Information for Parents on the Pilgrimage of Mercy of

Saint Maria Goretti The Little of Great Mercy

Saint Maria Goretti Pilgrimage October 23-25, 2015

Schedule of Events

Our Lady of Grace ~ Greensboro, NC Friday, October 23: 9:00am: Receiving of and beginning of public veneration 7:00pm: Solemn Mass in Honor of St. Maria Goretti Midnight: Veneration closes ~ Confessions as available ~

St. Catholic Church ~ Charlotte, NC Saturday, October 24: 10:00am: Opening Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) in Honor of St. Maria Goretti 11:30am: Beginning of public veneration 5:00pm: Veneration paused to prepare for Holy Mass 5:30pm: Solemn Mass in Honor of St. Maria Goretti 7:00pm: Public Veneration resumes through the night until 7:00am Sunday, October 25: 7:30 am: Closing Mass in Honor of St. Maria Goretti 8:30 am: Body of St. Maria Goretti is removed from the Church.

August 25, 2015

Dear Parents,

In March, Francis proclaimed a Holy Year of Mercy beginning this December 8, 2015, and continuing to November 20, 2016. To mark the solemn occasion of this Jubilee Year, the Vatican, in conjunction with the Congregation of the Causes of has announced the extraordinary pilgrimage of the bodily remains of Saint Maria Goretti.

The glass and gold reliquary containing her body will leave her in Nettuno, , and begin the Pilgrimage of Mercy Tour in the United States of America this September. This is the first time that Saint Maria Goretti's body will travel to the United States and only the second time that she has left Italy.

Saint Maria’s relics will travel to the parishes of Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro, and Saint Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte so that our Catholic community from all over the Diocese of Charlotte may venerate her. It is a spiritual gift to have the opportunity to be able to teach our young Catholics about the virtues she exemplifies, most especially: Forgiveness & Mercy and Purity & Chastity, and to receive the blessings that come with the Saint’s visit to the Diocese of Charlotte.

To that end, the following Faith Formation Activities are recommended to all parents, although the materials may need to be adapted for students younger than 7th grade. These activities can be done all at once or in 10 minutes increments. Refer to the link http://mariagoretti.com/ for additional information on these points. The suggested dates for the activities are:

9/20/15 Read the story of her life (See Teaching Point 1. Her Life). Explain guidelines for the St. Maria Goretti Contest. Suggest as a family to rent and watch the movie Maria Goretti by Ignatius Press, or have a movie night as a .

9/27/15 Teach the virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy (see Teaching Point 2 and link: http://mariagoretti.com/).

10/4/15 Teach the virtues of Purity and Chastity (see Teaching Point 3).

10/11/15 Venerating the Relics of the Saints (see Teaching Point 4 and link: http://mariagoretti.com/about-relics/ ). 10/18/15 Explain Her Relics. Link: http://mariagoretti.com/the-body/

10/25/15 As a class discuss the Pilgrimage and answer any questions about the contest.

11/1/15 Collect the assignments and submit the best entries of each category to a judging panel (Led by the Sponsor of the event, Benedict Press).

11/8/15 Best entries will be published in the Catholic News and Herald in time to start the Holy Year of Mercy 12/8/15. Winners will receive a cash prize and a selection of books or DVD set.

Pilgrimage of Mercy - St. Maria Goretti Student Contest

Students in all grade levels are encouraged to participate. Students can do one of the following activities.

1. Draw a picture of St. Maria Goretti interpreting the virtues of Forgiveness & Mercy and Purity & Chastity. (Grade 1-5).

2. Visit the relics at either Our Lady of Grace or St. Thomas Aquinas on October 23-25 and write a paper about the visit. (Grade 6 & up).

3. Write a report about St. Maria Goretti and describe what you learned from her re: the virtues of Forgiveness & Mercy and Purity & Chastity. (Grade 6 & up).

Each Entry must have the following information included: • Name, • Grade, • School, • Home Parish, • Parent’s Name, • Parent’s Email Address, • Parent address & phone number.

