What do all these words have in common?

1. What do all these words have in common? • Chastity • Abstinence • Celibacy Is it a positive, or a negative thing?

2. Why would not having sex, give people more of a chance to love each other? Why might not having sex with someone (who is not going to be your future wife/ husband) be a good thing? • To define celibacy and chastity • To explain the importance of chastity for ordinary people and for religious • To evaluate the value of celibacy Explain how not having sex, helps people to learn to love each other more. Give 2 other reasons why not having sex with someone who is not going to be your future wife/ husband would be the right decision. **Why might a lack of self confidence lead people to engaging in sexual activity? What could be a solution to this?

3. 1. Explain what a religious celibate is. 2. Match and write out what celibacy can teach others. . **Do you think it is important to have some celibates in the world? Why/ why not? A person who dedicates their sexuality to God has taken vows of chastity, and is called a religious celibate. Their celibacy is a sign to others: • By making a gift of their whole self + body to God, they show that… • By purifying their hearts from all lust and sexual desire, they show others that… • By being happy as celibates, they show to others that… • 1. …love is more than sex - we should love other people for who they are. • 2.…that is who we belong to most of all. • 3.… God is real, and our happiness ultimately comes from loving God above everything else.

4. Celibacy must also be life-giving, if it is going to be a positive things. How was celibacy life-giving for Mary or Jesus? Mary gave up her body to God, when the angel told her she would become the mother of God. The result of her total dedication to God was giving birth to Jesus - this was more important to the human race than anything else she could have done. Jesus was celibate: by dedicating his whole life & body to God, even on the cross, he saved us from sin & bringing us eternal life. Design a poster to show the benefits of celibacy - to a boyfriend/ girlfriend situation - to a religious celibate Mary, the first celibate… All celibates are like Jesus and Mary – they can be channels of God’s love and grace for the worlds, by the total dedication of their bodies to Him. Of celibacy…

5. Are there other benefits of celibacy to a priest?

6. It’s a powerful sign that we are ultimately made for God, who can satisfy us and make us happy, and free us from lust • It gives celibates a chance to dedicate themselves more to others • It is “fruitful” – because the celibate life is spiritually fruitful with God’s life-giving power. • Is celibacy a good thing? • Discuss in groups of 4. • Think of reasons to support your opinion. • Argue against people who might disagree with you. • It’s wrong to deny your natural feelings of lust and attraction • It’s wrong not to “be fruitful and multiply” as we are made for producing children, as it says in Genesis • A vow of celibacy could build up pressure in some people causing psychological problems, or scandals