United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catl Formation
Guidelines for Curriculum Design and Publication
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catechetical Formation
in Chaste Living
Guidelines for Curriculum Design and Publication
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Washington, D.C.
The document Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living: Guidelines for Curriculum
Design and Publication was developed by the Committee on Evangelization and
Catechesis of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It
was approved by the full body of the USCCB at its November 2007 General
Meeting and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned.
Msgr. David J. Malloy, STD
General Secretary, USCCB
Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, copyright ⓒ
2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
First printing, June 2008
ISBN: 978-1-60137-043-3
Copyright ⓒ 2008, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington,
D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the copyright holder.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Part I: The Teaching of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A. The Received Teaching of the Church Regarding Chaste Living . . . . . . 3
B. Church Teaching on Special Issues of Concern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Part II: Passing On the Teaching of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A. The Role of Pastors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
B. The Role of Parents/Guardians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
C. The Role of Teachers and Catechists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
D. The Role of Publishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
E. Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
Introduction
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living: Guidelines for Curriculum Design and
Publication is designed to guide publishers in the development of new religion
texts for students in preschool through twelfth grade and to assist in curriculum
development by diocesan and parish catechetical leaders. These guidelines may
also be helpful to assist parents/guardians, catechists, and Catholic school teachers in
their respective roles in this crucial and delicate task.
The development of this document has been prompted by the promulgation of the
teaching of the Church in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and by the publication
of the General Directory for Catechesis, the National Directory for Catechesis, and
the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. This new set of catechetical guidelines
focuses specifically on catechetical formation in Catholic faith and morals as well
as on virtues for chaste living. Proper reference to human anatomy or physiology
is to be made only to the degree necessary to teach morality and virtue. The content
of these guidelines acknowledges the primary role of parents in giving a concrete
or more specific education in human sexuality. The teaching of the Catechism of
the Catholic Church, the General Directory for Catechesis, and the National Directory
for Catechesis is normative in this area, and consultation of these documents is presumed
by these guidelines.
All of catechesis on chaste living takes place within the faith community that is
the Church. Everyone involved in this catechesis is only able to instruct because each
has first received the teaching of the Church. Parents are particularly responsible
for catechizing their children in faith and morals and thus have a special obligation
to understand thoroughly and live the teachings of the Church. Assisting parents of
adolescents and youth in the formation of their children for chaste living is essential
to their formation in the Catholic faith and should be mandatory in Catholic schools
and in parish religious education and youth ministry programs. This may be done in
the form of a curriculum, a presentation for youth and/or parents, or the use of other
educational materials.
Through the implementation of these guidelines, it is hoped that each baptized
person becomes able to
a. Reflect upon and cherish his or her dignity and that of other persons as made in
the image and likeness of God
b. Reflect faithfully that image in a life conformed to new life in Christ
c. Deepen the relationship with Christ and the Church through frequent prayer
and celebration of the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
d. Embrace joyfully the call to love and live chastely either as a married
person or as a celibate person
Jesus Christ has won salvation for all through his saving life, Death, Resurrection,
and Ascension. In Baptism, with the forgiveness of Original Sin and the gift of baptismal
grace, the Lord helps people to grow in holiness and virtue; to live as his adopted
children and as members of his Body, the Church; and to love each other as he has
loved us. Guided by the Holy Spirit and the relationship of love within the Holy
Trinity which has been given to the entire world, Christ’s disciples are called to live in
relationships which demonstrate this same love of God.
Faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ’s life and teaching, the Church continues
to proclaim salvation in Christ Jesus and to invite men and women to follow
his way. Though humanity is still wounded by sin, the Church continues
to call all to trust in God’s mercy, to turn away from sin, and to embrace the
Good News. She continues to teach everyone how to live as Jesus did, instructing
them in the message of the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the
entire Gospel. She urges frequent reception of the sacraments, especially Penance
and Reconciliation and the Eucharist, and cultivation of the virtues that enable
people to lead a chaste and holy life.
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
PART I:
THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH
A. The Received Teaching of the Church
Regarding Chaste Living
Catechetical instruction in chaste living needs to treat doctrinal truths insofar as
they apply to the integration of the human mind, heart, will, and body. Catechetical
instruction should include the following components.
