1. Creating Your Life Path Vocational Choices

2. The Single Life Chapter 11

3. If you found out you were going to spend the next 15 years as a single person how would you choose to spend that time?

4. Opportunities & Problems  Freedom  Solitude  Wider Friendships  Professional commitment  Less expensive lifestyle  Freedom  Solitude  Wider Friendships  Professional commitment  Less expensive lifestyle  Egocentrism  Loneliness  Not belonging with 1 special person  Job traps  More expensive lifestyle

5. A life full of Possibilities…

6. Marrying finding a life partner Chapter 12

7. List the top ten qualities you predict you would value most in a marriage partner.

8. Cohabitation »Not a successful “trial marriage”

9. Communication 1.Do we agree about the roles that men and women play in a marriage? 2.Do we have the support of our families? 3.Are we too young? 4.Can we both tolerate genuine intimacy? 5.Can each of us accept change in the other? 6.Can each of us stand psychologically on our own 2 feet? 7.Do we give each other time & space to be on our own-alone or with our own friends? 1.Do we agree about the roles that men and women play in a marriage? 2.Do we have the support of our families? 3.Are we too young? 4.Can we both tolerate genuine intimacy? 5.Can each of us accept change in the other? 6.Can each of us stand psychologically on our own 2 feet? 7.Do we give each other time & space to be on our own-alone or with our own friends?

10. …… 8. What part would children play in our marriage? 9. What role will sexual expression have for us? 10. Can both of us confront our problems head on and then let bygones be bygones? 11. Do both of us show personal integrity? 12. Does one of us have to be the boss all the time? 13. Do we share similar religious beliefs? 14. Do we have enough in common upon which to build intimacy? 15. Can both of us articulate our feelings for each other? 8. What part would children play in our marriage? 9. What role will sexual expression have for us? 10. Can both of us confront our problems head on and then let bygones be bygones? 11. Do both of us show personal integrity? 12. Does one of us have to be the boss all the time? 13. Do we share similar religious beliefs? 14. Do we have enough in common upon which to build intimacy? 15. Can both of us articulate our feelings for each other?

11. …… 16. What are our expectations about $$ & our manner of dealing with financial issues? 17. How dependable is each of us in our work? 18. Do we like each other’s friends? 19. Do our dreams for creating a life together complement each other? 16. What are our expectations about $$ & our manner of dealing with financial issues? 17. How dependable is each of us in our work? 18. Do we like each other’s friends? 19. Do our dreams for creating a life together complement each other?

12. Why Marry? »Sharing a life with a loving companion »Creating new life »Strengthening individual identities »Calling forth the best in each person »Enabling the couple to reach out beyond themselves in hospitality and compassion »Supporting the journey in faith »Sharing a life with a loving companion »Creating new life »Strengthening individual identities »Calling forth the best in each person »Enabling the couple to reach out beyond themselves in hospitality and compassion »Supporting the journey in faith

13. Marriage as a Covenant of love »Permanence of marriage-”what God has joined together, let no one separate” »Marriage preparation =very important » vows-solemn promise »Must understand the vows »Permanence of marriage-”what God has joined together, let no one separate” »Marriage preparation =very important » vows-solemn promise »Must understand the vows

14. Marriage Prep »“Marriage in the church” not the same as a “church wedding” » marriage prep is required »“Marriage in the church” not the same as a “church wedding” » marriage prep is required

15. Growth in Marriage ch 13

16. Seasons of Marriage 1.Blissful beginnings 1-2 2.Becoming Domestic 3-5 3.Time of Decision 6-12 4.Strength & Renewal 13-18 5.Midlife transitions 19-23 6.On their own again 24-40 7.Growing old together 40 and beyond 1.Blissful beginnings 1-2 2.Becoming Domestic 3-5 3.Time of Decision 6-12 4.Strength & Renewal 13-18 5.Midlife transitions 19-23 6.On their own again 24-40 7.Growing old together 40 and beyond

17. Group Work Count off by 7 to get into groups and describe the different seasons of marriage to your classmates 1.Blissful beginnings 1-2 2.Becoming Domestic 3-5 3.Time of Decision 6-12 4.Strength & Renewal 13-18 5.Midlife transitions 19-23 6.On their own again 24-40 7.Growing old together 40 and beyond

18. Ongoing adjustments in Married life »From I to we »Changes in sexual expression »Financial issues »Changing roles »Coping in crisis »From I to we »Changes in sexual expression »Financial issues »Changing roles »Coping in crisis

19. 3 stances toward relationships »Faithfulness to each other »Spend time together »Support and affirm »Trust »Develop many types of intimacy »Relationship= constant discovery »Hospitality to new life »Children as honored guests »Church's stand for life »Natural Family planning »Openness to community »It takes a village »Friendship »Service to others »Faithfulness to each other »Spend time together »Support and affirm »Trust »Develop many types of intimacy »Relationship= constant discovery »Hospitality to new life »Children as honored guests »Church's stand for life »Natural Family planning »Openness to community »It takes a village »Friendship »Service to others

20. Religious Life: Ch 14 Dedicated to God

21. Who are the religious?  Sisters, brothers and priests who belong to religious orders- groups officially recognized by the Catholic Church as offering a way of life for those called to profess the evangelical counsels.  AKA: religious congregations or religious communities

22. The Essentials:  Community  Support and challenge  Prayer  Eucharist, meditation, song, shared reflection etc.  Service  Meeting needs in the human community

23. Religious Vows  Poverty  avoid the distractions of material things  Chastity  Be celibate  Obedience  Openness to God’s call

24. 3 types of religious congregations  Contemplatives  Contemplation, meditation, communion w/ God  Mendicants  St. Francis  Service congregations  Minister to human needs

25. question: if you were asked to create a religious congregation to meet a pressing need in the human family, what would that need be? What would you want your congregation to do to respond to that need?

26. Discovering a call to Religious Life  Positive Signs  An attraction to religious life based on proper motives  An ability to meet the requirements of religious life  An inner sense of being called by God to religious life