Catholics and Marriage: the principles behind the headlines

If all you know about Church teachings on marriage and related issues can be summed up in the short (and often inaccurate) phrases typically found in the headlines, it would be understandable that you might find Church teachings mystifying and maybe out of date. If that's you (or someone you know), you'll be amazed by what those teachings really are, and how they fit into a totally Catholic worldview.

It took Pope John Paul five years, but you can cover his entire Theology of the Body in just three days: May 4, 11 and 18.

Under the guidance of Franciscan Father Robert Sprott, we will devote two hours to each of the four "units" of Pope John Paul's series of talks on the human person in God's plan:

      May 4: Session ONE From the Beginning with Adam and Eve; the Sermon on the Mount
      May 11: Session TWO The Resurrection of the Body; Celibacy "for the Kingdom"; Marriage as the "first" sacrament
      May 18: Session THREE The language of the body; conjugal spirituality; the problem of contraception

Each session meets for two hours in the morning (10-12 Central Time) and two hours in the afternoon (1:30-3:30 Central Time).

If you are in the Chicago area, join us downtown. You can sign up for one day or register for the full program at the discounted rate (student rates, too!).

Outside of the Windy City, log in for the live video stream. Registration opens six weeks before the event dates; each two-hour session requires a separate registration. Your registration gives you access to the archived video even after the event is complete, so if the scheduled dates don't work for you, you can still benefit from the program.

Theology of the Body will fill you in on the background of the most controversial and misunderstood teachings of the Catholic Church. You'll be amazed by the beauty, the integrity and the hope this vision of what it means to be "made in the image of God, male and female" really means. Don't keep it to yourself!


The sessions will be based on Pope John Paul's talks, collected in the book "Man and Woman He Created Them." Copies will be available at the bookstore as well as online.