Author: Ruth Institute

101 Tips: On Call with Dr. J!

(December 20, 2016) Betsy Kerekes and Dr J gave interviews to Elizabeth Westhof on "On Call with Wendy Wiese!&quot, today to discuss their new book, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person. This podcast is of Dr J’s interview–if you missed Betsy’s, check out our podcast stream.

101 Tips: On Call with Betsy Kerekes!

(December 20, 2016) Betsy Kerekes and Dr J gave interviews to Elizabeth Westhof on "On Call with Wendy Wiese!&quot, today to discuss their new book, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person. This podcast is of Betsy’s interview–stay tuned for the segment with Dr. J.

CDC Report: Virgin Teens Much Healthier Than Their Sexually Active Peers

This article was first published at The Christian Post on December 6, 2016. by Brandon Showalter A new Centers for Disease Control study examines teenage health behaviors in connection to their self-reported sexual activity and shows those who remain abstinent are much healthier on many fronts than their sexually active peers. (Photo: Reuters/Jessica Rinaldi)Teen girls […]

Probably a dumb thing to do right before Christmas….

Writing a long, heart-felt letter on a difficult topic is probably a dumb thing to do right before Christmas. You’re looking for cheer and comfort. But I’m reaching out to you because I have something on my heart that I’m guessing is on your heart too. I know that some of you are deeply concerned […]

Finding Mr. (or Mrs.) Right

This article was first published at Fathers for Good on November 23, 2016. New book outlines Catholic plan for marriage If the “101 Tips” of this handy little book could be summed up in a few words, they would be: Know thyself. The wisdom of Socrates holds true today, though the modern dating scene may […]

101 Tips on the Steve Deace Show

(December 8, 2016) Dr J gave an interview to Steve Deace on his eponymous radio show about the new book she just wrote with Betsy Kerekes, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person.

Jennifer Johnson on Life Line

(December 2, 2016) Jennifer Johnson, Ruth Institute’s Associate Director, was invited to give an interview to Melinda Knight on Living Bread Radio’s "Life Line&quot, about the work of the Ruth Institute in the broader context of the sexual revolution.

How To Marry an Idiot

by Betsy Kerekes This article was first posted at Catholic Lane on November 17, 2016. It seems many people have marrying an idiot as their goal. The amount of couples getting divorced proves to me that many have already become experts. Sadly, there are still those hold-outs who insist on taking their vow of “till […]

Restoring Confidence in Traditional Marriage

(November 17, 2016) Dr J is once again Molly Smith’s guest on From the Median. They’re discussing her latest book, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person, and interrelatedness of the marriage and life issues.

In Louisiana congressional campaign, there is a guy that can’t be bought

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Blaze on October 7, 2016. In this year of frustration with mainstream establishment candidates, I made a refreshing discovery, right in my own back yard. My doctor, Dr. Bryan Barrilleaux is running for Congress in Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional district. His unique selling proposition is that he will not spend any money on his campaign, neither his own, nor any campaign contributions. He calls himself, “The Guy you Can’t Buy.” Some might think his campaign is a futile gesture. But I think a radical and principled stand for good government may be exactly what we need. Dr. Barrilleaux (pronounced “Bear-e-o,” after the Cajun fashion) is a physician in South Louisiana, a practicing Catholic, a passionately pro-life homeschooling father of six who has been married for 35 years. He was inspired to run when the Republican majority in Congress did next to nothing about the issues they were elected to address. The Tea Party turned out millions of citizen-activists for the 2010 election. But the Republican majority offered token resistance to the Affordable Care Act, and token defense of life and marriage. Dr. Barrilleaux, the Guy You Can’t Buy, at the Alligator Festival with the author. (Jennifer Roback Morse, Ruth Institute) Dr. Barrilleaux, the Guy You Can’t Buy, at the Alligator Festival with the author. (Jennifer Roback Morse, Ruth Institute) The turning point came for Barrilleaux in 2012. He attended a public meeting at which his recently-elected congressman, Jeff Landry, was the featured speaker. Dr. Barrilleaux asked him why no action? Landry described how the Republican establishment sat him down when he arrived in Washington and explained how the system works. “If you do what the party wants, you will have lots of campaign money for your reelection, and no opponent in the primary. If you don’t go along, you will have a well-funded opponent in the primary.” Dr. Barrilleaux must have been a bit like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” He was shocked by wh

