Ask Christopher West – Details, episodes & analysis

1. I want a husband who only has eyes for me. Am I wrong for feeling hurt and insecure when men—especially married ones—speak lustfully about other women?
2. I love my fiancée, but I feel guilty when my body reacts sexually during affection. Am I letting things go too far, or is this out of my control?
3. My marriage feels one-sided and painful. I feel used in sex and emotionally unseen. Despite trying everything, I’m losing hope—what should I do?

Resources:
COURSE SCHEDULE

---

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.

Questions answered this episode:

---

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body⁠⁠⁠

📕 ⁠⁠⁠Get a copy of Christopher's Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty⁠⁠⁠

⚡️ 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 here!⁠

---

🎥 Check out our ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

📚 View our ⁠⁠COURSE SCHEDULE⁠⁠ to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

📘 ⁠⁠GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE⁠⁠ by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.

🏔️ ⁠⁠Join us on one of our pilgrimages!⁠⁠

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: ⁠⁠michele@tobinstitute.org⁠⁠

⁠List of trusted counselors & psychologists⁠

1. If spiritual beauty is deeper and more important, does aesthetic beauty still have value? And why do we emphasize it with fashion or makeup?
2. After embracing modesty through TOB, I feel convicted not to wear a revealing bridesmaid dress for a Catholic wedding. How do I honor my conscience without offending my cousin?
3. Sex feels clinical and disconnected while trying to conceive. Am I wrong to want emotional connection even when we’re being practical?

Resources:
TOBI Event Calendar

Love & Responsibility YouTube Series

---

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body⁠⁠⁠

📕 ⁠⁠⁠Get a copy of Christopher's Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty⁠⁠⁠

⚡️ 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 here!⁠

---

🎥 Check out our ⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

📚 View our ⁠⁠COURSE SCHEDULE⁠⁠ to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

📘 ⁠⁠GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE⁠⁠ by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.

🏔️ ⁠⁠Join us on one of our pilgrimages!⁠⁠

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: ⁠⁠michele@tobinstitute.org⁠⁠

⁠List of trusted counselors & psychologists⁠

Questions answered this episode:

1. At a recent funeral, people spoke about God's perfect timing in death, but I wondered, isn't death, the separation of body and soul, a result of the fall? Doesn't God's will have both a perfect and permissive side, given our fallen world and freedom to choose? Wouldn’t God prefer us to live forever, body and soul, rather than just our souls going to heaven? Can you help me understand all of this in the context of Theology of the Body?
2. I was discussing sexuality with my atheist friend when she asked why the Church says masturbation is wrong. She then compared her body to a Ferrari, claiming she worked hard to take care of it and should be able to enjoy it alone. I was left speechless. What does the Church and Theology of the Body say about this?
3. I’ve been practicing NFP with my husband since our marriage, but I’m struggling with my conscience. He wants to wait a year before trying to conceive, while I feel ready to start our family. I worry that NFP is being treated like contraception. I’m also feeling lonely and disconnected, especially since it’s easy to abstain for weeks. How do I talk to my husband about this, and am I wrong to think NFP isn't right for us right now?

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body⁠⁠

📕 ⁠⁠Get a copy of Christopher's Eating the Sunrise: Meditations on the Liturgy & Our Hunger for Beauty⁠⁠

⚡️ 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

---

🎥 Check out our ⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠

📚 View our ⁠COURSE SCHEDULE⁠ to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

📘 ⁠GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE⁠ by Christopher West. Use discount code MARRIAGE during checkout for 20% off one or multiple copies.

🏔️ ⁠Join us on one of our pilgrimages!⁠

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended on this podcast, contact: ⁠michele@tobinstitute.org⁠

-Question 1: I'm a bodybuilder, and I see both the good and the bad in this pursuit. Is there a way to integrate my life of faith with my passion for bodybuilding?
-Question 2: I went through a life-threatening condition during childbirth that is making my husband and me reconsider how we approach sexual intimacy. Do you have any advice?
-Question 3: I recently started an intentional relationship, and I know that at some point we'll need to have more intimate conversations. Do you have any advice on how to talk about sex without it being an occasion for 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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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 copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol Wojtyla/John Paul II. Available now for the first time in English.
• Pope Paul VI Institute: FertilityCare and NaProTechnology
• Good News About Sex & Marriage YouTube Playlist
• GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended 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.

