MFP 366: God is Love
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
Release Date: 01/26/2026
MFP 378: Training Children to Master Themselves
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
There is a need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and nullify the savage work of those who think man is a beast. And that crusade is your work. ~St. Josemaría Escrivá Summary How do you talk to your kids about purity without turning it into a list of rules and constant “no’s”? Join us for this conversation with Fr. Carter Griffin about the importance of purity and self-mastery. This episode invites parents to shift the focus to what purity says yes to: love, freedom, and a future built on integrity. We discuss why teens demand authenticity and how...
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MFP 377: When Kids Take Control: What To Do and How to Stop It
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
When I stopped trying to fix or change my child, and explored my own role in fostering bullying behaviors, I found the answers I needed. These behaviors were a direct consequence of my own insecurities. - Sean Grover, Ph.D. Summary Parents often make excuses for their children’s outrageous behavior, whether it's a preschooler’s tantrum or a teen’s sullen refusal to do what he or she has been asked. Children who become unmanageable or verbally abusive to their parents are, in fact, bullies, although most parents don’t think of these behaviors in that way. Maybe they should. Key...
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MFP 376: Raising Kids Without Raising Your Voice
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
The most effective parents aren’t the loudest—they’re the most consistent. Summary Why do we yell at our kids, even when we know it doesn't work? In this episode, we unpack the hard truth behind yelling in parenting: it's often not a discipline strategy, but a reaction to stress, frustration, and lack of follow-through. While it may get quick results, it slowly weakens our authority and damages connection with our kids. We talk about why yelling becomes a habit, what it's actually teaching our children, and how to replace it with calmer, more effective discipline. You'll walk away...
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MFP 375: The Family and the Sexual Revolution
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
“The sexual revolution was not about freedom. It was about transferring power from families to the state.” - Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse Summary What really makes a family essential, and why does it matter so much right now? In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse makes a compelling, research-based case for why children need both their mother and their father. We explore the irreplaceable role of mothers in forming trust and attachment, the unique responsibility of fathers to provide protection, limits, and direction, and how these roles evolve as children grow. You’ll hear why...
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MFP 374: Raising Kids Who Know Who They Are
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
Summary How do we help our children discover the gift that they are? In this episode, we explore the powerful cycle of identity, belonging, and mission—and how it unfolds across the key stages of childhood. From the early years of wonder and dependence, to the exploratory middle years, to the identity-shaping teen years, we unpack what children need most at each phase—and how parents can respond with confidence. We dive into how children develop their gifts, navigate friendships, and grow into their sexual identity, as we highlight the unique role parents play—not as controllers,...
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MFP 373: Parenting is Your Mission
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
Summary There is so much noise in the world of parenting today, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by pressure, comparison, and fear. In this episode, Mike and Alicia remind parents that there is not just one way to raise a family well. God has given you the grace for your mission, and your job is not to control your children or guarantee outcomes. Your call is to build a strong marriage, create a healthy home, communicate your values, and allow God to use family life to make you holy. Parenting is not about perfection — it is about faithfulness. Key Takeaways There is not just one right...
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MFP 372: Prayer for Beginners - Interview with the Science of Sainthood
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
"Without a life of prayer, you are really not living as a Catholic" - Matt Leonard Summary What does it really mean to “go deeper” in prayer? And what if you pray every day but don’t feel anything? This week we’re joined by Matthew Leonard, founder of The Science of Sainthood, to talk about what real spiritual growth looks like. We break down the three modes of prayer, vocal, meditation, and contemplation, and how they form a path to holiness. Matthew shares practical steps for building a daily habit of mental prayer, handling distractions, and creating space for silence....
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MFP 371: How Vulnerability Is Built in Small Moments
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
Love is not a feeling. It's a daily choice, a habit practiced proactively. Summary What if intimacy isn’t built in the big moments, but in the small ones you almost miss? In this episode, we explore the idea of bids for connection, the everyday ways we reach for each other through a question, a touch, a story, or even a glance across the room. We talk about what happens when those bids are noticed and met with kindness, and what slowly unfolds when they are ignored. You’ll hear how responsiveness, presence, and emotional generosity shape trust, passion, and long-term happiness...
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MFP 370: The Path to Healing our Broken Hearts
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
There is nothing that the power of the resurrection cannot redeem in your life. - Fr. Shawn Monahan Summary What do we do with the wounds we carry, especially in marriage? In this powerful episode, Fr. Shawn Monahan shares a trauma-informed vision of spirituality that meets us in our real stories. We’re all wounded, some more deeply than others, and healing begins with honest self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and inviting Christ into our pain. Fr. Shawn explains how our desires are shaped for good, how sin is seeking that good in the wrong ways, and why shame keeps us stuck....
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MFP 369: Marriages Don’t Accidentally Communicate Well
Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family
You can't have a healthy relationship if you don't develop the skill of communication. Summary Marriage doesn’t drift into great communication. You have to make the time and practice on purpose. In this episode, we share simple, realistic tools to help couples break bad habits and start talking in ways that actually bring them closer. You’ll learn how to listen without fixing, reduce daily stress through connection and fun, and build rituals that create space for meaningful conversation. We talk about appreciation, gentle ways to start hard conversations, and why prayer...
info_outline"Love of neighbor is a path that leads to the encounter with God… closing our eyes to our neighbour also blinds us to God."
- Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love
Summary
We begin with Love because marriage flows from our deepest identity and relationships, not just spousal dynamics. Created in the image of a loving, Triune God, we must first ask who God is and who we are in His eyes. Our relationship with God and with ourselves forms the foundation for loving others. Pope Benedict XVI’s God Is Love reveals that eros and agape are inseparable dimensions of love: we are made to give and receive love. God’s passionate, faithful love for His people—fulfilled fully in Jesus—becomes the model for marriage. In Christ, love of God and love of neighbor are one reality. Our first neighbor is our spouse, and loving them faithfully is the primary path to holiness and authentic love.
Key Takeaways
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Love begins with God, not marriage
Before focusing on spousal relationships, we must understand who God is and who we are in His eyes. Our identity as loved by God is the foundation for all love.
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You cannot love others without loving God and yourself rightly
Knowing and receiving God’s love allows us to love ourselves truthfully, which is necessary to love anyone else authentically.
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Eros and agape belong together
Human desire (eros) is not bad; it is purified and fulfilled by God’s unconditional love (agape). Love requires both giving and receiving.
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God’s passionate love is revealed fully in Jesus
Christ embodies God’s self-giving love and draws us into communion—with God and with others—especially through the Eucharist.
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Marriage is the primary place love is lived
Spouses are each other’s first neighbors. Loving one’s spouse faithfully is the clearest expression of love of God and the path to holiness.
Resources:
Pdf of encyclical: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html
Join the Cana90 Fellowship: https://messyfamilyproject.org/programs/cana90/fellowship-form/