by Theology of the Body Institute
Since the early 90's, author and speaker Christopher West has devoted his life to spreading John Paul II's revolutionary teaching on human life, love, and sexuality: The Theology of the Body. His beloved wife Wendy, mother of their five children, has served as his confidante, friend, and support through these long years of ministry. In this podcast, Christopher and Wendy combine their wisdom to tackle the toughest questions dealing with vocation, sexuality, marriage, and the Catholic faith. Support the mission of Christopher and Theology of the Body Institute by becoming a Patron! Join our Patron Community at TOBPatron.com (http://tobpatron.com/).
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/7/2019
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March 19, 2025
<p>Questions answered this episode:</p> <ol> <li>Hi, Christopher and Wendy, thank you for this podcast and your ministry. It has changed my life. I have a rather delicate question, but I guess I don't know whom else to turn to. I can help you. I've been married for a few years now to my wonderful bride. I have struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence issues since childhood, and that is still the case today. My delicate question concerns the marriage bed and sexual intimacy. In the few years we've been married, my wife has only reached climax 3 or 4 times. This hurts my heart deeply. When I ask what I can do or should do to aid in this, she simply says, I don't know, or it's fine. I don't need the climax. My wife loves me deeply, and the same is true of my love for her, but it bothers me greatly that she won't talk to me about it or that she seems to not care. I feel like less of a man. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.</li> <li>My journey to motherhood has been challenging—seven years of infertility due to PCOS leading to surgery, an unexpected C-section, and last October, an ectopic pregnancy. As I tried to cope with the loss of my baby and feelings of helplessness due to emergency surgery and the loss of a damaged fallopian tube, I felt so embraced by our Mother as this loss coincided with the arrival of Advent, a promise of hope. I almost heard my child say, "Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?" I’m truly grateful for the sacraments, as I have personally felt resurrected from this difficult cross through reconciliation and spiritual guidance. Today during Eucharist on the Feast of the Presentation, I felt compelled to actually give my child to God—to present him. Until now, I felt like God had taken him. Though I see the graces the Lord is giving me, even in my suffering, I do continue to struggle with feelings of isolation as I grieve the loss of my baby and my fallopian tube. How can I overcome the tendency to resent other women, and how do I regain the courage to embrace being open to life when, as the Gospel says, a sword has pierced my heart?</li> <li>I'm a 24-year-old man, and I've been discerning a conversion to the Catholic faith for the past two years. I'm currently in the process of getting confirmed, thanks in no small part to your podcast. Thank you for everything you do and the passion with which you do it. Through my journey into Catholicism, one of the most appealing aspects of the Church has been the communion of saints. The friendship of these extraordinary spiritual leaders has been so impactful to me and has been an incredible source of encouragement. As my confirmation approaches and I consider who I'll choose to be my patron, I've realized that almost every saint I've developed a devotion to is a woman. Women like Saint Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, and Joan of Arc are so insanely powerful, with such varying and glorious expressions of femininity. I find I can't help but be drawn to them. I'm wondering if I have an inordinate attraction to female saints over male saints. Should I get more guy time in my devotions? Is it natural to be drawn to attractive women regardless of centuries-long gaps in time?</li> </ol> <p>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. </p> <hr> <p>🔥 <a href="https://www.tobforfree.com" rel="nofollow">Get 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body</a></p> <p>📕 Get a copy of Christopher's [Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty](<a href="http://www.eatingthesunrise.com" rel="nofollow">www.eatingthesunrise.com</a>)</p> <p>⚡️ Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our <a href="https://tobpatron.com" rel="nofollow">Patron Community</a>!</p> <hr> <p>Submit your question at <a href="http://www.askchristopherwest.com" rel="nofollow">AskChristopherWest.com</a>. </p> <hr> <p>Resources mentioned this week: </p> <p><a href="https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/" rel="nofollow">COURSE SCHEDULE</a></p> <hr> <p>🎥 Check out our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheologyoftheBodyInstitute" rel="nofollow">YouTube Channel</a></p> <p>📚 View our <a href="https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/" rel="nofollow">COURSE SCHEDULE</a> to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!</p> <p>📘 <a href="https://shop.corproject.com/collections/best-sellers/products/good-news-about-sex-and-marriage" rel="nofollow">GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE</a> by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.</p> <p>⛷️ Join Christopher on a ski trip to Utah <a href="https://jp2trails.com/trip/utah-ski-retreat/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a><br> 🏔️ Want to join us on one of our pilgrimages? <a href="http://tobpilgrimages.com/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a></p> <p>🌟 For professional Catholic Life Coaching, including Porn Recovery: <a href="https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/</a></p> <hr> <p>If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow">[email protected]</a></p> <hr> <p>Find Christopher West on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>.<br> Discover the <a href="http://www.tobinstitute.org" rel="nofollow">Theology of the Body Institute</a>.</p> <hr> <p>If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-christopher-west/id1448699486" rel="nofollow">review</a>. Thanks for listening!</p> <hr> <p>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 <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11GI1XK7viPMV36eBBNjxoKqzCENSRVyR1IoLpX6lqrw/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">list of trusted professionals</a>.</p> <p>Featuring music by <a href="https://www.mikemangione.com/" rel="nofollow">Mike Mangione</a>. </p>
