Catherine and Dave Deavel are the featured speakers Jan. 27 during the second session of the archdiocese’s four-part Faith and Culture Series. Their topic is “The Church’s Teaching on Sexual Morality and the Family.”
In a program airing at 9 p.m. Jan. 22 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM, they join “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to discuss sexual morality in light of Church teaching. “Practicing Catholic” is produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Dave Deavel
Catherine Deavel is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Dave Deaval is the editor-in-chief of Logos, a journal of Catholic thought and culture, and an assistant professor of Catholic Studies at St. Thomas.
One question Conley asked Catherine: Why is the Church’s understanding of sexual morality so important in today’s culture?
She said what strikes her most about Church teaching is its focus on who we are as human beings, considered as a whole. “So when we talk about sexual morality or any other kind of morality, Church teaching says that we need to be respected physically, emotionally and spiritually. And any time we try to get around … one of those aspects, we are losing something that’s important to us as human beings.”
Sexual love that’s worthy of a human being has got to be respectful of all three of those aspects, she said.
Conley asked David which aspect of the Church’s teaching on sexual morality he looked
Catherine Deavel
forward to sharing during the Faith and Culture Series. David replied “the whole teaching on marriage” and clearing up some misconceptions.
“People will hear the term ‘traditional marriage’ and they’ll say, ‘Oh well .. that’s bad, that’s an oppressive system.’ And … one of the things that we’re trying … to get at is that we’re not just talking about any traditional marriage,” he said. “There have been plenty of traditions in the world of marriage in which women have been essentially property …
“And what’s revolutionary about the Church’s teaching, and it was when the Church burst onto the world 2,000 years ago and still is today, is that instead of saying, ‘Well, OK, if men can … go out and sow their wild oats … then women should be able to, too.’”
The Church says, “No, no. The healthiest thing is that both of you are faithful and freely giving (to) each other forever. And that’s what builds up the stability that builds up a society and builds up a culture.”
Register to attend the Faith and Culture Series live or hear archived programs at archspm.org/synod.
Other guest interviews on the Jan. 22 Practicing Catholic show are Andy and Deirdre Jameson from Twin Cities Retrouvaille, who describe an upcoming retreat focused on rediscovering a loving marriage, and Catherine Patros and Steven Lang share their experience as Totus Tuus missionaries.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired:
soundcloud.com/practicingcatholic
Practicing Catholic on Spotify
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