(Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)
WAUNAKEE — On Sunday, Oct. 19, there were at least two “sell-out” crowds in the state that showed high energy and devotion. One was at Lambeau Field in Green Bay as the Packers routed the Carolina Panthers. The other, at the exact same time, was 130 miles away at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee.
More than 700 teens and 300 parents, youth leaders, and catechists spent most of their Sunday afternoon learning about love during a presentation by Chris Stefanick.
Stefanick, husband and father of six, speaks to more than 50,000 teens and young adults every year on chastity and the true meaning of love. He is the founder of Real Life Catholic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reenergizing a generation.
The teens that attended the program in Waunakee were mostly from parish religious education programs across the Diocese of Madison
‘God is love’
The afternoon got off to a rocking start when Stefanick, with his Fender Stratocaster guitar, had a few teens come up for an impromptu singing contest to songs such as “Don’t Stop Believing” and “La Bamba.” The winner, chosen by the loudest audience cheers, won an iTunes gift card.
Stefanick started the main part of his talk by saying “God is love,” and he showed proof of that love by showing pictures of his children.
Later, Stefanick added, “There’s so much brokenness because of our ability to love . . . our searching for love.” He said when it comes to love and the real meaning of sex, one has to look to God and go to God to find the answers.
He told the teens the purpose of sex, created by God, is to “both bring new life into the world” and “to unite a married couple in love.” He added, “Whenever you step outside the Maker’s plan, things get broken.”
“You can do anything in life. You can choose any sin you want to . . . You can choose your sin, but you can’t choose the consequence,” Stefanick said. “The consequence of having sex outside of the Maker’s plan is disastrous.”
Along with the moral consequences, Stefanick told the teens sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are “stuff they should worry about.” He illustrated the ineffectiveness of birth control, citing a study showing less than 100 percent effectiveness when it comes to stopping the spread of STDs, therefore making sexual activity less than “safe.”
He added, “If you can buy it on a gas station bathroom wall, it’s not health care,” referring to condoms.
Stefanick also warned about the increases in depression among both teen girls and boys if they are sexually active in high school.
Doing the right thing
“You can do the right thing. You can make the right choices,” he encouraged the teens. “When it comes to love and relationships and sex and the whole thing, [God] actually has something to say, and it’s more beautiful than stuff we encounter in this world.”
He used the example of how Christ loved the world by dying on the cross saying, “anything less than a love that’s going to lay down its life is not love — it’s a lie.”
After Stefanick’s presentation to the teens, the parents went into the old church building where he gave a separate presentation for them on the importance of teaching their own children about love and sex, and to be cautious about what some schools are teaching.
The teens stayed in the newer church building for prayer time and reflection. Some teens had the opportunity to meet in their parish small groups to discuss the talk.
For more information on Chris Stefanick and his talks on love and chastity, go to reallifecatholic.com