In this book, R-B. engages in ethnographic research, listening closely to what lay Catholic women living with HIV and AIDS say about the joys and challenges of being married, and responds with a theology of marriage marked by mercy.... R-B.’s reconstruction of Christian marriage deserves to be read alongside more traditional theological texts. Her accessible language and willingness to trace the pastoral implications of her theology for parish ministry and marriage preparation give the book a pastoral dimension that makes it ideal for students and lay Catholics. But anyone concerned about the viability of marriage would do well to study this book for what it tells us about how to listen well and preach the Gospel with mercy.

Theological Studies

In a refreshing way, Reimer-Barry’s ethnographic method answers Pope Francis’s call in Evangelii Gaudiumto evangelize by moving beyond “a desk-bound theology”…. Reimer-Barry rightfully acknowledges and carefully engages related theologicalethical debates in the text. With this project, she makes a valuable contribution to ongoing conversations. Reimer-Barry gives readers a glimpse of the daily fears, struggles, and triumphs of women living with HIV…. Not only will undergraduate and graduate students be enriched by reading this accessible and insightful book, but anyone interested in Catholic Church teaching on sex and marriage will benefit as well.

Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society

This book, drawing from the lived experiences of eight Catholic women who are HIV positive, makes a compelling case for rethinking the Christian theology of marriage and proposes “Marriage for Life.” This proposal draws from the best of Catholic sexual teaching’s emphasis on love, fidelity, and commitment as foundational principles guiding human sexuality and Catholic social teaching’s emphasis on the common good, which confronts unjust social structures such as sexism, violence, and religious and social discrimination, especially against people with HIV. It is a stark reminder that marital and sexual morality must be grounded in, and in dialogue with, the historical, cultural, and contextual reality of human beings created in the image of God living out their marital vocation in a morally complex reality.

Todd Salzman, Creighton University

Meet the enchanting team of Emily Reimer-Barry and her 8 courageous 'research partners,' Catholic women living with HIV. Listen to them tell their stories, starting with their diagnoses, of their determination to survive and their struggles with intimacy and faith. Listen, too, to Reimer-Barry as she responds with the call to self-love for all Christian disciples, the proposal of a pro-life agenda for HIV prevention and care, and a Christian theology of marriage in a time of AIDS. Listen to these words of enormous sensitivity, humanity, and wisdom. Listen, be moved, be changed.

James F. Keenan, S.J., Boston College

At a time when marriage and family issues are at the forefront of both secular and religious attention, Emily Reimer-Barry’s powerful book offers a thoughtful and realistic analysis of the struggles of married couples living with HIV. Too often, the theology of marriage that emerges from pre-Cana programs and official church documents takes insufficient account of the complex situations that couples encounter and is focused on an idealistic and traditional picture of sexuality and gender roles. Reimer-Barry shows how the theology of marriage, seen through the lens of HIV-positive married Catholic women, can benefit from their experiences and develop more adequate responses to the multiple challenges facing couples today. A must-read for engaged and married couples, marriage preparation programs, courses in marriage, and anyone concerned about marriage and family today.

Susan Ross, Loyola University Chicago