Sunday, January 26, 2020

babies bébés - Where do babies come from? D'où viennent les bébés?


 Where do babies come from?

How to answer your preschooler - Focus on the Family 


D'où viennent les bébés ?

Parlons d’amour à nos enfants : à la lumière de la théologie du corps 
Cahier pratique pour en parler aux 3-13 ans


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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best efforts as human beings to make sense of our lives in general - and of our human sexuality in particular - and to also include the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium; given that the Church has been accumulating the wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7     G.S.

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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Sunday, January 5, 2020

Family & Parenting - Guided by the Architect's plans, parents form their children to understand and manage their affections and human sexuality

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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To define one's identity on the basis of our sexuality alone is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you. G.S.

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best human efforts to make sense of our lives - and of our human sexuality in particular - also including the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium. The Church has been accumulating much valuable wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7 
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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In each case, please go to the link for the complete article.

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 Church, Family, & Life - a useful Information Kit 


BUILDING A FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AS A "NEST" FOR YOUR CHILDREN.... 

For the sake of the Children - What is best for them? - June 26, 2005 

NO DIFFERENCE?: AN ANALYSIS OF SAME-SEX PARENTING - 2011 

Parents, Children, and The Rules of Life - 1980 


AFFECTIVE & SEXUAL FORMATION & EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILDREN.... 

"Mommy, Daddy. Please talk to me about love." - April 18, 2017 

Family Charity Speaks Out - Parents & Schools not Gov't - Sept 12, 2016 

How to talk to your kids about sex: An age-by-age guide - Sept 24, 2020 

Surprise! Telling Kids the Truth About Sex Actually Works! June 22, 2016 

Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Parent-Child Bible Study - April 14, 2014 / 2020 

" Maman, Papa. S'il te plaît, parlez-moi de l'amour ! " - April 18, 2017


TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT....

A Parent’s Guide to LGBTQ+ & Your Teen - 2020 

A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality - 2017 

Same-Sex Attraction - A Parents' Guide - 2003 

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best efforts as human beings to make sense of our lives in general - and of our human sexuality in particular - and to also include the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium; given that the Church has been accumulating the wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7     G.S.

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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Sunday, December 8, 2019

LIFE - The Promotion of Life - The Marvel of Conception - The Protection of the Vulnerable

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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To define one's identity on the basis of our sexuality alone is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best human efforts to make sense of our lives - and of our human sexuality in particular - also including the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium. The Church has been accumulating much valuable wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7 
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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In each case, please go to the link for the complete article.

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 FERTILITY & THE MARVEL OF CONCEPTION 

👉 How art and technology are clearing up 'miscontraceptions' on women’s fertility  
 By Adelaide Mena Washington D.C., Mar 6, 2015

👉 Are we less free than a 1950s housewife? A look at contraception 
By Ann Schneible - Rome, Italy - Sep 16, 2016     
What started as a means to liberate women seems to have taken an ironic twist.... little more a decade into the 21st century, the sexual exploitation of women and girls is at an all-time high, and the dream of woman's liberation – as promised by contraception – seems to be falling far short of the reality. 

👉 San Jose Articles  
We — human rights lawyers and advocates, scholars, elected officials, diplomats, and medical and international policy experts — hereby affirm these Articles. San Jose, Costa Rica March 25, 2011

👉 It's About the Human Nature: What's In the Fridge? 
Jerome Lejeune's 1989 Expert Court Testimony regarding the nature of human embryos 

👉 Yes, unborn babies can feel pain at 20 weeks, doctors testify 
 By Matt Hadro - Washington - Mar 16, 2016

👉 Natural Family Planning (NFP) simplified 
by observing ovulation after the fact rather than trying to predict it For the text below in downloadable and printable format (pdf), click here: 04_28_2020_pm_nfp_text_only.pdf 

👉 NFP Is Not Always “Marriage-Building” 
by Audrey Pollnow 8.1.16     
NFP can be a healthy exercise in asceticism, particularly for people who care too much about sexual gratification. But there are couples who have the opposite problem: They are disinclined to seek sex, either because they are not getting along, or because one of them is unusually indifferent to sex. When we recommend an ascetic discipline to help someone grow in virtue, we need to tailor our recommendation to the vice the person actually has. As Aristotle points out, most virtues have two associated vices: one involving an excess and the other involving a deficiency. 

👉 The female nuclear physicist who created a fertility app  
 Stockholm, Sweden, Mar 20, 2018 
    Meet Elina Berglund: a nuclear physicist who will be known as the woman who developed the first natural cycle fertility app to have been internationally certified as an effective means of avoiding pregnancy.

👉 Twins conversation in the womb Posted on December 7, 2012 
👉 Boy and Girl
Copyright © Pablo J.Luis Molinero, 1980.

👉 Y a-t-il une vie après la naissance? Publié 14th June 2011 par Fiodor

👉 Prayer for the Baptism of the Unborn − Aborted and Miscarried Babies 24/07/2014


PROMOTION OF LIFE 

👉 Danes taught ‘how you have children’  
After years of teaching kids how to use contraceptives, Sex and Society, the country’s biggest provider of sex education materials for schools, has changed its curriculum to encourage having babies under the headline: “This is how you have children!”

👉 5 ways Europe is trying to convince its citizens to make more babies 
Much has been written about Europe's debt and financial crises. This, however, is not the only challenge the continent faces: Some European countries are rapidly aging, as this map shows. 
All over the continent, potential parents have shown reluctance to have more babies. Hence, governments and advocacy groups are becoming increasingly creative about getting their citizens to make babies.

👉 Record-breaking 40 Days for Life campaign sees monumental results 
By Maggie Maslak 
Dallas, Texas, Nov 6, 2015 - After its 2015 fall campaign of prayer and fasting outside hundreds of abortion clinics around the world, the pro-life advocacy group 40 Days for Life says its efforts have been met with record-breaking results. “We had 307 cities participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign in the United States and around the world, and we have really seen 40 Days for Life go into any environment and get the same result: moms choosing life at the very last minute.” 

👉 Madrid Declaration for Understanding, Respect, and Freedom 
Madrid, February 23, 2018     The so-called “gender perspective” was first introduced on the international agenda to guarantee equality of opportunity and equality of rights between men and women. Today, it has become an authentic “gender ideology”, with objectives that are dangerous for democracy. Gender ideology has been used violently, and it has turned what could be just into a lie. 

👉 My Debate with a Pro-Abortion Philosopher at Stanford  
Trent Horn - May 03, 2017     After the debate, Boonin thanked me for participating and hoped we could engage the subject again at a 
future venue. I found him to be very courteous and insightful, which made for an enjoyable evening. Although we profoundly disagreed about a contentious issue, we showed that one could still have civil disagreement in such circumstances.

👉 Persuasive Pro-Life - Trent Horn
How to Talk About Our Culture’s Toughest Issue 

👉 Shepherds on the Sidewalk - KofC - Columbia Jan 2011 pages 26-27
The 40 Days for Life campaign is gaining momentum and saving lives - by Carolee McGrath

👉 Mother Teresa stuns Clinton 
On Feb. 3, 1994         Mother Teresa spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.
Before an 
audience of 3,000, which included President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, Mother Teresa called for an end to abortion, “the greatest destroyer of peace today.” A disconcerted Clinton did not take part in the standing ovation which followed the speech. Observers called it the most embarrassing moment of the Clinton administration.

