What the Catholic Bishops aren't Telling Our Youth about Virginity

In almost all catechesis to our youth, the eternal privileges granted to perpetual virgins are being totally ignored.

As Catechetical Sunday approaches and Catholic teens head for Confirmation classes and youth groups, one of the most difficult tasks for youth ministers is approaching the subject of sex. Unfortunately, over the last few decades the Church we love has set a horrible example of how to do this. For example, at one American parish, youth are taken on a retreat entitled, “Sex and Dating.” Notice the horribly flawed emphasis! The retreat should be called “Virginity and Chastity.” This title would apply to all our youth whether they ultimately marry or remain celibate. But "Sex and Dating" takes the emphasis off of virginity, excluding from the outset the consideration of engaging in neither. But absurdities like this are just a outgrowth of a larger mistake the Church is making when evangelizing its young people.

It’s a shame but it’s true: the Church is failing to share with teens the revelation that perpetual virgins receive special heavenly privileges. This fact that our Tradition reveals is never brought up when catechists talk with teenagers. Instead, all the focus is pessimistically placed on sex and marriage. But rather than trying to endow our youth with a reverence for sex, which is not sacred, we should be endowing them with a reverence for virginity, which is sacred. Avoidance of sex would follow from respect for this virginal privilege, as would newfound respect for marriage.

For sure, this will be hard news for young people to hear, many of whom have irreversibly thrown away their virginal privilege by experimenting with sex. But the bishops have the tough charge of preaching the entirety of Catholic revelation. And woe to them if they do not preach the gospel!

 This article appeared in the August 15, 2004 issue of The Loyal Lion.