Some Protestants find spiritual appeal in natural family planning

"The Taylors are one of several couples at Hope Chapel — a nondenominational church where David Taylor, 36, was the arts minister for 12 years — who practice natural family planning. Christian scholars say they may reflect a growing trend among non-Catholic Christians who are increasingly seeking out natural alternatives to artificial contraception."

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'Happily Never After': New Study Reveals TV Favors Non-Marital Sex

"The Parents Television Council™ released a new study, Happily Never After: How Hollywood Favors Adultery and Promiscuity Over Marital Intimacy on Prime Time Broadcast Television, which revealed that broadcast networks depict sex in the context of marriage as either non-existent or burdensome while showing positive depictions of extra-marital or adulterous sexual relationships with alarming frequency.

"Across the broadcast networks, the new PTC report found that verbal references to non-marital sex outnumbered references to sex in the context of marriage by nearly 3 to 1, and scenes depicting or implying sex between non-married partners outnumbered similar scenes between married couples by a ratio of nearly 4 to 1.

“These study results suggest that many in Hollywood are actively seeking to undermine marriage by consistently showing it in a negative manner. Even more troubling than the marginalization of marriage and glorification of non-marital sex on television is TV’s recent obsession with outré sexual expression. Children and teens are now exposed to a host of sexual behaviors that less than a generation ago would have been considered off-limits for broadcast television,” said PTC President Tim Winter."

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Secrets Of A Happy Catholic Marriage

"It seems that no matter what happens during the week, whether it includes limbs being sprained and finances being strained, hopes being dashed and china being smashed, getting to Sunday Mass is the solution...

"The beauty of placing the Catholic faith at the heart of your marriage is this: You would no more consider leaving your spouse when things go wrong than you would turn your back on Christ. And in truth, the secret of a happy marriage really is that simple."

Great column

On 40th anniversary, 'Humanae Vitae' gains more attention in U.S.

" 'Humanae Vitae' ("Of Human Life"), Pope Paul VI's encyclical on artificial contraception and the role of procreation in marriage, turns 40 July 25 and seems to be finding new life across the country.

From natural family planning initiatives to sexual abstinence programs for teenagers, parishes and dioceses are increasingly adopting Pope Paul's vision for a world built on fidelity in marriage and the love shared by husband and wife as the cornerstone of a stable world.

While the 7,000-word encyclical -- which upholds the Church's long-standing prohibition on artificial contraception -- is rarely addressed from the pulpit, ministries that seek to head off teen sex, cohabitation, high rates of divorce and single parenthood are sprouting in the hope of delivering a positive message on human sexuality."

The story also has a short graphic featuring the highlights of HV.

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Married couples who play together stay together

"Most couples know their marriages are happier when they make time to have fun. But often it's the fun that's first to fall by the wayside as demands pile up, especially in a trying economy when couples often work long hours or hold down more than one job.

Now research from the University of Denver supports the idea that finding moments to be together free of financial, family or other stresses — just to have fun together — is not an indulgence."

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Impact of divorce lasts for decades

"The emotional and social impacts of divorce are felt for decades after a marriage breaks down, leaving a generation of older Australians vulnerable to loneliness and poor health.

A new study into the wellbeing of Australians aged between 55 and 74 - the first generation to experience divorce at high rates - found divorcees felt more socially isolated and less satisfied with life compared with married men and women."

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Church Attendance Key to Marriage Success, Researcher Says

"Married couples who attend church services frequently are happier and more likely to succeed in their marriages than those who don’t attend church often or not at all, according to a recent study.

'[R]esearch suggests that not only do churchgoing husbands enjoy happier marriages but also that their wives are more likely to experience marital happiness, compared to married couples where husbands do not attend religious services on a regular basis,' said W. Bradford Wilcox, a sociologist at the University of Virginia, explaining his research results.

According to the study, 70 percent of husbands who attend church regularly say they are 'very happy' in their marriages, compared to only 59 percent of husbands who do not attend religious services. For women, the figures were similar, with a majority of those who attend church services reporting to be happier than those who do not"

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Living Together Dangerously

Study reveals perils of cohabitation:

"Living together before marriage is a very common practice for couples in many countries. Many defend it on the basis that it enables the future husband and wife to get to know each other better.