👉 Can we end the need for abortion? One organization aims to find out 
Denver, Colo., Feb 9, 2017     
Women's healthcare is reaching a new dawn in the state of Colorado, courtesy of a new Catholic Charities initiative whose goal is to eliminate abortion from the definition of women's healthcare. The new initiative, called Marisol Health, hopes to empower women by offering a holistic option for healthcare, which includes aid with housing and every spectrum of human services.


PROTECTION OF THE VULNERABLE 

👉 For a responsible pastoral ministry 
 Archbishop Christian Lépine - June 22, 2016 

👉 DIOCESAN POLICY OF RESPONSIBLE PASTORAL MINISTRY  
MONTREAL    A Responsible Pastoral Ministry is every pastoral action committed to never use any type of abuse: sexual, emotional, financial or physical against any minor or vulnerable person in order to protect Dignity and Integrity of all people because they are « in the image of God ».

👉 Implementation of Responsible Pastoral Ministry 
Archbishop Christian Lépine has just validated the pilot project of Responsible Pastoral Ministry and announces the beginning of its general implementation in the whole Archdiocese of Montreal. 

👉 Protecting Minors from Sexual Abuse - CCCB 
A Call to the Catholic Faithful in Canada for Healing, Reconciliation, and Transformation

👉 CHIROGRAPH OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE INSTITUTION OF A PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS 

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best efforts as human beings to make sense of our lives in general - and of our human sexuality in particular - and to also include the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium; given that the Church has been accumulating the wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7     G.S.

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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Thursday, August 15, 2019

HEALTH & SEXUAL RECOVERY TO CHASTITY - For a full and unfettered outlook on human life, sexuality, & happiness, for the sake of meaning, purpose, and direction freely given to one's life

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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To define one's identity on the basis of our sexuality alone is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you. G.S.

----------------------------------------------------------------

My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best human efforts to make sense of our lives - and of our human sexuality in particular - also including the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium. The Church has been accumulating much valuable wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7 
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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In each case, please go to the link for the complete article.

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 HEALTH & HUMAN SEXUALITY 

👉 Is Purity Possible? 
By Joseph L. Soria If God forbids something, whether it be killing, lying, stealing, fornicating, or anything else, he does so not just because these things are evil in themselves, but also because they make us evil, lowering our nature to the level of the beasts. In this context it is easy to understand St. Augustine’s exclamation: “What am I to you that you should command me to love you, and if I do not, are angry and threaten vast misery? Is it then a trifling sorrow not to love you?” Therefore the sixth commandment, though formulated negatively, is fully understood only within the context of the love of God — for this is how we are to understand that the prohibitive nature of the commandment actually entails positive dimensions. It makes little sense if we interpret it from an exclusively negative point of view; for indeed it is an invitation to love.

👉 Celibacy and the Priesthood 
Protestant attacks on priestly celibacy come in a number of different forms—not all compatible with one another. There is almost no other subject about which so many different confusions exist. 
The first and most basic confusion is thinking of priestly celibacy as a dogma or doctrine—a central and irreformable part of the faith, believed by Catholics to come from Jesus and the apostles. Thus some Protestants make a great deal of a biblical reference to Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30), apparently supposing that, if Catholics only knew that Peter had been married, they would be unable to regard him as the first pope. Again, Protestant time lines of “Catholic inventions” assign “mandatory priestly celibacy” to this or that year in Church history, as if prior to this requirement the Church could not have been Catholic. These Protestants are often surprised to learn that even today celibacy is not the rule for all Catholic priests. In fact, for Eastern Rite Catholics, married priests are the norm, just as they are for Orthodox and Oriental Christians.

👉 Why married priests won't really fix the shortage 
By Mary Rezac Denver, Colo., Jun 18, 2017 -     In 1970, there was one priest for every 800 Catholics in the United States. 
Today, that number has more than doubled, with one priest for every 1,800 Catholics. Globally, the situation is worse. The number of Catholics per priest increased from 1,895 in 1980 to 3,126 in 2012, according to a report from CARA at Georgetown University. The Catholic Church in many parts of the world is experiencing what is called a “priest shortage” or a “priest crisis.”

SACRA PROPEDIEM ENCYCLICAL OF POPE BENEDICT XV ON
👉 THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS
TO THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, AND OTHER ORDINARIES IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE.
The important role of the Third Order of Saint Francis, The Order of Penance, for the renewal of the Church and of all believers, and for the ongoing evangelization of humanity. 

👉 With Respect To Sex by Daryl Glick 
St. Augustine prayed, "Grant me chastity, Lord, but not yet" (Confessions, VIII, 7). His was a classic case of someone wanting to have his cake and eat it too. For saints and sinners, and everyone in between, purity is a sensitive subject, and one which occasions struggle and trials and sometimes more than a little doubt and worry. Today it's not uncommon to find Catholics who seem to accept everything the Church teaches except when it comes to sexual morality. Here they prefer to simply "follow their own conscience" (a lax conscience, perhaps?). Yet these teachings are a basic part of Catholic doctrine, and haven't changed over the past 2,00 years. Picking and choosing is risky business. The Church, we must remember, teaches not her own doctrine, but that of her Founder, who said, "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:20). The virtue of purity is often misunderstood and even maligned these days. Some call it a "Victorian prejudice," puritanical, or repressive. But are we really happier than before we were "liberated"? Sexual permissiveness has had some ugly offspring: casual acceptance of pre-marital sex, a sharp rise in divorce and abortions, teenage promiscuity, and the blatant appeal to sexual appetites in television, movies, and advertising. Maybe it's time to take a closer look at the Church's teachings on purity.

👉 LOVE UNLEASHES LIFE 
This pro-life talk at Google's headquarters was a hit - Mountain View, Calif., Jun 22, 2017 CNA/EWTN News - 
A pro-life activist walks into Google’s headquarters and delivers a speech so compelling that within 24 hours, the online video of it surpassed a similar speech given by the head of Planned Parenthood. It may sound like the start to a far-fetched joke, but on April 20th, pro-life speaker and activist Stephanie Gray did just that. Gray was the co-founder of the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform and served as its executive director for several year before starting the ministry which she now runs, Love Unleashes Life

👉 VESPERS WITH PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS - HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS - St Patrick's Cathedral, New York - Thursday, 24 September 2015         This evening, my brothers and sisters, I have come to join you – priests and men and women of consecrated life – in praying that our vocations will continue to build up the great edifice of God’s Kingdom in this country. I know that, as a presbyterate in the midst of God’s people, you suffered greatly in the not distant past by having to bear the shame of some of your brothers who harmed and scandalized the Church in the most vulnerable of her members… In the words of the Book of Revelation, I say that you “have come forth from the great tribulation” (Rev 7:14). I accompany you at this moment of pain and difficulty, and I thank God for your faithful service to his people. In the hope of helping you to persevere on the path of fidelity to Jesus Christ, I would like to offer two brief reflections.