Decision 2016: Quack, quack, quack

by Jennifer Roback Morse Originally published at The Blaze on October 21, 2016. I have friends who are Never Trump, Reluctantly Trump and Members of the Trump Advisory Team. I understand the reasons behind these positions. I intend now to speak only for myself, and not for the Ruth Institute, which of course, does not take positions on political candidates. My dream in life is that every child be welcomed into life to a loving home with a married mother and father. My life goal is to create a Christ-like mass social movement to end the agony and injustice of family breakdown. From this perspective, both major candidates are deeply flawed. I did not vote for either in the primary. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) However, the third debate cemented my belief that the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is a choice between a sworn enemy of all I believe in, and an uncertain ally. Their exchange on abortion removed all doubt. Clinton has never seen an abortion she wouldn’t support. Trump described late term abortions graphically, and declared them “terrible,” something “nobody has the right” to do. I do not find this a difficult choice. I realize that some people find Trump so morally repugnant that they won’t vote for him. So, let me tell you what I plan to do. Between now and the election, I do not plan to excuse, defend, “endorse” or “support” Trump. Nor do I plan to agonize, wring my hands or clutch my pearls over how to vote. On Election Day, I plan to go into the voting booth and pull the lever for Trump. I plan to give it no further thought. I will leave the voting booth, and go right back to doing my primary vocation. Before, during and after Election Day, I plan to not lose any friends over Trump. If people feel they must “unfriend” me, I can’t stop them. But I will not attack my friends for making a different decision than I do. I am opposed in principle, to circular firing squads. I am not the slightest bit concerned about any new “revelations” coming up

A Guidebook for Young Adults

By Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS This article was first posted November 10, 2016, at CatholicMom.com. Two marriage-and-family writers have teamed up to put together a book of tips for Catholic singles seeking marriage. Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy Kerekes compiled 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person. Subtitled “Helping Singles Find Each Other, Contemplate Marriage and […]

Make America Good Again

  Donald Trump is our next president. What does this mean for Christian conservatives? On the plus side: America repudiated the Establishment of both political parties. America repudiated the Mainstream Media. America repudiated the Chattering Classes of both parties. Above all, Americans acted like Americans. We refused to let ourselves be manipulated by the people […]

How Family Breakdown Affects Vocation

(November 4, 2016) The Serra Club is a national Catholic organization of men and women who encourage and support vocations to the religious life. Here Dr J is speaking at the Serra Club of Lake Charles, her topic is "How Family Breakdown Affects Vocation.&quot, Listen

Putting Families First

(November 4, 2016) Dr J is a guest on The Kristine Franklin Show. This morning, she and Kristine are discussing the modern world’s abnormal separation of sex and procreation–and the fallout of the sexual revolution generally. Listen

Poster Child of God’s Mercy

The expression, “I’ve been to hell and back,” is a perfect description of my life, and the hell was mostly self-inflicted through my abuse of alcohol. Even though I came from a loving, supportive, Christian family, I always felt like an outsider and “less than.” That all changed when I discovered alcohol. As a well-known […]

101 Tips on Spirit Mornings

(November 3, 2016) Dr J is a guest on Spirit Mornings to discuss her new book with Jen Brown and Bruce McGregor. Dr J co-authored 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person with Betsy Kerekes. Listen

101 Tips on Meet the Author

(October 27, 2016) Our own Betsy Kerekes gave an interview to Ken Huck on Radio Maria’s "Meet the Author&quot, about the new book Betsy and Dr. J just wrote, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person.

A Reflection on Experiences as a male using Contraception

In the film, Demolition Man, the year is 2032. The characters of John Spartan (played by Silvester Stallone) and Lenina Huxley (played by Sandra Bullock) are about to have sex having known each other less than a few days. John Spartan in fact is only a day or two living in this “brave new world” […]

Betsy Kerekes: On Call with Wendy Wiese!