Entry Submission: • Students submit all entries to the Catechist/Teacher no later than All Saints Day (11/1/15). • The catechist/teacher will submit the best entries from his/her class to the Director of Religious Education (DRE) or Principal. • The DRE/Principal will submit the best entries per grade level to the Judging Committee, led by the Sponsor of this Event: St. Benedict Press & Tan Publishing.

DRE’s/Principals: Please send entries by 11/8/15 to:

St. Benedict Press & Tan Books Attn: Mrs. Jackie Gallagher 13315 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273

The winning entries will be published in the Catholic News Herald. Prizes for the winning entries are yet to be determined.

Teaching Points Saint Maria Goretti The Little Saint of Great Mercy

Virtues: Forgiveness and Mercy Purity and Chastity

1890 - 1902 Feast Day: July 6

Youngest Saint and Patron of: Chastity; Youth; Teenage girls; Poverty; Purity; Forgiveness.

Talking Points for class presenters:

1. St. Maria Goretti’s Life

2. The virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy a. The Catechism and Scripture b. What are the Virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy? c. Why do we need the virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy? d. How is St. Maria Goretti a Model of Forgiveness? e. Practicing Forgiveness in everyday life

3. The virtues of Purity and Chastity a. The Catechism and Scripture b. What are the Virtues of Purity and Chastity? c. Why do we need the virtue of Purity and Chastity? d. How is St. Maria Goretti a Model of Chastity? e. Practicing Chastity in everyday life f. Additional Information on Chastity

4. Venerating the Relics of the Saints

Teaching Points

1. St. Maria Goretti’s Life a. Maria was born in 1890. Her parents were very poor farmers, but had great love for God, Our Lady and each other. The family lived in eastern Italy.

b. Her parents along with Maria, her 2 sisters and 3 brothers moved to Ferriere, Italy, with the hope of improving their financial condition. Maria’s father, a hardworking, humble man, struck a deal with Signor Serenelli to be a tenant farmer, to work together and live in the same building with him and his son.

c. At the age of 9, Maria’s father died of malaria. While her mother, brothers and one sister worked in the farm fields, Maria took care of the household chores and cared for her youngest sister, with dedication and cheerfulness.

d. Although Maria and her brothers and sisters remained illiterate, they were well-schooled in their faith. Maria had a deep understanding of who she was as a child of God, with a keen sense of her personal dignity and self-worth. This understanding would prepare her to choose to preserve her innocence from which she derived a joyful and peaceful life with her family. Maria grew in prayer as she prepared to receive Jesus in .

e. Signor Serenelli’s son, Alessandro, harassed Maria to perform difficult chores and to satisfy his impure thoughts. Although Maria refused to submit to Alessandro, he persisted. Although she should have told her family about Alessandro’s threat, Maria kept silent, realizing that exposing Alessandro would bring worry and grief to her mother and total financial ruin to the family. One day as Maria was sewing and watching her younger sister, Alessandro dragged her into the house and attempted to force her into sinful acts against chastity. Maria fought with all her strength to resist Alessandro and with great courage she warned him that this sin would condemn him to hell. Alessandro stabbed Maria 14 times and left her to die.

f. Maria was treated in the local hospital but died 20 hours after Alessandro’s attack. She was 11 years old. Before she died, Maria forgave Alessandro with all her heart and stated that she hoped that he would join her in Heaven.

g. While in prison, Maria appeared to Alessandro in a dream. She held out to him fourteen white lilies representing the fourteen times that he stabbed her, causing him to change from desperation to repentance and conversion. (Source: Office of Catechesis & Evangelization and Catholic Schools Diocese of La Crosse, WI)

ACTIVITY WITH PARENTS: Rent the St. Maria Goretti movie and watch it as a family.

Timeline of Events

October 16, 1890: Maria Goretti is born in Corinaldo, Italy, to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini.

October 17, 1890: She is baptized in the Church of San Francesco in Corinaldo with the names, Maria Teresa.

October 4, 1896: She receives the Sacrament of by Bishop Giulio Boschi, the Bishop of Senigallia.

December 12, 1896: The Goretti family leaves Corinaldo and emigrates to Colle Gianturco, near Paliano, in the Latium region south of in central Italy.