👉 MEETING WITH CLERGY, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS - ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Sports field of St Mary’s School, Nairobi (Kenya) - Thursday, 26 November 2015 - In our life as disciples of Jesus, there must be no room for personal ambition, for money, for worldly importance. We follow Jesus to the very last step of his earthly life: the cross. He will make sure you rise again, but you have to keep following him to the end. I tell you this in all seriousness, because the Church is not a business or an NGO. The Church is a mystery: the mystery of Jesus, who looks at each of us and says: “Follow me”. So let this be clear: Jesus is the one who calls. We have to enter by the door when he calls, not by the window; and we have to follow in his footsteps. Obviously, when Jesus chooses us, he does not “canonize” us; we continue to be the same old sinners. If there is anyone here – a priest or a religious – who doesn’t think that he or she is a sinner, please raise your hand… We are all sinners, starting with me. But the tenderness and love of Jesus keep us going.


SEXUAL RECOVERY TO CHASTITY 

👉 LOVE, AGAIN – On a celibate breakup and what happened after. 
by Wesley Hill May 10th 2018 
Before I knew what was happening, or before I was willing to admit that I knew what was happening, it was too late to save the friendship. 

👉 COURAGE INTERNATIONAL - a few documents 
👉 40 Years of Courage         
The inspiration for the ministry that would eventually be established as Courage first came to Terence Cardinal Cooke, Archbishop of New York, in the spring of 1978.  Cardinal Cooke wished to start a ministry that would specifically address the pastoral needs and concerns of lay persons experiencing same-sex attractions who desired to live chastely in accordance with Catholic teaching.  The Cardinal consulted with the Director of Spiritual Development for the Archdiocese of New York, Father Benedict Groeschel (then OFM Cap., later CFR) who advised that Father John Harvey OSFS, a priest from Philadelphia, would be the ideal person to lead such a ministry.  Father Harvey, a moral theologian, professor, and pastoral counsellor, had already written guidelines for confessors on the question of homosexuality and was giving retreats to priests and brothers in perpetual vows who were committed to living out their vow of chaste celibacy amid the experience of same-sex attraction. 
👉 Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care 

👉 Why three gay Catholics left the Church – and why they returned 
By Mary Rezac - 
Philadelphia, Pa., Oct 15, 2015 -         Dan, Rilene and Paul knew that once their stories were out, life would not be the same. “We’ve been advised not to google ourselves,” Rilene said, laughing. These three are the subjects of a recently released documentary, “Desire of the Everlasting Hills,” which chronicles their stories of having same-sex attraction, and how they eventually found peace in the Catholic Church.

👉 Desire of the Everlasting Hills 
👉 Documentary Discussion Guide 
I was captivated by the beauty of these two men and woman's stories. Though I may not agree with all there decisions I found my self crying because I have many of those same desires for love, god and intimacy. I feel more human after seeing this. Homosexuality is is tough topic to talk about and these directors made a good effort of being authentic and taking political stance. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time because I saw myself in those three humans stories. I don't give the film a 10 because The cuts on the film could have been done a lot more smoothly. Also the audio was terrible when the interviewer was asking questions, subtitles are not good enough. I think this movie could reach bigger audience if not all the people were homosexual because gays and straights both struggle with balancing their desire for God, Love, and Intimacy. We all desire the infinite.

👉 Create in Me a Clean Heart - A Pastoral Response to Pornography 
“A clean heart create for me, God.” (Ps 51:12)    The document Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography Use was developed by the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the full body of the USCCB at its November 2015 General Meeting. As pastors of the Catholic Church, we offer this statement to give a word of hope and healing to those who have been harmed by pornography and to raise awareness of its pervasiveness and harms.1 In the confessional and in our daily ministry and work with families, we have seen the corrosive damage caused by pornography—children whose innocence is stolen; men and women who feel great guilt and shame for viewing pornography occasionally or habitually; spouses who feel betrayed and traumatized; and men, women and children exploited by the pornography industry. While the production and use of pornography has always been a problem, in recent years its impact has grown exponentially, in large part due to the Internet and mobile technology. Some have even described it as a public health crisis. Everyone, in some way, is affected by increased pornography use in society. We all suffer negative consequences from its distorted view of the human person and sexuality. As bishops, we are called to proclaim anew the abundant mercy and healing of God found in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and through his Church.

👉 Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-Sex Attraction 
“As Bishops, we wish to address the pastoral needs of adolescents and young adults who question their sexual identity or experience feelings of same-sex attraction.  We are concerned for the spiritual good of all persons, and want to help them live out their call ‘to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity’.  Convinced that ‛only what is true can ultimately be pastoral,’ we offer this guidance, by way of general principles and pastoral guidelines, to all Catholics, pastors, parents and educators, as well as to young adults themselves,” the Commission states in its introduction to the pastoral letter. 
While stressing the fact that the Church in her teaching never condemns persons with same-sex attraction, the Bishops note that “while homosexual acts are always objectively wrong, same-sex inclinations are not in themselves sinful or a moral failing”. (…) “For many people, same-sex attraction constitutes a trial.   They therefore deserve to be approached by pastors with charity and prudence.” In its letter, the Commission offers various pastoral guidelines, in addition to expressing its “profound gratitude to all those who wisely and lovingly guide young people with a same-sex attraction: priests and pastoral associates, parents and educators”.

👉 MY JUDGMENT BEFORE GOD 
(Dr. Gloria Polo's testimony) Translated from Spanish to English by Susanna Vallejo. 
👉 Alternative source of Dr. Gloria Polo's testimony 

👉 Our Father’s Gift of Tenderness Is Designed to Cure Sexual Obsessions 
Since the time of the Apostles, when Jesus first called them his little children, through the action 
of the Holy Spirit, God the Father developed the assembly of disciples Jesus established as his Church into a community of faith, a living social body endowed with many of the traits we identify with the family. Jesus gave birth to his Church through the blood and water that flowed from his side opened by the soldier’s lance as He lay dead upon the Cross; just as God had brought forth Eve from Adam’s opened side. Of course this is symbolic imagery, but it expresses a profound truth that God has taken the trouble to reveal to us in this way. Having given birth to his Church – this assembly of his disciples – Jesus made her his Bride in a Marriage God first made with mankind as a betrothal at the moment when He was conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit, and as God’s Son was united to a human flesh. From conception to resurrection, Jesus took on the human roles of both Husband and Father.

👉 Meet the monks who spend their lives praying for Ireland's priests  
By Kevin Jones Dublin, Ireland, Mar 17, 2017     Prayer, reparation and praising God are the focus of a new Benedictine priory in Ireland, which focuses especially on reparation for the sins of priests. “It was never our predetermined plan to come to Ireland,” Silverstream Priory’s Father Benedict Anderson, O.S.B., told CNA. “But we believe that, through circumstances that we could never have foreseen, Divine Providence placed us here to play some role, however modest, in the life of the Irish Church.”

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best efforts as human beings to make sense of our lives in general - and of our human sexuality in particular - and to also include the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium; given that the Church has been accumulating the wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7     G.S.

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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Monday, July 22, 2019

DRESSING MODESTLY - For comfort, dignity, and humility, with respect for others VS to attract attention, provoke, and seduce

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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To define one's identity on the basis of our sexuality alone is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you. G.S.

