“Love is … the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being.”
– St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
Every human person is created to make a gift of themselves in love. Our bodies were given to us to communicate love, and our bodies speak a language. In sexual intimacy, our bodies say, “I give myself to you alone, completely and faithfully for the rest of my life.” If we engage in sexual activity without intending to be faithful or without giving ourselves fully (including our fertility), we are lying with our bodies. We are called, instead, to authentic love. Chastity is recognizing my dignity and the dignity of others. It is treating others as persons to be loved and not as objects to be used for my pleasure. Every person is called to chastity, according to their state in life.
Marriage
Living Chastely
Marriage is a sacrament, making visible the total, self-giving love of God for every human person. Spouses are called to image the faithful and fruitful love of the Blessed Trinity in their marriage. Learn more about the beauty of God’s plan for marriage by watching these videos.
Are you preparing for marriage? Learn how the Church can support you by visiting the Family Life Office page.
Resources
- Learn more about the beauty of God’s plan for love: The Chastity Project
- Schedule a presentation from the dynamic Culture Project missionaries to inspire youth and young adults to build a culture of life through authentic love. Click here to learn more!
- Discover healing from sexual wounds in Dawn Eden’s book “My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints”