EWTN news had an article on Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia entitled How to fix our broken sexual culture. It quoted Archbishop Chaput on a number of issues concerning marriage, sex, and family. I find his comments really enlightening and inspiring. Recited below is one that is of particular interest to me:
ON COUNTERING INFIDELITY, DIVORCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, PORN CULTURE - "We’re getting a culture that’s just hugely preoccupied with sexuality, and being restrained sexually is not considered a virtue anymore...I think it’s really important for us to encourage young people to form communities of young people, peers, who can give them support in the face of this culture of cheapening human relationships...[These virtuous communities are] really what the Church should be. It should be a community of people who think like Jesus and want to act like He calls us to act.”
"Being restrained sexually is not considered a virtue anymore," the Archbishop said. How true! In today's culture, such restraint is often considered "not exercised"; if exercised, "unreal"; and if real, "weird".
I think Archbishop Chaput's idea of encouraging young people to form virtuous communities is inspiring. But given the overpowering and invasive force of the unchaste culture, such practice should be extended to everyone, both young and old. Anybody interested in initiating one?
For viewers getting increasingly edgy about Pope Francis' controversial exhortation, Amoris laetitia, you will find the Archbishop's comment below re-assuring:
“[In putting Amoris laetitia into practice] the Holy Father himself states clearly that neither Church teaching nor the canonical discipline concerning marriage has changed...[Francis’ exhortation] should therefore be read in continuity with the great treasury of wisdom handed on by the Fathers and Doctors of the Church … and previous magisterial documents.”
The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft (Psalm 19:2). elodocuments is an English/Chinese bi-lingual blog that shares based on the Catholic faith.高天陳述天主的光榮，穹蒼宣揚祂手的化工(詠19:2)。elodocuments 是個用中英語分享天主教信仰的網誌。
I applaud Archbishop Chaput's idea. It is definitely a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteMake no mistake, chastity is the hallmark of a Christian, the true follower of Christ. Is a chaste person necessarily a Christian? No. But a true Christ follower is always chaste, whether (s)he is a student, single, a single who’s dating, a wife, a husband, or a consecrated person.
In the early Church, Christians lived in a godless and very anti-gospel environment, not much different from today's. St Paul was not politically correct. He blasted adultery, fornication, homosexual sins, and made clear that those who commit these things cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, period.
Imagine a world of ‘legalistic’ Christians who are Ten Commandments abiding, not quite charitable, just legalistic. Wouldn’t we instantly have a world that is void of porn, abortion, divorces, broken family children who in many cases perpetuate the negative cycle, the need for trans bathrooms, etc, etc…
I myself am very legalistic, realising though the need for breaking out of this mode, growing into the charitable realm. But the growth must stem from, not abandoning, a well formed legalism.
There is a reason why the first chapter IS the first chapter, for Psalm. Especially in Verse 2: Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night.
Day and night, day and night!!! Why? Because (s)he loves and reveres God so much that (s)he meditates the law day and night, in his/her dream (s)he meditates, and that becomes his/her joy. How beautiful!
I don’t know what happened to today’s preaching. No mention of laws. The legalistic person becomes persecuted, if not outright condemned.
I wonder what, and how, St Paul would preach today…….Recognizing gay partnership’s positive elements? Global warming? Promoting Energy for the Common Good?
Thank you Archbishop Chaput! ….a beacon of hope in a lost world.