February, 1899: The family moves again, this time to Le Ferriere di Conca.

May 6, 1900: After being bit by a mosquito infected with malaria, Maria’s father Luigi dies of the disease.

June 16, 1901: Maria receives her First Communion in the church of Conca (today known as Borgo Montello).

July 5, 1902: At 3:30 pm she is stabbed by after resisting his violent attempt to rape her.

July 6, 1902: Maria dies in Nettuno at the age of 11 years, 8 months and 21 days, after mercifully forgiving her murderer.

July 8, 1902: She is buried in the cemetery of Nettuno.

May 31, 1935: The information-gathering process for her begins in the diocese of Albano Laziale.

March 25, 1945: Pope Pius XII recognizes the authenticity of the martyrdom of Maria Goretti.

April 27, 1947: Maria is beatified.

June 24, 1950: Maria is declared a saint by Pope Pius XII in St. Peter’s Square. Having died at the age of 11, she is the youngest canonized saint in the Catholic Church’s long and storied history. The attendance at her canonization exceeded one half million souls, the largest of any canonization up to that point and time. It was a crowd so large that for the first time in its history, St. Peter’s Basilica—the largest church in the world—could not be used for a canonization Mass, because it was too small to hold the faithful who desired to witness the event. Thus, St. Maria’s canonization was moved to St. Peter’s Square, being the first open air canonization in history.

Teaching Points

2. The virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy; Fruits of the Virtues: Healing and Love a. The Catechism and Scripture The Catechism of the Catholic Church: I. ONE BAPTISM FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. • 977 Our Lord tied the forgiveness of sins to faith and Baptism: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved."521 Baptism is the first and chief sacrament of forgiveness of sins because it unites us with Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, so that "we too might walk in newness of life." • 978 "When we made our first profession of faith while receiving the holy Baptism that cleansed us, the forgiveness we received then was so full and complete that there remained in us absolutely nothing left to efface, neither original sin nor offenses committed by our own will, nor was there left any penalty to suffer in order to expiate them. . . . Yet the grace of Baptism delivers no one from all the weakness of nature. On the contrary, we must still combat the movements of concupiscence that never cease leading us into evil . • 979 In this battle against our inclination towards evil, who could be brave and watchful enough to escape every wound of sin? "If the Church has the power to forgive sins, then Baptism cannot be her only means of using the keys of the Kingdom of heaven received from Jesus Christ. The Church must be able to forgive all penitents their offenses, even if they should sin until the last moment of their lives."524 • 980 It is through the sacrament of Penance that the baptized can be reconciled with God and with the Church: Penance has rightly been called by the Fathers of the Church: "a laborious kind of baptism." This sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for those who have fallen after Baptism, just as Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn. Baptism forgives original sin but not the consequences. God always forgives, men sometime forgives, but nature never forgives. For instance, although baptism forgives the original sin, we are still affected by its effect and thus our continual need of forgiveness when we fall.

