Personality Growth

and Maturity

Handa ka na ba?
Are you ready to get married?

Classroom Group Activities

In a group of 8, share what you have written
in your reflection paper: (The Characteristics of
Todays Youth according to Saint John Paul II)

Guide questions for group discussions

1.

2.
3.
4.

Which of them do you find strong in you?

How could you harness them for doing good for others
now and later as a professional?
What concrete activities are you regularly doing to take of
your spiritual growth aside from Sunday Mass?
How effective are they in easing the burdens of your
current student life?

As a group, what particular actions are you going to

do to harness and develop these characteristics
into positive actions in your daily events of life?
*Select a facilitator to share your discussion output in
class. Or you may dramatize /role play your
discussion output.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
YOUTH
By: Pope John Paul II

1. Critical youth
it is a critical youth which,
having considerably
increased its cultural assets,
is logically led to think more,
to reflect, to judge;

2. Demanding youth
It is a demanding youth which,
though it may sometimes
exaggerate and succumb to
personal selfishness, wants and
claims honesty, truthfulness,
justice and consistency;

3. Suffering youth
It is a youth that suffers from
the contradictory nature of the
ideologies that impinge upon it,
and from the continual
emptying of ideals which it
witnesses;

4. Questioning youth
It is a questioning youth which
wants to account for what is
happening, which looks for the
meaning of its own life and the
significance of the history of
man.

5. Anxious the Truth

It is a youth anxious for

truth, ideals for which
to live, responsibility,
moral beauty,
innocence and joy.

St. John Paul II

stressed that:
Christ is the truth
and only the has words
of eternal life!

To the young who are thirsty for joy, beauty and

love, you will reply with St. Augustine:
Only truth brings happiness.

Happiness is to enjoy truth. This is,

therefore, joy of Thee, who are Truth, O God,

my light, my salvation, O my God. This is the
happiness for which everyone longs, and this
is the only happy life that everyone wants,
this is the joy that everyone desires: the joy
of truth (Confession).

PERSONAL GROWTH AND MATURITY

It seems to me that the most successful program of

complete youth fitness ever known to man was described in

fourteen words : And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature and in favor with God and man. There is the ideal of
any program of youth fitness, to help our youth increase in
wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. It
covers everything: physical fitness, mental fitness, social
fitness, emotional fitness, spiritual fitness ( So Shall Ye
Reap [1960], 140).

*Elder Ezra Taft Benson

Jesus characteristics
Jesus increased in

We need to grow

wisdom

Mentally and emotionally: make

decisions in Gospel principles,
take personal responsibility

stature

Physically: observe sound

health practices, have
confidence in our abilities

Favor with God

Spiritually- live Christ -centered

lives

Favor with man

Socially: be unselfish, serve

others

Personality Growth
and Maturity

Handa ka na ba?
Are you ready to get married?

My life from womb to tomb

Differences between Aging and maturity

Aging belongs to the body. Everybody is aging,

everybody will become old, but not necessarily
mature.
Maturity is an inner growth. Aging is nothing that
you do, aging is something that happens
physically. Every child born, when time passes,
becomes old.
Maturity is something that you bring to your life -it comes out of awareness. When a person ages
with full awareness he becomes mature. Aging
plus awareness, experiencing plus awareness, is
maturity.

Sociology professor Tony Campolo said,

I am convinced we dont live in a

generation of bad kids. We live in a
generation of kids who know too much
too soon.

Example:
Toni boy got a big deal from selling cars this month. He saw
the TV, sound system and movie player set on sale. It was
his ambition to have this set.
He has three (3) children who are about to go to school.
With these thoughts, he was still determined to buying it
because it is on sale.

Kristie Anne Kenney

(Ambassador of US to the Philippines
March 2006 November 2009)
Kristie Anne Kenney leaves the Philippines on
Monday with two indelible lessons learned from
Filipinos: the importance of family, and the
benefits of taking time out to celebrate. She will
be staying in Washington for several months to
keep her 86 year old mother company with
symptoms of dementia. She wanted to stay longer
in the Philippines for the general elections in May,
but what Ive learned here is the importance
of family... its being here that influenced me so
much. Shes slipping away, she said, referring
to her mother.

Therefore MATURITY is
WHEN A PERSON DEVELOPS THE POWERS OF THE
BODY AND THE MIND TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT HE OR SHE WANTS.

Activity:
Read the article Bahay-bahayan written by
Rafael E. Lopez.
In a group, Discuss the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Did the author make to right decision? In which part of

the article did you base your answer?
What qualities of a mature person does the author show
he possesses?
What qualities of an immature person do you find in his
friends?
Have you had any encounter with incidents similar to
those of the author? Give a personal reaction to your
observation in relation to getting married and having a
family.

Relationship Between Growth and

Maturity
To succeed in our relationships, we should follow the Saviors
example by striving for growth in our physical, mental, social,
emotional, and spiritual lives.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What does it mean to be mature?
2. What is the difference between aging and maturing?
3. What are the characteristics of a mature and
immature person? How does these help or hinder a
lasting relationship?

Personality Growth
and Maturity

Handa ka na ba?
Are you ready to get married?

