Intense love does not measure, it just gives.
– St Teresa of Calcutta
Humanae Vitae
In the 1960s a pontifical commission was formed to discuss the permissibility of contraceptive use within marriage. Taking their findings into consideration, and viewing the matter in the light of the Church’s clear understanding of the meaning of human sexuality, Pope Paul VI delivered his response: the encyclical Humanae Vitae – ‘of human life’. This is worthwhile reading for anyone seeking to understand why the Church did not accept the prevailing cultural view, and to encourage couples in their work of life, love and responsible parenthood.
Love Languages
Do you know that there are five love languages? Did you also know that we tend to show love in the way we would like to receive it? If you and your future spouse have different love languages, it can be a cause for misunderstanding and even hurt feelings. This book by Gary Chapman is a great resource. You can buy it online, and if you are eager to find out your love language, you can do the quiz here by clicking the button below.
Fertility Awareness
Fertility Awareness Methods are natural and reliable ways to plan your family which do not introduce any devices or medications, and which are fully in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition to helping couples plan their family by identifying fertile and infertile periods of a woman’s cycle, they can also help flag any potential problems with fertility. There are several different methods. To find a teacher in the United States, you can start here:

Patron Saints of Marriage
“There is no greater force against evil in the world,” says Cardinal Raymond Burke, “than the love of a man and woman in marriage.”
Marriage is one of the sacraments instituted by Christ and is a reflection of the life-giving love between the persons of the Holy Trinity. Because of its importance and noble dignity marriage comes under attack, and this is more true these days than ever.
We should pray for our marriages – and all married couples; for abundant graces to enable us all to live our vocations fully, as a way to grow in holiness and virtue and to enable our families to be joyful communities of faith, life and love.