Sexual purity among saints

[kfarose2585]

Why is it that virginity is stressed so much in female saints, but not so much in male saints? Shouldn’t everyone strive to be chaste?

 

[threej_lc]

I wouldn’t say its only focused at women.

St. Benedict, when tempted by impurity in his youth, through himself into a briar patch so that his flesh my not be tempted again. Supposedly it worked wonders.

St. Joseph is honored as the patron of chastity.

Perhaps our modern culture focuses a little more on women for two reasons:

1. Maria Goretti was a Saint of this Century. Rose of Lima was an American saint. These are the two saints purity nowadays is associated with, and that’s because they bear a connection to people now a days temperogeographically, not because of their gender.
2. Girls are the ones running around in their underwear and calling it fashion, not guys. They need a stronger reminder of what modesty means then guys.

Josh

p.s. I know I made temperogeographically up, but its good word!

 

[Minerva]

for the most part it’s been because of the old double standard, but thank God it is changing. Many male saints have been heroically chaste, as was pointed out. As for women being the only ones with a problem dressing modestly, maybe in the US, but believe me if you go to Europe, especially Italy, the men are just as bad! Pants so thin and tight they might as well be underwear as they live NOTHING to the imagination. Low cut shirts that display man cleavage and are so tight the nipples are clearly visible :bigyikes: yes I saw it all! Also in general while women dress immodestly, it is men who behave more unchastely and our culture still values female chastity more than male (think of how there are words like “slut” for women but no equivalent for men. a girl who sleeps around is shunned for the most part but a guy who does the same is “cool”). In light of this, virgin male saints should be strongly praised by the Church for their chastity, for men need more help being chaste than women do, in general.

 

[threej_lc]

Minerva:

fbut believe me if you go to Europe, especially Italy, the men are just as bad! Pants so thin and tight they might as well be underwear as they live NOTHING to the imagination.

That’s just disturbing.

Minerva:

Also in general while women dress immodestly, it is men who behave more unchastely and our culture still values female chastity more than male (think of how there are words like “slut” for women but no equivalent for men. a girl who sleeps around is shunned for the most part but a guy who does the same is “cool”).

You are quite correct. I was indeed over simplifying when I said girls were the ones who need to start dressing modestly.

I think there’s been a billion threads on the multiple facets of this already: Guys refraining from sexual restraint, girls inviting such behavior with their actions/dress, etc.

Perhaps there has been more female focus then because girls tend to be more open to peer pressure?

 

[kfarose2585]

I brought this up because it seems that a lot of prayers to female saints are something like, “o, so-and-so, what a pure virgin and servant of God you were, let me be more like you,” whereas the prayers to many of the male saints don’t mention anything about sexual purity. Perhaps it is subconsious. You sure are right about double standards, Minerva.

Josh, you also make a good point about the way many girls dress. I have had to shop in the women’s section for a few years now because the junior’s section tends to have so much trashy stuff. I think that girls just want attention, and since provocative clothing is so readily available, they figure that’s a good way to get it. Just remember that guys are open to such peer pressure too. Prime example: when I type in “male virgin” in a Google search, all I get are webpages that either make fun of men for maintaining their virginity or are about men who are eager to lose it, fast, to anyone. It’s pretty sad. I was looking for examples of strong, chaste men and instead found a bunch of weak boys looking for some pleasure.

Anyway, sorry to bring up something that is probably on “a billion threads.” This was my first post, so I didn’t know any better. Thank you both for responding. Oh, and Minerva, thank you for warning me about Italy. That is really gross!

 

[csr]

Have a look at …And You Are Christ’s by Fr. Dubay, currently in print through Ignatius.

 

[Mary]

Here’s something I just thought of.

How hard it must be for a woman to give up motherhood and lead a life as a ‘bride of Christ’! Isn’t there something beautiful and admirable about a woman, who feels all those impulses to nurture and have children, give that up to live a single life, able to devote herself to any child who needs help?

This sounds funny in this day and age, (I feel a little strange writing it, but I have a feeling it’s not self-inspired, so I better write it!! ) but as a woman, offering my sexuality to Christ, offering to Him that gift that He has given me, of being able to hold life inside of me, would be as big a sacrifice as I would be able to make!!

Maybe that’s why we so honour the virgin Saints…

Remember as well, being chaste isn’t necessarily being single and still a virgin. It is most likely that all saints were chaste, those who were unmarried and virgins as well as those who were married and faithful.

God bless.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

It is most likely that all saints were chaste, those who were unmarried and virgins as well as those who were married and faithful.

There were many saints who lived sinful lives prior to their conversions. Most notably St. Augustine, who’s famous prayer (as written in Confessions, I believe) was “Lord make me chaste, but not just yet.”

 

[Charlemagne]

I read that St. Thomas Aquinas’s family was not happy that he wanted to become a Priest, so they hired a prostitute and sent her to his room. He grabbed a red hot poker from the fireplace and chased her out. So, I would say this Doctor of the Church ranks highly when it comes to sexual purity.

 

[threej_lc]

kfarose2585:

Prime example: when I type in “male virgin” in a Google search, all I get are webpages that either make fun of men for maintaining their virginity or are about men who are eager to lose it, fast, to anyone. It’s pretty sad. I was looking for examples of strong, chaste men and instead found a bunch of weak boys looking for some pleasure.

Anyway, sorry to bring up something that is probably on “a billion threads.” This was my first post, so I didn’t know any better.

I didn’t mean to say your question concerning Saints was on a billion threads. I quite like it. I was meaning to say that discussions concerning what areas do men lack chastity vs. women lack chastity has probably been discussed.

Likewise, by peer pressure I didn’t mean to say men aren’t royally screwed up in this society now a days like everyone else. I’m just saying its in my experience that when a guy or girl comes to a decision on how to act, the girl is more likely to wait for someone to accompany her in it or be a role model, where the guy is more likely to act on his own.

I’m not trying to argue that these are DEFINITIVE REASONS (big booming voice) for why the focus tends to be on female purity. I’m agreeing that the focus seems to lie on that now, despite obvious instances of male saintly purity in the past. I’m simply brainstorming on the forums to possible reasons why.

I like the story of Aquinas.

Josh