Catechism of the Catholic Church, no.2350: Those who are engaged to marry are called to live chastity in continence. They should see in this time of testing a discovery of mutual respect, an apprenticeship in fidelity, and the hope of receiving one another from God. They should reserve for marriage the expressions of affection that belong to married love. They will help each other grow in chastity.
What’s love got to do with it?
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Purity and chastity seem to be virtues that have gone out of fashion. The crisis of values has led many young people to see sex as the center of their dating relationship. Sexually active men are considered “winners” and women “experienced,” while someone who saves him or herself in chastity is taken to be a prude, sexually incapable, or repressed by the Church. However, the reality is completely the opposite. Let’s take a look at 10 reasons to promote sexual abstinence among our youth.
[A true Catholic Christian marriage takes three: a man, a woman and Our Lord. Having a Christ-centred dating relationship leads the spouses onto having a Christ-centred marriage in the sacrament of holy matrimony. When Jesus is present prior to marriage He is able to bring about His full plan for His presence from the first day of matrimony, helping overcome all pitfalls and suffering that might appear (and surely will do at some points along the way) on into living Happily Ever After.]
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
Couldn’t agree more, but shielding young adults from all the promiscuity with friends and on tv is almost impossible, even when homeschooling. More tasteful movies, choices of pure friends, and cleaner media would be helpful but difficult to control!
Chastity, the word or actions, is not in the culture or the public schools or colleges
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The slideshow of this article gives 10 very good ethical and practical reasons why sex before marriage is a bad idea, but for members of the One True Catholic Faith it lacks the most important “reason” of them all: SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE IS A MORTAL SIN! Fornication is a mortal sin that is never talked about nowadays from the pulpit (except by faithful, traditional priests) but it certainly should be, for those who die suddenly in such a state are in danger of losing their souls.
Young men and women who deeply love each other and wish to seal their bond in marriage one day will be strongly tempted towards falling into sexual intimacy beforehand unless they make a determined decision to keep this beautiful gift for their wedding night. They will still have to arm themselves with courage to resist the strong temptations they will encounter, and those alluring ‘occasions of sin’, whilst praying constantly for temperance, chastity and a strengthening of their faith.
Their constancy will be greatly rewarded one day.
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As always, Kathleen, your posts are very good, except when you come up against The Raven (cf. Fraud: Sister Lucy 1) where comments by we little people don’t seem to be allowed today.
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@ JH
Haha, you’re correct old friend, I’ve been duly smacked down to my place for such naughty “speculation” (of possible frauds by the infiltrated enemies of Christ within the Vatican) and all further comments are now verboten.
The Raven has had the last word, and that’s fine: he does a truly great job in running this blog and that is his right. However, I would like to correct one false accusation he eludes to at me – that is only fair – and as I can’t do it on that thread I’ll do it here…
I do not doubt the Third Secret of Fatima is the one given by Our Lady of Fatima to the little visionaries in 1917. The argument has never been over this (AFAIK), only that there is strong evidence pointing to a further document with an explanation of the vision given to Sister Lucy that has never been revealed.
Many trustworthy Catholics who have had access to this “explanation” (also sometimes referred to as “the second part of the Third Secret”), people like Malachi Martin who was personal advisor to four popes, have hinted that it refers to a takeover of the Church by evil forces*, and a subsequent “bad Council” through which communist ideology would be spread abroad!
Are we not, in honesty, seeing that playing out in the Church right now?
* hence the speculation over the fraudulent Sr Lucy, post-1958.
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I liked the idea in the slide show of being able to share your love in other ways… and I think God is so gracious to us that he doesn’t just say “Don’t do it”, but He allows us to see the reason why in this case… we have so many benefits when we follow His way and order.
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