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On Shame, Sex and Sacredness: A Theology of the Body Reflection
(Photo: Lightstock) Back when I was giving talks to teenagers, there was always a point in the presentation where the audience knew we were getting dangerously close to discussing s-e-x. At that point, I would say, “I know what you’re thinking. ‘Oh no, she’s going to talk about sex. Please don’t let her talk about the details. I get so embarrassed.’ And then, ‘How come I get so embarrassed anyway? There must be something wrong with me, and I’m going to grow up to be some kind

Mary Beth Bonacci
Apr 274 min read


An Open Letter to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich in November 2018. (Photo by Olivier LPB via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). Your Eminence: In an article recently published by a major German Catholic website, you suggested that the question of whether the Church can ordain women has not been definitively settled: “I cannot imagine how a Church can continue to exist in the long run if half of God’s people suffer because they have no access to ordained ministry.” Putting aside for a moment t

George Weigel
Apr 153 min read


What’s Happening to Young Men? A Catholic Look at a Growing Crisis
From nihilism to radical ideologies, many young men are searching for purpose — and not finding it. (Photo: Unsplash, edited) So, what is going on with young men these days? I know, every generation in recent memory has asked the same question. Those young hooligans with their leather jackets. The hippies with their psychedelic vans. The weirdos in the parachute pants. But those young men, for the most part, seemed to grow up to marry and become productive members of society.

Mary Beth Bonacci
Feb 214 min read


'He Will Lord It Over You': Understanding the Fall of Adam and Eve’s Impact on Marriage
What Genesis really teaches about sin, power and marriage (Photo: Lightstock) “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he will lord it over you.” Genesis 3:16 I think of all the beautiful aspects of the Genesis account of paradise, the one I perhaps envy most is the perfect relationship between man and woman. (I know, walking with God in the cool of the afternoon seems like a pretty good gig, too.) We have talked about how God created them specifically for each other , a

Mary Beth Bonacci
Feb 95 min read


Is God ‘Mean’? How a Child’s Question Unlocks the Truth About Sin and the Fall
From trust to temptation, Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body reveals why the fall wasn’t about an apple, but about doubting the Father's love. (Photo: Lightstock) I have a friend who had a very sweet and precocious son. When he was very little, she told me, “Jack has a question for you.” The question: “Why is God so mean? He wouldn’t even let Adam and Eve eat apples!” Don’t we all kind of feel that way? I know I did. It took my beloved Pope St. John Paul I

Mary Beth Bonacci
Dec 11, 20255 min read


The Real Antidote to Loneliness Isn’t Self-Care — It’s Self-Gift
We’re made in the image of a God who is a communion of love — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — and we can only mirror that image when we live for others. (Photo: Pexels) I just finished reading the excellent book “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life” by Arthur C. Brooks. One of my favorite parts was his discussion of the importance of relationships to our happiness. Like many other academics who study happiness, he ha

Mary Beth Bonacci
Nov 18, 20255 min read


Catholics and gender ideology
"And God created them male and female," the Book of Genesis reads. (Photo: Lightstock) In this raw, emotionally overwrought moment in our...

George Weigel
Sep 24, 20253 min read


Catholic Teaching on Sex: Why Marriage Is the Key to Lasting Fulfillment
Studies show married Catholics who save sex for marriage report the greatest fulfillment — here’s why. (Photo: Lightstock) Have you...

Mary Beth Bonacci
Sep 9, 20255 min read


Why Adam and Eve Weren’t Ashamed — and Why That Still Matters Today
What Adam and Eve's Original Nakedness in the Garden of Eden Reveals About God’s Plan and True Intimacy, According to the Theology of the...

Mary Beth Bonacci
Jun 26, 20254 min read


The Fullness of Life: Bishop Erik Varden’s Resurrection of Chastity
While Lent offers us a clear path of conversion, turning away from the world, Easter invites us into God’s own life. In Lent, we seek to...

Jared Staudt
Apr 25, 20244 min read
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