Abundant evidence exists, however, that cohabitation is more of an obstacle rather than an advantage in preparing for marriage. Michael and Harriet McManus recently published “Living Together: Myths, Risks and Answers (Howard Books), which documents their research on the topic.

The authors, founders of the organization Marriage Savers, warn that couples who cohabit before marriage are much more likely to divorce afterward. There is a big difference, they say, between a permanent bond such as marriage and just living together in a conditional relationship."

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Globally, cohabitation considered alternative to marriage

"Living together has become so common that a growing number of U.S. residents view cohabitation as an alternative to marriage, an international study indicates.

The National Marriage Project study of the United States, countries in Western Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand found that cohabitation globally is more common and considered an option to matrimony. The study analyzed cohabitation, marriage and divorce data from 13 countries.

Excluding the United States, the study found between 15% and 30% of couples in the countries surveyed indicated they were living together. That figure was about 10 percent in the United States."

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The vocation of marriage: It's holy, but no fairy tale

A nice column on marriage from Catholic News Service:

"A friend of mine once told me that a marriage is like a braid of three strings. God is the third string, and without his presence in a marriage, the other two strings can easily split.

That's no fairy tale, unfortunately. It's not as easy as Prince Charming showing up on his valiant steed. There is no "happily ever after" without lots of work and even more prayer.

And yet, when a couple involves God and stays committed to their nuptial vows, the vocation of marriage becomes very sacred indeed."

Full column

Men prefer being solo over a bad marriage

Study concludes men are not afraid of marriage, but rather afraid of a bad marriage:

"Men are 10 times more scared of marrying the wrong person than of never getting married at all. This is the first generation of people who have grown up with bad divorces. People assume there is something wrong if you don't marry but these are men who have made a different choice and not given in to social pressures."

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Discuss finances before wedding

Missouri financial planner says:

“In every study of the causes of divorce, communication and finances are at the top of the list,” Donna Taylor said. “... Maybe there’s a lack of communication about finances.

“If there’s credit card debt coming into the marriage, that probably needs to be discussed because then when they get married, and the bills start coming in, it’s a shock,” Taylor said. “It’s important to get those things out before the marriage ever happens.

“People will talk about their sex life before they talk about their money life,” Taylor said. “I don’t know why that is — it’s just a fact.”

The price of fractured families

"It is time to look at strengthening marriage as a community priority. Helping to reduce child poverty and the pain of fractured families in our communities is one of the most compassionate ways we can effectually build a strong future.

There are now 40 years of research that links fractured families to many of our most difficult social problems. The good news is that these same social trends have revealed to us what works and led to a growing consensus that marriage continues to be our most pro-child institution, and one of the best anti-poverty strategies we have."

Full editorial from The Seattle Times

What's at the center of a strong marriage?

"Todd and Deb Banchor say they are nothing special, but their marriage is.

Don’t misunderstand. The Banchors, members of St. Gerald Parish in Ralston, are not saying their own marriage is perfect. They have had ups and downs like almost every other couple. But, as far as they are concerned, the sacrament of marriage is perfect because God is part of that union.

They say they are enjoying the benefits of a healthy marriage and have worked to help others reap the blessings of a strong marriage with God at the center. One of their best tools is peer marriage ministry."

Full story from Catholic Online

Marriage conference teaches secrets of long-lasting relationships

"Simply by studying the way a married couple argues and connects with each other, researchers can now predict—with an average of 91 percent accuracy—whether their relationship will end in divorce, said Brent Atkinson, an associate professor of marriage and family therapy at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb.

Speaking at a marriage-enrichment conference April 26 at Benedictine University in Lisle, he said one of the greatest indicators of failure is judgmental, contemptuous language. Seven parishes in DuPage County sponsored the event.

During his presentation, “Breaking the Cana Code,” Atkinson explained the findings of seven long-term research studies, which identified emotional habits common in failed marriages. The studies also identified habits that foster long-lasting and happy relationships."

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