Received Teaching of the Church References
1. Human beings are created in God’s own
image and created for love: to receive God’s
love in order to love God, ourselves, and our
neighbor; and to receive love from others. To
love is to will the good of another.
Gn 1:26-27
CCC, nos. 1604, 2093, 2105, 1766
Familiaris Consortio, no. 11
2. Individually, as male or female, human beings
reflect creation in the image and likeness of
God by having an intellect, a free will, and the
capacity of free truly human and moral acts. A
person’s gender is also constitutive of his or her
nature and spirituality.
Gn 1:27
CCC, nos. 355, 1700, 1704-1706
Veritatis Splendor, nos. 35, 40
Theology of the Body, 37, 42,
52-53, 61
3. Being created in God’s image also enables
human beings to share in Trinitarian love, and
to express love in marriage through the generation
of new life and through self-donation. This
call to communion is revealed in the complementarity
of the bodies of men and women,
which are capable of becoming “one flesh” and
expressing the mutual gift of self that marriage
ought to be.
Gaudium et Spes, no. 49
CCC, nos. 27, 371-372, 2331-2334
Truth and Meaning, no. 10
Theology of the Body, 45, 47
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
4. Adam and Eve shared in God’s friendship
(grace) but lost it through a free act of disobedience
called Original Sin. “Although set by God
in a state of rectitude, man, enticed by the evil
one, abused his freedom at the very start of
history. He lifted himself up against God and
sought to attain his goal apart from him.” By
his sin, Adam, as the first man, lost the original
holiness and justice he had received from God,
not only for himself but for all human beings.
Adam and Eve transmitted to their descendants
a human nature wounded by their own first sin
and hence deprived of original holiness and justice;
this deprivation is called “Original Sin.”
Rom 5:12-14
Gaudium et Spes, no. 13
CCC, nos. 397, 415-417, 1707
5. The effects of Original Sin include
• Loss of God’s friendship (grace)
•Damage to the harmony between body,
intellect, and will
•Reduced ability to love one another
unselfishly
•Experience of shame
•Confusion about the nature and purpose
of the human body
•Being subject to other temptations to
sin and to concupiscence
•Death
CCC, nos. 399-400, 418
CCC, no. 1707
Gn 3:7-11
Rom 1:18-32
Truth and Meaning, no. 11
CCC, nos. 1707, 1869, 1008
CCC, nos. 1264, 1426
CCC, no. 1008
6. God did not abandon his people. From the
moment the first humans committed Original
Sin, God revealed his plan for everyone’s
redemption.
7. To accomplish our redemption, God the
Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, true God and
true man, to give us the Holy Spirit.
CCC, nos. 55, 410-411
CCC, no. 461
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
8. Jesus Christ knows and loves us, and by his
suffering and death, he gives himself up for
each one of us and brings about our redemption
within the community of the Church.
CCC, nos. 604-605, 1708
9. Not only did Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
redeem us, he also taught us how to live and
gave us the gift of new life through the power of
the Holy Spirit.
CCC, no. 1709
Veritatis Splendor, nos. 15-18
10. Christian morality consists in following
Christ, being transformed by his grace and
renewed in his mercy.
CCC, nos. 424-428
Veritatis Splendor, nos. 19-24
11. Moral formation involves a journey of interior
transformation that deepens one’s personal
conversion to Christ.
12. We do not lead the moral life on our own.
God helps and transforms us from within by the
power of his grace. In freedom, we are called to
cooperate with God’s grace.
13. A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to
do what is right and good.
14. The cardinal virtues of prudence, justice,
fortitude, and temperance play a pivotal role in
governing our actions, ordering our passions,
and guiding our conduct according to reason
and faith. These virtues are acquired by human
efforts as a result of education, by deliberate
acts, and by perseverance ever renewed in
repeated morally good acts. All human virtues
are related to the cardinal virtues, and all are
purified and elevated by divine grace.
CCC, no. 1709
Veritatis Splendor, no. 25
CCC, nos. 1742, 2001, 2022
CCC, no. 1803
CCC, nos. 1805, 1810
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
15. The theological virtues of faith, hope, and
love (charity) are the foundation of Christian
moral activity. They animate it and give it its
special character. They aid persons to grow in a
generous and self-giving love that is the foundation
for a chaste life.
