Who We Are
Renzo and Monica Ortega are Catholic youth ministers, podcast hosts, authors, and national speakers. They host the popular marriage podcast Two Become Family, and speak nationally for the St. John Paul II Foundation’s Together in Holiness conference series.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Two Become Family?
Two Become Family is a Catholic marriage and family apostolate founded by husband and wife Renzo and Monica Ortega.
Through the Two Become Family Podcast, articles, books, and speaking, Renzo and Monica talk honestly about Catholic marriage, sex and intimacy, Natural Family Planning (NFP), communication, parenting, the domestic church, and the joys and difficulties of family life.
Two Become Family is rooted in the Catholic understanding of marriage as a vocation and is particularly inspired by St. John Paul II’s teaching on marriage and the family.
Who are Renzo and Monica Ortega?
Renzo and Monica Ortega are Catholic authors, speakers, youth ministers, and hosts of the Two Become Family Podcast.
They are married with five children and write and speak about Catholic marriage and family life. Together, they are the authors of Lovemaking: How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse and Go to Joseph for Children. They are also fellows of the St. John Paul II Foundation and speak nationally for the St. John Paul II Foundation’s Together in Holiness marriage conference series.
What is the Two Become Family Podcast?
The Two Become Family Podcast is a Catholic marriage and family podcast hosted by Renzo and Monica Ortega.
The podcast explores Catholic marriage, sex and intimacy, Natural Family Planning, communication, conflict, parenting, faith, and family life through conversations between husband and wife.
Rather than presenting an idealized picture of Catholic family life, Renzo and Monica talk honestly about what it looks like to live the Catholic vocation of marriage in ordinary family life while providing encouragement to families to, “Believe in what they are.”
Is Two Become Family Catholic?
Yes. Two Become Family is explicitly Catholic and approaches marriage, sexuality, parenthood, and family life from the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Its work draws particularly from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Catholic teaching on marriage and sexuality, and the writings of St. John Paul II.
Two Become Family also seeks to distinguish between what the Catholic Church actually teaches and opinions, cultural expectations, or practices that Catholics may sometimes mistake for Church teaching.
What does “Family, believe in what you are” mean?
“Family, believe in what you are” expresses the mission of Two Become Family and is inspired by St. John Paul II’s exhortation, “Family, become what you are.”
We believe Catholic families don’t need another impossible image of the perfect Catholic family. They need confidence in what God has already created and called the family to be.
Two Become Family exists to help couples recognize the goodness of their vocation even when marriage, parenting, and family life don’t look ideal.
Does Two Become Family talk about sex and intimacy in Catholic marriage?
Yes. Sex and intimacy within Catholic marriage are major topics of the Two Become Family Podcast and Renzo and Monica’s writing.
Two Become Family discusses desire, pleasure, communication, sexual difficulties, Natural Family Planning, openness to life, and Catholic sexual ethics while remaining rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Renzo and Monica are also the authors of Lovemaking: How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse, published by Ave Maria Press.
Does Two Become Family talk about Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
Yes. Two Become Family regularly discusses Natural Family Planning, including both Catholic teaching on responsible parenthood and the practical realities couples can experience while practicing NFP.
Topics include periodic abstinence, communication, intimacy, fear of pregnancy, openness to life, discernment, and the difficulties some Catholic couples experience with NFP.
Does Two Become Family offer Catholic parenting resources?
Yes. Two Become Family creates podcasts and articles about Catholic parenting, raising children in the faith, the domestic church, fatherhood, motherhood, family prayer, and the ordinary challenges of raising a Catholic family.
The emphasis is not on creating a “perfect Catholic family,” but on faithfully living the vocation of family life in the circumstances God has given each family.
What is Two Become Family’s approach to Catholic marriage?
Two Become Family approaches marriage as a Catholic vocation lived through ordinary life. That includes the joyful parts of marriage as well as conflict, exhaustion, sexual difficulties, parenting, NFP, changing seasons, and the sacrifices required to build a life together.
Two Become Family seeks to help couples believe in the goodness of their vocation without pretending that faithful Catholic marriages never struggle.
How does St. John Paul II influence Two Become Family?
The marriage and family teachings of St. John Paul II are foundational to Two Become Family.
His writings on marriage, family, sexuality, the human person, and the domestic church—particularly Familiaris Consortio and his Theology of the Body catecheses—frequently inform the podcast, articles, books, and speaking of Renzo and Monica Ortega.
Two Become Family’s phrase “Family, believe in what you are” is inspired by John Paul II’s exhortation.
What books have Renzo and Monica Ortega written?
Renzo and Monica Ortega are the authors of Lovemaking: How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse, published by Ave Maria Press, and Go to Joseph for Children.
Lovemaking helps husbands and wives have honest conversations about sexual intimacy within marriage, including desire, expectations, communication, pleasure, and difficulties surrounding sex.
Their books form part of their broader work helping Catholics live marriage and family life with greater confidence.
Where can I listen to the Two Become Family Podcast?
The Two Become Family Podcast is available on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. They also post the weekly episodes on Substack with an accompanying article.
Episodes address Catholic marriage, sex and intimacy, Natural Family Planning, parenting, faith, and family life.
Where can I read Two Become Family articles?
Two Become Family publishes articles through its Substack publication.
The articles explore Catholic marriage, sexuality, Natural Family Planning, parenting, faith, and family life. Many expand upon conversations from the Two Become Family Podcast, while others address questions about Catholic marriage and family life independently.
Do Renzo and Monica Ortega speak at Catholic events?
Yes. Renzo and Monica Ortega speak at Catholic conferences, marriage events, diocesan gatherings, parishes, and other Catholic events.
Their speaking topics include Catholic marriage, sex and intimacy, communication, Natural Family Planning, parenting, extended-family relationships, the domestic church, and the spirituality of marriage and family life. Because of their experience within youth ministry they are available for youth events as well.
They also speak nationally for the St. John Paul II Foundation’s Together in Holiness marriage conference series.
How can I book Renzo and Monica Ortega to speak?
Renzo and Monica Ortega can be invited to speak at Catholic conferences, diocesan events, parish events, marriage retreats, and other Catholic gatherings through the Two Become Family speaking page.
Speaking requests can include presentations by Renzo and Monica together as a married couple as well as individual presentations depending on the event and topic.