(October 28, 2016) Our own Betsy Kerekes gave an interview to "On Call with Wendy Wiese!&quot, They’re talking about the new book Betsy and Dr. J just wrote, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person.

Markets Without Limits

(October 26, 2016) Dr J travels to Austin, Texas to debate philosophy professor Dr. Peter Jaworski on the topic "Markets Without Limits.&quot, Are markets for surrogacy and prostitution ethical? This event was sponsored by the Texas Economics Association, the James Q. Wilson Forum, and the Austin Institute. Check out our Ruth Refuge for the Q&A session in the middle of the event. Listen

The Truth about Late Term Abortion

First person testimony from a survivor of the late term abortion experience. Please note: this author did NOT actually have an abortion. Her baby had already died, and needed to be removed from her uterus. In the Mother of All Insensitivities (in my opinion) her doctor sent her to an abortion clinic where they specialize […]

Book Review: 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person

by Terri Kimmel This article was first published on October 24, 2016, at CatholicLane.com. In today’s electronic world of tweets and status updates, communicating with brevity is everything. 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person: Helping Singles Find Each other, Contemplate Marriage, and Say I Do by the Ruth Institute’s Jennifer Roback Morse and Betsy […]

‘Healing Family Breakdown’ retreat set

by Crystal Stevenson / American Press This article was first published October 21, 2016, at AmericanPress.com. How to heal after the breakdown of one’s family unit will be the topic of the San Diego-based Ruth Institute’s inaugural Louisiana event. The “Healing Family Breakdown” retreat will be 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Our Lady […]

Top 10 Tips for Marrying the Right Person

by Marcia Segelstein This article was first published at NCRegister.com on October 20, 2016. One of the first sermons I heard at the Catholic parish where I would eventually be received into the Church was on the subject of marriage. The priest spoke about the relationship between a husband and wife as being indissoluble. Like […]

Betsy Kerekes on "Busted Halo"

(October 5, 2016) Our own Betsy Kerekes was invited to speak on "The Busted Halo Show&quot, with Father Dave Dwyer and Brett Siddell. They’re about the new book Betsy and Dr. J just wrote, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person. Listen

Social justice warriors: Here’s a cause for you

by Jennifer Roback Morse Originally published at The Blaze on October 14, 2016. Dear Social Justice Warriors, In some circles, the term “Social Justice Warrior” is a slur: an overly sensitive, obliviously privileged college student in a continual uproar over trivia. I don’t agree with this caricature. I agree with you that social justice is […]

Does the Family Have a Future? (Part 2: The Sexual State)

(October 13, 2016) Dr J travels to Rhode Island to speak at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on the theme "Does the Family Have a Future?&quot, This is the second part of her talk, this one’s theme is "The Sexual State.&quot, If you missed the first part of her talk, check out the previous podcast. The questions and answers she took after each talk are also available on our Ruth Refuge. Listen

Does the Family Have a Future? (Part 1)

(October 13, 2016) Dr J travels to Smithfield, Rhode Island to speak at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on the theme "Does the Family Have a Future?&quot, Addressing over 100 people, she describes why the family is the basis of society. Stay tuned for the second part of her talk or head over to our Ruth Refuge for the Q&As after each talk. Listen

101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person

(October 3, 2016) Dr J went on a whirlwind trip to Australia earlier this year, while she was there, she connected with several wonderful people in the marriage movement down under. Here she’s giving an interview to John Jurgutis from Cradio on the second book she authored with Betsy Kerekes, 101 Tips for Marrying the Right Person.

Recapturing the public square: Sept. 17 event to provide ‘pep talk’ to Catholics

By Joyce Coronel This article was first published September 10, 2016, at CatholicSun.org. In the midst of a contentious political season, Catholics might be tempted to obey the maxim about steering clear of politics and religion in public. But that’s not what they’re called to do. That’s one of the messages Catholics will hear at […]

Dr J and Jennifer Johnson on the Sexual Revolution

(September 17, 2016) Dr J was invited to Phoenix, Arizona to speak to the diocese there. We’ve already podcasted that one, but during that visit, she and Ruth’s Director of Operations Jennifer Johnson were once again guests on Immaculate Heart Radio’s "The Catholic Conversation&quot, with Steve and Becky Greene. They’re discussing the Ruth Institute’s work healing the family and shedding light on the problems wrought by the sexual revolution–divorce specifically.