Scripture passages on the importance of forgiveness and the seriousness of unforgiveness. • Matthew 6:12-15: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. • Matthew 18:21-22: Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” • Matthew 18:34-35: In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” [These words of Jesus come at the end of his parable on the merciful and unmerciful servant. It is a wonderful parable showing the mercy of God toward us and our need to show mercy to others.] • Mark 11:25: And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. • Luke 6:37: Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. • Luke 11:4: Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. • The following passages from the letters of St. Paul to the Ephesians and Colossians sums up the meaning of Jesus’ words on forgiveness. • Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. • Colossians 3:13-14: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. • James 2:13: Mercy triumphs over justice! • 53:6: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. • 7:18-19, 6:6, Psalm 103 and 130. Jesus desires mercy and delights in giving it: we must understand that the strategy of heaven to win over hearts is not in our strength but in our recognition of weakness. When we recognize our own weakness, frailty of our hearts, the depths of the wickedness of our hearts, and in the midst of this Jesus the perfect One has real desires for us and desires to cleanse us and extend His love to us, it leaves our hearts undone. This is the method the Lord has chosen to awaken love in our hearts, to break us of our independence, pride and performance. b. What are the Virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy? “Christian tradition tends to emphasize purity of heart as the core of the virtue of forgiveness … Forgiveness involves the overcoming of anger and resentment and mercy involves the withholding of harsh treatment that one has a right to inflict.” Jeffrey Murphy Regents' Professor of Law & Philosophy • Forgiveness is not an emotion, it’s an act of the will; an act of love. You don’t have to feel forgiving to forgive. • Forgiving does not mean forgetting. That’s denial. • Forgiving doesn’t mean excusing the wrong or saying it doesn’t matter. Things that don’t matter don’t need to be forgiven. Forgiveness says, “I know what you did. It hurt. But I won’t hold it against you.” • Forgiveness is letting go of your “right” to be right. It means offering up your anger, letting go of your “right” to revenge – and leaving justice to God. • Finally, don’t confuse forgiveness with reconciliation. Reconciliation requires repentance – but forgiveness does not. From the cross, Jesus forgave people who had not repented and maybe never would. We must do the same. • If you think forgiveness is hard, you’re not alone. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Forgiveness is the Christ-like suffering which is the Christian’s duty to share.” c. Why do we need the virtues of Forgiveness and Mercy? “Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us” • We all have received the mercy of God. He has forgiven our sins, washed them away – even though we don’t deserve it. This is why St. Paul can say in Ephesians 4:31-32, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

• We can forgive others because God forgave us, and for the same reason it is our duty to forgive others. We must do so, in fact, or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). Does this sound harsh? The Catechism explains that God’s “outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. Love … is indivisible; we cannot love the God we can’t see if we do not love the brother or sister we do see.” (No. 2840)

d. How is St. Maria Goretti a Model of Forgiveness? Maria had the purity of heart to forgive as God commands. She loved as God loves following the example of Christ. Maria Goretti's heroic story of love and forgiveness would not be complete without one of its first miraculous fruits: the conversion of Alessandro Serenelli, Maria's murderer.

Immediately after his brutal assault on young Maria Goretti, Alessandro was imprisoned temporarily in Nettuno and then transferred to Regina Coeli prison in Rometo stand trial. After vehemently denying his guilt, he finally broke down in the face of overwhelming testimony. Since he was a minor, he was sentenced to only thirty years hard labor. A priest came to see him soon afterward, and he turned on the cleric in rage, howling like a maniac and lunging at him. In the days that followed, Alessandro lost his appetite and grew nervous. After six years of prison, he was near the brink of despair. Then one night, Maria appeared to him in his cell. She smiled at Alessandro and was surrounded by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity. From that moment, peace invaded Alessandro's heart, and he began to live a constructive life.

After serving his sentence, Alessandro took up residence at a Capuchin monastery, working in the garden as a tertiary. He asked pardon of Maria's mother and accompanied her to Christmas Mass in the parish church where he spoke before the hushed congregation, acknowledging his sin and asking God's forgiveness and the pardon of the community.

Forty years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized at St. Peter's basilica in Rome, with Alessandro's heart now firmly converted to the Lord. A miraculous fruit of Maria's life, indeed! Alessandro Serenelli died on May 6th, 1970 in the Capuchin convent of Macerata. (Source: http://www.mariagoretti.org/alessandrobio.htm) e. Practicing Forgiveness in everyday life. The Practice of Letting Go: a. Take your mind off of the person you can’t forgive. Do not allow yourself to grumble, or justify your situation, or feel sorry for yourself, or dream about ways to get even. Kill those thoughts as soon as you see them coming. b. Remember that you are a sinner too. Recall specific ways you’ve needed forgiveness. Ask God to help you, if you can’t. Go to confession, if that helps. Meditate on the Psalms. Practice being grateful for the mercy God has shown you. c. Every time that person comes to mind, say the words “I forgive you” whether you feel it or not. Make it an act of the will and ask the Holy Spirit to pour God’s love into your heart. Over time, start asking God to bless the person. Romans 12:14 says “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” Force yourself to do it. Make it a habit. And watch how that sets your heart free. (Source 1,3,4 Forgive That You Might Be Forgiven: Practical Tips for Letting Go January 23, 2014 By Sarah Christmyer) d. Do sacrifice and penance for the person that needs forgiveness. e. Go to confession. Much grace for our souls to follow God comes with the Sacrament of Confession. Teaching Points