GROWTH AND MATURITY

FOR MARRIAGE TO REALLY WORK, MAN
SHOULD KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED OF
THEM AND SHOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY
TO FULFILL THEM

?
Handa ka na bang mag-asawa
Ito ay isang tanong na dapat bigyan ng
importansya lalo na itoy isang bahagi ng
buhay ng tao na magsasalarawan ng
kapayapaan o kabiguan.

THINGS TO REMEMBER!!!
Every human person stands according to the strength
of his foundation. This foundation is his family. How the
parents carry on their lives is very vital to their children. They
are the living examples. Their children either learn good things
or bad things, or nothing at all.
A family rooted in the true love of husband and wife
and love of God who called them His co-creators of life, can
never fail. Thus parents can only be loving persons, when they
are able to image Gods love for their children.

THINGS TO REMEMBER!!!
A loving relationship between and among family
members initiated by husband and wife and the children
is the critical factor in the growth of every person. His
healthy transition and development from one stage of
growth to another, especially in the early years of his life, is
largely dependent on the climate and the quality of
relationship of the personsnormally the father and the
motherwho take care of, who are of great influence to,
who surround him. In short, only a love ground can a
person really grow in the grace of integration and total wellbeing, the way Jesus did.

THINGS TO REMEMBER!!!
Man can never be without God. All of his know-how,
discoveries, achievements in the sciences, in psychology even
in spirituality, are nothing, if there is no love. If he has to be a
real image of God, then he has to be born of, nurtured and
sustained by love.
Thus, mans final stage of development ending in
death is not the end of loving. His entry to Gods Kingdom
will be determined by the measure of love in his life. His
final glory is to come face to face with God who will see his
image in him.

BECOMING READY FOR MARRIAGE

It is with maturity that the person

sufficiently develops powers of the body
and mind to understand the implications
of what he or she wants.

BECOMING READY FOR MARRIAGE

In doing so, one calls to mind the

important and serious steps in life in
order to make necessary decisions.

BECOMING READY FOR MARRIAGE

It is also nice to know beforehand

the practicability and value of the
processes of finding ones significant
other and the requirements and
arrangements for the wedding and
the beginning of married life.

BECOMING READY FOR MARRIAGE

For Christians, a man and woman is not
just two persons relating to and loving
each other but become a Christian man
and woman loving each other like the
love of Christ for the church and the
way Jesus Christ loves them. Thus,
becoming Christian husband and wife and
to-be Christian parents.

BECOMING READY FOR MARRIAGE

A.

Attaining psychological and social maturity.

B.

Being confident of accepting ones sexuality.

Discovering ones attraction to persons of the

C. opposite sex.

Learning to develop true friendship and

D. genuine love for a particular someone.

Personality Growth
and Maturity

Handa ka na ba?
Are you ready to get married?

A. Predisposing Factors : PERSONALITY GROWTH

AND MATURITY

1. Heredity:
a. family: parents, grand parents & other relatives
b. physical features, mannerism, outlook in life, profession,
etc.

2. Environment:

media, friends, social issues,

culture

3. Education: school, curriculum, teachers & other

staff

4. Grace: God, Church & Sacraments

FACTORS AFFECTING MATURITY:

Heredity
What we are going to be like will be the
result of what we know about ourselves,
what we want to change and not change in us
and what can be and cant be altered.

FACTORS AFFECTING MATURITY:

Environment
We are conditioned by the people around
us.

FACTORS AFFECTING MATURITY:

Education
It provides opportunity to
be inculcated with the right
knowledge and influence
that contribute to the
correct development of
personality.

FACTORS AFFECTING MATURITY:

The Gift of Grace

A transformation to become a better
person.

B. Dimensions for Maturity (PIEFSS)

Physical
Intellectual
Emotional
Financial
Social and Cultural
Spiritual

Personal growth is a key to building lasting

relationships.

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Financial

Spiritual

Physical

CHURCH Emotional

Social

Intellectual

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Physical Maturity
Pituitary gland:functions to signal the significant changes
in body of a male & female in the process of its maturity.

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Physical Maturity
FEMALE SEX ORGAN: An indicator that a girl has
turned into a woman when she is already capable of
bearing a child, i.e., when her ovaries start producing and
egg/ovum (this happens once a month).

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Physical Maturity
MALE SEX ORGAN: An indicator that a boy has already
turned into a man is when he is capable of becoming a
father. This happens when his sex organ can already
produce a sperm cell to fertilize an egg coming from the
woman.

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Emotional Maturity
Ability to control feelings

Acceptance of oneself
Ability to face difficult situations calmly
Ability to settle differences amicably

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Intellectual Maturity
Being dependable

Being orderly
Being able to undergo present difficulty to
achieve future goals

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Social Maturity
Being able to resist group pressures when you
believe you are right
Being able to admit you were wrong and
can manage to say sorry

Being able to keep promises

DIMENSIONS OF MATURE PERSON:

Spiritual Maturity
Being willing to work to improve what you
can change
Being unselfish

Taking time regularly to think about the

meaning of life
Setting goals that put faith in a greater
power than yourself

C. Indicators of Maturity (MEPS)

Mental

- stability, honesty and

selfless
- Dedicated to service

- controls thoughts, falls

challenges, resolves
problems

Physical
- controls actions,
demonstrates
resilience, and
continuing efforts

Emotional

Social
- cares about others
- responsible, considerate
and kind

Signs to Look For...

