Are you preparing for marriage or simply curious about what the Catholic Church really teaches about it? In this powerful conversation, Fr. Shenan Boquet discusses the beauty of marriage and the Catholic teaching on this covenant reveals about God's love for mankind.

Fr. Boquet unpacks Humanae Vitae, Sacred Scripture, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to reveal marriage as a free, total, faithful, and fruitful covenant.

Topics in this episode:

• Why marriage reflects God’s love for His people
• The 4 aspects of marriage as found in Humanae Vitae (free, total, faithful, fruitful)
• How conjugal love renews the wedding vows
• Why fruitfulness matters in God’s design
• The link between marriage and understanding God’s love

👰🤵 Whether you’re newly engaged, married for decades, or simply seeking clarity, this episode provides timeless wisdom and encouragement.

👉 Don’t miss next week’s follow-up episode, where we dive into natural family planning and the Church’s teaching on contraception.

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📢 Support HLI's mission to train pro-life leaders around the world: Give the world another pro-life leader | Human Life International

Help us proclaim the truth about life, family, and human dignity.

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Living the Culture of Life

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:30 What Does the Church Teach About Marriage?

05:41 Free Love

08:15 Total Love

12:14 Faithful Love

18:46 Marriage & Your Relationship with God

33:39 Why Cohabitation is Wrong

24:38 Fruitful Love

32:02 Sex Renews Marriage Vows

36:32 Types of Fruit

39:45 Our World Needs Models!

42:55 Are Catholics Called to Have as Many Children as Possible?

59:59 Send Us Your Questions!

The surrogacy industry is projected to explode from $14.95 billion in 2023 to nearly $100 billion by 2033—but at what cost to women and children?

On this episode, Fr. Shenan Boquet unpacks a groundbreaking United Nations report by Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem, which condemns and exposes the surrogacy industry.

The report exposes how commercial and so-called “altruistic” surrogacy exploit women, commodify children, and fuel human trafficking—calling the practice a form of modern slavery and demanding a global ban.

Fr. Boquet explains:

• Why Pope Francis and the UN unexpectedly share the same urgent warning
• How surrogacy contracts violate the rights of women and children
• The hidden connection between IVF, contraception, and surrogacy
• Practical ways pro-life advocates can educate others and defend human dignity

If you’ve ever wondered how to answer tough questions about surrogacy, infertility, and the Catholic Church’s teaching on human life, this episode gives you the facts, the science, and the moral clarity.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Read the UN report on surrogacy (Reem Alsalem): Report of the Special Rapporteur

• Fr. Boquet’s Spirit & Life article: Surrogacy as Modern Slavery | Human Life International

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🎧 Listen Anywhere You Get Podcasts

Full episodes available on all major platforms: Spotify, Apple, Google, and more.

🎙️ Or listen directly on our website: https://hli.org

Help us proclaim the truth about life, family, and human dignity.

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What REALLY happened when the FDA approved the abortion pill?

Obviously, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should never have approved a drug intended to kill an innocent preborn child. However, real-world data shows that the abortion pill also poses serious health risks for the mother as well.

Pro-abortion advocates claim to care about women's health. So, how did such a dangerous drug ever receive FDA approval?

Today’s episode dives into a complex and eye-opening investigation into the FDA's approval of the abortion pill combination of mifepristone (RU-486) and misoprostol. Researcher Teresa Marsano joins us to reveal how a web of politics, pharmaceutical deals, and population control strategies converged to push the drug onto the U.S. market—and ultimately around the world.

As you listen, you’ll hear how the abortion pill’s approval involved unusual regulatory shortcuts for RU486, a second drug (misoprostol) used off-label, and real-world data that paints a very different picture than what the public (and abortion-vulnerable women) have been told. Teresa also traces how U.S. government, the Population Council, and the World Health Organization viewed FDA approval as the gateway to distributing the abortion pill globally.

This conversation covers a lot of ground—history, science, law, and ethics—so keep the big picture in mind: how pressure on the FDA led to unusual regulatory practices with profound implications for women’s health and population policy.

As with all guests, Teresa Marsano's views are her own and not necessarily reflective of HLI.

Teresa's first episode on Living a Culture of Life podcast: How Abortion Pill Vendors Violate Public Health Laws | Teresa Marsano

Download your FREE eBook to find out more about the United States' depopulation agenda: Uncover the Global Depopulation Project (Funded With Your Tax Dollars!) | Human Life International

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In this episode, Fr. Shenan Boquet discusses how Catholics can respond to tragedy and live as witnesses to the hope of Christ in a world that often rejects God and human dignity. From school shootings and senseless violence to the anniversary of 9/11, this conversation explores how the City of God and the City of Man (St. Augustine’s framework) can help us understand today’s culture and guide us to be faithful disciples.

Fr. Boquet shares insights on:

• How Christians can find peace and strength in times of tragedy.
• The meaning of St. Augustine’s City of God vs. City of Man.
• Why persecution—both big and small—is part of the Christian journey.
• The importance of practicing God’s presence daily.
• Practical ways Catholics can be light in the darkness and bring the culture of life into the culture of death.

