Discerning Marriage

St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, is recognized as a spiritual giant who has tremendously beneficial things to say for people who are discerning. In this episode, Fr. David Lugo, a Jesuit priest, gives us an introduction to Ignatian Discernment and discusses how St Ignatius’ work with discernment of spirits can be useful to people who are discerning marriage. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Shownotes Lumen Gentium Chapter 5 on the Universal Call to Holines Humility Episode with Jeanette Clark TOB Congress Oct 30-Nov 1, 2020 Fr. David Lugo, SJ, was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States at a young age with his parents and two older brothers. Following his parent’s advice, he went to Texas A&M University to complete a bachelor’s degree in physics before considering seminary formation. It was at A&M that David met the Jesuits. He began to discern religious life in the Society and requested admission to the novitiate upon completing his undergraduate work. After vows he studied philosophy at Saint Louis University and was then missioned to teach theology and mathematics in Dallas. He remembers those three years with great fondness and looks forward to returning to the classroom in the future. After completing his MDiv at the Jesuit School of Theology in Toronto, David requested to study Spiritual Theology and Ignatian Spirituality at the Pontifical University of Comillas in Madrid, Spain. Fr. David was ordained to the priesthood this past summer, and he returned to Madrid to finish his Licentiate in Spiritual Theology and serve as a priest at a Jesuit parish in Madrid. A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

Y'all, THIS DISCERNMENT STORY IS EPIC! This couple walked through some ordinary things like navigating a long distance dating relationship, getting married at 30, one person having serious dating relationships earlier in life and the other being mostly single until they met. But, they have an EXTRAORDINARY love story! Will, an American, and Rebekah, and English woman, tell their story of discerning the vocation of marriage and how they knew that they were called to marry each other. God showed up big time, and it’s such a delight to listen to the details of how this story unfolded! Also Will owns the record label that produced our theme song for this podcast - and he actually wrote the song, too! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Shownotes Register for the TOB Congress! October 30-Nov 1, 2020 Echo - Dumb Ox Ministries Gaudium Et Spes 24: "Man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself." Will and Rebekah married in January of 2020 after dating overseas for 2 years. They met while Will was leading worship with Dumb Ox Ministries for an ECHO retreat that Rebekah was coordinating in the U.K. Will owns NOVUM RECORDS - a grassroots Catholic record label, and loves all things synthesizers. Rebekah is adjusting to life in the USA after many years working for the Diocese of Westminster, and she is learning to make embroidery art and cheesecake. They currently live in Dallas, TX. A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

When you’re discerning marriage, two of the best things you can spend your time doing are healing from your past brokenness and learning to be fully focused on the present moment in order to encounter God and His grace in reality. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro walks us through how to do both! He defines both mindfulness and therapy and gives some wonderful tips on how both can be utilized when discerning the vocation of marriage. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Register for the TOB Congress! October 30-Nov 1, 2020 Shownotes Resources to help you on your journey: Humility Episode with Jeanette Clark Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre De Coussade To find a therapist through Dr. Greg’s practice To find a good, faithful Catholic Therapist somewhere else in the USA Story of a Soul by St. Therese Dr. Greg Bottaro is a Catholic Psychologist who directs the CatholicPsych Institute and developed Catholic Mindfulness. Before getting his doctorate, he spent four years living as a Franciscan Friar. Under the mentorship of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, this experience helped him form a spirituality based on Abandonment to Divine Providence which he now applies to psychological principles in his practice. The Mindful Catholic A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

Pornography is one of the greatest predators of marriage, perhaps the greatest universal threat in our modern time. Very few people, if any, are truly immune to it’s evil clutches. It’s crucial that you have a discussion with your significant other about the role that pornography has played in your life and theirs and the way that you want it handled in your future marriage. We are right here to accompany you as you have those tough conversations, beginning with our talk with Mary Lenaburg. She and her husband have a phenomenal story of healing and redemption from the ravages of pornography in their marriage and she’s bravely shared it with you in this episode! Join us as we hear their story of heartbreak and triumph and discuss some tools that you can use to have these tough conversations and, if necessary, break free from porn in your own life. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Shownotes Resources to help you on your journey: Integrity Restored Strive 21 Bloom for Women Fight the New Drug Access the TOB Congress October 30-Nov 1, 2020 Mary Lenaburg is a full-time Catholic speaker and author of Be Brave in the Scared, which earned a 2020 Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers. She has given keynotes at conferences internationally, including The Edel Gathering, the Genius Women’s Conference, the Fiat Conference in Pasadena, CA, Military Council for Catholic Women European Retreat, and at the Women of the Word Conference in Toronto, Canada. A writer with Take Up & Read, her work has appeared in five meditation books. She also has contributed to two other books. She has appeared on Catholic radio, TV, and podcasts, including The Jennifer Fulwiler Show, EWTN’s Pro-Life Weekly, The Hallie Lord Show, The Gist, Busted Halo, and Fountains of Carrots. Lenaburg serves her home parish in many roles, including catechist, sacristan, and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. She and her husband, Jerry, live in Fairfax, Virginia, with their son, Jonathan. Their daughter, Courtney, passed away in 2014. Facebook: marylenaburgwriter Instagram: @marylenaburg Pinterest: @Mary Lenaburg Twitter: @marylenaburg [YouTube](shorturl.at/rzI28) [Patreon](shorturl.at/pvS08) Be Brave in the Sacred A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