Commendation: Bishop Francis DiLorenzo, Richmond

The Ruth Institute commends Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo of Richmond, Virginia, for his defense of Catholic teaching. Tim Kaine, Democratic candidate for Vice President, has said that the church will change its teaching on marriage. Bishop DiLorenzo, Kaine’s local bishop, disagrees. The Bishop’s office posted: “Despite recent statements from the campaign trail, the Catholic Church’s 2000-year- old teaching to the truth about what constitutes marriage remains unchanged and resolute.” The statement continues by pointing out a foundational belief shared by the Ruth Institute: “Redefining marriage furthers no one’s rights, least of all those of children, who should not purposely be deprived of the right to be nurtured and loved by a mother and a father.” For his steadfast defense of the true nature and purpose of marriage, the Ruth Institute commends and thanks Bishop DiLorenzo. As a sign of support for Bishop DiLorenzo, the Ruth Institute offers these roses and our prayers for him and for everyone in the Diocese of Richmond.

Not your momma’s free market

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Blaze on September 29, 2016. I got into the conservative movement as a 19-year-old economics undergraduate at Ohio State University. My OSU professors were all recent graduates of the University of Chicago and were true believers in the free market. The theory was elegant, […]

Women’s lib is a lie. You can’t have it all.

I am a survivor of the sexual revolution. I wasted my entire child bearing years on sex. It started in the early 70’s when I was 16 and lost my virginity to a 22-year-old. I got high and gave away my heart and wept. It started a whirlwind of relationships. Sex was powerful! I was […]

The truth about tubal ligation

I was 35 years old, happily married and pregnant with my 5th child in 11 years. It was not a smooth pregnancy. I was sick with nausea, dehydration, weight loss and exhaustion for months. My doctor urged me repeatedly, due to my medical history, to consider having a permanent solution to any more pregnancies. The […]

Cafeteria Catholicism and Public Service

(September 21, 2016) Dr J is once again Todd Wilkin’s guest on Issues, Etc. They’re discussing the "cafeteria Catholics&quot, who pick and choose what to believe, they also touch on the current attempt by the Wijngaards Institute to pressure the Catholic Church to alter its teaching on contraception. The Institute was invited to make a presentation before the United Nations this week on the subject. Listen

Contraception, Catholics, and the U.N.

(September 20, 2016) Dr J is invited to be a guest on EWTN’s "Morning Glory&quot, to discuss the current attempt by the Wijngaards Institute to alter Church teaching on contraception with a presentation before the United Nations.

The ‘sexual revolution’ is about selfishness.

I get angry at the lies I was told by my culture. The ‘sexual revolution’ is about selfishness. It promotes selfishness. It denies the truth of what love is. Love is more than a feeling. Real love, for a lifetime, is a choice, a commitment, and not one to be frivolously played with. When my […]

Recycled Dissent and Renewed Emphasis on Humanae Vitae

(September 20, 2016) Dr J is once again Sheila Liaugminas’s guest on "A Closer Look.&quot, They’re discussing the current attempt by the Wijngaards Institute to alter Church teaching on contraception with a presentation before the United Nations. This attempt is not going unresponded-to by Humanae Vitae Catholics, however.

Catholics in the Public Square

(September 17, 2016) Dr J was invited to Phoenix, Arizona to speak on "Catholics in the Public Square&quot, to the diocese there. Her talk is designed to prepare people for personal and civic engagement on the marriage and life issues in the current cultural climate.