CCC, nos. 1812, 1813
16. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom,
understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge,
piety, and fear of the Lord. They complete and
perfect the virtues of those who receive them.
CCC, no. 1831
17. It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to
maintain moral balance. Christ’s gift of salvation
offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the
pursuit of the virtues. Everybody should also ask
for this grace of light and strength, frequent the
sacraments, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and
follow his call to seek what is good and avoid
evil. If we are united with the Lord, we will
reach fulfillment in the glory of heaven.
CCC, nos. 1709, 1715, 1811
18. This glory is experienced in part through
the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit at work in us:
charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty,
self-control, chastity.
CCC, no. 1832
19. The Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes,
and the Precepts of the Church instruct
us in how we are to live our lives in union
with God.
Ex 20:2-17
Dt 5:6-21
Mt 5:3-12
CCC, nos. 1716, 1717, 1724,
1952, 2041, 2072
Veritatis Splendor, no. 16
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
20. Chastity is a virtue that allows us to do what
is right, good, and truly loving in the areas of
relationship and sexuality. All the baptized are
called to cultivate this spiritual power which
frees love from selfishness and aggression. The
virtue of chastity shines out with incomparable
splendor in the virginity of Jesus Christ.
CCC, no. 2348
Truth and Meaning, no. 16
Mt 19:1-12; Rom 5:12ff.; 1 Cor
15:45-47; Col 1:1-18
CCC, nos. 2345, 359, 504-05, 518
Sacramentum Caritatis, no. 24
21. Chastity promotes the full integration of
sexuality within persons, in accord with their
state of life—married, single, professed religious,
or consecrated celibate. Chastity promotes
abstention from immoral sexual activity.
CCC, nos. 2337, 2349
22. Chastity includes an apprenticeship in selfmastery,
which is a training in human freedom
and which is the result of long and hard
personal and interior work.
CCC, nos. 2339, 2342
23. Chastity flows from the moral virtue of temperance
that helps us direct our sexuality and
sexual desires toward authentic love and away
from using persons as objects for sexual pleasure.
Chastity is not a matter of repression of
sexual feelings and temptations but is the successful
integration of the gift of sexuality within
the whole person. To integrate the gift of sexuality
means to make it subordinate to love and
respect through the practice of chastity.
CCC, no. 2341
Truth and Meaning, no. 4
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
24. Formation in the virtue of chastity includes
• Education for authentic love
• Understanding of one’s sexuality
as a gift
•Cultivation of all the virtues,
especially charity
•The practice of prayer
•The virtue of temperance
•Respect for human dignity in oneself
and in others
•The practice of decency and modesty
in behavior, dress, and speech
•Respect for one’s own body and for
others as temples of the Holy Spirit
•Assistance in acquiring self-mastery
and self-control
CCC, nos. 2338-2345, 2517-2527
NDC, §45 ˚F
Truth and Meaning, nos. 8-25
1 Cor 6:19
25. The benefits of chastity include
• The integrity of life and love placed in
the person
• The gift of authentic friendship
• Fidelity in marriage, which leads to
strong family life
• The ability to be “pure of heart”
•Development to authentic maturity
•Capacity to respect and foster the
“nuptial meaning” of the body
•A lifestyle that brings joy
•The discipline to renounce self, make
sacrifices, and wait
•A life that revolves around selfgiving
love
•Development of a harmonious
personality
•Freedom from all forms of selfcenteredness
•The capacity for compassion, tolerance,
generosity, and a spirit of sacrifice
•Avoidance of occasions of sin
CCC, nos. 2338-2340
CCC, no. 2338
CCC, no. 2347
CCC, no. 2363
CCC, no. 2518
Familiaris Consortio, no. 37
Familiaris Consortio, no. 37
Truth and Meaning, no. 3
Truth and Meaning, no. 5
Truth and Meaning, no. 16
Truth and Meaning, no. 17
Truth and Meaning, no. 17
Truth and Meaning, no. 31
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
26. Christ’s disciples need to be aware of and to
resist temptation to engage in activities which
are violations of chastity with varying degrees of
gravity, such as
•Immodest behavior, dress, or speech
•Misuse of the Internet creating easy
access to virtual and anonymous
behaviors for viewing pornography, for
being preyed upon by others, for writing
explicitly through blogs and instant
messaging, and for posting inappropriate,
sexually explicit, or suggestive
photos, messages, rumors, etc. on
popular social networking Web sites
•Risky behaviors, sometimes as a result
of using alcohol and drugs, which often
lead to sexual encounters
•Giving in to lustful desires
and temptations
•Viewing pornography and
indecent entertainment
•Masturbation
•Use of contraceptives
•Use of illicit reproductive technologies
•All forms of premarital sex, including
oral sex
•Cohabitation
•Homosexual sexual activity
•Adultery
•Polygamy
•Prostitution
•Rape
•Incest
•Sexual abuse
Mt 5:27-28
Rom 8:5-10, 12-13
Eph 5:3-7
Gal 5:13, 17-21; 6:7-10
CCC, nos. 2351-2359, 2380-2381,
2389, 2400
NDC, §45 ˚F
Veritatis Splendor, no. 26
10 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
27. Violations of chastity are sinful, some
of them gravely sinful. To die in mortal sin
without repenting and accepting God’s merciful
love means remaining separated from him
forever. Mortal sins against chastity bring great
risk to our salvation and open the possibility
for eternal damnation.
