A Life-Changing Experience for Teens.
In an age of “selfies” and egocentrism, YOU cuts through the noise to present an authentic view of the human person. It presents young people with the extraordinary story of their creation as unrepeatable individuals. But the program doesn’t stop there. YOU. Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body introduces teens to the truth that life is not, in fact, all about them; it is about going out of themselves to be a sincere gift for others.
This program has received a Nihil obstat & Imprimatur.
YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body applies the principles of Pope St. John Paul II’s teaching to the lives of teenagers, specifically addressing questions relating to identity, chastity, and sexuality.
This program seeks to play an important role in answering the call made by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the document Educational Guidance in Human Love: “…in the actual socio-cultural situation there is urgent need to give positive and gradual affective-sex education to children, adolescents and young adults, paying attention to the dispositions of Vatican Council II” (109). Engaging video presentations, student workbooks, and easy-to-use guides for leaders and parents progressively call young people to understand who God created them to be and how to love with the heart of Christ.
The program features the Pope’s original schema, but we have taken into account the unique needs of teenagers, and, therefore, it intentionally deviates from the original order of catechesis. The content, however, is not changed or altered; rather, it is merely presented in a manner that will best facilitate a teenager’s desire to learn the material, as well as making it easily understandable for them.
The program was specifically designed for high school students, and the presenters and materials speak to the students at that particular academic and emotional level about issues that are highly relevant to them and their life experiences. The program takes great care to treat difficult topics about human sexuality with great reverence, and it respects the vital role that parents play as the first and primary educators of their children.
This program would also be a great supplement for an early college level course on Catholic sexuality or for use in a Newman Center or campus faith-formation setting.
USA
Ascension’s Theology of the Body Training Certification Course is a 3 session training designed to empower parents, catechists, and anyone working with youth to form them in identity, chastity, and vocation.
The course features top Theology of the Body experts Brian Butler, Jason Evert, and Colin and Aimee MacIver and includes 10 video segments, thought provoking questions, and simple checks for understanding along the way.
This training is a completely online certification program that can be done at home. It can also serve as a great opportunity to gather as a team for visioning, discussion, and implementation. This course is a great way to maximize the efficacy of Theology of the Body studies for youth.
The three primary authors of the program—Brian Butler, Jason Evert, and Crystalina Evert—are recognized leaders in education, youth ministry, and chastity education, who carefully designed the lessons to provide a variety of teaching methods and learning styles.
The video presentations, which are highly engaging and thought provoking, are unpacked in the classroom, which provides the opportunity for more active learning. The lesson components are designed for both a whole class and small group setting, and journaling exercises are aimed at individual reflection. Both inductive (looking at our own life experiences and desire for happiness and gradually unveiling how this is fulfilled in the Church’s teaching on the Theology of the Body) and deductive learning (unpacking the Church’s teaching to see how it fulfills the human desire for happiness) are used throughout the program. There is also opportunity for prayer, reflection, discussion, class assignments, and projects.
Note that while the videos were originally developed to be shown in a classroom group setting, some groups have adapted their formats to have students watch videos individually at home and then join together for teacher-led group discussion, either in person or online.
GoodLove members: qualify for a 20% discount on materials on this program by using this code: GOODLOVETOB