• Sexual abuse is a punishment almost worse than death. How can TOB explain that Jesus truly understands the deep pain endured by people who have suffered sexual abuse?
• I'm a young adult man drawn to a friend. I am not as physically attracted to her. Is physical attraction less important than other aspects?
• Was woman punished more severly than man after the fall?

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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:

“When the hour had come for him to fulfill the Father’s plan of love, Jesus allows a glimpse of the boundless depth of his filial prayer.” We see this depth “in his last words from the Cross, where prayer and the gift of self are but one … until the ‘loud cry’ as he expires, giving up his spirit. All the troubles, for all time, of humanity enslaved by sin and death, all the petitions and intercessions of salvation history are summed up in this cry of the incarnate Word. Here the Father accepts them and, beyond all hope, answers them by raising his Son. Thus is fulfilled and brought to completion the drama of prayer in the economy of creation and salvation” (CCC 2605-2606).

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended 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 want to honor my children’s gender while not imposing gender stereotypes on them. Are there any activities, clothes or toys that should be kept exclusively to a specific gender?
• I had sex with the woman I intend to marry. We’ve both repented and gone to confession. Is there still hope that our relationship will lead to a holy marriage?
• I’ve struggled with porn and lust since I was a teenager. I’m approaching 40 now and I’m a husband and father. How do I get to the point where attractiveness becomes an occasion of grace instead of an occasion of 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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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:

Flannery O'Connor Conversation

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended 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.

• Is there a bad type of eros or is this only a form of porneia?
• I had a vasectomy because my wife had a heart condition that would put her life at risk if she happened to get pregnant. I went to a priest and he left me feeling hopeless. Was the way he reacted consistent with gravity of the mistake we made as a couple?
• Sometimes painful memories from past relationships come to mind and I feel like I’m betraying God. Is this normal?

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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:

Saint Paul VI Institute
The Dark Night: Psychological Experience and Spiritual Reality by Marc Foley

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended 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 wife and I practice Natural Family Planning. She thinks it’s unfair that the only time she has any interest in sex is during times of fertility. She also thinks that the Church’s stance is anti-woman. How can I respond to her?
• I’ve struggled with loving my body and feeling feminine. Do you have any insights?
• I’m a husband discerning diaconate. What does the TOB has to say about marriage and holy orders as a deacon.

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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:

Sweden Video

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recommended 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’ve heard that couples should have a short engagement so as to not fall into sexual sin. What are your thoughts?
• Would artificial conception be permissible in the case of illness?
• Both vocations to marriage and celibacy are a call to sacrifice. How can I discern properly if I have a profound desire to give my life completely to God?

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

Cruise Promo

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.

• Is finding out the sex of your child in the womb wrong?
• I belong to a protestant group ministry and several of our members have been hurt by one of the ministry leaders who constantly objectifies men and women. Do you have any advice?
• I’m a young adult that studied business and worked in a top tier firm. The demands of the work made it very hard to take care of my personal life so I decided to leave after knowing it was the right thing to do. I’m currently facing criticism from those close to me. How can I look at this with TOB eyes?

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 3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on Theology of the Body!

Get a copy of God Is Beauty, A Retreat on the Gospel and Art by Karol 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:

Our Bodies Tell God's Story: Discovering the Divine Plan for Love, Sex and Gender

OUR BODIES PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL STUDY GUIDE

View our COURSE SCHEDULE to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!

GOOD NEWS ABOUT SEX & MARRIAGE by Christopher West

Join Christopher and Wendy on the TOB Institute’s “St. Therese & the Little Way” Seine River Cruise in France from Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2023 (optional pre-cruise extension trip to Lourdes Oct. 22-26). Get complete details and place your deposit here.

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.