CCC, nos. 1033, 2352
28. For any who fail to live chaste lives, Jesus
Christ offers through his Church opportunities
for forgiveness through the Sacrament of
Penance and Reconciliation. Regular reception
of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, as well as
prayer and good works, can help us maintain
chaste living. We need God’s grace to help us
live a chaste life.
CCC, nos. 1391-1395, 1426,
1434-1437, 1446, 1468-1469,
1484, 2337-2345
29. Conjugal love between husband and wife is
part of God’s plan for humanity. Marriage is a
lifelong communion of a man and woman constituted
by a mutual gift of self which is called to
image the inner life of the Trinity. When conjugal
love is faithful, exclusive, and open to life, it
is a blessing to the couple and, through them, to
the Church and to the world.
Mt 19; Mt 5:27-30
CCC, nos. 2360-2379
Gaudium et Spes, nos. 48-52
30. Married people are called to love in conjugal
chastity, while those unmarried live a chastity
of continence.
CCC, no. 2349
31. In the battle for purity and purification of
the heart, the Blessed Virgin Mary will assist
persons to live a chaste life.
CCC, nos. 2514-2533
Truth and Meaning, no. 71
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 11
B. Church Teaching on Special Issues of Concern
Serious concerns are identified because of their prevalence in our society today and
the particular dangers they pose to chaste living. In dealing with these special issues,
the teaching of the Church must be presented with clarity. It should also be clear that
for those who are affected by these and other similar issues, the Church responds with
pastoral compassion, reaching out to support and encourage all who struggle to live
moral lives.
Topic References
1. Pornography
Any efforts to portray real or simulated sexual
acts in order to display them to others uses
persons as objects and betrays the meaning of
sexuality. Pornography defames the intimacy
of the marital act and injures the dignity of
viewers and participants. Child pornography is a
particularly abhorrent form of pornography that
dehumanizes children for profit or perverted
pleasure. Christians are to shun all participation
in pornography as producers, actors, consumers,
or vendors. Pornography also tends to become
addictive. The ready availability of pornography on
the Internet and television adds to the spread of
this addiction.
CCC, no. 2354
12 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
2. Contraceptive Mentality and Practice
In the marital act, the unity of the spouses
and the gift of life go together. Both are good
as created by God for couples. Contraception,
which separates openness to life from the act of
conjugal unity in sexual intercourse, has become
such a commonly accepted practice that many
choose to engage in it without any reference to
the moral aspect of their actions. Contraception
is contrary to the law of God. Pope Paul VI, in
Humanae Vitae, prophetically identified consequences
that would come about as a result of
an acceptance of contraception. These include
marital infidelity, a lessening of moral standards,
a loss of respect for women and their dignity,
governments limiting the number of births
allowed, less personal responsibility toward
others, more selfish individualism, harm to the
family, and growth in a materialistic approach to
life. Some commonly accepted types of contraception
are abortifacients.