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best human efforts to make sense of our lives - and of our human sexuality in particular - also including the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium. The Church has been accumulating much valuable wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7 
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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PLEASE NOTE: This is a fairly long post. First there is a brief list of articles. You can scroll down for short summaries and further down for links to the full articles. The links in effect bring you to the sources of these articles. ENJOY.

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In each case, please go to the link for the complete article.

TO NAVIGATE QUICKLY TO OTHER POSTS: Use the list of TOPICS in the column on the right or scroll down to the Blog Archive. Click on the arrows and specific dates and then Blog Post Titles open up. Click on them and you will go to those posts. ENJOY. 


DRESSING MODESTLY

Brief Introduction to this post: When in December 1531 the Mother of Jesus appeared to Juan Diego on Pepeyac Hill, which is now Mexico City, she left a miraculous image of herself on his tilma, his poncho. This is the only image we have of Mary that comes from her and / or from God. In her image she was immediately recognized by the local indigenous population - "Indios or Aztecs" as a woman, a pregnant mother, and a woman from Heaven, from God. In fact, she seemed to them so attractive, so humble and kind, so well disposed; that in the following decade 9 million people were baptized. Until then, the Spanish missionaries had made very little progress in evangelizing the people. 

In all her apparitions, Mary appeared as a most beautiful young woman, and her clothing is reported to have rendered her femininity and also every movement of her limbs. Her dress was modest because it is not designed to provoke, or seduce, or attract, but rather, to invite to an encounter and a conversation. This is perhaps the only instruction we have from God, apart from numerous references and instructions in Sacred Scripture. 

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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - is that we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To identify oneself on the basis of just the one element of our sexuality is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you.
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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MEN'S DRESS VALUES 

👉 1.  A Few Thoughts on Men's Dress at Sunday Mass by Brother André Marie - May 10, 2010 

👉 2.  Dress Up for Mass! by Sam Guzman - July 27, 2013  - July 27, 2013  

WOMEN'S DRESS VALUES 

👉 5.  Some Thoughts on Modesty / Immodest Dress - April 25, 2016   

👉 6.  Establishing Practical Norms for Modesty in the Light of the Church's Teachings - 1999

👉 7.  IMMODEST DRESS - The Mind of the Church by Louise Martin - 1901 - WARNING - This text sounds dated in its language and there are typos; still, it addresses issues which are ever relevant in human society because our human nature remains what it is from one generation to the next. The substance of this text remains pertinent for us today for anyone who truly wishes to please God and to live and behave in a way that benefits others and avoids doing harm.

👉 8.  Marylike Modesty Handbook - Purity Crusade of Mary Immaculate - 1988 

DRESS VALUES FOR ALL - FOR MODESTY GENERALLY 

👉 10.  What our Daughters (and sons) Need to Know about Modesty - by Kelly - July 2, 2013 

👉 11.  Scriptural Examples of Proper Dress - by William V. Manson - April 25, 2016 

👉 12.  Some Directives of the Magisterium on Christian Modesty - 1998

👉 13.  "Those Who Serve God Should Not Follow The Fashions" - Our Lady of Fatima 

First Published A.D. 2003 Sixth Edition — Revised January 2017 © A.D. 2017 Robert T. Hart 

DRESS VALUES FOR ALL - FOR GOING TO CHURCH 

👉 14.  Un-dressed on the Altar (read in the Sanctuary) - by Marisa Pereira - May 27, 2012 
        Dressing up for mass is outdated! - by Marisa Pereira - June 5, 2012 

This forum is for general questions on the faith. 
COMMENT:     An excellent overview of appropriate dress at Church. Gilles Surprenant

This is a good example of parish policy in the matter of dress for those in the sanctuary.

👉 17.  Papal Audience & visiting the Vatican Dress Codes - (International minimum standard)

UNSUSPECTED OR INTENTIONAL PROVOCATION 

👉 18.  Why Do So Many Women Show Cleavage in Church? by John UpChurch - July 26, 2013

👉 19.  MOD - Modern or Modest? - by Flavia Fernandes - Mumbai, July 2009

(There is no direct link for this article but it is included in a huge collection of articles HERE.)

👉 20.  Modesty in the Culture of Shamelessness - by Michael O'Brien - October 8, 2008 

👉 21.  Modest Dress at Mass What I Wish I Had Known by Karen Lynn Ford - August 27, 2005

👉 22.  SCREAMING FLESH - by Jayme-Dawn Kryskow - October 2003 


A BRIEF HISTORY OF MODESTY  

👉 23.  A Brief History of Modesty by Abigail Williams - 2014 

In "Revue de la Société d'études anglo-américaines des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles" pp 135-156

(Go to link for complete article)       https://journals.openedition.org/1718/399 

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👇 GLIMPSES OF THESE SOURCES FOLLOW 👇


MEN'S DRESS VALUES 

👉 1.  A Few Thoughts on Men's Dress at Sunday Mass by Brother André Marie May 10, 2010 

(Excerpted from a Sunday bulletin)

A question I received in the question box recently claimed that much ado is made over women’s dress and little over men’s dress at our chapel. I’ve done some reflecting on it, and the point is taken. Prescinding from the particulars of the question, its general theme merits our attention as a Catholic community striving to be a miniature Christendom.

Therefore, I would like to address the subject of dress — this time, for men only (“no girlz allowed”).

I will state a blunt fact: Women’s dress is a concern because transgressions in this area are more often associated with the moral problem of immodesty, and the consequent problem of lust. As the male of the species are all fallen sons of Adam, female immodesty is something that adversely affects male morals quite strongly. (It usually does not work the other way round.) However, while women’s fashion misstatements err on the side of immodesty, men’s tend to err of the side of slovenliness. Therefore, another blunt point is in order: Men (notice I avoid saying gentlemen) — quit being slobs! Queer looking haircuts, T-shirts, jeans, and “the casual look” in general (much more, “the caveman look”) are not appropriate for Sunday Mass.         

(Go to link for complete article)

https://catholicism.org/a-few-thoughts-on-mens-dress-at-sunday-mass.html 👈

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👉 2.  Dress Up for Mass! by Sam Guzman - July 27, 2013  

Society is growing more and more casual. I have seen people shopping for groceries in their pajama pants and fuzzy slippers. I’ve been to world-class classical concerts where people are dressed in Hawaiian shirts and jeans.  In fact, it’s hard to think of anything people will dress up for anymore. Even weddings and funerals are getting more and more casual.

This bothers me because how we dress is a sign of how much respect we have for ourselves and for other people. If we don’t dress up for anyone or anything, it’s a sure sign that we don’t respect anyone or anything.

Dressing up is a small sacrifice

Looking sharp takes effort. Putting on a well pressed suit and tie, rather than a wrinkled t-shirt, takes time. Shaving, rather than sporting a scruffy five-o-clock shadow, takes a little bit of effort. Combing your hair, rather than letting it stand on end, requires a small amount of work. It is exactly these little sacrifices of time and effort, though, that tell other people that they are worth it.

Trust me, I know it’s not easy for men. We naturally don’t want to make that effort. I guarantee that if you do, though, you will feel like a million bucks. You will feel more manly and more confident.

