Theology of the Body / Sexuality

Theology of the Body

Listed below are some topics and synopses from Sister Kieran's past presentations. You will notice an overlapping in the contents, as each presentation was prepared according to the specific wishes of the hosting group.

 

THEOLOGY OF THE BODY, CHASTITY EDUCATION, & SAFE ENVIRONMENT     

Pope John Paul II wrote many documents concerning sexual love and its role in helping us to become the persons we were created to be. The concept has come to be called “theology of the body.” In 2008 the US Bishops issued the document Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living, which tells us how to apply Pope John Paul’s teachings to the chastity education of our children. The Chaste Living document states that chastity formation is an essential part of the catechetical agenda and “should be mandatory” for children from preschool through grade twelve.

In this workshop Sister Kieran Sawyer gives an overview of Pope John Paul’s theology of sexuality and introduces the key concepts of the bishops’ Chaste Living document.  She shows practical examples of how to apply the core teachings of these important documents in the parish or school curriculum and lesson plans.  

She also shows how a comprehensive chastity education program provides a necessary context for teaching the mandatory Safe Environment sessions.

 

THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: THE SYSTEM VS THE BOOK   

Over his long papacy Pope John Paul II gave the church a vast theological system intended to guide our understanding of sexual love and its role in helping us to become the persons we were created to be.  The system has come to be called “theology of the body.”  John Paul also wrote a book called Theology of the Body which he presented as a series of lectures early in his papacy.  In this workshop Sister Kieran show how the system, not the book, should be used in applying Pope John Paul’s teachings on sexuality to the chastity education of our children.  She will present the USCCB document Catechetical Formation in Chaste Living (2008) as an easy-to-follow guide for how to create a program based on John Paul’s ideas about sexuality education.

 

 

 

Sister Kieran will prepare a talk to fit your theme or conference.   To schedule a presentation, contact her at sawyerk@tymeout.org.

   

 

Chastity Education

 

SEXUALITY AND CHASTITY EDUCATION

 

The church teaches that parents are the primary educators of their children, especially in matters of sexuality and chastity, and that such formation must always be provided in the broadest context of education for love.  How do we as teachers, catechists, and parish leaders help our parents to provide this kind of positive, loving education for our children and adolescents?  This workshop includes an overview of the document Catechetical Formation for Chaste Living, published by the US bishops in 2008, and some practical ideas on how to implement it.

 

  

 

Sexuality & Adolecents

 

SEX AND THE OLDER TEEN

No, they haven’t “had all that.” This workshop presents well-tested methods for helping the older teen to understand the important connections between sexuality and all other aspects of life: relationships, morality, faith, character development, and self concept.

 

SEX AND THE YOUNGER TEEN

Our middle school teens may know all about the biology of sex. What they don’t know is the connection of sexuality with moral values, character development, relationships, and faith. This workshop presents some methods that can be used to help the younger teen to place this important aspect of life within the context of being a Catholic Christian. 

 

SEXUALITY AND ADOLESCENTS

Sister Kieran Sawyer introduces the high school religion text she designed to help teens develop healthy, wholesome relationships and thus avoid problems like teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Called Sex and the Teenager: Choices and Decisions, her program offers high school teens a Catholic perspective on sexuality and relationships. Such "tough topics" as contraception, homosexuality, and abortion are included. The session includes an introduction to the US Bishops 2008 document Catechetical Formation for Chaste Living and shows how her book fits within the categories presented in the document. 

 

Click herefor more information about the book Sex and the Teenager.

 

Click here for Youth Ministry Access lesson plans on Character and Chastity, one for middle school students and one for high school students

 

 

 

Sister Kieran will prepare a talk to fit your theme or conference.   To schedule a presentation, contact her at sawyerk@tymeout.org.