Marriage and Family Resources
There are so many Catholic resources out there for pre-marriage, marriage, and families (your family begins the moment you get married)! This is definitely going to be a constant work in progress. As the list grows, we pray that you won’t be intimidated by it all, as we once were by how much is out there. See it as a blessing! Our faith has such a rich depository to choose from that can speak to each of our unique circumstances, needs, and seasons. So don’t feel like you have to be involved in everything here to have a fruitful journey! We are firm believers that when you’re heart is open to the journey, God will lead you to what will help you each step of the way. For us personally, we find ourselves diving into different prayers and resources depending on our season.
If you have any resources, prayers, devotions, etc. that you’d like to share, we’d love to post it here!
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Dr. Lauren Rubal - Integrative Fertility Physician
We came to know of this amazing Christian physician through a recent podcast (below) with Lila Rose about the truth about IVF and fertility as a whole. Once a conventional fertility doctor, Dr. Rubal now advocates and provides services for integrative fertility to administer to issues such as infertility after experiencing and realizing the gravity of the physical, emotional and spiritual impacts and consequences of conventional fertility ‘troubleshooting’ methods.
Al-Anon Family Groups
As I make my way through therapy through CatholicPsych, I one day shared with my husband how I wish there was therapy for loved ones who go through therapy. Well, there is a program that understood the concerns, pains, and support needs of friends and family who have loved ones that suffer, specifically with alcoholism. On an amazing recent Pints with Aquinas episode with Breanne Demarco, Breanne shares the importance of this program and the visible positive impacts Al-Anon had on one of the mother’s of a close friend and addict that relapsed and recently passed away.
A tribute to our suffering mothers
A tribute to our mothers and especially their sufferings. This was written on May 9, 2024 in the Adoration Chapel of St. Jude. Dear suffering mother, Oh how you are loved!
MyCatholicDoctor
An amazing nonprofit that is pulling together independent U.S.-based Catholic healthcare providers - anything from family physicians to wellness coaches to internal medicine physicians to dermatologist and more! Serving people of all faiths, MyCatholicDoctor is a virtual hospital that helps make healthcare accessible and affordable through telehealth, giving providers the space to be able to ‘practice independently and with the full voice of their faith.’
Pearl & Thistle
Here is another powerhouse of a Catholic mother who has spent over a decade advocating for body literacy - Christina Valenzuela! Scroll down her home page and you’ll get the idea that her conversation around women’s cycles isn’t just for fertility. Her courses and resources are meant to open up the conversation about God’s design for our body for teens, single women, women in consecrated life, the Church (i.e. ministries, priests, RCIA), and women bearing crosses of infertility, loss of a spouse, or approaching menopause. Christina emphasizes that body literacy is for everyone as they are ‘aid to holiness.’ I know for our family, we’ll definitely be opening up the conversation of female anatomy, fertility, and reproduction with our girl with Christina’s course - Cycle Prep. No more letting the world teach our children about our sacred sexuality!
Elizabeth Clare Blog
We stumbled upon this ‘die hard Protestant’ (her words!) turned Catholic blog by a lovely woman named Elizabeth Clare who clearly loves her faith! She has created a TREASURE TROVE of resources for Catholic families that we highly recommend. There you can find anything from information of all the different Catholic Homeschool schools and programs out there, to creative gifts for dad and the kiddos, to very honest and transparent thoughts on topics like mass expectations when going to church with your little ones, to ideas on how to live out the Catholic liturgical year in the home, to at-home Catholic library suggestions…and so much more! We’ll be pinning her blog as a featured post just because all the amazing resources she’s put together - for free!
Femme Fertility (a Natural Family Planning service)
This is a natural family planning (NFP) service that we are using ourselves! NFP, stated in Femme Fertility’s FAQs is “approved by the Catholic Church Church for use by Catholic married couples to avoid or achieve pregnancy.” It is a beautiful way of collaboratively planning your family naturally by understanding how it is that God created us. There are a number of methods - Femme Fertility uses the Marquette Method. Our lovely friend Christina with Pearl and Thistle gives a great explanation of NFP and the various methods if you’re seeking to start this journey with your future or current spouse. For candid conversations about the purpose and their experience with NFP, check out our Jackie & Bobby post too!
Use our coupon code SETAPART to receive 10% off any course on the Femme Fertility site!