(Go to link for complete article)

https://catholicgentleman.net/2013/07/gentlemen-dress-up-for-mass/ 👈

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WOMEN'S DRESS VALUES 

👉 3.  A Catholic Teen’s Thoughts And Tips On Modesty - Written By Cailin Boswell 2019 

The teen years are a time when fashion is at the forefront of most girls’ minds. Everyone wants to fit in, look beautiful, and attract attention. It can be a difficult time to navigate for Catholic young women. Cailin of Catholic Teen Posts shares her thoughts on the subject of modesty in the hopes of encouraging other girls her age in their effort to dress in a way that brings the right kind of attention!

I would like to present my take on modesty. This is not about sparking a religious debate. Although men should also practice modesty, I am writing this for my female Christian beauties.

I am not anywhere near an expert on modesty. In fact, I do not think it is possible for anyone really to be, for modesty is not just the clothing we wear but about not drawing attention to ourselves, whether that be in the way we talk, the way we think, or the way we treat others. 

(Go to link for complete article)

https://catholic-link.org/catholic-teen-thoughts-tips-modesty/ 👈

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👉 4.  Survey of Christian Men on the Subject of Women's Clothing 
Republished June 16, 2015 (first published May 1, 2007)
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
This article is from the author’s book, Dressing from the Lord, which is available from Way of Life Literature. It can be ordered via the online catalog or by phone or e-mail (866-295-4143, www.wayoflife.org).
______________________
I sent out a notice to the Fundamental Baptist Information Service e-mail list and asked the following question of the men on the list who are members of fundamentalist and independent Baptist churches:

“In your opinion, which of the following items of female dress cause a real potential for lust?”
short skirts tight skirts slit skirts long skirts with slits to the knees sleeveless blouses low cut blouses and dresses tight blouses sheer blouses
T-shirts V-neck dresses form-fitting jeans looser-fitting pants shorts one piece bathing suits

[We included pedal pushers and capris in the original survey but most of the men did not know what they are, so it turned out that the comments on those items were too irrelevant to include in this book.]
My objective in this is to help girls and women in strong Bible-believing churches to understand how men think, not only men in the world or men in churches in general but men in the very churches that they attend.

I received a flood of response to this survey. In just one day I received well over 100 responses from men ages 24 to 74 and from many parts of the world, and that was on a weekend, and they are still coming in a week and a half later. This tells me that there is a readiness on the part of men to let women understand how they see this issue.

As you will see, the responses were very earnest. The men are discouraged that lust is such a powerful temptation in their lives, and they admitted that it is so. Some of the men literally begged me to tell the women that their manner of dress is important and that they need to understand how men look at things.                 

(Go to link for complete article)

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👉 5.  Some Thoughts on Modesty / Immodest Dress - April 25, 2016 

“The Church knows and teaches that the human body, which is God’s masterpiece in the visible world, and which has been placed at the service of the soul, was elevated by the Divine Redeemer to the rank of a temple and an instrument of the Holy Spirit, and as such must be respected. The body’s beauty must therefore not be exalted as an end in itself, much less in such guise as will defile the dignity it has been endowed with.” -Pope Pius XII, “Moral Problems in Fashion Design”, 1957

Today’s Fashions

Think today’s fashions are “no big deal”? Think that following the dress of the crowd is okay? Think again! Many (most?) popular fashions today are offensive to God, sinful, scandalous, occasions of sin, enticements to sin, and display a lack of regard for the body as “a temple of the Holy Spirit”. Everywhere we see tight, form-fitting clothes, bare skin, exposed undergarments, etc. We also see women dressed like men (e.g. wearing men’s trousers – and now even men’s undergarments) and young girls dressed like women of ill-repute (e.g. skin-tight clothes, exposed midriffs, low-cut tops, etc.). It seems that many people today have completely lost the sense of modesty. 

(Go to link for complete article)

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👉 6.  Establishing Practical Norms for Modesty in the Light of the Church's Teachings 

By The National Coalition of Clergy and Laity

As we establish norms of modesty for those under our charge, we should do so in the light and under the direction of the Church’s official teachings. From the earliest days there has been a clear teaching on the necessity of purity. The Gospel according to Saint Matthew (5:27-28) records the very words of Our Lord.

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” But I say to you that anyone who so much as looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Saint John Chrysostom instructed women of all times about dress when in the fourth century he declared:

You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. … When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you murder not the body but the soul. And it is not to enemies you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride.         

(Go to link for complete article)

http://www.national-coalition.org/modesty/modnorms.html 👈

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👉 7.  IMMODEST DRESS - The Mind of the Church by Louise Martin - 1901 

In 1921, the Church spoke out strongly against immodest fashions. At that time Pope Benedict XV, in his encyclical, "Sacra Propediem" stated:

"... one cannot sufficiently deplore the blindness of so many women of every age and condition; made foolish by desire to please, they do not see to what a degree the indecency of their clothing shocks every honest man, and offends God. Most of them would formerly have blushed for those toilettes as for a grave fault against Christian modesty; now it does not suffice for them to exhibit them on the public thoroughfares; they do not fear to cross the threshold of the churches, to assist at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, and even to bear the seducing food of shameful passions to the Eucharistic Table where one receives the heavenly Author of purity. And We speak not of those exotic and barbarous dances recently imported into fashionable circles, one more shocking than the other; one cannot imagine anything more suitable for banishing all the remains of modesty." [Par. 19]

"In what concerns specially the Tertiary Sisters, We ask of them by their dress and manner of wearing it, to be models of holy modesty for other ladies and young girls; that they be thoroughly convinced that the best way for them to be of use to the Church and to Society is to labor for the improvement of morals." [Par. 21]

(Go to link for complete article)

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👉 8.  Marylike Modesty Handbook of the Purity Crusade of Mary Immaculate - 1988 

This is taken from the "My Life In Prayer" book; I could not find any copyright so hopefully nobody will mind that I'm putting this online. (The very beginning of the prayer book says, "Any part of this publication may be translated or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher. It was printed in June 1998.) It was initiated December 8, 1944, the Feast of
the Immaculate Conception.

Out of respect for Our Lord and for the edification of our neighbour, we beg women and girls to appear in Church modestly dressed. Slacks, shorts, sleeveless and low-cut dresses do not meet the norm of Christian modesty. Your cooperation is evidence of your love for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and respect for the House of God. "Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much." Our Lady of Fatima, 1917.

(Go to link for complete article)

https://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=19124981 👈

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DRESS VALUES FOR ALL - FOR MODESTY GENERALLY 

Over the past few months, we have been asked to write more on chastity and modesty. Since thisis the beginning of a new year, we thought these would be good virtues to work on so we can be better rolemodels for our children and our community, and witnesss-es to the Catholic faith, with which we are so blessed. 

We have had a couple of good, holy priests in our par-ish who were a great asset in encouraging and demandingmodesty in dress, so much so, that communion was refusedto women improperly dressed. But never did this happen without Father gong immediately after Mass to instructthe person about his reasons for doing so. These priests were very gentle in their approach. However; one definitelygot the message that it was not appropriate, or respectful,to approach Our Lord at the communion rail improperlydressed. It was likewise made clear that it is a sin to be a dis-traction in church, or to be an occasion of sin to another. 