3. The Virtues of Purity and Chastity?; Fruits of the Virtues: Peace and Freedom. a. The Catechism and Scripture on Chastity • Catechism of the Catholic Church: (cf. CCC 2337, 2339) Chastity integrates the passions of the body with our ability to reason and to choose the good. Living the virtue of chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person. Chastity involves man’s inner unity of belonging to the bodily world (that is the physical body) and the spiritual world (referring to our relationship with God and others) and is expressed with love and respect in the relationship of one person to another. Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery, which is training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy. Man’s dignity therefore requires him to act out of a properly formed conscience and free choice, and to be guided by the Holy Spirit. • Other References in the Catechism of the Catholic Church referenced under Chastity in the Index: o Call to chastity / Chastity and charity paragraphs 2345, 2348, 2355, 2346 o Conjugal chastity and marriage 2365, 2368 o Consecrated life and chastity 915, 944 o Following Christ and chastity 2053 o Friendship and chastity 2347 o Holy Spirit at the origin of the virtue of chastity 1832, 2345 o Meaning of chastity, increase in chastity 23952343, o Offenses against chastity 2351-56, 2396 o Pure hearts and chastity 2518, 2520, 2532 o Stages of growth in chastity and states of life 2339, 2341, 2344, 2346, 2395, 2348- 2350 o Temperance, the virtue that directs chastity 2341 o Chastity of those engaged to marry 1632, 2350 • Scripture: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1Corinthians 6:18-20

