DVD

Reviews

"This is a most useful introduction to the Catholic understanding of love, life, marriage and children.

"Next year, 2008, will see the 40th anniversary of the encyclical Humanae Vitae, explaining why artificial contraception contravenes God’s law – what a terrible outburst of opposition it provoked, with masses of indignant spokesmen dominating the airwaves to denounce the Church and proclaim how wrong it was ... But now, with the massive collapse in marriage and nearly 50 percent of children born out of wedlock, with family breakdown causing a huge social crisis, and with a sense of sexual anarchy such that teenagers are being encouraged to consider it normal to have several 'partners' before they reach their 20s, the Church's wisdom seems real, useful, and profound.

"This is exactly the right time for a new and attractive teaching aid to put across the Catholic message. Here is a full pack of resources, including a booklet, a PowerPoint presentation and DVD.

"It’s produced by a team of people who embarked on the project because they wanted to communicate knowledge to which everyone has a right: that humans have natural fertility pattems which can easily be discovered, that marriage is a lifelong bond and the God-given framework for family life.

"The DVD has couples speaking of how understanding their natural fertility patterns enriched their marriages, and how love grows and develops as we come to understand God's plan for our family lives.

"Introduced by Archbishop Kevin McDonald of Southwark, this is material which teaches the Christian message – it's aimed at ordinary families and it talks their language. There is a warm, friendly 'everyday' feeling to the message that emerges, both from a priest speaking about God’s love and the original plan for the human race, and from the different families we meet.

"This material would be useful for marriage preparation groups – there’s nothing awkward or embarrassing to watch, everything is treated with a sense of respect and dignity, and the testimony of the families involved is powerful, as they show that the Christian idea is a practical one which works with the realities of human nature.

"Over recent years, it has become apparent that each new Government initiative to prevent sexually-transmitted diseases or reduce family breakdown has failed – because public policy is securely bound to an inaccurate and outdated idea that contraceptive drugs and devices are the absolute foundation of male/female relationships and that marriage is optional. Challenging this is essential – and although we may take some while to break through the ignorance and prejudice apparent at official levels within the State's health and education establishments, we can and must teach at every level within the Church. The Catholic Truth Society is to be commended for taking up the initiative started by Luton Good Counsel and producing this extremely useful teaching material.

"Those training to be priests need to watch this – our diocesan seminaries should obtain copies – and it will be useful for Catholic young adult groups, and for RCIA classes. With the pack comes a useful booklet Questions and Answers on Sex and Marriage [also available separately - Ed.], written by a doctor who draws on the experience of the questions put to him at marriage preparation classes.

"I have had young people complain to me over recent years that marriage preparation in their local parish or diocese was 'simply a lot of slushy talk' with no substance – sometimes the Church's teaching on sex and fertility was glossed over or even made the subject of ridicule. It's time for a change. Here is material that will be of real use as a way forward." - Joanna Bogle, Catholic Times, 4th March 2007