Posted December 3, 2014

See the daily excerpt from the preparatory catechesis for the 2015 World Meeting of Families, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

62. All of the cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, justice, fortitude) and theological virtues (faith, hope, and love) are necessary and relevant for marriage to flourish. Chastity in particular is the seed from which strong marriages grow. To train our hearts for marriage, we need practice in interior freedom, the practice of seeing our sexuality in the context of communion and the holiness of each other’s personhood. Chastity forms the good habits of self-denial and self-control, which are prerequisites for treating others with mercy. Marriage fantasies, absent a chaste heart, make a poor start for a long walk of mercy.

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In its introduction, the document says its aim is to present “Catholic teaching in a way that is fresh, insightful, and accessible to contemporary Catholics and all people of good will.” The catechesis “offers a narrative beginning with our creation, soberly noting our fall and the challenges we face, but emphasizing God’s plan for our salvation. Love is our mission, and it is by loving God and one another that we will be fully alive.”

Each day in CatholicPhilly.com’s World Meeting of Families section you can reflect on the official Catholic teaching on the family presented in the catechesis, pray a special prayer together as a family or individually, and stay on top of breaking news about the events coming Sept. 22-27, 2015.

Order the catechesis for your home via Our Sunday Visitor, and visit WorldMeeting2015.org for more information on the events.

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