How can a painful past become a source of love and bonding? Can the Catholic faith be reconciled with the theories of evolution? Should we reject Bruce Springsteen for blasphemy?

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.

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Q1: I am 33 and waiting for responsible love and marriage. My boyfriend, a practicing Catholic, recently disclosed his past to me — and it is very overwhelming. He has caused and experienced so much pain and suffering that I feel no longer physically attracted to him at this moment. I have forgiven him, but somehow my natural attraction to him has faded. Do you think this feeling will pass? How can a painful past become a source of strength, healing and somehow mysteriously, love and bonding?

Q2: I love the endless depth of Genesis, especially through the lens of Theology of the Body. Could you share a bit about how you reconcile the deep truths found in Genesis with the science of evolution? I know Genesis isn't intended literally so it's not quite that I'm asking. I'm more wondering things like - did humanity evolve to a certain point as animals without souls and then God breathed his life into Adam and Eve, making them human?

Q3: In one of your recent podcasts you spoke of your affinity for the music of Bruce Springsteen. Like you, I am a big fan and even though I do not have one musical fiber in me, I greatly enjoy his art and am very grateful that he has shared his talent with the entire world. He has a song called, “If I Were a Priest” that was written long ago but recently released. In this song, he seemingly blasphemes the Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit. I say “seemingly” because different people will interpret these words and the entire song differently, but it sure seems very irreverent to me. The 1st Saturday devotion was established by Jesus and Mary to counter attacks against her Immaculate Heart. In support of this devotion, it seems that we should reject the attacker (no matter how talented he is) in some way. Do you have any thoughts on this?

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Resources mentioned this week:

Theology of the Body II: Into the Deep (Online, March 1-12, 2021)

Theology of the Body Institute Course Schedule

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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.