b. What are the Virtues of Purity and Chastity? • Chastity is the virtue that allows us to do what is right, good and loving in the area of sexuality and relationships by controlling our sexual desires. God gave us our sexual desire, which is a sacred gift reserved for the sacramental union of husband and wife and the procreation of children. • Chastity is protective as sexuality can become disordered and misdirected toward lust: lust involves any disordered thoughts or desires - which may or may not lead to action - that violates purity. • The sinister effect of the violation of chastity includes not only the possibility of the abuse of another person but always the degradation of one’s own personal dignity. • Chastity is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort. The practice of chastity is about permeating the passions and appetites of the senses with right reason so that an individual will be treated as a person to be loved through proper respect rather than as a thing to be used. • Chastity is not a matter of repression of sexual feelings and temptations, but the integration of the gift of sexuality. To integrate this gift of sexuality is to make sexual feelings and temptations subordinate to love and respect. This means that the gift of physical, spousal union is reserved for marriage alone. Integration is also preserved when a person foregoes physical, spousal union for the sake of the total, willing gift of self to God in the priesthood or consecrated life. • Before puberty children need to be formed in the virtue of temperance. Training in chastity includes self-discipline demonstrated with modest behavior, protection of the senses, fidelity to prayer, reception of the Sacraments and wise guidance. This process of self-mastery is life-long. (Source: Office of Catechesis & Evangelization and Catholic Schools Diocese of La Crosse, WI) c. Why do we need the Virtues of Purity and Chastity? • The practice of chastity is necessary due to the effects of Original Sin. • Unchastity or lust causes spiritual closing of the mind, rashness, thoughtlessness, diminished fidelity, inordinate self-love, hatred of God, excessive love of this world, and abhorrence or despair of a future world. • Chastity allows us to use the gift of sexuality the way God intended it to be, protecting it from selfish exploitation. A chaste person becomes free to fulfill the law of love totally and selflessly within one’s vocation. (Source: Office of Catechesis & Evangelization and Catholic Schools Diocese of La Crosse, WI) d. How is Saint Maria Goretti a Model of Chastity? • Saint Maria Goretti was modest in her dress and was consciously pure in her behavior. She practiced virtue throughout her life and resisted Alessandro’s obscene jokes and shameful advances to submit to his sinful desires. • Maria took every precaution to avoid being near Alessandro alone, reminded him to obey the Commandments and told him that he would go to hell for this sin. • Maria was a person of integrity: her actions were guided by her heart which sought to do the will of God, in this case to protect her self-worth. • Parents can learn from her story how to raise their God-given children in virtue, courage and holiness; they can learn to train them in the Catholic faith so that, when put to the test, God's grace will support them and they will come through undefeated, unscathed and untarnished. (Source: a homily by Pope Pius XII at the canonization of St. Maria Goretti.) e. Practicing the virtue of chastity in everyday life. • First learn what Chastity is. The Catholic Church’s teachings on human sexuality are a light in the darkness because the Church presents God’s plan for authentic love and human fulfillment. Living the virtue of chastity leads to a life filled with healthy relationships, respect for each human person, joy and interior peace. Remember Chastity is: o About finding fulfillment in the gift of self through self-giving love rather than selfishness. Our culture, bombard us with images of sex that cheapen the God-given gift of sexuality and which set up our young people for heartbreak and misery. This misuse of sex is about selfishness and using other persons as objects for sexual pleasure. St. John Paul II says in Theology of the Body that the opposite of selfishness is self-giving love. Fulfillment in life comes through serving those in need, through unselfish relationships with friends, and through one’s personal vocation which always is to be directed to expressing itself in the service of charity. o Not about repression of sexual feelings and temptations but the integration of the gift. Repression does not effectively address sexual feelings and temptations, but merely tries to deny them. If repressed, it is likely that these desires will eventually manifest themselves in a disordered way. To integrate the gift of sexuality means to make sexual feelings and temptations subordinate to love and respect. This means the gift of physical, spousal union is reserved for marriage alone. This integration is also preserved when a person foregoes earthly, spousal union for the sake of the total and willing gift of self to God in the priesthood or consecrated life. o More about saying “yes” than about saying “no”. Chastity involves abstinence, which means saying no to sex outside of the life-long commitment of marriage. However, chastity is more about saying yes to Christ through proper respect for self and others by protecting and integrating God’s gift of sexuality. This yes gives honor to God in guarding the personal dignity and value of every person as a child of God, which leads to a life of joy and peace. The dignity of the human person is the foundation of chastity. o More about transformation than about information. We must begin on the positive side in forming young people to distinguish between the gift of self and selfishness. This involves formation in true love, courage, and self-control. Transformation is about growth in the spiritual life, so that through supernatural grace received in the Sacraments of Confession and the , young people can face the biological development and impulses they begin to experience. They will be formed in a growing love for God and a greater awareness of the dignity of each human person and his or her body as a Temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1Corinthians 6:19). Prayer is needed so that the information given is appropriate, not stimulating curiosity. Give teens only limited information on the painful consequences that result from inappropriate sexual activity. o Much about parents as it is about young people. Parents play a critical role in promoting chaste living with their children. Statistics prove that young people look, above all, to their parents for individualized formation in the meaning of life and self-giving love, setting boundaries, assistance in avoiding harmful situations and guidance to develop the daily habit of prayer, regular confession and Sunday Mass attendance. As an example to their children, parents are to show love, respect, and commitment to each other. (Source: Office of Catechesis & Evangelization and Catholic Schools Diocese of La Crosse, WI)