CCC, no. 2370
Humanae Vitae, nos. 8, 17
Familiaris Consortio, nos. 89-90
3. Premarital and Extramarital Sex
Acts proper and exclusive to spouses are totally
reserved for a man and a woman who are joined
in marriage and committed to one another
until death. All other carnal unions and sexual
acts (including oral sex) between an unmarried
man and woman (fornication), or between
two partners of whom at least one is married
to another party (adultery), violate the Sixth
Commandment and are serious offenses against
chastity and/or the dignity of marriage. Married
couples have always experienced problems that
threaten their union: jealousy, infidelity, and
conflicts. Lust and arbitrary domination can
ruin a marriage. These situations can lead to
mental, physical, and emotional abuse.
CCC, nos. 1643-1648, 2348-2350,
2360-2361, 2380, 2394
United States Catholic Catechism for
Adults, 287-288
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 13
4. Divorce
When a marriage has broken down, there is
a presumption of validity until the contrary is
proven. The Church tribunal provides a process
whereby an examination of the marriage can be
made and possible invalidity determined. When
faced with separation and divorce, Catholics
should be encouraged and supported to make
every effort to seek reconciliation. If even this
fails, they should be assisted in seeking the
services of the tribunal, if they so choose. In
today’s culture, the Church’s fidelity to Christ’s
teaching on marriage and against divorce should
remain strong. Great sensitivity and pastoral
care should be offered to those Catholics who
have experienced the pain of civil divorce but
who wish to keep the faith and who desire to
bring up their children in the Catholic faith, so
they do not consider themselves alienated from
the Catholic faith.
Canon 1676
5. Cohabitation
“Cohabitation” is a term used to describe the
living arrangement of sexually active couples
who are not married but are living as husband
and wife. Cohabitation does not support the
good of spouses, since the marriage union does
not exist. It also does not provide a stable, permanent
relationship for children who may be
conceived. Cohabitation implies immoral sexual
activity and, therefore, scandal. Whatever the
reason that may be advanced, cohabitation is
not a moral or acceptable preparation for marriage.
In fact, cohabitation has been demonstrated
to have a negative effect on the ultimate
success of a marriage.
CCC, nos. 2350, 2353, 2390-2391
Familiaris Consortio, no. 81
Family, Marriage, and
“De Facto” Unions
14 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
6. Sexual Abuse
Any sexual abuse perpetrated by an adult on
children, young people, or other vulnerable
individuals causes grave harm to the victim’s
physical, psychological/emotional, and moral
integrity. Such actions are grave violations of
God’s law. They are also criminal acts. Any
occurrence of sexual abuse of minors must be
reported to the proper civil authorities according
to the Charter for the Protection of Children
and Young People as implemented in each diocese.
Further, reporting of abuse or suspected
abuse must be done in adherence with local
law. Likewise, the enslavement or trafficking of
humans, especially children, to force them into
prostitution or pornography; sexual abuse of
adults; and marital rape are also heinous forms
of sexual abuse. In addition, children need to
be instructed, in age-appropriate ways, that they
must never keep secret inappropriate actions
by adults.
CCC, nos. 2388-2389
7. Homosexual Activity
Although the existence of homosexual tendencies
is not sinful, divine and natural law teaches
that homosexual acts are gravely contrary to
chastity, intrinsically disordered, contrary to
the natural law, and closed to the gift of life;
they do not proceed from a genuine affective
and sexual complementarity and can never be
approved. Nonetheless, in her pastoral care, the
Church teaches that every person be treated
with respect, compassion, and sensitivity regardless
of sexual orientation.
CCC, nos. 2357-2359, 2396
Ministry to Persons with a
Homosexual Inclination
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 15
8. Same-Sex “Marriage”
This phrase is used to describe a union between
individuals of the same sex which mimics marriage.
Whether or not sanctioned by the state,
so-called same-sex “unions” or “marriages” do
not contain the elements essential to God’s
plan for marriage. They lack the benefit of a
nuptial or sacramental covenant and the ability
to generate new human life. Because they are
contrary to divine law and natural law, same-sex
“unions” or “marriages” are intrinsically wrong
and sinful.
CCC, nos. 1617, 1625, 1638-1640,
1643, 1652, 1659-1660, 1664
9. Reproductive Technology
Science and technology play an increasing role
in our lives. What is learned and developed
must always be at the service of the human
person in accord with God’s law. The desire to
have a child is a natural one, but not one that
can be fulfilled by any means whatever. A child
is a gift from God and should be conceived
through a conjugal act of love between parents.
