Combat gender theory with Theology of the Body

With the current push for gender theory to be legally implemented around the world, it has never been more imperative for Catholics to be well-formed in the Church’s teaching on human sexuality, particularly as articulated in St John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

It is timely then that a four-day immersion course on Theology of the Body will be offered from 15 to 18 July at the picturesque surrounds of the Mt Schoenstatt Spirituality Centre in Mulgoa.

The Theology of the Body facilitates a profound immersion into Scripture

“The Human Person: Male and Female He created them” is a beginner’s course for adults led by international Theology of the Body expert, Katrina Zeno.

An author and renowned speaker, Ms Zeno is Coordinator at the John Paul II Centre in Phoenix, Arizona.

Last year, at the invitation of Sydney Catholic Youth, Ms Zeno presented a similar course to young Catholics at Campion College.

Some of the young participants said the course was “life changing” and helped them appreciate their Catholic faith and “the dignity of being male and female”.

This year’s course is the result of a collaboration between Sydney Catholic Youth and the Life Marriage and Family team from the Diocese of Broken Bay and has the endorsement of Bishop Michael Kennedy of the Armidale Diocese.

Some of the young participants said the course was “life changing”

“The Theology of the Body facilitates a profound immersion into Scripture; a Trinitarian understanding of the human person as male and female and the complementarity between the two; a recognition of the reality of evil and its divisive consequences; a deeply spousal meaning to the human body; and an explication of redemption in the Holy Spirit, all of which invite every human person to flourish as a confident and beloved son or daughter of God,” Bishop Kennedy said.

He said the course would be perfect as professional development for teachers of the Studies in Catholic Thought syllabus, particularly for the Year 11 course focusing on the Human Person.

Theology of the Body invites every human person to flourish as a confident and beloved son or daughter of God

Steven Buhagiar from Life Marriage and Family in the Broken Bay Diocese said Ms Zeno’s course on Theology of the Body provides an important formation opportunity, particularly in light of the Vatican’s recent document on gender – ‘Male and female he created them: For a path of dialogue on the issue of gender in education’. The document was produced by the Congregation for Catholic Education and calls for Catholic educators to be well formed to answer questions raised by gender theory.

“The Theology of the Body Level 1 course facilitated by Katrina Zeno is in fact providential and most fitting in light of this just released seminal Vatican document which once more puts forth the truth of the faith in this critical area – the fundamental truth of the human person created male and female in the image and likeness of our Trinitarian God,” Mr Buhagiar said.

To register for the four-day immersion course, The Human Person: Male and Female He created them: www.trybooking.com/BCAHA

For more information on the course: Steven Buhagiar on 0415600290

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