Ask Christopher West

How does being born out of wedlock and raised in two homes impact my place in the Church? I'm husband has confessed pornography addiction and infidelity. . . I want to be faithful to my vows, but I don't know if I should seek an annulment. Christopher, what are you reading currently? Any recommendations? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

How do you remain authentic when being true to yourself causes isolation? Do you have any advice for someone who is more attracted to comfort than greatness? How can sexual desire truly be oriented towards love for the other? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

What does the Church say about tattoos? Is a marriage valid if it is never consumated? What does it mean that celibacy is a "higher calling" than marriage? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

How can I be merciful to myself for sinning when I was raised so well, in such a loving family? I understand the philosophical definition of love as willing the good of the other, but what does it truly mean to love someone theologically? What is the difference between lust and admiration? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! Restore the Glory: Sexual Healing with Christopher West Restore the Glory: Sexual Healing with Christopher West. . . Continued If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

How can my wife and I grow in intimacy during periods of abstinence? What is the difference between Jewish marriage and Catholic marriage? Why does Jesus call God "Father" if God is neither male nor female? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

How can I lead my partner deeper in the faith when her faith is already deeper than my own? What is the Catholic Church's teaching on circumcision? Do you have any advice for ministering to men who struggle with sexual sin? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! More on the meaning of Circumcision If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

Does sexual union in our fallen world inherently "defile" the man and the woman? How do I balance longing for eternity and cherishing the things of this world? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

I'm afraid my wife feels that my love is conditional based on her physical appearance. . . what should I do? What happens to celibate's sexual desires? Why are marriage and holy orders sacraments but not religious life for sisters, brothers, and consecrated singles? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! Order your copy of God Is Beauty by Karol Wojtyla If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

My son attends Oxford Highschool where there was a recent shooting – he is unharmed but struggling to process the horrors of what happened. Do you have any advice? Believing that Catholicism is "the ultimate religion" makes me uncomfortable. How can we be sure that Catholicism is the correct interpretation of Christ's life? Do you have a list of good movies? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: Get a FREE e-book from Christopher West Theology of the Body at the Movies View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! Professor Destroys Relativism in 4 Minutes! If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.

Are Adam and Eve saints? When does desiring a romantic relationship become lustful, especially when using dating apps? What do you recommend for the healing and increase of desire for marital intimacy? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karoly Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English. Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community! Patron Question: Are Adam and Eve saints? What about Cain, Abel, and Seth? If they are saints, was their gaining death in the garden merely the loss of the supernatural gift of immortality, or also a rupture in their relationship with God they later had to repent of to mend their relationship with God so they could die in his grace? Question 2: Dear Christopher and Wendy, I, a 25-year-old male, ended a long-term relationship just over a year ago and a significant reason was my former girlfriend's intent on using contraception in marriage. Shortly after, I came to this podcast for strength, education, and support and I’m confident in that decision. Thank you for your work and passionate responses to all of us listeners. My question comes about dating apps. In short, do you think it's a good idea? Long version, I recently downloaded a dating app after being against them for so long, and it's the first time it's lasted on my phone for more than 24 hours. I am ready to date again, and I want to find a future spouse. But when does it become lustful in wanting a girlfriend? I find myself giving in to temptation, and sometimes the desire of having a new relationship and the experiences that come with that seem lustful to me. Thanks for your thoughts on this. Qestion 3: Christopher and Wendy, we love you! God bless you guys with a most special blessing. You guys have been a great blessing in our life and in our marriage. My wife and I have been married for 4 years. We feel we have a very strong marriage. We’re happy, strong in our Catholic faith, raising 3 kids together. We want to grow in all areas continually but the one area we feel that is lacking is "her intimacy." She, my wife, wants her sexual desire towards me to be stronger and wants to be more loving during sex. We have revealed everything to each other about our past sexual experiences because we wanted to hold nothing back from each other before we got married. (When I heard you say this on the podcast I was so glad to hear that I did the right thing to expose my past self). Her first sexual experience was not a good one. She was also 14 at the time and there were other sexual partners after that also. She says the times she experienced sexual desire was at the beginning of a relationship with someone new. I feel that in our marriage she “does it to please me." We’ve been reading Theology of the Body and listening to your podcasts. I long for her intimacy and more of her presence during our love making. We talk about it together rather often now and she is open to ways to help or resolve whatever the issue may be. Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com. Resources mentioned this week: View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON! Check out the John Paul II Healing Center Be Restored: Healing Our Sexual Wounds through Jesus’ Merciful Love by Dr. Bob Schuchts Naked Surrender: Coming Home to Our True Sexuality by Andrew Comiskey If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram. Discover the Theology of the Body Institute. If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals. Featuring music by Mike Mangione.