Conception must never be separated in any way
or form from the conjugal act. All forms of in
vitro fertilization, efforts at cloning a human person,
and embryonic stem cell research are sinful.
CCC, nos. 2376-2377
Donum Vitae, §II ˚B, 4
16 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
PART II:
PASSING ON THE TEACHING
OF THE CHURCH
A. The Role of Pastors
Teaching References
1. The Church has both a duty and a right to
ensure that all the faithful are adequately educated
and formed in the Catholic faith, particularly
in the areas of chaste living and the Gospel
of life.
Canons 794-795
Veritatis Splendor, nos. 27-28, 30
2. The pastors of the Church, under the direction
of and in communion with their bishop,
have a responsibility to serve as models of
chaste living for the community as they work to
ensure that the education and formation of all
the faithful in chaste living is in accord with the
Church’s teaching.
Canon 773
3. This formation includes catechesis on the
nature and vocation of men and women created
in the image of God and called to form bonds of
loving and chaste communion with one another
through friendship, service, single life, marriage,
and celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom.
Gaudium et Spes, nos. 49-52
Canon 777 §§3-5
Truth and Meaning, nos. 26-36
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 17
4. Some of the serious duties of a pastor include
providing for catechesis of the Christian faithful;
instructing and assisting parents/guardians on
their role as primary educators of their children
in the ways of the faith consistent with Church
teaching; providing formation of those who
catechize others—including parents/guardians
involved in the catechesis of their children—
in the area of chaste living; and providing
ample opportunities for the Sacrament of
Penance and Reconciliation.
Canons 528 §1, 773, 776
NDC, §54 ˚B, 1-2
5. The Church holds that it is her duty to instill
confidence in parents about their own capabilities
and to help them carry out their task.
Truth and Meaning, no. 47
6. Under the direction of the pastor, Catholic
schools, religious education programs, and
youth ministry programs should provide assistance
as catechetical partners with parents
or guardians. Formation in chaste living is an
integral part of the Church’s instruction in the
moral life and becomes part of the overall catechetical
curriculum. Teachers and catechists
should be adequately formed in chaste living, so
as to reinforce and support the teachings to be
handled by parents/guardians.
Canons 796, 798, 1063 §4
Familiaris Consortio, no. 14
NDC, §54 ˚B, 1-2
18 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
B. The Role of Parents/Guardians
Teaching References
1. Marriage is designed by the Creator to promote
the good of the spouses and to provide for
the procreation and education of children.
Gaudium et Spes, no. 48
CCC, nos. 2366-2367
Canon 1055 §1
Truth and Meaning, no. 15
2. Parents/guardians are to be the first and
foremost educators of their children. This Godgiven
responsibility cannot legitimately be taken
away by other powers or institutions.
CCC, no. 2221
Gravissimum Educationis, no. 3
Canons 774 §2, 1136
Familiaris Consortio, no. 36
NDC, §54 ˚C; §61 ˚A, 3
3. Parents/guardians are called to practice and
witness marital chastity and to build a very
positive relationship between themselves that
strengthens their marital covenant and guards
against the perils of divorce.
CCC, nos. 2349, 2363-2365
Canon 1063 §4
Familiaris Consortio, nos. 33-34
NDC, §36 ˚C, 2
4. Parents/guardians are obliged to ensure that
their children’s education in human sexuality
occurs within the context of the moral principles
and truths of the Catholic Church, whether it
be done at home or in educational centers
chosen by them.
Canons 226 §2, 835 §4
Familiaris Consortio, no. 37
Truth and Meaning, nos. 37-47
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 19
5. Education of children includes formation in
knowledge and practice of their faith, including
participation in Sunday Mass and frequent confession,
a life of virtue in accordance with the
teachings of the Church, catechesis on morality
including education in chastity and the virtues,
and the fostering of a growing relationship with
Jesus according to the child’s age and maturity
level and in conformity with the teachings of the
Catholic Church. Baptismal sponsors are also
bound to provide support in this responsibility.
Canons 226, 774 §2, 914
CCC, nos. 2221-2226, 2229
NDC, §45 ˚F
Truth and Meaning, nos. 65-76
6. Christian parents/guardians are the primary
but not the exclusive educators of their children.
They carry out their role in communion
with the Church and her pastors, who have
a responsibility to ensure that the education
offered to the young is in accordance with
Church teaching.