Why the Prophetic Voice of Pope Paul VI Still Matters

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Blaze on September 12, 2016. Those of us who live in prosperous countries may not realize the full impact of the contraceptive ideology around the world. You know the ideology I mean: everyone old enough to give meaningful consent is entitled to unlimited sex […]

NEWSFLASH: YOU Don’t Get To Decide What Marriage Is

by Jennifer Johnson   This article was first published at Clash Daily on September 1, 2016. There is a lot of controversy over the Catholic annulment process, both within the Catholic world and outside of it. I am grateful that the Church has such a process, but there is confusion about it. So I thought […]

The LGBT Movement Will Not Self Destruct

The fact that an ideology is incoherent does not mean that people are not deadly serious about implementing it. By Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Federalist on June 6, 2016. I hate to disagree with Rachel Lu, whom I admire and consider a friend. But we simply cannot count on […]

101 Tips for a Happier Marriage

This book is great – simple, achievable hints for a better relationship. by Tamara El-Rahi This article was first published August 16, 2016, at Mercatornet.com. It’s not often that couples are in unhappy relationships because of big things like star-crossed fates or the fact that their families are feuding. More often than not, it’s the […]

Pro-Choice Puritans

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published August 18, 2016 at The Blaze. For a very short time, Puritanism was the dominant religion in America. The need to populate a large continent led to lots of immigration of lots of people from different religions. Since then, we Americans have developed a sardonic definition […]

HOME ECONOMICS: Jennifer Roback Morse proclaims the social utility of the family

First published August 11, 2016 at heymiller.com and will be in the NATIONAL REVIEW August 29, 2016. by John J. Miller “It’s a discouraging time to be a social conservative,” says Jennifer Roback Morse. “We’ve been marginalized everywhere: the media, the academy, the legal system, and now even in politics.” Many of her brethren know […]

Jennifer Johnson on Cogwatch

(March 2016) Here’s one from our files: Jennifer Johnson is a guest on Dr. Robert Oscar Lopez’s podcast Cogwatch. They’re discussing divorce, freedom, and family.

Dr J on Cogwatch

(August 5, 2016) Dr J is a guest on Dr. Robert Oscar Lopez’s podcast Cogwatch. They’re discussing Marilyn Monroe, the sexual revolution and its victims, and what went wrong with Christian churches on the topic of sexuality. Dr. Lopez also wrote a piece for the Federalist on this topic.

It’s Time to Make Marriage Great Again By Redefining Divorce

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published July 23, 2016, at The Blaze. Earlier this week, the Ruth Institute sent a letter of commendation and 24 white roses to Charles Chaput, the Archbishop of Philadelphia. Our letter thanked him for “his clear teaching on marriage, family and human sexuality in the Pastoral Guidelines […]

Transgender People are Not Sick

by Jennifer Roback Morse This article was first published at The Blaze on August 3, 2016, under the title, “Under Obama, Transgenderism Is Not Medical Condition. It’s a Political Stepping Stone.” This may seem to be a remarkable headline for a well-known social conservative. But I must defer to the authority of the Obama administration’s […]

Darwinism, Contraception, and the Decline of Manhood

By Ryan MacPherson, a Ruth Institute Circle of Experts member Book Review: The Decline of Males, Lionel Tiger (New York: Golden Books, 1999) This article was first published at hausvater.org. Why would a confessional Lutheran (who recognizes that God created humanity male and female, instituted marriage, and designed the one-flesh union for procreation) want to read a book written by an evolutionist who claims that Darwin’s theory of sexual selection is the key to interpreting the breakdown of the American family? If the evolutionist is Dr. Lionel Tiger, a Rutgers University anthropologist, and the book is The Decline of Males, then the answer is simple: his insightful analysis offers lessons that transcend the gap between Darwinian assumptions, which fundamentally contradict Scripture, and the confessional Lutheran worldview, which proclaims that God “impressed upon [human] nature” a “divine ordinance” for marital procreation (Apol. XIII (XI), 7, 12). Tiger differs from many scholars. He identifies the root of America’s culture war over “family values,” with its recurring “battle of the sexes,” not in politics, not in religion, not in any particular ideology, but rather in biology. He argues that male and female bodies, and the social behaviors that typically go with them, have evolved over millions of years to perfect a mammalian reproductive cycle in which offspring are preserved by males who care for pregnant and lactating females. The introduction of modern contraception in the 1960s, however, radically altered the human social environment. Biology—slow to evolve—is struggling to catch up. The result is social chaos, involving an escalation of single motherhood and absent fatherhood. A confessional Lutheran would want to correct Tiger’s evolutionary presuppositions with the doctrine that God the Creator designed human nature in such a way that “a husband should labor to support his wife and children … that a wife should bear children and care for them.” (AC XXVI, 10) The interesting thing is that many of Tig

