ended in annulments, that, by the grace of God, their lives reunited and they fell in love, thus beginning their real dance together in the Sacrament of Marriage. They recently relocated from a suburb of Chicago to Greenville, South Carolina, with their five children, ages 6 to 23. They also have four children in heaven. They are frequent guest speakers nationwide on the topic of marriage.
One of the greatest and best-loved spokesmen for the Faith here sets out the Church's beautiful understanding of marriage in his trademark clear and entertaining style. Frankly and charitably, Sheen presents the causes of and solutions to common marital crises, and tells touching real-life stories of people whose lives were transformed through marriage. He emphasizes that our Blessed Lord is at the center of every successful and loving marriage. This is a perfect gift for engaged couples, or for married people as a fruitful occasion for self-examination.
It takes three to make Love in Heaven—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It takes three for Heaven to make love to earth—
God, Man, and Mary, through whom God became Man.
It takes three to make love in the Holy Family—
Mary, and Joseph, and the consummation of their love, Jesus.
It takes three to make love in hearts—
The Lover, the Beloved, and Love.
One of the greatest and best-loved spokesmen for the Faith here sets out the Church's beautiful understanding of marriage in his trademark clear and entertaining style.
Frankly and charitably, Sheen presents the causes of and solutions to common marital crises and tells touching real-life stories of people whose lives were transformed through marriage. He emphasizes that our Blessed Lord is at the center of every successful and loving marriage.
This is a perfect gift for engaged couples, or for married people as a fruitful occasion for self-examination.
To that Woman who taught the sublime mystery of Love,
Mary Immaculate,
this book is dedicated.
That nations, hearts, and homes may learn
that love does not so much mean to give oneself to another
as for both lovers to give themselves
to that Passionless Passion,
Which is God.
Together for Life has been the most trusted source for wedding planning in the Catholic Church for more than forty-five years. This new edition of Together for Life contains the new texts of the most recent translation of The Order of Celebrating Matrimony. It includes all the tools engaged couples use when meeting with a priest, deacon, or lay parish minister to plan their weddings and prepare for living the sacrament of Marriage.
Written by Msgr. Joseph Champlin (1930-2008) and first published in 1970, more than ten-million copies of Together for Life have been sold. The previous edition was updated in 2011 with the help of Rev. Peter A. Jarret, C.S.C., to include the revised liturgical texts of the third edition of the Roman Missal. The 2016 edition contains all the necessary texts from The Order of Celebrating Matrimony.
Each reading choice is accompanied by a reflection written by lay married theologians or pastoral leaders who are committed to the sacramental life of the Church. Contributors include Ann M. Garrido, Msgr. Michael Heintz, Diana Macalintal, H. Richard McCord, Geoffrey D. Miller, Tim Muldoon, Julie Hanlon Rubio, and Deacon William F. Urbine.
Together for Life includes all of the information, prayers, blessings, and readings needed to plan a wedding that will be held within Mass, without Mass, or between a Catholic and a catechumen or non-Christian. FAQs address questions couples may have about traditions such as readings, music, witnesses, and unusual circumstances.
Together for Life includes:
The material in Together for Life is supported by TogetherforLifeOnline.com. The site includes an online selection form, Catholic wedding planning resources, and articles providing enrichment to both married and engaged couples.
This powerhouse of a book masterfully vindicates the Church's rich teachings on matrimony, the priesthood, and religious life. Drawing on sources ancient and modern, pagan and Christian, Eastern Christian and Western, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski will teach you:
Dr. Kwasniewski demonstrates that both the dignity of marriage and family and the evils arrayed against them--pornography, self-gratification, premarital sex, divorce, contraception, and abortion--can and should be seen not only in terms of what they are but also in terms of what they signify spiritually and cosmically.
In the midst of a growing totalitarianism hell-bent on diluting, relativizing, ostracizing, and ultimately obliterating chaste and fruitful love, Dr. Kwasniewski extols the sacramental dignity of the human body, shines the light of faith and reason on fundamental truths about vocation and the gift of self, and renews confidence in the wisdom of Holy Mother Church.
This easy-to-read, magazine-style guide is designed to help couples as they prepare for their marriage ceremony. Illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, it helps couples clarify their own approach to the sacrament of marriage and provide creative support for each other during the preparation period and on into their new lives together.