There are three 'Evangelical Counsels', which are poverty, chastity and obedience. These are the characteristics of Christ's life and message, and every Christian is called to practice them in a way compatible with his state in life. The chastity of a young person dating and the chastity of a married couple are signs today of how different Christ's message is from the world's.

So everybody is called to live chastely and what is particular about religious life is the form that chastity takes, the type of chastity the consecrated person is called to, and that is celibacy.

The value of celibacy lies in the fact that this is the type of life Christ chose for himself, and Mary also lived it. From the very beginning of the Church it has been a call given to certain of Christ's followers. Generally it is a sign that a Church is authentic when God gives this grace to some of its members.

Celibacy also has practical fruits: it leaves us free to dedicate ourselves totally to prayer and God's work; it is a sign that we really believe in what we preach (this life is not everything, etc.), but especially it makes us more like Christ, and is a sign to the people we serve of how God loves them.