How a Christian Child’s Love Won Jane Roe’s Heart

By Ryan MacPherson, a Ruth Institute Circle of Experts member This article was first published at hausvater.org on January 22, 2009 (36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade). Book Review: Won by Love, Norma McCorvey (with Gary Thomas), (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998) In her own small world she was Norma McCorvey, a battered, then abandoned, wife and drug addict, pregnant but not desiring a child. The wider world would know her as “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The story told there was tragic: a woman gang raped, forced into pregnancy, and denied the opportunity to terminate that pregnancy since abortion was outlawed in Texas. This story, however, was a lie—fabricated by attorney Sarah Weddington, who herself had obtained an illegal abortion and now was on a mission to make abortion available legally. When McCorvey became “Roe,” she provided the tool Weddington needed to push the issue in the courts. But after McCorvey signed “Roe’s” affidavit, affirming the fabricated story as her own, Weddington reneged on her promise to help McCorvey deal with her crisis pregnancy. Weddington did not even so much as telephone McCorvey until four months after the child was born. The “Roe” of Roe v. Wade did not abort her baby, a child saved, ironically, by an attorney’s need for a pregnant plaintiff in order to sue for abortion access. McCorvey had never even been inside an abortion clinic, though later she would work for one. She was both the victim of deceit and the perpetrator of deception. Marijuana helped her to cope. So did alcohol. And coarse humor, too: “I tell women we aren’t killing little babies on Wednesday; they have to come in Thursday through Saturday to do it.” (150) But her verbal defense mechanisms, like her lesbian relationship with an abortion clinic coworker, only took her deeper into the pit of despair and anger, a bitter mixture of relentless grief and suppressed guilt. Even “Jane Roe” knew that abortion killed babies. While working at A Choice

Does Sex Have Meaning? (And Who Can Really Say?)

by Ryan C. MacPherson, a Ruth Circle of Experts member Book Review: On the Meaning of Sex, J. Budziszewski ISI Books, 2011; 145 pages, $27.95 Reprinted with permission from the author from The Family in America. Noah Webster was no intellectual slouch. Proficient in the languages of the ancient Near East as well as of modern Europe, he painstakingly compiled the etymology, orthography, and signification of 70,000 words for the great American Dictionary of the English Language published in 1828. A product of his times, but also a product of one of the best intellectual traditions humanity has mustered in all of time, Webster did not hesitate to follow the guidance of natural law when defining terms that refer to humanity in its personal, social, and political manifestations. Webster defined sex as “the distinction between male and female,” male as “pertaining to the sex that procreates young,” and female as “noting the sex which produces young.” And marriage? “The act of uniting a man and a woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and a woman for life . . . for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and for securing the maintenance and education of children.” Two centuries removed from Webster, many people now reject his definitions as being too morally restrictive, too narrowly traditional, too out of step with the hodgepodge of Facebook status updates, YouTube videos, and MP3 downloads that shape personal identities today. Indeed, for college students such as “Harris,” the question no longer is whether Webster got the definition of “sex” right, but whether “sex” has any meaning at all. Harris is certain that sex is meaningless. And yet, Harris is just as certain that the factories for human reproduction depicted in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World are appalling. In the opinion of Harris’s philosophy professor, J. Budziszewski, Harris must be confused. How can the student say that sex has no meaning and nevertheless find it appalling that procreati

DOJ’s "Guidelines&quot, for Transgender Students

(July 28, 2016) Dr J is once again Molly Smith’s guest on From the Median, and this time around the theme is "guidelines"–some good, some not-so-good. First up, they’re discussing Archbishop Chaput’s pastoral guidelines for implementing Amoris Laetitia. Then they move on to the Department of Justice’s guidelines for transgender students recently issued to all public schools in the country.

