The Catholic Standard and Times

More than 3,000 teens attend chastity day programs

By NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer

Generation Life’s 18th annual Chastity Days program reached more than 3,000 eighth-grade students with the message of chastity in three separate, jam-packed events that included national chastity speakers, a modesty fashion show, pro-life video presentations and music provided by the DJ Jazzy Frank.

Hands down, the young participants rated the events as: “Awesome.”

Generation Life, a movement of young people committed to building a culture of life through chastity and pro-life messages, ran the events, which were open to all the grade schools in the Archdiocese.

Gen-Lifers believe the answer to abortion is rooted in chastity, especially because 85 percent of all abortions are performed on unwed mothers, according to Judi McLane, the organization’s director.

Speaking to eighth-graders is crucial because they are already exposed to sexual peer pressure at that age, said Tim Wilkinson, a senior at Archbishop Ryan and a member of the school’s “Ryan for Life.”

“They are already talking about sex, and they need to be taught about sex and when it’s appropriate,” Wilkinson said. “Chastity is not as difficult as it’s made out to be. It’s all in how you think about it, and that is what we have to teach the eighth-graders — who are going to high school next year.”

“Eighth grade is a year of many changes, as they prepare to go to high school, so it’s important that they experience a day when they meet and see other eighth-graders embracing the message of chastity. They realize that it’s acceptable and that they’re not alone,” McLane said.

Nearly 100 grade schools took part in the event, which was held on May 2, 3 and 4 at Cardinal O’Hara, Bishop Shanahan and Archbishop Ryan high schools. The school’s pro-life groups assisted in hosting the events, and participating in Generation Life’s Modesty Fashion Show — a favorite among the eighth-graders.

The fashion show demonstrated how to be hip and fashionable while practicing the virtue of modesty — covering “the four Bs:” the bra area, back, belly and bottom. Male and female models demonstrated clothes that included beachwear, casual wear, prom-wear and church-wear, helping students understand what constitutes genuine modesty in dress.

“Modesty is at the front-line of our commitment to chastity,” McLane told the students. “Let’s commit to holding each other accountable, so that we can protect the gifts of our bodies.”

Longtime chastity speaker and founder of the Chastity Days program, Molly Kelly, addressed the eighth-graders with a rap song she had composed — much to the delight of the students. Her approach included humor, but it got the point across to the students: Chastity is sexual self-control, it’s for everyone, and it’s done by grace through the frequent reception of the Eucharist, the sacrament of reconciliation, communicating one’s stance on chastity, and staying away from R-rated movies or anything else that will incite lust.

Taylor Moore, a 16-year-old national chastity speaker, also addressed the students.

Moore, who has released a debut single, “I’m Worth Waiting For,” spoke about positive and negative peer pressures, and encouraged the students to hold each other to high standards. She noted that recent surveys have shown a counter-revolution among teens, in which they are embracing chastity rather than uncommitted sex, as their parents did.

“High school is for learning — not for hooking up,” Moore said. “I’m here to tell you that not everyone is doing it.”

In a presentation that included songs and audience participation, and which exuded her personal charisma, Moore assured her young peers that chastity will save them from heartache, pain, suffering, diseases, worry and unplanned pregnancies.

Rapper Nick Cannon’s pro-life video, about the struggle his own mother faced in deciding whether to keep him or not, and a Virtue Media commercial about how abortion has destroyed a third of those who should be part of the present generation, also brought the message of pro-life home to the students.

The speakers’ messages were emphasized by an interactive media approach that used short sound bites, and Frank Raffa, a board member for Generation Life, volunteered his time to serve as DJ for the events.

Local Catholic high school seniors who are living chastity everyday also took the stage at each event, to offer their own testimony of courage and leadership, assuring the incoming freshmen that it’s possible to be ‘cool’ and chaste in high school.

The schools’ pro-life groups also invited the new students to join their clubs, where they’ll find support as well as a way to become active in the pro-life movement.

At the end of each event, the 14-year-old participants were asked to make a public commitment — or recommitment — to chastity, if they felt called to do so. Many responded.

“Generation Life gives the children an example of chastity from a younger point of view that is honest and authentic,” said Kathy Flood, the eighth-grade religion teacher at St. Matthew Grade School. She brought 141 students to one of the events.

“They see the information I give them as coming from an adult who doesn’t remember what it’s like to be 14,” Flood said. “But when they see the Generation Life members — who are young, dynamic, outgoing and just like them — the message is better received. We’ve been here every year from the beginning because it’s an excellent program.”

CS&T staff writer Nadia Pozo can be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.