When I was a Divinity student studying for the ministry at UTS, I came across an article in a Christian ministry magazine that captured my attention. Ministers were inaugurating A Chastity Pledge from their children by giving them a special ring as a symbol of their pledge to maintain their purity until marriage. What a breath of fresh air this article was in view of the state of youth in society today and its denigrating attitude concerning chastity and the sacredness of intimacy.

My daughter, Nurie, was only 10 at that time, yet the idea was planted in my mind, and only a few months later True Father visited UTS and gave money to be divided among the children in Barrytown. It was this money that I had Nurie keep as the seed money for her Purity Pledge Ceremony ring when she would turn 16. How the time flew by! She is attending Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholic Girls' High School, and the news traveled fast about the special ceremony Nurie was having on her 16th birthday. David and I went with her to choose the ring and she was so excited! One day, it will be replaced by her Blessing ring. She decided to invite four of her friends from school to attend the ceremony we had at our home. Nurie is one year older than most of her friends (since she stayed back a year upon our return from years in France), and now I can see how God had planned this, because now many of her friends want to plan a similar ceremony next year in their homes and in their religious traditions for their 16th birthday!

I have included a copy of the short service we planned and a photo we took afterward (Nurie is at the top right). In my Easter letter to our tribe across the country, I spoke about The Purity Pledge Ceremony and now stories are coming back to me of how family and friends have spoken to others of the idea. Multiplying goodness is such a great feeling!

I don't know if other blessed couples would find this idea a good one to incorporate into their family tradition. All I can do is share the deep experience the ceremony was for myself, my husband and our daughter. Each of her friends asked if they could share their thoughts at the end and one of them was moved to tears.

Our young people today, Unificationist or not, need all the encouragement we can give them when they make this kind of commitment. The opposition is unrelenting, so we are grateful to have had this chance to let God and our daughter know that we believe in her, in her convictions and in her example to other young people.

On this my 16th birthday,
Before Heavenly Father and True Parents,
I make this solemn pledge.

Heavenly Father, I know your heart was broken
When Eve betrayed your Commandment.
I wish to take this pledge of purity until the Blessing
To comfort Your heart
and to fulfill my responsibility,
To my future spouse,
To our future family,
And to our future descendants,
To realize the 3 Blessings of Your Original Ideal of Creation
I wear this ring as a symbol of my pledge
As I wait in purity and faith until my Blessing.
This I pledge and swear
In True Parents' Names,

Amen.

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