So what are the marks of maturity?

A mature person :
is able to keep long-term commitments.
Based
on
this
list,
are
you
2. is unshaken by flattery or criticism.
displaying
marks of
3. possesses
a spiritthe
of humility.
4. decides based
on character not feelings.
maturity?
5. expresses gratitude consistently.
6. knows how to prioritize others before
themselves.
7. seeks wisdom before acting.
1.

Artificial Maturity by Tim Elmore

Group work
Identify models of maturity.
1.
2.

Who are the significant

persons in your life?
How is their maturity
inspiring you to become the
person you should be?

Personality Growth
and Maturity

MAKING DECISIONS AND TAKING ACTIONS ON THE BASIS

OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

Handa ka na ba?
Are you ready to get married?

1.

Prayerful and
Humble

CCC1733 The more one does

2. is
Morally
upright:
what
good, the freer
one
becomes.
There is no true freedom

Prudent
except in the service of what is
and
Self-disciplined
good
just. The choice to
disobey
and
do
evil
is
an
abuse
of

Just and courageous

freedom and leads to "the slavery
of sin."28

3.

Responsible:
Competent
Committed
Decisive
Faces
consequences
Penitent

4.

Loving:
Forgiving
Compassionate
Respectful
helpful

5.

Self-sacrificing
Patient
Perseveres in
doing good

6.

Full of Christian
hope

 CCC

1716-1719 OUR VOCATION

TO BEATITUDE
CCC 946-959 THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
COMMUNION IN SPIRITUAL
GOODS
THE COMMUNION OF THE
CHURCH OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

Characteristics of a Maturing Person

prayerful and humble

morally upright: prudent, selfdisciplined, just and courageous

responsible:

competent, committed,
decisive, faces consequences, penitent

loving: forgiving, compassionate, respectful, helpful

self-sacrificing: patient, perseveres in doing good
full of Christian hope: exerts effort for
excellence but leaves the rest to God's mercy.

In what ways can each of these qualities

increase the likelihood of success in marriage?

?
How to help yourself mature

Emotionally

Intellectually

Learn to view problems

objectively

Set realistic goals & work

towards them gradually

Learn to accept criticisms

graciously

Be positive, think of yourself as

successful

Learn to express anger and

frustrations constructively

Learn from your mistakes and

enjoy your success
Appreciate your good qualities

Failure is just learning

experiences

Socially

Spiritually

Learn to express appreciation

for others

Value the sanctifying grace you

receive from the sacraments

Be willing to help others

Pray constantly

Develop friendship where your Attend the Holy Mass or

interest can be shared
religious services regularly

Seek out friend who have

strong moral values
Set yourself high ideals to
work for

Group Work:
1.
2.

3.

How will you help yourself to be matured?

What advises can you give to the young people to make
matured decisions? How will they develop their
maturity?
Describe you plan of action to make you a mature
person?
Create a campaign.

Creedal Statement

Education of the moral conscience began at home by

the parents is a lifelong project of the human person
endowed with reason and free will.
Sanctifying grace, the gratuitous gift of Gods life to
us, is infused by the Holy Spirit into the soul to heal
it of sin and to sanctify it. Moved by grace, man
turns toward God and away from sin.

Creedal

It is within the embrace of the family where virtues

infused by the Sacraments are nurtured and protected.

The child gets his first experience of God in the

love and authority of parents who teach him to
live as member of they community of faith.

Summing up all the perfections in man, it is living a

moral life that bears witness to his dignity of person
because true freedom is pursuing perfection by seeking
and loving what is true and good. The virtues make
possible ease, self-mastery and joy in leading a morally
good life because all the powers of the human person
are open to and in communion with divine love.

THINGS TO REMEMBER!!!
E V E RY O N E H A S A R O O M F O R
I M P R O V E M E N T. M A N Y O F U S S T I L L
H AV E A LO N N G WAY TO G O TO WA R D S
C H R I S T I AN M AT U R I T Y. W E C A N N OT
H O P E TO AT TA I N P E R F EC TI O N , B U T W E
C A N B E CO M E A L I T T L E L E S S
IMPERFECT AND YET A LITTLE LESS
P E R F EC T W O R K I N G S T E P BY S T E P.

Group Activity:
Group yourselves
according to
relationship Status

1.

a.
b.
c.

Currently in a relationship.
NBSB/NGSB No BF/GF
since birth.
Had BF/GF before but
currently not in a
relationship.

Assign:

3.
a.
b.

For the class secretary,

tally:

4.
a.

Enumerate the
reason/s

2.
a.
b.

Boys: why they will ask a girl

to marry them.
Girls: why they will agree to
marry.

a secretary to list all the

answers and
a sharer to report it to
the class.

b.

the number of students

in a group
The answers of the boys
and the girls according
to relationship status.