We have always respected those priests for their cour-age and commitment to not only teach the necessity ofmodesty, but to enforce it. After all, if we want to callourselves, or claim to be, Catholics, we must live as wit-nesses to the rules and guidelines Holy Mother Church hashanded down to us. In these modern times we have driftedso far from what the Church expects of Her Children that we most often cannot distinguish Catholics from non-Catholics. As Catholics, we are all called to become holy,to become saints, and to bring others into the One TrueChurch. We are so grateful to Almighty God for our faith-ful and courageous priests who aren’t afraid to preach andteach the truths upon which Christ founded His Church.

In all fairness to our Catholic population, many havegrown up in the Church never being properly catechizedon Her teachings. If they were taught the reasons whythings were done as they are in the Church, most wouldaccept, rather than question, the customs. As good Catho-lics hungry to know and understand our faith, we mustlikewise encourage our priests to teach us these truths.

(Go to link for complete article)

https://www.scribd.com/document/15053472/modesty 👈

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👉 10.  What our Daughters (and sons) Need to Know about Modesty - by Kelly - July 2, 2013 

Every year around this time I see articles circulating facebook and blogland that detail exactly why a christian woman ought not to wear a bikini or some other "immodest" article of clothing and I am reminded, as much as I love the church, how broken our view of womanhood and modesty are. Bottom line? You are not responsible for another person's choice to violate you; whether with his mind or his eyes or his heart or his hands. None of it is your fault. Ever.

Here's what I most want my daughters to know about modesty: Girls, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are treasured and valued. It is not your clothes that make you beautiful, but your spirit, your love, your joy and service and the very fact that you are a creation of The Most High. And although there is forgiveness for sin and God is in the business of redeeming our mistakes, there is great beauty and blessing in saving certain pieces of yourself,physically and emotionally, for the man you will spend your life with. God cares what you wear, because he cares about your heart. Seek him first, and whatever you do, do it to the glory of God.

And son, I want you to know that ultimately lust stems from the human heart, not a woman's body. You are responsible for where your eyes go,where your mind goes, what your heart chases after. But also that you are capable. The world is trying to brand you as simple and weak, but that is not who you were made to be. You are not a hopeless pawn in a world saturated with sexual desire but are able and equipped in the strength of the holy spirit to see your mind renewed.

COMMENT - I agree with this author's critique that as Christians and as Church we should not shift the entire blame and responsibility for lust to women and how they dress. However, the flip side is woman's desire to be noticed and appreciated, to be attractive. Women can be ill served by fashions that are designed to glue men's eyes to their physical / sexual features; whereas the Word of God clearly advises and instructs women to deliberately avoid this and rather dress in order to highlight their inner radiance and beauty of character and spirit as well as their good works. I do believe that women who truly want to please God and care for their male brothers do make efforts to avoid dressing in a manner that is designed to be provocative or seductive; whether or not this is their conscious intention. We often accomplish what we do not intend; a reality check is useful.

(Go to link for complete article)

http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2013/07/what-our-daughters-and-sons-need-to.html 👈

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👉 11.  Scriptural Examples of Proper Dress - by William V. Manson - April 25, 2016 

This study includes biblical examples that have to do with the subject of proper dress. First we will peruse several scriptures that portray proper clothing as being used for specific situations, and we have no countermanding examples. Proper attire is repeatedly portrayed in the Scripture in analogy with righteousness. It would not be wise to do this if there was to be a time when proper clothing would no longer be respected by righteous people.

(Go to link for complete article)

http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/dress.html 👈

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Modesty and Modes of Dress

We are all born with a fallen nature and, consequently, we must keep our bodies covered in order to avoid the dangers of concupiscence.  This fact, a result of original sin, is deliberately ignored each time that naturalism attempts to insinuate itself into our Christian customs.  Then it is that the purpose of clothing is lost sight of, and instead of being an invitation to virtue, it becomes an incitement to sin.  The Church, like a vigilant Mother, full of tender care for the holiness and eternal salvation of Her children, has often been obliged to warn the faithful so that they might avoid the errors of fashion, and to take the measures necessary to ensure that the holy places and sacred things should not be profaned by immodesty in dress.

Unfortunately, we are living in times that have lost the sense of sin and, as a result, we see around us an eruption of styles of dress which are, in every way, contrary to Christian modesty.  Christian people must not allow themselves to be carried along by the spirit of the world but must firmly resist such deviations...  Jacinta Marto, one of the little seers of Fatima, although she was only eleven years old at the time, had a wisdom taught her by the Mother of God.

She merits, therefore, our attention.  Here is what she said with regard to styles of dress:  "Fashions will arise which will greatly offend God."  When we consider the fashions of our day, we are led to conclude that the times foretold by the little seer have arrived.  Indeed, the styles of dress of the women and girls of today such as:  very tight clothing; dressing like men, including slacks and tights; low necklines; skirts with hemlines or slits which do not cover the leg below the knee – are absolutely contrary to the norms of Christian modesty.

For this reason, in order to conform to the recommendations of the Holy See, and in particular to the instructions of the Sacred Congregation of the Council, we urge our faithful people to refrain from following such ways of dressing.

"Those who keep the Law of God", Jacinta said, "should not follow fashions".  Our priests must try to apply the instructions of the Sacred Congregation of the Council, without violence or rudeness, but with firmness.  They must not let persons, dressed in the styles described above, receive the Sacraments and, as far as possible, must not allow them access to the Temple of God.

Furthermore, they must frequently remind the faithful of these regulations.  Also, when couples present themselves for marriage preparation, the priests must tell them to inform their wedding guests of the rules for dress in church.  People dressed in these unacceptable ways must not be accepted as witnesses to the marriage and, after due warning, they must not be admitted to Holy Communion.

It is highly recommended that these prescriptions be posted at the entrance to the church.

-Bishop Antonio de Castro-Mayer-
(Go to link for complete article)

http://www.olrl.org/virtues/modcrus.shtml 👈

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👉 13.  "Those Who Serve God Should Not Follow The Fashions" - Our Lady of Fatima 
First Published A.D. 2003 Sixth Edition — Revised January 2017 © A.D. 2017 Robert T. Hart 

1. The Mind of the Catholic Church on Modesty in Dress 

Often today we hear sensible people complaining about the immodesty in dress that is seen everywhere and unfortunately even in our churches. But, objectively speaking, where do we draw the line and call a garment immodest? And how can we be sure that we ourselves are dressing with proper Christian modesty that is pleasing to God? This booklet is provided to answer these questions. For on this subject, through his Church, God has made his Will clearly known. Perhaps for some, this booklet will be the litmus test to determine whether or not they are truly willing to deny themselves, to take up their cross, and follow Jesus. 

