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.
How Senior Couples Make Marriage Better
In a culture that glorifies youth and sanctions the euthanising of the sick and elderly, it’s easy to lose sight of the gift of seniors.…
The Power of Ritual
Routines can be very useful in keeping our lives purposeful and organized. Rituals are like routines with one important difference – they have positive emotional…
Catholic Courtship Summit 2022
Do you have a family member or friend that is currently in a serious dating relationship, and you desire to help them discern with more…
Too Hasty to Judge
In the age of instant news, judgment falls hastily. In marriage also, we are often quick to judge each other. Like most couples, over thirty…
The Auto-Pilot Marriage
Crammed schedules, kids to care for, a demanding boss, the ever-present television. No wonder our attentiveness to our couple relationship erodes over time, leaving us…
#2 How to Love Smarter
Is it possible to love smarter, not harder? We explore the SmartLoving framework of ‘Smart Loving’ and share our cheat sheet for winning in marriage.…
A Sacramental Season
It’s ‘Sacrament Season’ in Australia: children are busily preparing to make their first Confession, first Holy Communion or Confirmation. Meanwhile, weddings are playing catch up…
#1 Marriage as a Mission
What does it mean to make ‘marriage our mission’? With our guest, Philipa Caulfield, we break it down and explore how we’ve done it and…
Restoring hope in life long marriage
Divorce creates a problem for us, a cognitive dissonance: Love is not permanent, vast, unrelenting, faithful. Redefining the ideals we have for marriage however, leads to more divorce and pain, not less.
The Eleventh Commandment
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he added a postscript for parents: passing on the faith makes parents the first – and most important…
From Death Comes Life
Why does death and decay so horrify us? Why do our hearts restlessly seek immortality, everlasting peace, enduring joy and beauty? In this Easter message…
A Love Stronger than Death
“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.” (Songs 8:6) As we celebrate the Easter mystery this verse is worthy of contemplation.
Five Ways to Build Trust
Today we had a meeting. Sigh… The dreaded meeting! Being a couple and working together is complex. We’re both strong-willed and passionate about what we…
The Family Models Synodality
Only two of our five children, now adults, still reside with us. As resident adults, we respect their right to make decisions about their personal…
Making the connection: It’s easy with these three tips
In times of challenge and stress, it’s especially important to make the connection with each other. Here we offer three tips to make it easier.…