I See Pretty Girls Everywhere I Go…

September 1st, 2010

By Tony Oleck, Singer/songwriter/seminarian

When people hear that I’m studying for the priesthood, one of their first questions is, “Wait…doesn’t that mean you can’t have sex?  Is that possible?”  Well, if one is a product of THIS world, no, it is not; sex is seen as a necessary life function in this culture.  We don’t have to look far to see the negative consequences of the sexual revolution, as sexual advertisements are as countless as McDonald’s.

Thankfully, this world didn’t raise me.

Thankfully, I was raised in a family that values other things rather than the sexual immorality of pop-culture: Christ, the Church, family…and Taco Bell.  I was taught early on to “guard my heart.”  In nearly everything I did growing up, I was taught limits and boundaries.  I was very blessed to receive such an early formation, and the ability to refer back to the words of my mother and father and the values that had been instilled in me from a young age.

But these “Angel on the shoulder” reminders aren’t all it takes to live a chaste and pure life.  Trust me, it is not that easy.  There are so many times in my life when I have been tempted to cross that un-retraceable line.  Even as a seminarian, my greatest weakness is (are you ready?) girls.  It’s true; woman was one of God’s most beautiful and deadly creations, in the heart of a man.  In high school, I was blessed to date some of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever known.  This also allowed for a greater opportunity for sin.  The key to a chaste life for me personally has consisted of two major elements.  First, rather than seeing chastity as something I constantly have to monitor, to keep myself from crossing ‘that line,’ I see chastity as a natural aspect of my life.  It is no longer about “How far should I go?” but rather about, “Do my thoughts and actions testify to the type of person I want people to see me as?”

Secondly, it takes constant guidance from others who have gone before me to give me the strength.  The first source of inspiration comes from Saint Maria Goretti.  I began carrying a picture of her in my wallet, in order to remind me to stay pure.  The second person I turn to is the Blessed Mother.  In Alexander De Rouville’s book The Imitation of Mary, he writes of the Blessed Virgin, “Like a delicate flower, purity tears the least breeze.  A glance, even a single glance, and it is on guard.”  If you’re looking for a good book, The Imitation of Mary is gold.  Even as a seminarian I have my struggles.  Everywhere I turn there are beautiful women!  My Blessed Mother helps me appreciate their beauty in a pure and holy way.  Remember, Our Lady will always watch over her children and help them to maintain their purity.

Biography:
Tony Oleck is a singer/songwriter and beginning his first year as a seminarian for the Congregation of Holy Cross at the University of Notre Dame.   He has produced one solo album, has played at many venues and retreats and is getting ready for his first cross-country tour summer of 2011.  Check Tony out on myspace (www.myspace.com/tonyoleckmusic), Twitter (www.twitter.com/tonyoleck), and become a fan of his music page on Facebook.  You can also read his blog titled “Trash Talk” at www.tonyoleck.blogspot.com.

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Inside and Outside of Marriage: Chastity is…

August 1st, 2010

By Jon & Holly Schneider

Often when people hear the word “chastity” they think it means saving sex for their future spouse, and once married, the vigil to remain chaste is over.  However, remaining chaste as a single person is merely the training ground for a life of chastity.  Chastity is so much more than refraining from sexual relations before marriage.  Chastity is living a life of virtue both inside and outside of marriage.

We have been married for 11 years and we have been challenged daily in our convictions to remain chaste.  As a married couple, in order to remain chaste we must continually guard our senses.

  • Chastity is guarding our eyes from the onslaught of immodesty we see throughout our culture: the images on television and the internet and the magazines and books we read.
  • Chastity is guarding our bodies from immodesty.  By choosing to dress modestly we are keeping our bodies sacred for our each other and God.
  • Chastity is guarding our ears from listening to licentious speech or speech that would attack the sacred marriage bond we share.
  • Chastity is guarding ourselves from the tendency we may have to selfishly look at our spouse as a means to fulfill our pleasures.  Instead we should approach our spouse as Christ approached His spouse, the Church, with a sacrificial love so deep we are willing to look beyond what we want and give our bodies and lives for the good of our spouse.
  • Chastity is guarding our marriage by surrounding it with prayer, the Sacraments, and people who will encourage us to remain faithful to each other and to God.

With each stage of our lives we encounter new ways in which we must renew our commitment to living lives of chastity.  It will be a lifelong battle but a battle well-worth the fight, for the rewards are tremendous.  Not only do we have a rewarding marriage relationship, but we also look forward to our reward when that day comes where we finally hear those long-awaited words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

May God bless you in your journey to lead chaste lives,

Jon & Holly


Biography:

Jon & Holly Schneider have been married for 11 years and are the blessed parents of 4 wonderful children.
For 7 years they helped run Vocaris, a bi-annual marriage preparation retreat.
They reside in West Michigan, home school their children, and are parishioners of St. Bartholomew Catholic Parish.