• Then, Make a Commitment to Chastity: o Make the Commitment REAL—sign a card/wear ring/write letter to future spouse. o Know why you are committed to chastity. o Be vocal about your decision. o Find an accountability partner or mentor. • As young adults, Change How You Date o Focus on friendships. Be selective. o Set physical limits / boundaries. o Plan dates to avoid time alone/surprises. • Live to Make Commitment Achievable o Find strength in Prayer and Sacraments. o Stay sober and keep a pure mind. o Think of future spouse in temptations. (Source: A Case for Chastity, the Way to Real Love and True Freedom for Catholic Teens by H. Gallagher & Peter Vlahutin). f. Additional Information on the Virtue of Chastity - The following definitions and descriptions are gathered from these Church documents: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality (TM), On The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World (CF). • Human sexuality is a fundamental component of each person, making each male or female, ordered to the giving and receiving of love and to the procreation of children. “Human sexuality ‘. . . male and female He created them. . .’ is part of that created gift which God saw as being “very good” (Genesis 1:27) (TM #11). “Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others” (CCC #2332). The sexuality of male and female makes its mark not only on the physical level, but also on the psychological and spiritual level. Insofar as it is a way of relating and being open to others, sexuality has love as its intrinsic end, more precisely, love as donation and acceptance, love as giving and receiving (TM #11). Therefore, sexuality on the physical level has its own truth and reaches its full meaning when it expresses the personal giving of husband and wife in the Sacrament of Matrimony. “The revealing sign of authentic married love is openness to life” (TM #15). “Virginal and married love are the two forms in which the person’s call to love is fulfilled. In order for both to develop, they require the commitment to live chastity, in conformity with each person’s own state of life” (TM #16). “Insofar as it entails sincere self-giving, it is obvious that growth in love is helped by that discipline of the feelings, passions, and emotions which leads us to self-mastery’” (TM #16). • Sex is what makes a person either male or female. The most authentic understanding of the term “sex” is the understanding that our “sex” is either male or female. The contemporary term for this understanding of “sex” is “gender”. It is from being male or female that the human person receives the characteristics which, on the biological, psychological and spiritual levels, make that person a man or a woman. In today’s culture, having sex is often used to mean sexual activity either within or outside of marriage. It can imply something much less than the dignified, sacred and holy physical union – the total gift of self - that is the physical expression of the spiritual union which takes place within the Sacrament of Marriage. In order to distinguish the difference between what is dignified and holy, physical union and what is not, all are to refer to married genital activity as sexual intercourse, the marital embrace, one flesh union, or conjugal love, as these terms more fully express the total giving of a husband and wife to each other. • Human love means “to will the good of another” (CCC #1766). All love is a God-given gift and meant to be truly ordered and authentic, experienced within the supernatural gift known as charity. “When love is lived out in marriage, it includes and surpasses friendship. Love between a man and a woman is achieved when they give themselves totally…To this married love, and to this love alone, belongs sexual giving, ‘realized in a truly human way only if it is an integral part of the love by which a man and a woman commit themselves totally to one another until death’” (TM 14). • Lust is a disordered and sinful desire for sexual pleasure. A person who lusts seeks inordinate sexual satisfaction from his own body or another person’s body. The totality of the person is ignored. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself as it is isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes. Lust is contrary to authentic love as it is directed to satisfying first and foremost the one who is seeking the pleasure. Within a lustful state, a full gift of self (body, mind, spirit) does not occur. A person with lustful thoughts/desires uses another person as an object of pleasure rather than treating him/her as a person to be loved. Lust is the opposite of love as it denies respect. (Source: Office of Catechesis & Evangelization and Catholic Schools Diocese of La Crosse, WI) • The Fall: The fall of our first parents introduced original sin and its consequences. o Before Original Sin, we had the gifts of Original Holiness, including:  Sanctifying grace in the soul, which is a participation in God’s life and His friendship.  Unity and familiarity with God in the Garden  Complete trust in God  Original Justice, including:  Harmony within oneself: The human person is composed of soul and body. The soul includes the mind, will, and emotions.  Harmony is the soul and body are united in choosing the good.  Harmony between and Eve  Harmony with creation o After the Original Sin, we lost  Original Holiness, including:  Sanctifying grace in the soul, which meant the death of the soul  Separation from God, with a loss of complete trust in Him. We became afraid of God.  Original Justice, including:  Disharmony, the soul and body of the human person are no longer united in choosing the good.  Disharmony in relations between people  Disharmony with creation as animals became afraid of humans  The results: . Human nature is weakened and inclined toward sin (concupiscence) . Human persons are subject to ignorance, suffering, and death  Man and woman can be tempted to use each other as an object for sexual pleasure (lust) • Due to the effects of original sin, it takes conscious choices and effort to live a chaste life. Chastity is acquired through continuous cooperation with the Holy Spirit, receiving God’s strength through the Sacraments of Confession, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist along with daily prayer. Chastity, over a period of time, is impossible without prayer and the grace of the Sacraments! All persons are called to chastity: within the married state, within the single state, and within the celibate state. (See The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, n. 8-25). • Formation in the virtue of chastity includes: o Education for authentic love o Understanding of one’s sexuality as a gift o Cultivation of all the virtues, especially temperance and charity o The practice of daily prayer o Respect for human dignity and self-worth in oneself and in others o The practice of decency and modesty in behavior, dress, speech, and the practice of custody of the eyes and all the senses. Custody here implies a careful guarding to keep from sin. o Respect for one’s own body and for others as temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19) o Assistance in acquiring self-mastery and self-control. * The benefits of living the virtue of chastity include: o The gift of authentic friendship (CCC 2347) o The integrity of life and love appreciated within oneself and others (CCC 2348-2340) o Fidelity in marriage which leads to strong family life (CCC 2363) o Avoidance of the occasion of sin and the ability to be “pure of heart” (CCC 2518) o Development to authentic maturity (On the Role of the Family – hereafter FC – n. 37) o A lifestyle that brings joy (The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality – TM – n. 3) o The discipline to renounce self, to make sacrifices, and to wait. (TM n. 5) o A life that revolves around self-giving love, compassion, generosity, patience(TM n. 16, 31) o Development of a harmonious personality and freedom from self-centeredness (TM n. 17) o True self-respect is developed and makes one capable of respecting others. (TM 17)