One of the most powerful things you can do to discern marriage well is hone in on the virtues used most in marriage and work to grow in them. While all virtues are really necessary for the Christian life, one of the things we want to do is highlight a few of the biggies for marriage and give you tips for perfecting those virtues in your life. We start that journey today with the virtue of humility! We are joined by Jeanette Clark, a graduate of the Pontifical St. John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family and wife of Jason Clark, executive director of Theology of the Body Institute, to dive deeply into this virtue and why it matters so much for your life and your discernment. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Show Notes Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary Prayers St. Louis de Montfort and 33 Days to Morning Glory 1 Corinthians 13: If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Born to a military family, Jeanette Clark lived most of her life in the Washington, DC area. She received her Master's in Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in 1997 and that same year moved to Denver, Colorado (which she actually considers her home town) where she was hired by the brand new Archbishop, Charles Chaput. She directed the Office of Christian Initiation for the Archdiocese for four years, giving frequent talks and retreats to the community. Jeanette married Jason Clark in 2001 at a little mountain Church in Evergreen, Colorado where their family adventure began. In June they will celebrate 19 years as husband and wife. They have 5 children ages 8-17, 4 of whom are boys and they currently live in rural southern Pennsylvania surrounded by Amish neighbors. She is delving deeper and deeper into what it means to be a human being - a woman - who has encountered Christ and what that means on every level of existence. Deep ponderings at the kitchen sink. A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

Not everyone who is discerning marriage is coming from the same place, and the different seasons of life require a different approach to discernment. In this episode, Elizabeth is joined by co-host Liv Harrison to discuss the distinct stages of discerning marriage and what a person in each stage could do to begin discerning marriage intentionally and productively. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Liv Harrison is known for being a professional speaker and emcee with a gift for humor, storytelling, and wisdom. People are her passion. She connects with everyone from junior high students to seasoned adults. Liv was the 2018 Host/Emcee to hundreds of Catholic youth at the Austin music festival, Godstock. Her work in marriage ministry keeps her connected with couples around Texas. Not only has Liv spoken all over Texas, but she has also spoken across the nation. She is presently serving the Junior League of The Woodlands as an active leader who often speaks to the 500 members. In May 2019 Liv successfully wrote, launched, and emceed the Genius Catholic Women’s Conference (geniuswomensconference.com) outside of Austin, TX. In December, of 2019 the Talitha Koum Initiative, LLC was formed to produce the Genius Catholic Women’s Conference. In March 2020 the unique Genius Catholic Women’s Conference launched in Dallas. Liv serves as President on the Executive Board of The Genius Collective; a non-profit that is in its final stages of development. Liv is currently a co-host on the Forte Catholic Podcast and the Discerning Marriage Podcast. On June 1, 2020 Liv launched her own interview/storytelling podcast titled Talk to Me with Liv Harrison: The Stories Behind Their Success. Lastly, she has been a frequent voice on Sirius XM and various other podcast programs both as a guest and as a co-host. She is married to her high school sweetheart and the mother of two. Contact Liv: @thelivharrison https://www.thelivharrison.com liv@thelivharrison.com A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Get to know Elizabeth by listening to her intro episode here! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

So many of us have a longing and ache for a spouse—feeling called to marriage and yearning for relationship and love but not being in that place of total communion yet. That ache and longing is, at its foundation, a desire for Beauty. Our deep ache for Truth and Beauty points us back towards the heavens. In Episode 3, host Elizabeth Busby continues her conversation with TOB Institute's Christopher West with a focus this time on what Beauty is, why it’s important, and how to handle the profound ache in the depths of our hearts. Show Notes "In my heart I treasure your promise, that I may not sin against you." - Psalm 119:11 Order Fill These Hearts: God, Sex & the Universal Longing by Christopher West. Select two copies of the book, then enter the discount code SHAREHEARTS during checkout and you will get one of the copies for free. Please see instructions on book page if there are any questions. Christopher West, ThD is a devoted husband and father of five. As President of the Theology of the Body Institute, he leads an international apostolate spreading St. John Paul II’s life-transforming teaching through graduate level courses, on-site events and programs, clergy enrichment training, and an online global community dedicated to ongoing formation. Beyond serving as Professor of Theological Anthropology in the Institute’s jointly sponsored M.A. program with Pontifex University, Dr. West has served on the faculties of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver; the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha; the St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission in Canada; and as a visiting professor of the John Paul II Institute in Australia. West is the author of more than a dozen best-selling books and numerous video and audio programs. He cohosts the popular podcast Ask Christopher West with his wife Wendy, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, on ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and in countless Catholic and evangelical media outlets. A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Get to know Elizabeth by listening to her intro episode here! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here.

There is something so powerful about a story, and a story about how someone made one of the biggest decisions of their life is no different. On today’s very first episode of the Discerning Marriage podcast, Elizabeth Busby interviews Theology of the Body Institute's Christopher West about his discernment story. You’ll hear how Christopher knew he was called to marriage and how he realized that his beloved wife of two decades, Wendy, would be a good spouse for him! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. Show Notes Chastity: The ability to raise all of your emotional and sensual reactions and desires to the level of the dignity of the person Christopher West, ThD is a devoted husband and father of five. As President of the Theology of the Body Institute, he leads an international apostolate spreading St. John Paul II’s life-transforming teaching through graduate level courses, on-site events and programs, clergy enrichment training, and an online global community dedicated to ongoing formation. Beyond serving as Professor of Theological Anthropology in the Institute’s jointly sponsored M.A. program with Pontifex University, Dr. West has served on the faculties of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver; the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha; the St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission in Canada; and as a visiting professor of the John Paul II Institute in Australia. West is the author of more than a dozen best-selling books and numerous video and audio programs. He cohosts the popular podcast Ask Christopher West with his wife Wendy, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, on ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and in countless Catholic and evangelical media outlets. A huge thank you to Catholic record label NOVUM Records and artist John Finch for our theme song "Send Down Your Spirit"! Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here. Learn more about Theology of the Body Institute here. Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here. Listen to Elizabeth's intro episode here!

Meet your host for Discerning Marriage podcast, Elizabeth Busby!