By Emilie Ng
THEOLOGY of the body is a term many Catholics hear, but few know how to explain.
With help from three guest speakers from Melbourne’s John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, almost 100 Catholics went deeper into John Paul II’s great teaching in Brisbane last weekend.
The series of seminars and workshops were presented by Real Talk Australia and a team of young Catholic volunteers from March 14-16.
Writer and speaker Anna Krohn, lecturer Dr Conor Sweeney and recent graduate Owen Vyner presented the talks.
Real Talk Australia’s managing director Paul Ninnes said the weekend was about breaking open the theology of the body in a “fresh way” to Brisbane Catholics.
Mr Ninnes said he heard an audio talk of theology of the body and it changed his life.
“From the outset it really grabbed my attention and it sort of shook me up a little, which was a good thing for where I was at,” he said.
“It was a missing piece of the puzzle to a lot of the questions I had about sexuality, about relationships, and about what the Church taught.”
Mr Ninnes said the talk prompted him to share the theology of the body with other Catholics and especially young people.
“I saw the fruit in my own life and I just want everyone to experience that fruit,” he said.
Mr Ninnes said while his work with Real Talk Australia taught theology of the body “on a basic level” he encouraged others to teach it at a deeper level.
“It’s one of those topics that is so deep and meaty, and I think we need more and more people to break it open for more people and different levels,” he said.
“It takes them deep into the heart of the Church and the heart of being human, which is so much of what John Paul II was all about.”
Watch the video report here.
