The following content is provided solely for your information and should not be interpreted as an official endorsement of the resources listed. To the best of our knowledge, the information listed here did not conflict with Catholic teaching and was accurate at the time of posting.

 

Marriage in Theology

• Compendium on the Family and Human Life from the Pontifical Council for the Family
  Compilation of Papal teaching on life, marriage, and family
• Theology of the Body by John Paul II
  Collection of audiences in which the Holy Father laid out a comprehensive theology of the body and its nuptial meaning.
• Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II)
  Based on his extensive pastoral experience with married couples, this book sets out JPII’s personalistic viewpoint on human love and sexuality.
• Not Just Good, But Beautiful
  A compilation of academic papers from the Humanum conference in Rome in 2014, including Pope Francis’ opening remarks. This work is ecumenical and interreligious in scope.
• Three to Get Married by Fulton Sheen
  Classic text examining the relationship of the married couple and God.

Philosophy/Law on the Meaning of Marriage

• 20 Answers: Marriage & Sex by Catholic Answers
  This is an apologetics resource from Catholic Answers with twenty common questions about the meaning of sexuality and marriage with easy-to-read answers.
• Debating Same-Sex Marriage by John Corvino and Maggie Gallagher
  In this debate-book, both Corvino and Gallagher put forth what they consider the best arguments for their side of the issue and refute the others’ position.
• Defending Marriage by Anthony Esolen
  The Dante scholar from Providence College lays out “Twelve Arguments for Sanity” regarding marriage.
• Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty edited by Douglas Laycock, Anthony Picarello, Jr., and Robin Fretwell Wilson
  A focused look at the American legal system and the possible effects of marriage redefinition on religious freedom.
• Truth Overruled by Ryan Anderson
  An analysis of the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges and its implications for culture and religious freedom in America.
• What is Marriage? Man & Woman: A Defense by Shirif Girgis, Ryan Anderson and Robert George
  A philosophical approach to the question: What is Marriage? This book was referenced by two Supreme Court Justices in their dissents from the decisions on marriage in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
• What We Can’t Not Know by J. Budziszewski
  An exploration of natural law without using the conventional language for it.
• Why Not Same-Sex Marriage by Daniel Heimbach
  An extensive index of the most common arguments for the redefinition of marriage with simplicity and clarity.

Sociology on Marriage and Parenting

• Do Fathers Matter? by Paul Raeburn
  A sociological and evolutionary perspective on the role of fathers in their children’s lives.
• Jephthah’s Daughters: Innocent casualties in the war for ‘family equality’ edited by Robert Oscar Lopez and Rivka Edelman
  First-person narratives from a number of adults who grew up in households with same-sex couples or in which one or the other parent were living a homosexual or “transgender” lifestyle.

Parenting Resources

• Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues by Leila Miller with Trent Horn
  This book handles hot-button issues with clarity and truth and can help parents navigate these conversations with their kids. It helpfully separates the conversations between younger and older children, getting more detailed as the children grow up and have more serious questions.

Pastoral Care for People with Same-Sex Attraction

• Homosexuality and the Catholic Church: Clear Answers to Difficult Questions by Fr. John Harvey
  The priest who began the ministry of Courage examines pastoral challenges in question-and-answer form.
• Living the Truth in Love: Pastoral Approaches to Same-Sex Attraction edited by Janet E. Smith and Fr. Paul Check
  A compilation of theological writings, pastoral essays, and testimonials about same-sex attraction and the Church.
• Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care
  Statement from the USCCB in 2006.
• Courage International Chaplain Handbook

Literature, Drama, and Other Resources

• Brave New Family by G.K. Chesterton
  Compilation of essays by Chesterton on family life.
• By Love Refined by Alice von Hildebrand
  Collection of letters to a young bride
• The Jeweler’s Shop by Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II)
  A play that explores human love and marriage.
• That Hideous Strength by C.S.Lewis
  Marriage plays an important role in this book in Lewis’s Space Trilogy
• Wing to Wing, Oar to Oar edited by Amy and Leon Kass
  Selections from literature and essays that explore sexual difference, love, and marriage.