About 40 Legionaries of Christ from Spain participated in a short course on Theology of the Body, from January 3 to 5, 2022, at the Cumbres School Valencia. Father Jaime Rodríguez, LC, who is completing his doctorate in Theology of the Body at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, was in charge of giving these talks. He was also accompanied by several young laypeople and married couples, as well as Marta Rodríguez, consecrated member of Regnum Christi and director of the Institute of Higher Studies of Women at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. Father Rafael Pardo, LC, Prefect of Studies for the Legionaries of Christ in Spain, shares with the Spanish communication office, in this interview, the importance of Theology of the Body in his personal and pastoral experience, since “we are playing for a deeper and broader understanding of marriage and sexuality”.
Does Theology of the Body delve into one of the most debated anthropological aspects at present, even within the Church itself? What are we playing for?
We are playing for a deeper and broader understanding of marriage and sexuality. The guidance given by John Paul II on this matter allows us to understand, from a personalist approach, the major sexual debates of the current world.
Are you very involved in family pastoral work through your work with married couples and also through pastoral care for students and members of the university community? How do you see today’s man and woman from your perspective?
In general, today’s man and woman are very disoriented regarding the role and richness of their being man or woman. Contemporary society tends to and seeks to erase the sexual differences between men and women, which mark them very deeply, canceling the relationality inscribed in human sexuality and degrading God’s plan for man and woman. There is much disorientation around sexuality in a broad sense. Theology of the Body profoundly illuminates, from God’s Creator’s perspective, the role of sexuality in human life, and offers a much deeper and more beautiful vision of marriage.
In matters of Theology of the Body, what challenges do the Legionaries of Christ face in wanting to train in this topic and dedicate a few days to study in the territory? What motivated you to organize training on Theology of the Body?
Theology of the Body is a little-studied and deeply explored topic because, until relatively recently, the intrinsic richness in John Paul II’s catecheses was unknown. The idea of the short course was to give a broad and deep view of Theology of the Body, to dispel prejudices and to open the appetite for those who want to learn more about this gift that God gave us through John Paul II.
What topics have you addressed during these days? Was there any aspect that aroused particular interest and why?
A presentation of the entire Theology of the Body was made, without going into too much depth on each aspect. The idea was to have a complete overview. The entire topic generated interest.
In what way is this specific training a help for the mission of Regnum Christi to make the Kingdom present, to Christ? How does Theology of the Body help to discover the Lord, or to grow in friendship with Him, or to be an apostle here and now?
The more we understand God’s plan for man and woman, the more we can live the richness of the vocation to which God has called us. There are many references and calls from God to the human being that He has written into our sexual condition. The Sacrament of Marriage is a revelation of God’s love.
Does this training help strengthen the Legionaries of Christ in their religious and priestly vocation? In what way?
Of course, the Legionary is a man called to live the fullness of his vocation as a man consecrated to God. The more one understands the role that God has linked to one’s own sexual dimension, the better one will understand the path to personal and vocational fullness.
What has it meant for you personally to delve into this topic? Has the Lord had any word for you? And for other brothers who participated? Could you share something?
Since I discovered the richness of Theology of the Body about five years ago, I have been interested in understanding it more deeply because it helps me live my priestly vocation with greater awareness and depth. Ultimately, our life is a gift of love to God; the more fully we live our love, the better we will live our gift to God and our personal fulfillment as men and priests.
Regnum Christi has been decisively committed for some time to a proposal for marriage and family. Does Theology of the Body have something to contribute to Regnum Christi in this regard?
Theology of the Body is a gift to the entire Church and therefore also to Regnum Christi. It contains much richness; the more we know it, the greater the richness we can contribute to our relationships and our Christian life. Married couples and individuals who know Theology of the Body discover a new vision of their body, sexuality, and marriage, which helps them live with greater meaning and reach a greater fullness.
