100 promises and counting...

In 1967, Pope Paul IV gave us his historic encyclical Populorum Progressio. Forty years later, 2007, we commemorated the 40th anniversary of this great encyclical. Populorum Progressio was translated in to 'plain english', the LiveSimply challenge was made and became the theme for three celebrations of National Youth Sunday (2006, 2007 and 2008). All over the country in schools and youth retreat centres young people have been learning to live simply.

In 1968, Pope Paul IV gave us his historic encyclical Humanae Vitae... Shhhhh. Forty years later, 2008. Nothing. The Bishops of England and Wales are silent. No youth organisations have been founded, not even a press release acknowledging the event. Nada. Nill. Not a sausage.

A Response...

As part of LiveSimply, young people have been invited to make a promise to change their lives in response the Populorum Progressio and the challenge to live simply. At the LiveSimply Promises website, hundreds of young people have made promises to turn off the light, eat fairtrade chocolate and not drop litter etc.

Now, over a hundred people believe that the time has come to make a new promise. On the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae we are making a promise to LiveChastely.

So far...

The response on the blogs has been great. Catholic Dads, Generations for Life, Lunch Break, Tim Finigan, Mullier Fortis, Countercultural Father, Joanna Bogle, Torch of The Faith, Laodicea and many others. Thanks to you all. The promise was also mentioned by Anne Arco in the Catholic Herald and I have also been contacted by a journalist for the Catholic Times. Mhari Dunlop (of xt3 fame) founded a facebook group which bizarrely has more members than have actually signed the promise (such is the nature of facebook).

Over a hundred people have now signed, the hundredth being our parish priest Fr William Massie. The hundred and first... did not want to give their name. One in five promise signers have hidden their names and a few of them went out of their way to email me and tell me why... that's right: They work for the Church.

What now?

We are well on target for 1000 people by the 41st anniversary of Humanae Vitae. If we carry on at the current rate we will easily make it. But. We need to keep up the momentum...

If you have not yet signed the promise... Sign the promise! Do it now! Click here and fill in the form! Remember: Chastity is not celibacy. Married people can be chaste too - Chastity means being in control of your own sexuality. It means not having an affair or using pr0n.

If you have a blog... Please mention the promise on your blog. If you have already mentioned it, the 100 promise milestone is a fantastic excuse to mention it again! It's a good idea to link directly to the promise page: http://promise.livesimply.org.uk/LiveChastely so that people don't get distracted reading this page. Also, you might like to put one of our banners in a prominent place on your blog.

Everybody... Blogs are great, but (sadly) many of our Catholic friends don't read blogs. All of us know people who would gladly make the promise and support a thing like this but who simply won't see it on a blog. Send them an email... personal invites work best. Don't forget to mention it to people you know at Church... did you see that LiveChastely thing? Finally, if you are a priest, you could put the promise on your newsletter... http://promise.livesimply.org.uk/LiveChastely

Future Plans?

Yeah... once we hit a good number (500?) I'm thinking of writing an individual letter to each and every Bishop in England and Wales inviting them to sign the promise. That will be interesting. But we need you to get us there...