March 10, 2025
<p>Questions answered this episode:</p> <ol> <li>I'm a 25-year-old man, called by God to marriage. Two years ago, I met a girl who helped in the same parish as me, and I fell in love with her. After a few months, we spoke about it, but she kindly rejected me. We lost contact, and I went through a deep crisis of faith. I felt abandoned, extremely and hopelessly alone. After a time, I came back to her city, and we served again together in the same parish. Shortly after, she broke up with her boyfriend and asked me to continue our friendship. She made it clear that although she was open to us having a romantic relationship, I should not expect any concrete outcome to the friendship. I accepted the challenge, and for a year, we struggled to learn to love each other as close, tender friends, embracing with all our hearts whatever God would want from us. Together, we tried to follow the example of Francis and Clare of Assisi. Recently, she told me that she felt the call to consecrated virginity and decided to go to another country to discern this more intensely. My heart reacted to this news with immense joy. I experienced my friend’s happiness as my own and felt the grace of God flowing from her heart. This friendship has healed the wound of that hopeless loneliness I felt when she first rejected me. My deepest desire is her happiness, and I know she will find it—whether with Christ or even with another man. But somehow, the secondary desire remains—that she would be the mother of my children and the companion of my dreams. I know we’ve experienced something rare and wonderful, yet I ask myself if any woman will ever fall erotically in love with me. What would your advice be to heal this wound?</li> <li>Is there any Catholic teaching concerning body hair? Is it immoral to be waxed in certain places, considering that it involves exposing oneself to the person doing the waxing? Secondly, I'm in law school and learning about criminal procedure. One of my classes was discussing a rape case and having to collect semen samples from several different suspects. That led to me pondering the morality of collecting semen samples, also like for medical purposes, and what a Catholic approach to that would be in light of our teachings.</li> <li>My husband and I have been married for 20 years, have four kids, and have always used natural family planning. I recently heard on a Catholic podcast that any type of making out is sinful unless it is meant as foreplay and must end in intercourse. I always thought foreplay was morally permissible as long as it does not lead to climax by either person or incomplete sexual intercourse. Could you please clarify? I would hate to think we've been offending God our whole marriage but would rather be corrected now than never.</li> </ol> <p>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. </p> <hr> <p>🔥 <a href="https://www.tobforfree.com" rel="nofollow">Get 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body</a></p> <p>📕 Get a copy of Christopher's [Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty](<a href="http://www.eatingthesunrise.com" rel="nofollow">www.eatingthesunrise.com</a>)</p> <p>⚡️ Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our <a href="https://tobpatron.com" rel="nofollow">Patron Community</a>!</p> <hr> <p>Submit your question at <a href="http://www.askchristopherwest.com" rel="nofollow">AskChristopherWest.com</a>. </p> <hr> <p>Resources mentioned this week: <br> <a href="https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/" rel="nofollow">COURSE SCHEDULE</a><br> <a href="https://www.jp2legacy.org/" rel="nofollow">JPII Legacy Foundation Website</a><br> <a href="https://shop.corproject.com/products/good-news-about-sex-and-marriage" rel="nofollow">Good News About Sex & Marriage</a></p> <hr> <p>🎥 Check out our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheologyoftheBodyInstitute" rel="nofollow">YouTube Channel</a></p> <p>📚 View our <a href="https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/" rel="nofollow">COURSE SCHEDULE</a> to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!</p> <p>📘 <a href="https://shop.corproject.com/collections/best-sellers/products/good-news-about-sex-and-marriage" rel="nofollow">GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE</a> by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.</p> <p>⛷️ Join Christopher on a ski trip to Utah <a href="https://jp2trails.com/trip/utah-ski-retreat/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a><br> 🏔️ Want to join us on one of our pilgrimages? <a href="http://tobpilgrimages.com/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a></p> <p>🌟 For professional Catholic Life Coaching, including Porn Recovery: <a href="https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/</a></p> <hr> <p>If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow">[email protected]</a></p> <hr> <p>Find Christopher West on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>.<br> Discover the <a href="http://www.tobinstitute.org" rel="nofollow">Theology of the Body Institute</a>.</p> <hr> <p>If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-christopher-west/id1448699486" rel="nofollow">review</a>. Thanks for listening!</p> <hr> <p>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 <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11GI1XK7viPMV36eBBNjxoKqzCENSRVyR1IoLpX6lqrw/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">list of trusted professionals</a>.</p> <p>Featuring music by <a href="https://www.mikemangione.com/" rel="nofollow">Mike Mangione</a>. </p>
March 3, 2025
