Our Sources

What it is: The inspired Word of God — the Bible with all 73 books of the Catholic canon (46 Old Testament, 27 New Testament).

Why it matters: Scripture is the foundation of all Catholic teaching. When you ask about love, relationships, or moral questions, we can point you to relevant biblical passages and explain them in context.

What it is: The official summary of Catholic faith and teaching, covering what Catholics believe, how we worship, how we should live, and how we pray.

Why it matters: When you wonder what the Church teaches about dating, marriage, chastity, or any aspect of Christian life, the Catechism provides clear, authoritative answers — all 2,865 paragraphs of it.

What it is: St. Thomas Aquinas's comprehensive work of Catholic theology (13th century), covering God, creation, human nature, virtues, Christ, and the sacraments.

Why it matters: When you want to understand the "why" behind Church teaching — the philosophical and theological reasoning — St. Thomas provides deep wisdom on love, virtue, human nature, and the moral life.

What it is: The official laws and regulations of the Catholic Church, covering everything from sacramental requirements to church structure.

Why it matters: When you have questions about getting married in the Church, annulments, requirements for sacraments, or what the Church requires for valid marriage, Canon Law provides the specific answers.

What it is: Official instructions for celebrating the Mass and sacraments.

Why it matters: Understanding the liturgy helps you prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage and appreciate how the Mass expresses the Church's faith about Christ's presence and love.

What it is: On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World — addressing marriage, conjugal love, responsible parenthood, education of children, and the family's role in the Church and society.

Why it matters: The definitive modern statement on what the Christian family is called to be.

What it is: The Gospel of Life — on the value and inviolability of human life, addressing abortion, euthanasia, and the culture of life versus the culture of death.

Why it matters: Understanding the dignity of every human life is essential to understanding authentic love.

What it is: The Splendor of Truth — on fundamental questions of Catholic moral teaching, addressing freedom, law, conscience, and the relationship between faith and morality.

Why it matters: You cannot love well without understanding truth. This encyclical grounds moral decision-making in the reality of who we are.

What it is: God Is Love — on Christian love in its various dimensions: eros and agape, God's love for humanity, and the Church's charitable activity.

Why it matters: The essential starting point for understanding what love actually is — and isn't.

What it is: The Joy of Love — on love in the family, following the Synods on the Family, addressing marriage preparation, accompaniment, and pastoral care.

Why it matters: A contemporary pastoral reflection on the beauty and challenges of family life today.

What it is: On Christian Marriage — a foundational encyclical on the nature and dignity of marriage, the blessings and duties of married life, and threats to the sanctity of marriage.

Why it matters: A cornerstone document for Catholic marriage teaching that remains remarkably relevant.

What it is: Christ Is Alive — addressed to young people and the entire People of God, covering youth vocation, discernment, accompaniment, and the call to holiness in young adulthood.

Why it matters: Speaks directly to the young adults FAFE serves about finding their path in faith and love.

What it is: On the Dignity and Vocation of Women — exploring the feminine genius, the meaning of womanhood in Scripture, and the complementarity of men and women in God's plan.

Why it matters: Essential for understanding the equal dignity and unique gifts of women in relationships and the Church.

What it is: Letter to Families — addressing the civilization of love, the nuptial meaning of the body, responsible parenthood, and education within the family.

Why it matters: A deeply personal letter from a pope who understood that the family is the heart of civilization.

What it is: Guardian of the Redeemer — on the person and mission of St. Joseph in the life of Christ and the Church.

Why it matters: A model of masculine virtue, fatherhood, and spousal love for every man discerning marriage.

What it is: Guidelines for parents and educators on forming young people in human sexuality according to Catholic teaching.

Why it matters: Addresses stages of development, parental rights and duties, and age-appropriate formation in chastity and love — essential for Before Forever.

What it is: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World — covering human dignity, community, marriage and family, culture, economics, and peace.

Why it matters: Paragraphs 48-52 contain essential Catholic teaching on marriage and are central to our marriage preparation content.

What it is: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church — addressing the mystery of the Church, the People of God, the universal call to holiness, and the role of the laity.

Why it matters: Understanding your identity as a member of the Church is foundational to understanding your vocation.

What it is: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation — addressing the nature of revelation, its transmission through Scripture and Tradition, and the interpretation of Sacred Scripture.

Why it matters: How we know what God has revealed — the foundation for trusting Church teaching.

What it is: Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy — addressing principles for liturgical celebration, the Eucharist, sacraments, sacred music, and art.

Why it matters: The liturgy is the summit and source of the Christian life — including the Sacrament of Marriage.

What it is: Declaration on Christian Education — addressing the universal right to education, the role of parents as primary educators, and Catholic schools.

Why it matters: Parents are the first educators. This document grounds our Before Forever parent workshops.

What it is: A series of 129 teaching sessions by Pope St. John Paul II (1979-1984) that explains God's beautiful plan for human sexuality, marriage, and the body.

Why it matters: This is the Church's most comprehensive teaching on relationships, love, and sexuality. It explains why the body matters, what authentic love looks like, and how marriage images God's love for us.

What it is: A comprehensive framework developed at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences (now Divine Mercy University) that integrates Catholic philosophical and theological anthropology with modern psychological science.

Why it matters: This framework is foundational to our approach to relationship coaching. Rather than treating psychological insights and faith as separate domains, the Meta-Model shows how Catholic wisdom about human nature, virtue, healing, and flourishing can be integrated with evidence-based psychological understanding. It guides how we understand attachment wounds, emotional health, virtue development, and relational growth.

What it is: Practical wisdom from years of Catholic dating and relationship ministry, combining Church teaching with real-world experience helping hundreds of young adults.

Why it matters: Church documents are true and beautiful, but sometimes you need practical advice on modern challenges: how to set boundaries on a date, what green and red flags look like, how to heal from attachment wounds, navigating dating apps as a Catholic, and more.