The Need for this Booklet 

It is widely known that Pope Pius XII often said: “The greatest sin of our modern generation is that it has lost all sense of sin.” 1 It is less known that more specifically he once stated: “Many women . . . give in to the tyranny of fashion, be it even immodest, in such a way as to appear not even to suspect that it is unbecoming. They have lost the very concept of danger: they have lost the instinct of modesty.” 2 These words spoken over 50 years ago ring more true today than ever (and not only for women). For in today’s postChristian society where indecent and improper dress have become the norm, even among good-willed and devout Catholics there is much ignorance as to what is meant by proper Christian modesty. Yes, even the most virtuous of Catholics who attend daily Mass and have an intimate relationship with Jesus, frequently are not fully aware of the Church’s teaching in this matter. Could it be that this booklet is for you? May Our Lady, our true Mother, be with you to enlighten you to understand and to be receptive to the Will of God in this matter — for indeed, it may be a challenge. 

This booklet has been prepared, therefore, to provide all those who have been given the immense privilege of calling themselves Catholic the information they need to be well aware of the mind of the Church, and therefore the mind of Christ, on what constitutes proper Christian modesty and decency in dress.                                   (Go to one link or another for complete article)

PRINTABLE VERSION IN BOOKLET FORM 

BOOKLET PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS 

Readable version: http://www.sicutincaelo.org/downloads/TWSG_Read.pdf 👈

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DRESS VALUES FOR ALL - FOR GOING TO CHURCH 

👉 14.  Un-dressed on the Altar (i.e. in the Sanctuary) - by Marisa Pereira - May 27, 2012 
(Go to links for complete article)            Part One - - - Part Two 


With the lazy, hazy days of summer upon us, I have been asked to address the topic of appropriate dress for church on Sunday. However, at the moment, I’d like to focus the attention on appropriate dress for lay people while serving on the altar in the capacity of lector, usher or Eucharistic Minister. 

Last week I was addressing a group of professionals on the topic of “professional” dress and presentation. It dawned on me then, that we wouldn’t dream of griping about the heat and our comfort or lack thereof (among other things) when attending an interview or a business meeting. However, I guess church seems to be lumped in the category of “weekend” dressing and therefore we find it easier to bemoan the formality of dress that is expected. Besides, our livelihood is not connected to it; funny the role
 that little detail plays! In my opinion, serving on the altar is a privilege and when we are on the altar we become “presenters”. I doubt anyone would attempt a business presentation other than in business attire. So the need to modify the expectation for a presentation at church really baffles me. Further baffling is most priests’ reluctance to upset the apple-cart by addressing the topic.

        Dressing up for mass is outdated! - by Marisa Pereira - June 5, 2012 
(Go to links for complete article)             Part One - - - Part Two 

Thank you for all the feedback on my last article on dressing for service on the altar. By popular demand, here are my thoughts on general congregational dressing…

Several weeks ago my daughter and I were driving through a College campus when we saw a young student dressed in jacket and tie (it wasn’t cold) walking to Sunday service. I commented that he couldn’t be headed to the Catholic Church – I was right! No big Sherlock moment here, just a commentary on the unfortunate lack of dress and decorum at a Sunday Mass.    👈

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This forum is for general questions on the faith. 

Question:    When it comes to modesty, what liberties and/or obligation does a priest currently have under Canon Law and Church teaching to do things to prohibit the immodestly dressed from certain participation in Mass, or even from entering the church (like placing a sign outside the church for notification)? Is it possible for communion to be denied if someone is very clearly inappropriately dressed (i.e. extremely short shorts)?

I ask because my grandmother once told me that in the old days priests would skip you for communion if you even did as much as kneel on the communion rail with short sleeves - at least in the churches in which she attended Mass. And of course, I want to make sure that whatever I do if I am ordained to priesthood is in line with the Church, obedience to the bishop, and proper charity.

(Go to link for complete article)

http://oswc.org/stmike/qa/fs/viewanswer.asp?QID=2039 👈

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This is a good example of parish policy in the matter of dress for those in the sanctuary.

Serving in liturgical ministry is a privilege which requires not only catechetical and logistical training but also requires attire that shows respect for the ministry and for Our Lord ever present in the Blessed Sacrament. St. Gabriel’s does have a dress code that has been issued for individual ministries. What follows is a dress code addressing all liturgical ministries. It is suggested that liturgical ministers follow this dress code when serving in ministry. However, St. Gabriel’s would appreciate it if you would also follow this dress code when attending Mass as you may be asked to serve in your ministry at the last minute. 
(Go to link for complete article)


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👉 17.  Papal Audience & visiting the Vatican Dress Codes(International minimum standard)

(Go to link for complete code)

http://www.papalaudience.org/dress-code

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UNSUSPECTED OR INTENTIONAL PROVOCATION 

👉 18.  Why Do So Many Women Show Cleavage in Church? by John UpChurch - July 26, 2013

My wife brought up the topic as we drove by cornfields on the way home from church. “You just can’t wear something like that on stage.” I knew exactly what she meant. During the worship set, one of the praise leaders wore a dress that covered about as much skin as a tight-fitting, low-cut swimsuit with a short skirt. Remembering the lessons from Every Young Man’s Battle, I’d locked my eyes on the praise lyrics or simply closed them so that I couldn’t see her. “When you dress like that,” my wife added, “you take the focus off God and put it on you. You’re undermining the whole reason we’re there.”
👉 19.  MOD - Modern or Modest? - by Flavia Fernandes - Mumbai, July 2009

Scandals can come through various sources, e.g. profane paintings and sculptures, immodest dresses, loose lifestyles and even toys. All these may cause the loss of many souls. Immodesty in dress, apparent in everyday life, is the most common source of scandal. It is not only a major problem in our own times, but it is also one of the greatest stumbling blocks to our own salvation and to the salvation of others. Though modesty or immodesty is usually attributed to women, this is not entirely true, for even men may dress immodestly. The heart of a person can be seen by how he/she attires his/her body. We have only to go back in time and reflect on how Satan duped our First Parents Adam & Eve, to see where we stand today.

Clothing has been in existence since time immemorial; in fact, since Adam and Eve. Before their fall it was Sanctifying Grace that covered their nakedness. Genesis 2:22-25 tells us “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame,” because God had created them in His own image and likeness: holy and pure; without sin, blemish, or guilt. Indeed, they were one with God and with each other. After their fall, through the sin of Disobedience, they lost Sanctifying Grace, Integrity and Immortality: “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons… (Genesis 3:7)

By violating God’s command, their whole being, body, soul and spirit, was profoundly affected by sin. Even after covering themselves with fig leaves, Adam was still hiding from God, because he was afraid on account of his nakedness. It is from this point on that the tale began of immodest dress, which, on account of fallen human nature, arouse the base passions of men and leads them into sin. Instinctively, therefore, Adam felt that his own and his wife’s nakedness needed to be covered.

We know that leaves are fragile and would disintegrate in no time, so they could not provide the required protection. Could it be that, since these aprons did not provide enough coverage in God’s eye, “the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them”? (Genesis 3:21)

If God had permitted nakedness, he would not have clothed our first parents. But God did want them t be clothed and so clothed them Himself! How misguided therefore are the nudists, who have created nudist colonies, thinking they are going back to nature.

