By Amanda Murthy
Based on reflections and a vision for the people of God, the late Saint John Paul II believed that true reverence for the gift of sexuality and challenged believers to live it in a way worthy of their great dignity as human persons.
The Theology of the Body (delivered between 1979 and 1984 to the Wednesday papal audiences) opened discussions on human sexuality and relationships.
Across four Wednesday evenings – beginning 3 June to 24 June – the Perth Archdiocese’s Centre for Faith Enrichment is inviting the community to deeply engage and explore ideas such as original nakedness, sexual unity, the Fall, our Redemption in Christ, marriage, celibacy and an explanation of the Church’s teaching on the sacredness of human life and contraception, through a user-friendly online course.
Presenter Natalie Thomas, a University of Notre Dame Tutor who holds a Master of Theology for Marriage and Family Studies and a Master of Philosophy by Research, is hopeful that the four-part-course will assist participants to have a stronger sense of their identity in God and grow in embodied holiness.
This course, Ms Thomas said, was suitable for people wanting to know more about the Theology of the Body, especially young adults, for people who have attended the upcoming young adult Sacramentum conference, and teachers who were required to do ongoing renewal.
“The first two weeks of the course will look at Saint Pope John Paul II’s anthropology – who we are as human persons created by the Holy Trinity, and the crucial role our bodies as male and female play in our identity and ‘being holy’,” she cited.
“To do this we will delve into JPII’s explanation of the ‘original’ experiences of solitude and longing, nakedness and desire, and felicitous unity.
“We will then journey through the ‘historical’ experiences of the fall and our Redemption in Christ and their impact on our identity and call to holiness,” she added.
Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss the ‘Eschaton’ – where the faithful will experience the fulfilment of identity and holiness in body and soul, Ms Thomas explained.
“The final two weeks will focus on how this understanding of the human person is lived in the states of married life and celibacy,” Natalie went on to state.
“We will also discuss ‘being single’, the sacredness of human life and tips for growing in embodied holiness.”
Ms Thomas also gave an insight on her upcoming involvement at the young adult online conference Sacramentum, which takes place from 15 to 17 May.
“I have recorded a talk which will be available at the conference titled ‘About Human Love’,” she confirmed.
“In this talk I speak about the love that exists within the Holy Trinity which created each one of us, the love we are made to receive and give through our bodies and what it means to say ‘I love you’.
“I am most looking forward to interacting with participants in the Q&A session where we can discuss this more in depth this Sunday,” she concluded.