Teaching Points

4. Venerating the Relics of the Saints.

a. What is a ? A relic is something connected with a saint or blessed, including a part of their body (e.g. hair or a piece of bone), their clothing, or an object that the person used or touched. Relics are classified as: o 1st Class – a part of the person’s body, for example: blood, hair, or bones; o 2nd Class - an article touched by the person or touched directly to part of his or her body; and o 3rd Class - something touched indirectly to the person, that is, to a 1st or 2nd Class relic, to the tomb, etc. It is not the kind of relic or how big it is that is important, but rather the faith and prayer that the relic occasions. By the communion of saints, it is that person who is close to us, blessing and praying for us.

b. Why Do We Venerate Relics? The veneration of relics is an ancient custom dating from the reverence shown at the graves of the even in the time of the apostles. Miracles have been worked by God in association with relics – “…not that some magical power existed in them, but just as God’s work was done through the lives of [holy people], so did His work continue after their deaths. Likewise, just as [others] were drawn closer to God through the lives of [holy people], so did they (even if through their remains) inspire others to draw closer even after their deaths. This perspective provides the Church’s understanding of relics.” (Fr. W. Saunders, “Keeping Relics in Perspective”, © 2003 Arlington Catholic Herald). “In all, relics remind us of the holiness of a saint and his cooperation in God’s work; at the same time, relics inspire us to ask for the prayers of that saint and to beg the grace of God to live the same kind a faith-filled life.” (Saunders).

c. What Do We Express When We Venerate Relics? “To venerate the relics of the saints is a profession of belief in several doctrines of the Catholic faith: • the belief in everlasting life for those who have obediently witnessed to Christ and His Holy Gospel here on earth; • the truth of the resurrection of the body for all persons on the last day; • the doctrine of the splendor of the human body and the respect which all should show toward the bodies of both the living and the deceased; • the belief in the special intercessory power which the saints enjoy in heaven because of their intimate relationship with Christ the King; and • the truth of our closeness to the saints because of our connection in the communion of saints — we as members of the Church militant or pilgrim Church, they as members of the Church triumphant.” (Fr. W. Saunders, “Church Teaching on Relics”, © 2003 Arlington Catholic Herald) d. Abuses of Relics Venerating relics is included among other “expressions of piety [that] extend the liturgical life of the Church, but do not replace it.” (CCC #1675). “In his Letter to Riparius, St. (d. 420) wrote in defense of relics: ‘We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are.’” (Saunders, “Keeping…”) Abuses and misconceptions of relics in the history of the Church, such as selling relics (simony) or their forgeries and using relics as kinds of good-luck charms led the Church to establish guidelines defining the proper use of relics: “Pastoral discernment is needed to sustain and support popular piety and, if necessary, to purify and correct the religious sense which underlies these devotions so that the faithful may advance in knowledge of the mystery of Christ. Their exercise is subject to the care and judgment of the bishops and to the general norms of the Church.” (CCC #1676)