An exploration of purity, chastity, modesty and self-restraint. This sheet enables you to address these sensitive issues in an easy way.

PURITY, CHASTITY, MODESTY AND SELF - RESTRAINT

"How will the church convince today's youth that " God did not call us to impurity but to holiness "(1 Thessalonions 4 " 7). In truth the Church cannot remain indifferent in this confusion of minds and relaxation of morals" Fr Richard J Rego

The Influence of the Pagan World

"Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of the God remains forever " (1 John 2: 15 - 16)

Often it is important to put into context our current situation.

• Is the virtue of purity Medieval? (It is clear that purity is a virtue which comes from Jesus' words Himself - "The pure of heart will see God")
• The influence of TV and music (As we all know, these have a great influence on our students. You only have to hear them sing at a disco to realise they learn lyrics of very sensuous songs off by heart but find it difficult to recite an Our Father. It may be useful to discuss as a class, the frequency of sexual innuendo and references in shows they commonly watch)
• The denial of moral absolutes - acts are no longer evil by their nature. (We live in a very pluralistic society where consciences are formed to accept this pluralism rather than question its application to absolute truth which God has revealed and maintains through the Church in matters of Faith and Morals). The right to the Truth. "Faith and its practice in the moral life cannot be left to subjective determination, each person deciding what is fitting for him…That creates a situation of (making truth what you want it to be ) , rob Revelation of its objective truth and divide communities"
• The Sin of Scandal - "any word or deed that is occasion for another’s spiritual ruin by sin. One is guilty of the sin of scandal by deliberately placing someone else in the occasion of sin". Jesus warned, "It is impossible that scandals should not come but woe to him through whom they come. It were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than he should scandalise one of these little ones " (Luke 17: 1 - 2). There are many today who make money out of scandalising youth and leading them to rebellion against morals which are true and beneficial and necessary in a society.
• St. Maria Goretti - "I do not want to commit a sin". Maria chose to die rather than be raped by a man. Maria’s answer is the answer of Catholic Faith to the lust of the modern world. Testimony to her purity and God’s love for purity - her body was found to be incorrupt years after burial and is now visible, encased in a glass coffin in Nettuno.
• What would God say to the following if He appeared before them today?
• authors of corrupt novels, newspapers, periodicals, plays, films, and indecent styles
• those who display and perform eroticism in modern music, television, dance and dress
• those who distribute condoms and other contraceptives to youth of today, knowing full well what behaviour this encourages and knowing full well that 100% 'safe sex' is a myth.
• parents who allow their children to watch suggestive and lustful TV shows

God expects everyone to "shun sins of the flesh and glorify God in your own body" (1 Cor. 6: 18 - 20)

Jesus Moral Demands

"Make no mistake about it: no fornicator or idolater, none of those guilty of either adultery or homosexual perversion, no thieves or misers or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers will possess the Kingdom of God - shun sins of lust! Every other sin that man commits is outside the body: but the lustful person sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a shrine of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - you do not belong to yourselves; you were brought at a price. Then honour God in your body "

(Corinthians)

St. Paul wrote "This is the will of God, that you should be holy" you must abstain from sins of impurity; each of you must gain mastery over his own body to respect and honour it, not giving way to lust as the pagans do who are ignorant of God."

Why?

• No impurity can enter Heaven and be in God's presence
• They are not natural - and the disease that result from such activity is testimony to it
• God loves us and wants us to be happy and in control of our urges
• He wants us to be holy
• Anyone who rejects these laws is rejecting God not man

How can we know the Truth?

By following the teaching authority of the Church - The Magisterium. This does not mean following blindly but prayerfully and with trust in God and the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn't leave us the Rock (St. Peter and the Papacy) for nothing, but so that the truth revealed by God might always remain and prevent confusion. We need that more today than ever before.  

Time poll - only 14% of Catholics believe they should obey Church teachings.