Blog
Practical wisdom, faith-filled insights, and real-world relationship advice for couples at every stage. Our blog offers practical tools and Catholic perspectives to help you love smarter. Explore topics including communication, fertility, forgiveness, spirituality, parenting, and more — authored by Francine & Byron Pirola and other guest contributers.
The Forever Conversation
At some point, every couple will have the Forever Conversation – the discussion that explores their long-term commitment. It’s no secret to anyone that the…
#11 Marriage Catechumenate
In this episode we will discuss the Marriage Catechumenate I will be interviewing SmartLoving Director Francine Pirola about this concept and vision from Pope Francis.…
Attention Deficit Marriages
In a fast-paced world, our attention is a rare and valuable commodity. Is your marriage suffering from attention deficit? True confession: some evenings you’ll find…
#10 Forgiveness
In this episode we talk about forgiveness – what it is, what it isn’t, how to do it, and why it’s necessary. Forgiveness is the…
Ain’t Marriage Grand!
What makes for an epic marriage? A marriage that faces and transcends challenges and obstacles, that has an interior resilience and grace that comes from…
Resurrecting Our Marriages
Easter Sunday – the highpoint of the Christian calendar celebrating Christ’s resurrection from the dead. But what does this day, this event, have to teach…
#9 Managing Differences
Different personalities. Different upbringing. Different education. Different sexes. Sometimes different ethnic or religious background. With so many differences between us, is it any wonder that…
The Family as Key Evangeliser
We were struck recently by an old quote that somehow felt like a timely reminder to us as we progress through Lent: “The Church doesn’t…
That Romantic Atmosphere
On Friday afternoon we went on a bush walk with Byron’s work colleagues. Although we were with other people, we so enjoyed the time together.…
#8 Marriage in the Wilderness
In this episode we reflect on Marriage in the Wilderness. All marriages will go through desert experiences and during the Season of Lent as we…
The Daily ‘I do’ When You’d Rather Not
At a recent business conference, a speaker made an offhand remark about having to recommit to her marriage vows every day. It was in the…
Marriage in the Wilderness
It’s Lent – the season that recalls one of the great wilderness events in the Scriptures: Jesus fasting and being tempted for 40 days. What…
#7 Young and Married
When is someone too young to marry? What is the research, the experience and the facts about the age at which we marry? We’re unpacking…
Made for More
For two decades we’ve promoted the idea of putting the ‘saint’ back into St Valentine’s Day. Every year we blog, pin, post, and remind the…
Expectations in Marriage
In this post we feature some extracts from a homily by Bishop Anthony Taylor of the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas. Read the full article:…