Posts by Francine & Byron Pirola
Cohabitation #4: Commitment Discrepancy
Although cohabitation is now the norm, research demonstrates that this practice is counter-productive in its impact on the future marriage. Rather than enhancing it, cohabitation subtly undermines it. There are diverse reasons for couples choosing to live together. Some are already engaged to be married. Others are in committed relationships and see it as a…
Read MoreCohabitation #3: Commitment Delay
What impact does cohabitation have on the stability of the future marriage? In this third part of the series looking at why divorce is around 50% higher for couples who previously cohabitated we look at the phenomenon of Commitment Delay. It is well known that the age at first marriage is getting older. Over the…
Read MoreSacred Sexuality: Energising the Prophetic Role of Matrimony
Sacred Sexuality: Energising the Prophetic Role of Matrimony – Dr Byron & Francine Pirola How does one present the wisdom of the Church to mainstream Catholics and families in today’s culture? Since the Second Vatican council, the social landscape has changed dramatically making the transmission of Catholic values more difficult. Open hostility from the secular…
Read MoreTen Reasons why even a little bit of porn is a bad idea.
According to Ryan Foley of Covenant Eyes, we have every reason to be alarmed by the invasion of pornography in our homes and culture. With 1 in every 8 internet searches being for erotic content and an estimated value of the mobile porn market over $ 2 billion, this is not only big business, it’s…
Read MoreCohabitation #2: Commitment Creep
Cultural wisdom dictates that couples are sensible to live together before committing to marriage. Research demonstrates that in fact, this practice undermines the future marriage rather than supports it. This is the second in a series on cohabitation myths. As couples become more involved, their living arrangements become increasingly entangled. Shared possessions, friends, pets…
Read MoreCohabitation #1: Partner Choice
While popular wisdom suggests that a period of cohabitation before marriage is a sensible decision to ascertain compatibility, most people are surprised to learn that the practice actually increases the likelihood of divorce by around 50%. Over the next few issues, we’ll outline a number of reasons why cohabitation is actually counter-productive for a relationship.…
Read MoreMeet Your Spouse’s Love Needs & Avoid Your Spouse’s Love Busters
If you want to love your spouse well you’ll need to focus on meeting his/her love needs and avoiding his/her love busters. It’s pretty simple really… once you know what they are! So make an action plan: a. List your spouse’s top five Love Needs and top five Love Busters. (To find out more…
Read MoreKnow Your Spouse’s Unique Love Profile
Falling in love is a conversion experience. Most of us start out as self-centred individuals and suddenly find ourselves caring more about someone else’s happiness than we do our own. Some of the joy that we associate with being ‘in love’ is really that freedom to be outside of ourselves, caught up in the goodness…
Read MoreVideo: My Last Days
Zach Sobiech was 17 years old when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma; a rare form of bone cancer – he was told he had only a few months left to live. Zach turned to music to say goodbye and passed away at 18 years old. His attitude and outlook on life during his fight…
Read MoreStop-Reflect-Connect
Whenever you are making an important decision or disagree about how to go about something, Stop, Reflect and Connect! This tool will help you to avoid an argument by refocusing you on your priority – your spouse and your relationship. Stop! Before the argument escalates any further, call a time out and cool off. Take…
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