Chapter 4

Family Prayer
God made us a family.
We need one another.
We love one another.
We forgive one another.
We work together.
We play together.
We worship together.
Together we use God's word.
Together we grow in Christ.
Together we love all people.
Together we serve our God.
Together we hope for heaven.
These are our hopes and
ideals.
Help us to attain them, O God,
and Family
through Jesus Christ ourCommunity
Lord.

Catholic beliefs about

marriage
Catholics believe
that marriage comes as a
gift from the hand of God. The Catholic vision
of marriage is rooted in Sacred Scripture and
is expressed in the teachings and practices of
the Church. It has these main elements
Marriage is a way to
Marriage calls the
respond to Gods call
couple to be a
to holiness
sign of Christs
love in the world
Marriage
opens a couple
to giving life
Marriage unites a
couple in faithful
Community and Family
and mutual love

Understanding the Rewards and Challenges of Chaste Living

Sex Before Marriage: How

its Working
Ugly statistics
The National Post reports that 25% of girls
15-25 years old have HPV. Transmission is not
prevented by condoms.
In the first 5,000 years of civilization, fewer
than 20 Sexually Transmitted Infections
became common. In the last 40 years the
number of common STIs has skyrocketed to
over 60.
In the 1960s, one in 50 teens had a STI. Today
its over 1 in 4.
Teenage girls who have sex are twice as
likely to commit suicide as girls who practice
abstinence.
Understanding the Rewards and Challenges of Chaste Living
Teenage boys who have sex are seven times

"Those who approach the If we acknowledge our

sacrament of Penance
sins, he is faithful and
obtain pardon from God's
just and will forgive
mercy for the offense
committed against him, our sins and cleanse
and are, at the same time,
us from every
reconciled with the
wrongdoing.
Church which they have
1 John 1:9
wounded by their sins and
which by charity, by
example, and by prayer
labors for their
conversion.
CCC, 1422
Understanding the Rewards and Challenges of Chaste Living

Sins against the Nature of Conjugal Love

Common Myths about NFP

The U.S. Catholic bishops note the following common
misconceptions regarding the principles and practice
of Natural Family Planning
Myth #1 NFP is based on guesswork: its what people
used before modern
science developed contraception.
Myth #2 NFP can be used only by women with regular
cycles.
Myth #3 NFP is too complicated to be used by most
people.
Myth #4 NFP is not a reliable method of family planning.
Myth # 5 There is no difference between NFP and
contraception.
Myth #6 NFP does not allow for sexual spontaneity.
Myth #7 Couples who use NFP have sex less often than
couples who
useagainst the Nature of Conjugal Love
Sins
contraception.

Attacks against the Dignity of Marriage

Covenant Love vs. Convenient

C o v e n a n t L o v e LoveC o n v e n i e n t L o v e
Rational

Irrational

Thoughtbased

Fellingbased

Goal: Joy

Goal: Happiness

Goal: Pleasure of another

Goal: Selfpleasure

Sex as an expression of love

Sex as an act of passion

Love as choice

Love as feeling

Unconditional

Conditional

Controversy processed

Controversy avoided

Divorce is not an option

Divorce is an option

Marriage is a living promise

Marriage is a piece of paper

Love is what we do

Love is what we do until

something better comes along

You/us

Me

Forever

For as long as it feels good

Secure

Attacks againstInsecure
the Dignity of Marriage

Attacks against the Dignity of Marriage

Homosexual acts are simulations of

sexual intercourse, for these acts
cannot involve the complementarity
of male/female sexual union. And
these simulated acts are thus
infertile, with true union of the
generative elements rendered
impossible by such activities within
the same gender.
Same Sex Marriage: When Two Can Never Be
One
Attacks
against
the Dignity
of Marriage
Frank
J. Morriss,
J.D.