Petition: Archbishop Chaput

Petition to: Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia Thank you for the wisdom and clarity in your Guidelines. We will pray for you! The Ruth Institute and its global network of followers congratulates and thanks Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia for his clear teaching on marriage, family and human sexuality. The Pastoral Guidelines for Implementing Amoris Laetitia in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are the work of a compassionate pastor who loves the souls under his care. These Guidelines will assist the priests, deacons and laity in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to reach out with genuine mercy and justice to Catholics, and to the wider community, who are hungry for the truth. The publication of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, has caused worldwide confusion over Catholic teaching on marriage. Archbishop Chaput’s Guidelines provide a clear and practical statement of traditional Catholic teaching, in the spirit of genuine mercy. We are particularly encouraged that these Guidelines are comprehensive, dealing with all the major issues encountered in pastoral care of the family. The Archbishop addresses the problems of 1) married couples, 2) those who are separated and divorced but not remarried, 3) those who are separated and divorced and have a civil remarriage, 4) those who are cohabiting and finally, 5) those who experience same sex attraction. The Ruth Institute dreams of the day when every child will be welcomed into a loving home with a married mother and father. We believe every child has the right to a relationship with both natural parents, unless some unavoidable tragedy prevents it. We believe every adult without exception has the right to know his or her cultural heritage and genetic identity. The Philadelphia Guidelines represent an implementation of the ancient teachings of Christianity and of Jesus Christ Himself. These teachings protect the interests of children, as well as the interests of men and women in lifelong married love. The Ruth Institute sent a letter of co

Commendation: Archbishop Charles Chaput, Philadelphia

The Ruth Institute congratulates and thanks Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia for his clear teaching on marriage, family and human sexuality. The Pastoral Guidelines for Implementing Amoris Laetitia in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are the work of a compassionate pastor who loves the souls under his care. These Guidelines will assist the priests, deacons and laity in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to reach out with genuine mercy and justice to Catholics, and to the wider community, who are hungry for the truth. We are particularly encouraged that these Guidelines are comprehensive, dealing with the major problems encountered in pastoral care of the family. The Archbishop’s Guidelines address the problems of 1) married couples, 2) those who are separated and divorced but not remarried, 3) those who are separated and divorced and have a civil remarriage, 4) those who are cohabiting and finally, 5) those who experience same sex attraction. The Ruth Institute dreams of the day when every child will be welcomed into a loving home with a married mother and father. We believe every child has the right to a relationship with both natural parents, unless some unavoidable tragedy prevents it. We believe every adult without exception has the right to know his or her cultural heritage and genetic identity. The Philadelphia Guidelines represent an implementation of the ancient teachings of Christianity and of Jesus Christ Himself. These teachings protect the interests of children, as well as the interests of men and women in lifelong married love. We thank Archbishop Chaput for his wisdom and charity. As a sign of support for Archbishop Chaput, the Ruth Institute offers these roses and our prayers for him and for everyone in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Kinsey Institute’s Commerical Connections

An alert reader of the Ruth Institute newsletter pointed out a financial connection between the Kinsey Institute researcher on the latest “study”and the sex lubricant industry. I’m not making this up.  The “study purported to show that virgins are too old-fashioned to have any friends or marriage prospects. I took down that study here. The […]

Homosexuality is a Natural Law Issue

My friend Daniel Mattson hits it out of the park today, “Why Homosexuality is a Natural Law Issue.” I’m thinking pretty much every moral issue can be framed as a natural law issue, but that’s just me. Dan has had great succes talking with young people about sexual morality using this approach. Must read for […]

Two Men Talk about Marriage: New Book

This looks like a good book, and a good resource for our Gay Lifestyle Refugees.  Jeremy Bell was in a long term, same-sex relationship and had not yet met his now-friend and co-author John McCaughan when he began, six years ago, to think seriously about the meaning of marriage. John, on the other hand, had […]