Springs in the Desert (An infertility ministry)
A beautiful and much needed ministry to journey with those who are struggling with infertility. The vocation of marriage is not one void of challenges, and for any struggling with infertility, we pray that this ministry will speak to your hearts in understanding what it means to be life-giving. This Catholic ministry also serves as advocates to help ‘pastors, diocesan offices, and healthcare professionals’ become more aware of those carrying this cross.
Newman Guide for K-12 Schools
The Newman Guide has been around since 2007 to help families discern which Catholic colleges to send their children to that uphold and adhere to faithful Catholic education. Published by the Cardinal Newman Society, this guide now expands to K-12 schools. With how things are going today, we can no longer rely on a school labeled/named as Catholic to actually be…well, Catholic. As families discern the path of education for their kids, the Newman Guide is now wanting to help us identify those school that stick to and stand up for Catholic teachings on gender, marriage, and the sanctity of life, for example. We thank them!
Rachel’s Vineyard
Beautifully stated by the ministry itself, this healing ministry is “a safe place to renew, rebuild and redeem hearts broken by abortion.” I’d encourage you to watch the testimony and story of a good friend of TLT below to hear some of the hard truths and shocking things about abortion that are not broadcasted in the media, but are important to know in understanding the importance of a ministry like Rachel’s Vineyard and our collective prayers and action as the Domestic Church in the fight for life.
Reclaim Sexual Health
Talk about the redemptive and healing love of God! This program was developed by a Catholic couple, whose marriage was deeply challenged by the husband’s addiction to pornography. The wife was one day led to a recovery program for pornography addiction based on brain research performed at Harvard. All previous methods of recovery failed and they finally understood why, as his addiction had essentially rewired his brain. They now have a program of their own. How amazing God is to take our darkest storms, our struggles with evil, and use them for good, to help others suffering in the same way.
The Wisephone
As we think about the future parental decisions we’re to make for the newest addition to our family, one thing we agreed on is to give our kids not-so-smart phones. There are so many options out there, but the Wisephone is one that we have our eyes on. Stealing from their features/comparison chart, features include: porn free, complete parental insight, call and message visibility, location tracking and a wonderful list of no’s - no ads, no social media, no ‘Big Tech’ spying. Below is an interview on Pints with Aquinas with the creators.
KNOWN
We learned about this program by listening to an interview (below) of these two amazing Catholic therapists, on a faith-filled mission to bring healing and peace through mending our relationships with God the Father. They recognized that often our relationship with God the Father is distant and not secure - that it’s hard for us to truly feel the loving, caring, and compassion of God the Father. The most common reasons? Because of a lack of healthy relationships, where we can actually “feel that we are self-assured when all is going well and that we are supported, protected, and loved in times of distress” and/or we have endured painful experiences that have shaped how we related to others.
Catholic Rural Life
For anyone thinking about or currently living the rural life, this is definitely a community you want to check out and/or become a part of. We were surprised to find it ourselves - so cool!
Elizabeth Zelasko (Artist)
There are no words to express the beauty of the Spirit of God that comes through in Elizabeth’s sacred art and iconography. Her work is stunning and her art would elevate and support any household striving to remain connected to God. Below is an interview, where she speaks on the spirituality that goes into her work.
Everything Catholic
Think of this store as a Catholic Etsy! An amazing place to find Catholic gifts, but also resources to help grow in faith as well - all while supporting Catholic artists and small businesses.
The Letter (Film inspired by Laudato Si)
In honor of Earth Day (April 22nd)….
As we build families midst the climate crisis, this moving film gives powerful context and a glimpse into the impacts of our ailing planet - something that is near and dear to Pope Francis, as shown in his encyclical letter Laudato Si. The film is provided below. The link above takes you to the website for this film for additional resources.
Magdala Ministries
A bold Catholic ministry that fills in a much overlooked gap, of creating a safe space to accompany women who struggle with sexual additions (pornography, masturbation, and other sexual addictions) through journeys to ultimately help them find hope, healing, and freedom.
Emily Wilson Ministries
An amazing Catholic female speaker that cuts through superficiality and goes deep to, especially for women journeying through college life, engagement, marriage, and motherhood. The link about takes you to her video series, but be sure check out her ministry site for her other content.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Based on the Montessori education approach, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides a unique approach to faith formation for kiddos ages 3-12. CGS could be integrated into a parish, school, and even be used by parents at home. Click here for their homepage for ‘CGS in the Home’, for parents and families.