We had noticed that most of the men and women in our group homes had virtually no understanding of how their bodies worked, or what role and meaning their bodies held. A group of educators proposed a short seminar on the theme "what it means to be a man or a woman."
Four carefully prepared sessions gradually led participants to discover:
- how children develop—boys and girls
- how to be a responsible adult (growing in independence, knowing when to ask for help)
- two paths in life: marriage (how a couple realizes fertility) and celibacy. The latter—chosen or not—can bear equally rich fruit, though it is harder to recognize. One must find one's own gift, the meaning of one's own life
- Jesus's teaching on love and sexuality.
We gave very concrete information. For example, when discussing the differences between men and women, we presented some very simple drawings. This was not a biology class, but we wanted everyone to know their own body in order to respect it more. We tried to understand God's thought in creating man and woman as different, and we sought to see sexuality in the light of what He saw and sees—to understand it as it truly is. The body in its wholeness serves love, but today love has been reduced to sexual relations. In our daily lives we are constantly bombarded by television, posters, and advertising. No effort is made to use the word "love" in its true meaning.
The groups were not mixed ("it's better to be among women, we explain things better"), which allowed everyone to ask questions freely: "celibacy isn't easy," "abortion," "why don't priests marry," "contraception," "marriage isn't easy either," "test-tube babies"... Each question received an answer, either right away or in a private conversation.
The reactions from participants were numerous. Here are some: "This was the first time I'd ever heard an explanation about men and women; no one had ever told me about it before." "It was beautiful that Gino and Paola were there—they're married—and Luca, who isn't; that helped us understand both marriage and celibacy." "Jesus enters our body with the consecrated host."
We educators also benefited from these meetings, and we were struck and moved by how carefully everyone listened.
- A.M., 1995
O. et L. n. 107