(Go below for complete article)   👇

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👉 20.  Modesty in the Culture of Shamelessness - by Michael O'Brien - October 8, 2008 

"Grace never casts nature aside or cancels it out. Rather it perfects it and ennobles it." - John Paul II, On the Dignity and Vocation of Women

October 8, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - I’ve been pondering recently, as I have so many times over the years, what Our Lady meant precisely in the messages of Fatima when she spoke about the offences through the clothing fashions that would develop in the years following the apparitions. Appearing to Blessed Jacinta Marto between December, 1919 and February, 1920, she said, "Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much." And "Woe to women lacking in modesty."

Clearly, Our Lady is neither a repressive puritan nor a prude. It goes without saying that neither is she a libertarian. She is beautiful in heart, mind, body and soul. She is without sin and thus she is subject to neither unholy shamelessness nor to personal shame. She is prudent, modest, and wise about human nature. She loves with the fullness of indwelling divine love, which means that she loves with an eternal motherly heart, concerned above all with the ultimate good of each of her children.

Much of current fashion, especially for women, is an assault upon the ultimate good of those who wear such clothing. It is cunningly designed for attraction, enticement, and seduction, reinforcing the great lie which dominates modern consciousness. This lie tells us that the body is simply an object which we possess as our own, to do with as we like.

(Go below or follow the LINK for complete article)   👇

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/modesty-in-the-culture-of-shamelessness 👈

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👉 21.  Modest Dress at Mass What I Wish I Had Known by Karen Lynn Ford - August 27, 2005

About 12 years ago a woman in her early twenties went to Disney World. She loved Mickey Mouse and couldn’t wait to see him in person. She had a youthful love of everything the Magical World of Disney promised.

Unfortunately, she also believed much of what she saw and learned in the “real world.” She thought that to get attention she needed to dress to impress — provocatively. To look good, or what she thought was good then, and to get a tan on her northern Ohio body in April, she entered the children’s fantasy-land in short shorts and a bikini bathing suit top. Thank God for the good sense of the Disney World employee who promptly told this young woman that she needed to wear a real shirt because Disney is a family park. She had a t-shirt and put it on, and felt pretty foolish.

That young woman, now 34-year-old me, grew up to regret the way she used to dress. As a mother of three with a fourth on the way, I now realize that modesty is not just beneficial to the girl or woman wearing the clothes. It benefits everyone who looks at her.

(Go below or follow the LINK for complete article)   👇

https://catholicexchange.com/modest-dress-at-mass 👈

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👉 22.  SCREAMING FLESH - by Jayme-Dawn Kryskow - October 2003 

Let all flesh be silent at the presence of the Lord; for He has risen out of His holy habitation.”  Zechariah 2:13

As women, are we aware of the ways our bodies speak or even scream as we encounter men?  Do we want our bodies to scream at men or praise God? 

The issue of modesty has always been a struggle far me.  “Clothes are just clothes and men should control their eyes, self‑control is a virtue, DUH!” is what I thought.  The over‑indulgent attitude of our society, that our lives and our bodies are our own, has had a great impact on me.  We all live in our own bubble and as long as we are not being harmed we must not be doing anything wrong.  It is crazy how many of us hove been deceived.

When I had entered high school, I become acutely aware of the power of the female body.  The power present was not just the idle reality of what the female body looks like, there is also a great power in the way that the body moves and is dressed.  I took advantage of this power at times and was amazed at the response, the ability to turn a guy’s head was exciting and fun and all I had to do was walk by them. Ironically, I often got mad at guys when I felt like they were treating me like "a piece of meat", not realizing that I was putting myself an the meat shelf,

Then, my sister spoke....

My sister had gone through a very powerful conversion and this had a big impact on her role as a big sister.  I remember one of the first thugs she ever taught me was about modesty.  She explained that as women, we are responsible for the men around us.  If we wear clothing that causes a man to sin in his thoughts, we as women are held responsible.  Yes they are also responsible for what they choose to look at and think.  Our responsibility is in not teasing them with a sinful pleasure.  The clothes that we wear may even affect the destination of the men around us for eternity.  In other words, if a man is going to hell because of lustful thoughts nurtured by an immodestly dressed woman, we will have to face the consequence of placing the temptation before them.

This was my first lesson on modesty.  My immediate reaction to this news was a sense of excitement and power.  Wow!  We truly hold much power in our hands and we are the only ones who can really help protect men from the monster of lust.  

(Go below or follow the LINK for complete article)   👇

https://1drv.ms/b/s!Amyv6OjUkKMfjwHbTztcL4hB3752?e=qGI8NZ 👈

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF MODESTY  

👉 23.  A Brief History of Modesty by Abigail Williams - 2014 

In "Revue de la Société d'études anglo-américaines des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles" pp 135-156

This essay explores the concept of measure and excess through the lens of the term “modest.” By looking at modesty as a key value in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, we can start to unpick the complexities of the politics and aesthetics of moderation. The word modest is used widely throughout this period, and this article draws on textual examples from Jonathan Swift, John Milton, Sarah Fielding, and Alexander Pope to show the role the term played in the conception of political rhetoric, sexual propriety, social and dramatic performance. But as its varied uses show, modesty also highlighted tensions between naturalism, restraint, and passion, and revealed the potentially problematic relationship between virtue, and the appearance of virtue.

(Go to the bottom of this post or to this link for complete article)


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There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't want society or public opinion to know, that even they don't want to know. To sum up those facts - accumulated in different human cultures and societies - is that we don't need sex to live a full life and be content. To identify oneself on the basis of just the one element of our sexuality is to reduce our human value and dignity. I am a lot more than just my genitalia, and so are you.
Father Gilles Surprenant, priest & poustinik

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👇 COMPLETE ARTICLE LINKS FOLLOW HERE 👇

👉 19.  MOD - Modern or Modest?by Flavia Fernandes - Mumbai, July 2009

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👉 20.  Modesty in the Culture of Shamelessness - by Michael O'Brien - October 8, 2008 

"Grace never casts nature aside or cancels it out. Rather it perfects it and ennobles it." - John Paul II, On the Dignity and Vocation of Women

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👉 21.  Modest Dress at Mass What I Wish I Had Known by Karen Lynn Ford - August 27, 2005

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👉 22.  SCREAMING FLESH - by Jayme-Dawn Kryskow - October 2003 

Let all flesh be silent at the presence of the Lord; for He has risen out of His holy habitation.”  Zechariah 2:13

https://1drv.ms/b/s!Amyv6OjUkKMfjwHbTztcL4hB3752?e=qGI8NZ

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👉 23.  A Brief History of Modesty by Abigail Williams - 2014 

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My purpose in these posts is to bring together significant and, where possible, representative echoes of our best efforts as human beings to make sense of our lives in general - and of our human sexuality in particular - and to also include the voice of Jesus Christ, the one Saviour of the world, and testimonies from his Church, such as through her teaching voice, the Magisterium; given that the Church has been accumulating the wisdom granted her by Almighty God since her foundation at Pentecost. In this way, wherever there is darkness in our human understanding, it will serve to highlight the bright and radiant truth, which is Jesus Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also." John's Gospel 14:6-7     G.S.

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© 2006-2023 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal  QC
© 2006-2023 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
 

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Beyond sex politics is God's unconditional love for every human being. Until we learn and accept to love as God loves, we suffer and cause suffering, but God kindly remains with us in it.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------- There are facts and truths that "sexual libertarians" don't...