"If any confessor or pastor of souls...lead the faithful...into these errors or...confirm them by approval or by guilty silence, ...he must render a strict account to God, ...for the betrayal of his sacred trust" (Pope Pius XI)

Despite being the start of the USCCB's Natural Family Planning Awareness, this past Sunday saw 0 (zero) reported NFP-related homilies in the Greater Philly/Trenton areas. Whatever became of the much heralded JP II generation of clergy?

Why such disrespect the Sacrament of Marriage? I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of our priests and deacons had moms and dads who were married to each other!

It certainly is not as though there is no need for catechesis. AMONG CATHOLICS, there is abysmally poor understanding of what the Church proclaims about marriage/family/sexuality (cf, http://catholicstand.com/breaking-silence-catholics-contraception-and-same-sex-marriage/)!

Ignorance of what the Church proclaims results in vulnerability. In addition to contraceptives, abortfacients, and abortion, the Culture of Death is offering a new generation of slick IVF-related lies and temptations.

There sure appears to be a correlation between preaching received and how people vote: "Of those representing people of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, ...[no Catholic] is co-sponsoring marriage protection initiatives supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops"

Recommended Resources:

* Marriage: The Mystery of Faithful Love (Dietrich Von Hildebrand)
* Casti Connubii (Pope Pius XI):

* Man and Woman: Love and the Meaning of Intimacy (Dietrich Von Hildebrand)
* Humanae Vitae (Pope Paul VI)
* Familiaris Consortio (Saint Pope John Paul II)
* Theology of the Body (Saint Pope John Paul II (original English translations))
* Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body (Saint Pope John Paul II)
* Donum Vitae (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
* Charter for Health Care Workers (Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers)
* The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality (Pontifical Council for the Family)
* Preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage (Pontifical Council for the Family)
* What God Has Joined Together (Robert H. Vasoli)
* The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: A 25 Year Landmark Study (Wallerstein, Lewis, & Blakeslee)
* Addresses to the Roman Rota, 1979-2005 (Pope John Paul II)
* Dignitas Connubii (Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts)
* The Thrill of the Chaste (Dawn Eden)
* Dignitas Personae (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
* Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan (USCCB)
* The NaPro Technology Revolution (Dr. Thomas Hilgers)
* Dietrich von Hildebrand, Catholic Philosopher, & Christopher West, Modern Enthusiast (Alice von Hildebrand)
* Addresses to the Roman Rota, 2006-2013 (Pope Benedict XVI)
* Address to the Roman Rota, 2014 (Pope Francis)
* Sex, God and Marriage, 3rd ed (Johann Christoph Arnold)
* Instrumentum Laboris (Synod of Bishops)