God Has No Grandchildren: A Guided Reading of Pope Pius XI's Encyclical "Casti Connubii"

Foreword by George Cardinal Pell

In 1930, Pius XI published a letter to the world to answer a fundamental question — "What is Marriage?" As even Christians began to accept divorce and remarriage, contraception, and abortion, the Pope eloquently and beautifully defended the ancient understanding of marriage as grounded in Scripture and natural law.

This guided reading of the encyclical Casti Connubii will help you, your friends, and your parish understand what the Church teaches and has always taught about this fundamental institution, God's first covenant with man.

In a readable, engaging style, Leila Marie Lawler explains the work to you, giving you the background you need and the tools for applying the Church's wisdom to today's world.

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Praise for God Has No Grandchildren

The encyclical letter Casti Connubii of Pope Pius XI, published more than ninety years ago, has faded from view and virtually from memory. Its teaching on marriage and the family and the norms of morality shaped by a sound understanding of the value of marriage and family life should not, however, be lost. Our culture and law have, to be sure, drifted far from such an understanding; yet it is there to be recovered. Its recovery would, in turn, provide an engine of reform and renewal—and not only for Catholics. I am therefore grateful for Leila Marie Lawler’s God Has No Grandchildren, which gives us the text of the encyclical together with an illuminating and thought-provoking commentary focused on its relevance to contemporary issues in the Church and the world. — Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University

God Has No Grandchildren is a splendid new book. It is a beautifully presented treatment of a crucial theme which time is only revealing ever more to have been prophetic. We need to rediscover the Church's ancient teaching on the meaning of marriage as found in Pius XI's encyclical Casti Connubii, and Leila Marie Lawler has provided just that. — Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, founder of Adoremus and CREDO

Leila Marie Lawler offers a guided reading, for individuals or small groups, inviting us to live faithfully and fruitfully the Church's teaching on marriage. Her reflections on Casti Connubii are a great example of older women teaching the younger generation. Our marriage and our family can bring clarity to confusion and help us change our culture, if we are willing. — Kimberly Hahn, author of Chosen and Cherished; podcast Beloved and Blessed

Casti Connubii is a hidden treasure of the Church. Anything that calls attention to it is a welcome blessing! Thank you to Mrs. Lawler for this guided reflection on one of the best-kept secrets of twentieth century Catholicism. — Jennifer Roback Morse, Founder and President, The Ruth Institute

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About the Author 

Leila Marie Lawler is married to noted journalist Philip F. Lawler. They live in Central Massachusetts. They have seven children and a goodly number of grandchildren. Leila’s website is Like Mother, Like Daughter. She is co-author of The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home (Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2014) and The Summa Domestica—a forthcoming three-volume work presenting the themes explored for more than a decade on her popular blog, which is dedicated to helping parents establish a home, educate their children, and maintain the collective memory.