Remain in My Love
CanaVox Small Reading Groups
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is partnering with CanaVox to provide small reading and discussion groups on the most pressing issues concerning marriage and family life. In these groups, participants will gather to explore and discuss the truths of the Catholic faith and natural law concerning marriage. To learn more, click here.
The readings for each session address the problems our marriage culture faces, but also provide solutions and hope. Readings for each small group session can be found below. (Lecturas en español)
Kickoff Meeting
- CanaVox, “What We Cheer For“
- CanaVox, “For CanaVox Reading Group Participants”
Session 1: On the Meaning of Marriage
- Doug Mainwaring, Your Marriage: You Have No Idea of the Good You Are Doing
- Marriage: Life and Love in the Divine Plan USCCB, (Abridged Version)
- Ryan Anderson, “Men, Women, and Children: The Truth About Marriage” (Ch. 1 of Truth Overruled; Please email your group leader to request a copy of this reading)
Optional: Ryan Anderson for FOCUS, “ What is Marriage? Part 1” (a 22 minute video version of the chapter above)
Session 2: Marital Love
- Jason Evert for Ascension Press, What is Marriage? (7 min video)
- Judith S, Mexican Marriage Heroes.
- Christopher West, A Basic Theology of Marriage.
- Bishop Robert Barron, On Marriage and Relationships (6 min video)
Session 3: Contraception and NFP
- Matt and Shannon: A Lifestyle Change that Changed Us.
- Sherif Girgis, The Historic Christian Teaching Against Contraception: A Defense*
- Gregory Popcack, The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Burden of Natural Family Planning
- Ana Maria Dumitru, Fertility Awareness-Based Planning: Good for Both Body and Soul
Optional: “Natural Family Planning: the Best Worst Thing Ever” (6 minute video)
Session 4: The Hook Up Culture
- The Austin Institute, The Economics of Sex (10-min video)
- D.C. McAllister, “Stop Pretending Sex Never Hurts”
- Crystallina Evert, Love or Lust? (12 min video)
- Jason Evert, What’s Wrong With Just Hooking Up With A Girl?
- John Prather, “Waiting for Sex: An Honest Look at the Price of Patience”
Session 5: Cohabitation
- PrepMedia, Relationship DUI: Are you Sure You’re in Love? (4-min video)
- Bradford Wilcox, “A Shaky Foundation for Families”
- Amber Lapp, “Want a Stable Family Someday? Date Intentionally.”
- George Sim Johnston, The Co-Habitation Trap
Optional: Katrina Fernandez, “Cohabitation is a Smack in the Face.”
Optional for Priests and Parish Ministers: John and Teri Bosio, Cohabitation Before Marriage: Ministering to Couples Who Are Living Together
Session 6: Divorce
- Huffington Post/BuzzFeed, When My Parents Got Divorced (3-min video)
- Bradford Wilcox, “The Evolution of Divorce”
- Marcellino d’Ambrosio, The Catholic Church on Marriage, Divorce and Annulments
- Five Minute Faith, Annulments Explained (4 min video)
Session 7: The Importance of Fatherhood
- Alyssa Elhage, “How Marriage Makes Men Better Fathers”
- Brett and Kate McKay, “The Importance of Fathers”
- Correctional Officer Calvin Williams, The Importance of Fathers (5-min video)
- Meg Meeker, “What Dads Can Learn from Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Acceptance Speech”
- WeKnowMemes, A Kid in the Air as the Father Sees It (Photo)
Session 8: Pornography
- Morgan Bennett, “The New Narcotic” (Documents the addictive effects of pornography on the brain)
- Matt Fradd, Foreward, “Bought with a Price” pp. 9-13
- Most Rev. Paul S. Loverde, “Bought with a Price” pp. 19-21, 57-60
Optional Readings for Specific Target Audiences:
(To be assigned at the local reading group leader’s discretion so as to customize the session according to participants’ specific interests. The local leader should pick one or two essays maximum from the list below so as to keep the readings manageable for a 1 hour discussion. Thank you.)
- For Priest Groups:
-The entirety of “Bought with a Price” with a special focus on the Four False Arguments for Pornography Use pp. 25-38
-Covenant Eyes, Pornography Statistics pp. 11-18. - For Married Couples:
-Anonymous, “If You Don’t believe that Porn hurts Relationships, You Need to Read My Story” - For Parents:
-Abby Moore, “The Day My Kid Found Hardcore Porn on His Phone”
-Mormon Channel, What Should I Do When I see Pornography? (6-min video for parents to watch with their kids and discuss)
-Dear Katy Video, “My son found porn”
Session 9: Compassionate Solutions to Infertility: NaPro Technology and the Health Risks of IVF
- BuzzFeed, Women Openly Share What It Feels Like to be Told You Can’t Have Kids. (4-min video)
- Susan Caldwell, I have Children Thanks to IVF but Here’s Why I would Never Recommend It
- Jennifer Lahl, “What We Don’t Know Just Might Kill You.” (explains dangers of IVF to women’s health)
- Gianna Center, Alternatives to IVF Treatments (15 min of NaPro science)
- Dr. Phil Boyle, IVF Alternative NaPro Technology Fertility Care. 10th Birthday Party. (15 min video)
- CanaVox, “Some Basic Scientific Facts and Ethical Concerns Regarding IVF“
Optional:
- Alana Newman, “I Donated My Eggs, and I Regret It.”(A mother explains the psychological burden of donating eggs so that another woman can have a baby)
Session 10: Understanding and Loving those with Same Sex Attraction
- Family Watch International, Understanding Same Sex Attraction (Research about the causes that contribute to feelings of same-sex attraction with personal interviews) (30-min video)
- Katrina Tufaro and Ana Samuel, “Noteworthy Notes on the Causes of SSA” (Because this reading session has a longer reading list, participants might skim this essay if they are pressed for time since it goes deeper into the science.)
- USCCB, “Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care” (2006), pp. 2-7
- An EnCourage Mom, “Loving our Children with Same-Sex Attractions: One Mother’s Story”
- Jordan Bunch, My Friendship with Brent Baily (8-min video)
- Dear Katy, Invited to a Same-Sex Wedding (3-min video)
Optional:
- Dear Katy, Loving Family Despite Lifestyle Differences (3-min video)
- Blackstone Films, The Third Way: Homosexuality and the Catholic Church (Personal stories of men and women with same-sex attraction who are Catholic) (38-min video)
Session 11: Transgender Identity
- Paul McHugh, “Transgenderism: A Pathogenic Meme” (A Johns Hopkins psychiatrist explains why it was a mistake to allow sex reassignment surgery at his hospital.)
- Lindsay Leigh Bentley, “I am Ryland: The Story of a Male-Identifying little Girl who Didn’t Transition.”
- American College of Pediatricians, “Gender Ideology Harms Children”
- Walt Heyer, “Here’s What Parents of Transgender Kids Need to Know.”
- Dear Katy video, CanaVox, Transgender Talking Points for Kids
Session 12: Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting
(Required) Readings 1 and 2:
- Ryan Anderson, “Marriage Matters and Redefining It has Social Costs.”
- Katy Faust, “Dear Justice Kennedy: An Open Letter from the Child of a Loving Gay Parent”
Pick One for Reading 3:
- (either) Mark Regnerus, “Queers as Folk”
- (or) Ana Samuel, “The Kid’s Aren’t All Right: New Family Structures and the ‘No Differences’ Claim.” See the infographics here.
(Required) Reading 4:
(Optional) Reading 5:
- Dr. Jacqueline C. Rivers, Marriage and the Black Family (On the importance of one-man-one-woman marriage for the Black American community and its children; 14-min video.)