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Not My Own

July 7th, 2010

By Amanda Vernon

Article originally featured on the National Black Catholic Congress Website

A couple of years ago on a winter Sunday afternoon, I picked up the Bible to search for guidance. I felt unsettled about my actions at a party the night before. As a Catholic young woman, seeking the truth, I needed direction. I opened the scripture, and my eyes fell to 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” This certainly gave me a framework to evaluate my actions and motivations. The Lord convicted me that my body and soul are united. This is a lesson that I strive to understand more each day. Thankfully, the Lord offers a tremendous gift to live out this reality. It’s called chastity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines this virtue as, “the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being.” Chastity helps us to see the human body as a dwelling place of the Holy Ghost.

John Paul II said, “The body and it alone makes visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine (Feb. 20, 1980.)” Our late Pope’s revolutionary, “theology of the body” is a tool to help reveal the dignity of human sexuality in light of the Gospel. He explained, to 129 small audiences from the years 1979 through 1984, that the complementarity of man and woman presents an icon of our relationship with God. The physical union of husband and wife in the Sacrament of Marriage is the closest image we have of God’s love for us. “For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body”(Ephesians 5:23.) In a sense, God wants to marry us, the Church! Our bodies are meant to reveal that mystery. Chastity helps us to see that the body, “was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the invisible mystery hidden in God from time immemorial, and thus to be a sign of it (John Paul II.)” With all the challenges to chastity in our culture, how can we embrace this virtue on a daily basis?

“Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2.) We are surrounded with the allure of sin, both in our own hearts and in our culture. To live in purity requires conversion to Christ. We must ask for the renewal of our minds, with faith. “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds” (Luke 11:10.) I grew up in a very faith-filled Catholic family. We are active members our vibrant parish community. I was involved in youth group in junior high and high school, and I heard about chastity as a young person. Yet, the idea did not take hold in my heart until I understood my dependency on God. It was not until I started asking for the gift of chastity on a daily basis that the Holy Spirit could control my thoughts. Even after years of praying this way, I have to fight every day to put on the mind of Christ. Praise God for the Sacraments that help me in this battle.

In my struggle to live a chaste life, Confession and the Eucharist have been my most powerful weapons. In the past, I have failed to recognize the sacredness of my own body, I have allowed myself to be used as an object for someone else’s gratification, and I have denied the image of God in those around me. When I bring these sins to God through a priest in Confession, I experience the freedom of forgiveness. It is a beautiful relief to begin anew, with a clean slate and more power to stand up against the lies of the devil. When I partake in the Eucharist, Christ Himself comes to live inside me. With the fullness of God dwelling in me, I can confidently respect my own “temple,” and also see the value in every body around me. “The body and it alone makes visible what is invisible.” In light of this truth, it is no surprise that the devil would attack our perception of the body.

The times when I have fallen into sin the hardest were those times when I forgot that I have a real enemy. St. Peter told us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The key is that our spiritual enemy “prowls!” Just as an African lioness hides in the tall grass to wait for the ideal moment of attack, the lies of the devil come disguised or unnoticed until we have already fallen into sin. Here is the good news: Jesus came to save us from the bondage of selfishness and confusion and to call us back to a real, life-giving love. When we are aware that the forces of evil are trying to pull our focus away from what is truly good and beautiful, even our temptations become opportunities to dive further into the heart of Christ.

God can take every desire, even those that are twisted by sin, to lead us to Him. When we bring our sexual struggles to God through the Sacraments, and through a constant, prayerful search for God, we begin to embody chastity. As this virtue increases in us, we are set free to love as God loves. We always rise victorious when we stand with Christ. When an impure thought comes to mind, we have the option to immediately take that thought captive, bring it to the foot of the cross, and await the resurrection. Walking the way of the Calvary means we will have to be crucified. But Good Friday is not the end of the story. Surrendering our evil desires, no matter how enticing or promising they may seem, is always rewarded with the triumph of love.

Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit? If you walk into a room realizing that your body belongs to Christ, people will be drawn to His presence in you. When you acknowledge that others are made in the likeness of God, they will be encouraged. Not only will you be blessed, but you will also become a blessing for everyone around you. My hope is that you ask the Lord for this gift. Jesus gave us His promise: “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22.) Let us walk on together, living in the Holy Spirit through the virtue of chastity.

Biography:

Amanda Vernon is the co-director of Chastity FORCE, and an internationally acclaimed Catholic Music Minister who has performed throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia and Europe. This 22-year-old singer/songwriter has written and recorded over 40 original songs and 4 CD’s.  She was blessed to be able to minister to thousands of pilgrims at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia as well as in France at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in 2008. She has also been a repeat guest on the EWTN live television show, “Life on the Rock.”  Amanda is a home school graduate and the oldest of seven children. Amanda entered into the Vocation of Marriage with her best friend, David Shaheen, on September 5, 2009.  The couple joyfully anticipates the birth of their first child in October 2010.

To learn more about Amanda Vernon’s Catholic music ministry, schedule a concert or to purchase her music, visit: www.amandavernon.com.

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