In my homily this weekend, I once again mentioned the apostolic exhoration, THE ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY IN THE MODERN WORLD- Familiaris Consortio by Pope St. John Paul II. In this document, there is a section entitled, "Pastoral Action in Certain Irregular Situations", paragraphs 79-84, addressing the various situations in which couples may find themselves that are not in line with the teachings of the Church and thus affect their ability to fully participate in the Sacraments of the Church. Sometimes people may find themselves in these situations because they simply did not know what the Church asks of them regarding marriage. It is important that as adult Catholics, that we learn more about our faith with regards to marriage. The Archdiocesan website is a wonderful resource to help people discover some of the particular teachings on the celebration of Marriage.
The Archdiocese of Toronto also has wonderful resources with regards to the annulment process. This might be a difficult concept for some, at the same time, it could also provide a means of healing after a broken marriage.
In the homily, I also focused on the writings of then Karol Wojtyla in his 1960 work Love and Responsibility. A wonderful summary and reflection of this book entitled, Men, Women and the Mystery of Love. Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility, is written by Dr. Edward Sri. A short animated summary on this book is available on YouTube. A number of very short summaries on different sections of Dr. Sri's book can be found on the Catholic Education Resource Centre website. One of these summaries is entitled, "Love and ... Responsibility?". At the conclusion of this summary are found links to a number of other topics he covers such as:
Getting It Right: The Foundation of FriendshipBeyond the Sexual UrgeAvoiding Fatal AttractionsSense and SentimentalityThe Law of the Gift: Understanding the Two Sides of LoveLove and . . . Responsibility?Resenting ChastityThe Battle for PurityTo Inspire Love: A Return to ModestyMen, Women, and TendernessHow Contraception Destroys Love
These contain many insights into the beauty of marriage and Church teaching.