Familiaris Consortio, nos. 36, 40
Truth and Meaning, nos. 20, 22
7. Parents/guardians are assisted by their pastors,
from the spiritual riches of the Church,
to receive ongoing Christian formation and to
choose the means and institutes which can best
promote the Catholic education of their children.
Canons 213, 217, 529 §1, 776, 793,
851 §2, 1063 §1
CCC, no. 2229
Familiaris Consortio, no. 37
8. The invitation to other educators to carry out
their responsibilities in the name of the parents
arises from the consent and authorization of
the parents.
CCC, no. 2229
9. Parents are encouraged to review the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Truth
and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for
Education Within the Family, and the National
Directory for Catechesis in fulfilling their roles.
CCC, nos. 1691-1876,
1949-2051, 2331-2400,
2514-2533
NDC, §45, §54 ˚C
Truth and Meaning
20 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
C. The Role of Teachers and Catechists
Teaching References
1. Content of Instruction
Catechetical formation in chaste living must be
presented according to the doctrinal and moral
teaching of the Church.
• Catholic educators should also consult the
National Directory for Catechesis for a detailed
listing of pertinent catechetical guidelines
under general moral catechesis and
under catechesis for the Sixth and
Ninth Commandments.
• Further guidelines are detailed in The
Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality.
• Teachers and catechists are obliged to use
only those textbooks which have received
the requisite ecclesiastical approval.
• Catechists should be living witnesses of all
virtue, since such witness is an essential
part of catechesis.
CCC, nos. 1691-1876, 1949-2051,
2331-2400, 2514-2533
NDC, §§40-42, §45 ˚F
Truth and Meaning
NDC, §68 ˚A
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 21
2. Relationship of Educators to Parents
The Church teaches:
• “No one is capable of giving moral education
regarding responsible personal growth
in human sexuality better than duly prepared
parents.”
•Since the Church recognizes that parents
are the first educators of their children,
Catholic educators do well to focus on
providing assistance to parents/guardians.
Suitable materials need to be developed
and provided to assist parents in their
important responsibility.
•Education for chastity, sustained by
parental example and prayer, is absolutely
essential to develop authentic maturity,
teach respect for the body, and foster an
understanding of the dignity of the body
as the temple of the Holy Spirit and an
understanding of the nuptial meaning of
the body.
•Catechists must teach by their example
and must love their students, so as to
create a love for the truth in those that
they teach.
Familiaris Consortio, no. 37
Truth and Meaning, no. 145
Theology of the Body, 63
CCC, no. 364
NDC, §55 ˚B
Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 41
22 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
3. Catechetical Process
• Catechetical formation in chaste living
is best taught in stages according to each
child’s age and maturity.
•Education for chastity is more than a call
to abstinence. It requires
a. Understanding the need for a
family environment of love, virtue,
and respect for the gifts of God
b. Learning the practice of decency,
modesty, and self-control
c. Guiding sexual instincts toward loving
service of others
d. Recognizing one’s embodied existence
as male or female as a gift from God
e. Discerning one’s vocation to marriage,
to chaste single life, to celibate priesthood,
or to consecrated virginity for
the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven
Truth and Meaning, nos. 52-63,
118-120, 123
NDC, §48
CCC, no. 2339
CCC, no. 2349
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 23
D. The Role of Publishers
Teaching References
1. To the publishers and authors falls the crucial
role of translating these doctrinal principles
into texts and other materials for use with
multiple audiences, including parents, families,
schools, and religious education and youth ministry
programs, in an age-appropriate manner.
2. Catechetical formation in chaste living must
be presented according to the doctrinal and
moral teaching of the Catholic Church as outlined
in these guidelines.
NDC, §70 ˚A (bullet 4, item 7)
Donum Vitae, §III, nos. 14-15
3. Publishers should present the teaching of the
Church regarding chaste living as a positive
way to respond to encounters with Christ, who
transforms our lives.
4. To guide publishers and authors in their
work, appropriate references from many sources,
including the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, The Truth
and Meaning of Human Sexuality, the National
Directory for Catechesis, and the United States
Catholic Catechism for Adults have been cited.
5. In particular, publishers are directed to
see the National Directory for Catechesis for
a detailed listing of pertinent catechetical
guidelines under general moral catechesis
and under catechesis for the Sixth and Ninth
Commandments.