Fr. Shenan Boquet's Spirit & Life article: The City of God and The City of Man | Human Life International

Living the Culture of Life

In this episode, Dr. Joe Zalot, Staff Ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), joins us to explore one of the most pressing moral questions in modern healthcare: Can Catholics ethically participate in organ donation?

Dr. Zalot unpacks what the Catholic Church teaches about organ donation, focusing on three key principles:

1. The donor must be truly dead before vital organs are removed.
2. Free and informed consent must be given.
3. Donation must always be understood as a gift, never a commercial exchange.

This episode covers:

• The Catholic view of brain death and why it remains controversial.
• The difference between neurological criteria (brain death) and circulatory death (DCD).
• Why “moral certitude” is essential before proceeding with organ procurement.
• Ethical concerns with recent American Academy of Neurology brain death guidelines (2023).
• What Catholics should know before signing up as an organ donor.
• How to make informed decisions about end-of-life care and transplants.
• Whether or not vital organ donation is prudent in today's medical system

Dr. Zalot also highlights the importance of informed consent, the problem of automatic organ donor enrollment in some countries, and practical advice for Catholic families navigating these decisions.

Do you have a question about the ethics of specific medical situations? Check out the National Catholic Bioethics Center's 24-hour consultation service: Consultation Submission Form — The National Catholic Bioethics Center

In this deeply moving episode of Living a Culture of Life, we welcome back Leigh Ann Woznica to share her testimony of transformation—from having three abortions, struggling with guilt and trauma, and choosing life for her daughter, to ultimately finding healing through Christ.

Leigh Ann courageously opens up about:

• Her childhood and the fear that led to her first abortion at age 15.
• How multiple abortions impacted her emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
• The moment she chose life for her daughter, despite incredibly difficult circumstances.
• Her path to sobriety, faith in Christ, and involvement in the pro-life movement.
• Why post-abortive healing and forgiveness are critical for women and families.
• How she turned her passion for natural living into Rebirth Body Butters, a skincare company that donates a portion of every sale to pro-life organizations.

Key Themes:

• Post-abortive healing and forgiveness
• The importance of pregnancy resource centers
• Finding true support for women in crisis pregnancies
• Using business as a platform for pro-life advocacy

Resources & Links:

• Support Leigh Ann’s business: ReBirth Body Butters (Use code HLI20 for 20% off)
• Watch Leigh Ann’s previous testimony on IVF and the dark side of the fertility industry: Undergoing 4 Rounds of IVF: My Journey | Leigh Ann Woznica

In this episode, Fr. Shenan Boquet shares powerful insights on the Catholic teaching of the domestic church. He explains why strong families are the key to addressing broader cultural issues, and why spiritual growth within the home is essential for helping one another reach Heaven.

Fr. Boquet discusses:

• What the Catholic Church means by “domestic church”
• How strengthening families heals cultural problems
• The role of personal spiritual life within marriage
• Practical ways for spouses to pray together
• Navigating differences in spirituality within marriage
• How parents can guide children into a deeper relationship with Christ
• How grandparents can influence the faith of grandchildren, even when children have fallen away

Key Takeaway: Families are the cells of society. When families are spiritually strong, culture is transformed.

This episode is essential listening for Catholic couples, parents, and grandparents who want to build strong families of faith, prayer, and love.

Read Fr. Boquet's Spirit & Life article here: The Domestic Church: How Catholic Families Can Renew the World | Human Life International

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Help us proclaim the truth about life, family, and human dignity.

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How is the culture of death impacting the United Kingdom? On this episode, Fr. Boquet breaks down the spread of assisted dying and euthanasia in the UK and Ireland.

Earlier this year, the UK House of Commons passed the “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill”, moving the country one step closer to legalizing assisted suicide. The bill now sits with the House of Lords and—if passed—would mark a dangerous shift in UK law by amending the 1961 Suicide Act.

Father Boquet warns this is the same incremental strategy used in other nations like Canada to normalize assisted suicide and euthanasia. Despite claims that the "slippery slope" isn't real, it's clear that so-called "restrictions" always quickly give way to widespread acceptance.

But the UK isn’t the only concern. In Ireland, while assisted suicide remains illegal, Father Boquet shares disturbing reports from his recent mission trip: questionable end-of-life practices, conversations that hint at euthanasia, and a lack of public awareness about the legislative push to normalize assisted suicide.

Besides the obvious threat to life and human dignity, Fr. Boquet also explains how this cultural shift reflects a loss of the true meaning of compassion. Normalizing assisted suicide erodes the family’s role in caring for the elderly. The modern world idolizes autonomy and rejects human dignity. Father also offers practical pastoral strategies for discussing difficult end-of-life issues before a crisis hits—and calls listeners to action both in Europe and in the United States.

If you care about the dignity of life from conception to natural death, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.