<p>Questions answered this episode:</p> <ol> <li>I recently gave birth to our first baby. My plan going in was to have a natural, unmedicated birth. There's something beautiful, especially from a Catholic perspective, about the pain of childbirth that brings new life into the world, a reflection of Christ's suffering on the cross. Many of my Catholic friends have had this type of birth, and I came across a lot of women on social media who advocate for this type of birth, saying, "Your body was made for this." This was my plan, but of course, nothing goes according to plan, especially when it comes to labor. I ended up getting an epidural and going on Pitocin after a stalled 24-hour labor. I was really disappointed, and when I tell others about my labor and how I got an epidural, I feel a sense of shame and guilt that I took the easy way out, that I couldn't do it without medication, that I did something wrong in not allowing my body to birth on its own. Now I'm one of those moms who had a hospital medicated birth and not a natural birth. Can theology of the body help me come to terms with my medicated birth and see the beauty of my body and what it can do even in this type of birth?</li> <li>If you read this, I am desperate. My wife is so hurt, and I do not know what to do because I'm the one who hurt her. Years of pornography use coming out, facing up to it. We're trying to heal, but I just don't know what to do. I don't know who to talk to about this in my real life. I'm incredibly angry with my parents for not helping me when I was younger. I'm angry with myself for not fessing up to it sooner and being afraid to face it. I stopped masturbation years ago, but it was only more recently that I truly began to be honest with my wife about what was going on in the past. And the hurt is so painful. We have a 2-year-old and another on the way. Please pray for our family. Bless you.</li> <li>My sister purchased your TOB intro video series and has since facilitated the course, bringing it to over 100 people. I've started reading all about John Paul II. He's amazing, and we'd both love to learn theology of the body in more depth and continue to spread it to others. I purchased a few TOB books to circulate among friends. However, it's quite pricey to buy books and to seek studying TOB courses ourselves. So I'm wondering whether you ever have sponsorship available for study or discounts for buying bulk resources such as books. I'm especially thinking about my sister as she's very intelligent and passionate about TOB, as well as being a gifted coordinator. I think she's seriously considering and praying about getting involved in TOB ministry for the future. This year she'll be busy completing her theology bachelor's degree. I know she'd love to hear if you have any advice on where she should complete future study, or if there are any courses which are on the cheaper side of things she could fundraise for. If nothing else, be encouraged by the ripple effects of your ministry. God's brought it all the way to us in New Zealand, and a large group of Protestants and cradle Catholics are captivated by the beauty of TOB, catalyzing them to seek out the Catholic faith with a genuine excitement to know the good news.</li> </ol> <p>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. </p> <hr> <p>🔥 <a href="https://www.tobforfree.com" rel="nofollow">Get 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body</a></p> <p>📕 Get a copy of Christopher's [Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty](<a href="http://www.eatingthesunrise.com" rel="nofollow">www.eatingthesunrise.com</a>)</p> <p>⚡️ Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our <a href="https://tobpatron.com" rel="nofollow">Patron Community</a>!</p> <hr> <p>Submit your question at <a href="http://www.askchristopherwest.com" rel="nofollow">AskChristopherWest.com</a>. </p> <hr> <p>Resources mentioned this week: <br> Join Christopher on a ski trip to Utah <a href="https://jp2trails.com/trip/utah-ski-retreat/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a><br> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11GI1XK7viPMV36eBBNjxoKqzCENSRVyR1IoLpX6lqrw/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">List of trusted counselors & psychologists</a><br> <a href="https://www.thealexanderhouse.org/" rel="nofollow">The Alexander House</a><br> <a href="https://marriagemissionaries.org/" rel="nofollow">Marriage Missionaries</a><br> <a href="https://www.jp2legacy.org/" rel="nofollow">JPII Legacy Foundation Website</a><br> [Hannah’s contact](<a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow">[email protected]</a>)<br> [Mike Mangione, director of events contact](<a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow">[email protected]</a>)</p> <hr> <p>🎥 Check out our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheologyoftheBodyInstitute" rel="nofollow">YouTube Channel</a></p> <p>📚 View our <a href="https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/" rel="nofollow">COURSE SCHEDULE</a> to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!</p> <p>📘 <a href="https://shop.corproject.com/collections/best-sellers/products/good-news-about-sex-and-marriage" rel="nofollow">GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE</a> by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.</p> <p>⛷️ Join Christopher on a ski trip to Utah <a href="https://jp2trails.com/trip/utah-ski-retreat/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a><br> 🏔️ Want to join us on one of our pilgrimages? <a href="http://tobpilgrimages.com/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a></p> <p>🌟 For professional Catholic Life Coaching, including Porn Recovery: <a href="https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.stevemotylcoaching.com/</a></p> <hr> <p>If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow">[email protected]</a></p> <hr> <p>Find Christopher West on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>.<br> Discover the <a href="http://www.tobinstitute.org" rel="nofollow">Theology of the Body Institute</a>.</p> <hr> <p>If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-christopher-west/id1448699486" rel="nofollow">review</a>. Thanks for listening!</p> <hr> <p>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 <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/11GI1XK7viPMV36eBBNjxoKqzCENSRVyR1IoLpX6lqrw/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">list of trusted professionals</a>.</p> <p>Featuring music by <a href="https://www.mikemangione.com/" rel="nofollow">Mike Mangione</a>. </p>
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