NDC, §§40-42, §45 ˚F
24 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
6. Publishers are also directed to utilize the
eight elements of human methodology as appropriate
in developing formation resources for
chaste living.
NDC, §29
7. Preparation of catechetical materials should
also be based on sound principles of catechetical
methodology that reflect the diversity of age,
maturity, culture, race, ethnicity, and ecclesial
conditions of those who will use the materials.
Canon 779
NDC, §70 ˚A , 6
8. Publishers are directed to honor the family,
especially the role of parents as primary educators,
when developing texts and other materials.
Familiaris Consortio, nos. 36-41
9. In late adolescence, young people can first
be introduced to the knowledge of the signs of
fertility and then to the natural regulation of
fertility, but only in the context of education
for love, fidelity in marriage, God’s plan for
procreation, and respect for human life.
Familiaris Consortio, no. 33
Truth and Meaning, no. 125
NDC, §36 ˚C, 2
10. Homosexuality should be discussed at an
appropriate age and time and in an appropriate
manner that respects people of all sexual
inclination. When treated, it must be treated
in terms of chaste living, an understanding of
human sexuality, and the need for pastoral
care for the person and the family.
Truth and Meaning, no. 125
Ministry to Persons with a
Homosexual Inclination
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 25
E. Resources
Scripture
New American Bible.
Conciliar Decrees
Second Vatican Council. Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum
Educationis), October 28, 1965.
Second Vatican Council. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern
World (Gaudium et Spes), December 7, 1965.
Canon Law
Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition: New English Translation (Codex
Iuris Canonici [CIC]). Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America,
1998.
Documents of the Universal Church
Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana–
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000.
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice
Vaticana–United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006.
Papal Documents (Chronological)
Pius XI. Encyclical Letter On Christian Marriage (Casti Connubii), December
31, 1930.
Paul VI. Encyclical Letter On the Regulation of Birth (Humanae Vitae), July
25, 1968.
26 Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living
Paul VI. Apostolic Exhortation On Evangelization in the Modern World
(Evangelii Nuntiandi), December 8, 1975.
John Paul II. Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation The Role of the Christian
Family in the Modern World (Familiaris Consortio), November 22, 1981.
John Paul II. Encyclical Letter The Splendor of Truth (Veritatis Splendor),
August 6, 1993.
John Paul II. The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan.
Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1997.
Benedict XVI. Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation The Sacrament of Charity
(Sacramentum Caritatis), February 22, 2007.
Documents from Vatican Offices or Congregations
Congregation for Catholic Education. Educational Guidance in Human Love,
1983. Available at www.vatican.va.
Congregation for the Clergy. General Directory for Catechesis. Washington,
DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Instruction on Respect for Human
Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation: Replies to Certain Questions
of the Day (Donum Vitae), February 22, 1987. Available at www.vatican.va.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. On Some Aspects of the Use of
the Instruments of Social Communication in Promoting the Doctrine of the Faith,
March 30, 1992. Available at www.vatican.va.
Pontifical Council for the Family. Family, Marriage, and “De Facto” Unions.
Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2001.
Pontifical Council for the Family. The Truth and Meaning of Human
Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family. Washington, DC:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1996.
Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living 27
Documents from the USCCB
Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care.
Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006.
National Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005.
Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry. Washington,
DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997.
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Washington, DC: United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006.
usccbpublishing.org
Related Titles
National Directory for Catechesis
A companion to the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), it provides practical
tools for administering catechesis or Catholic education as it builds on some of
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English: No. 5-443, 328 pp.; Spanish: No. 5-862, 363 pp.
Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of
Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age
This framework is an important source for those who create instructional
material. It provides guidance on the necessary doctrinal content of catechetical
text and materials, curriculum development, and catechetical instruction.
English: No. 7-042, 57 pp., est.
Summary of the National Directory for Catechesis
This focused summary highlights the concepts and directives of the National
Directory for Catechesis (NDC). It is an excellent tool to guide and support
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English: No. 5-696, 48 pp.; Spanish: No. 5-913, 52 pp.
General Directory for Catechesis
An essential companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General
Directory for Catechesis (GDC) provides religious educators, teachers, and
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English: No. 5-225, 300 pp.; Spanish: No. 5-226, 300 pp.
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