Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living

1 United States Conference of Catholic BishopsCatechetical Formation in Chaste LivingGuidelines for Curriculum Design and PublicationUnited States Conference of Catholic BishopsCatechetical Formation in Chaste LivingGuidelines for Curriculum Design and PublicationUnited States Conference of Catholic BishopsWashington, document Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living : Guidelines for Curriculum Design and Publication was developed by the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the full body of the USCCB at its November 2007 General Meeting and has been authorized for publication by the David J. Malloy, STDG eneral Secretary, USCCBE xcerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, copyright 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, Used with permission.

2 All rights printing, June 2008 ISBN: 978-1-60137-043-3 Copyright 2008, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright ..1 Part I: The Teaching of the Church ..3 A. The Received Teaching of the Church Regarding Chaste Living ..3 B. Church Teaching on Special Issues of Concern ..11 Part II: Passing On the Teaching of the Church ..16 A. The Role of Pastors ..16 B. The Role of Parents/Guardians ..18 C. The Role of Teachers and Catechists ..20 D. The Role of Publishers ..23 E. Resources ..25 Catechetical Formation in Chaste LivingIntroductionCatechetical Formation in Chaste Living : Guidelines for Curriculum Design and Publication is designed to guide publishers in the development of new religion texts for students in preschool through twelfth grade and to assist in curricu-lum development by diocesan and parish Catechetical leaders.

3 These guidelines may also be helpful to assist parents/guardians, catechists, and Catholic school teachers in their respective roles in this crucial and delicate development of this document has been prompted by the promulgation of the teaching of the Church in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and by the publica-tion of the General Directory for Catechesis, the National Directory for Catechesis, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. This new set of Catechetical guidelines focuses specifically on Catechetical Formation in Catholic faith and morals as well as on virtues for Chaste Living . Proper reference to human anatomy or physiology is to be made only to the degree necessary to teach morality and virtue. The content of these guidelines acknowledges the primary role of parents in giving a concrete or more specific education in human sexuality.

4 The teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Directory for Catechesis, and the National Directory for Catechesis is normative in this area, and consultation of these documents is presumed by these of catechesis on Chaste Living takes place within the faith community that is the Church. Everyone involved in this catechesis is only able to instruct because each has first received the teaching of the Church. Parents are particularly responsible for catechizing their children in faith and morals and thus have a special obligation to understand thoroughly and live the teachings of the Church. Assisting parents of adolescents and youth in the Formation of their children for Chaste Living is essential to their Formation in the Catholic faith and should be mandatory in Catholic schools and in parish religious education and youth ministry programs.

5 This may be done in the form of a curriculum, a presentation for youth and/or parents, or the use of other educational the implementation of these guidelines, it is hoped that each baptized person becomes able toa. Reflect upon and cherish his or her dignity and that of other persons as made in the image and likeness of Godb. Reflect faithfully that image in a life conformed to new life in Christc. Deepen the relationship with Christ and the Church through frequent prayer and celebration of the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist Catechetical Formation in Chaste Livingd. Embrace joyfully the call to love and live chastely either as a married person or as a celibate personJesus Christ has won salvation for all through his saving life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

6 In Baptism, with the forgiveness of Original Sin and the gift of baptis-mal grace, the Lord helps people to grow in holiness and virtue; to live as his adopted children and as members of his Body, the Church; and to love each other as he has loved us. Guided by the Holy Spirit and the relationship of love within the Holy Trinity which has been given to the entire world, Christ s disciples are called to live in relationships which demonstrate this same love of to the Lord Jesus Christ s life and teaching, the Church continues to proclaim salvation in Christ Jesus and to invite men and women to fol-low his way. Though humanity is still wounded by sin, the Church continues to call all to trust in God s mercy, to turn away from sin, and to embrace the Good News. She continues to teach everyone how to live as Jesus did, instruct-ing them in the message of the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the entire Gospel.

7 She urges frequent reception of the sacraments, especially Penance and Reconciliation and the Eucharist, and cultivation of the virtues that enable people to lead a Chaste and holy life. Catechetical Formation in Chaste LivingPART I: THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCHA. The Received Teaching of the Church Regarding Chaste LivingCatechetical instruction in Chaste Living needs to treat doctrinal truths insofar as they apply to the integration of the human mind, heart, will, and body. Catechetical instruction should include the following Teaching of The chuRchRefeRences1. Human beings are created in God s own image and created for love: to receive God s love in order to love God, ourselves, and our neighbor; and to receive love from others. To love is to will the good of another. Gn 1:26-27 CCC, nos. 1604, 2093, 2105, 1766 Familiaris Consortio, no.

8 11 2. Individually, as male or female, human beings reflect creation in the image and likeness of God by having an intellect, a free will, and the capacity of free truly human and moral acts. A person s gender is also constitutive of his or her nature and spirituality. Gn 1:27 CCC, nos. 355, 1700, 1704-1706 Veritatis Splendor, nos. 35, 40 Theology of the Body, 37, 42, 52-53, 613. Being created in God s image also enables human beings to share in Trinitarian love, and to express love in marriage through the genera-tion of new life and through self-donation. This call to communion is revealed in the comple-mentarity of the bodies of men and women, which are capable of becoming one flesh and expressing the mutual gift of self that marriage ought to be. Gaudium et Spes, no. 49 CCC, nos. 27, 371-372, 2331-2334 Truth and Meaning, no. 10 Theology of the Body, 45, 47 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living4.

9 Adam and Eve shared in God s friendship (grace) but lost it through a free act of disobedi-ence called Original Sin. Although set by God in a state of rectitude, man, enticed by the evil one, abused his freedom at the very start of history. He lifted himself up against God and sought to attain his goal apart from him. By his sin, Adam, as the first man, lost the original holiness and justice he had received from God, not only for himself but for all human beings. Adam and Eve transmitted to their descendants a human nature wounded by their own first sin and hence deprived of original holiness and jus-tice; this deprivation is called Original Sin. Rom 5:12-14 Gaudium et Spes, no. 13 CCC, nos. 397, 415-417, 17075. The effects of Original Sin include Loss of God s friendship (grace) Damage to the harmony between body, intellect, and will Reduced ability to love one another unselfishly Experience of shame Confusion about the nature and pur-pose of the human body Being subject to other temptations to sin and to concupiscence DeathCCC, nos.

10 399-400, 418 CCC, no. 1707Gn 3:7-11 Rom 1:18-32 Truth and Meaning, no. 11 CCC, nos. 1707, 1869, 1008 CCC, nos. 1264, 1426 CCC, no. 10086. God did not abandon his people. From the moment the first humans committed Original Sin, God revealed his plan for everyone s To accomplish our redemption, God the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, true God and true man, to give us the Holy , nos. 55, 410-411 CCC, no. 461 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living8. Jesus Christ knows and loves us, and by his suffering and death, he gives himself up for each one of us and brings about our redemption within the community of the , nos. 604-605, 17089. Not only did Jesus Christ, the Son of God, redeem us, he also taught us how to live and gave us the gift of new life through the power of the Holy , no. 1709 Veritatis Splendor, nos. 15-18 10. Christian morality consists in following Christ, being transformed by his grace and renewed in his , nos.