First Published in ‘The Catholic Voice’, Ireland, September 2016
False Vatican ‘Sex-Education’ Programme.
In my last article I issued a warning to parents concerning a new ‘sex-education’ programme that was released by the Pontifical Council for the Family in July. I find it difficult to write about this topic because it makes me angry. The reason I get angry is because as a Catholic parent, my right and my duty to educate my children in the Catholic Faith, has been constantly undermined by the actions of the hierarchy in this country and throughout the western world for the last few decades. That a Pontifical council of the Vatican would act in a way which undermines the relationship between parents and their children is beyond words. That their actions might corrupt innocent children would send this parent out looking for the nearest millstone shop.
Irish Bishop’s Response to Maynooth Inadequate
I see the same thing happening with regards to the recent controversy surrounding the Maynooth seminary. The bishop’s response is totally inadequate. As a father of eight children let me spell it out very clearly. Allowing actively homosexual men to become priests in Ireland puts Irish children, including my children, at risk of being sexually abused. If the Irish bishops are serious about preventing child abuse then they need to make sure that active homosexuals are not admitted to the seminary in Maynooth. If this causes offence to anyone, so be it. My children’s safety is more important than your feelings.
My children are endangered
When a pro homosexual priest is invited to speak at Catholic venues and gatherings in Ireland, it is my children who are put at risk. It is my sons who might hear the message that they should be reading ‘gay’ novels and watching ‘gay’ movies. It is a very difficult endeavour for a Catholic parent in the Ireland of today, to keep their children on the straight and narrow, but our job is made far more difficult when the Irish hierarchy tolerate and promote dissenting voices who could corrupt my children. Of course I take it personally! My children’s salvation is being endangered by bishops who refuse to stand up and defend the Catholic faith of all time as proclaimed by Jesus Christ and His Catholic church.
Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18: 1-7)
Was Christ unmerciful?
Would anyone dare to claim that Christ was being unmerciful when he said that it would be better for those who corrupt children to have a millstone tied around their necks and be drowned? This is one of Christ’s most severe warnings and it concerns the corruption of children. The Irish Bishops issued a statement last week concerning Maynooth in which they said, “There is no place in a seminary community for any sort of behaviour or attitude which contradicts the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.” All that is well and good and so therefore I have a question.
Why are Dissenting Priests Invited to Speak to Catholics at Knock Shrine
If it is unacceptable for a seminary community to have an attitude which contradicts the teaching and example of Jesus Christ, why then are priests invited to speak at our national shrine in Knock who contradict Church teaching? Why are priests who question the infallible teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II regarding the impossibility of ordaining women to the priesthood, invited to speak in Knock, if such attitudes are forbidden in the seminary?
Why was a Jesuit priest, who wrote an article explaining why he voted ‘YES’ to same sex marriage, permitted to preach a five day retreat in Knock this year, if such attitudes, which are contrary to Christ’s teaching, are forbidden in the seminary?
My wife tells me that it is because they don’t care enough for our children! I hope she is wrong.
Vatican’s Erotic Programme for Children
And now the Pontifical for the family is promoting a ‘sex-education’ programme which contains erotic images to be displayed in front of children, and these images are then to be discussed by the children in a classroom setting. This is contrary to the guidelines issued by the same Pontifical council in 1995, in ‘The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality’ which states in section No 126.3
“No material of an erotic nature should be presented to children or young people of any age, individually or in a group.
This principle of decency must safeguard the virtue of Christian chastity. Therefore in passing on sexual information in the context of education for love, the instruction must always be “positive and prudent”[153] and “clear and delicate”.[154] These four words used by the Catholic Church exclude every form of unacceptable content in sexual education.”
Parents By-Passed
Why was this programme presented to the young people at world youth day without consulting the parents? The parent’s right to determine what is presented to their children was undermined by the Pontifical council for the family!
Dr. Thomas Ward, Founder and President of the National Association of Catholic Families as well as a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life said of this programme, “I find it monstrous that an official arm of the Church would not only create a sexual education program for teens but one that bypasses parents as the primary educator of their children,” Dr Ward called the program “thoroughly immoral,” adding that it amounted to a “complete rupture from the teaching of the Church throughout the ages about the parent as primary educator.” (source Lifesite News)
John Smeaton, Chief Executive of the Society for the Protection of Unborn children said, “By encouraging teachers and other educators to expose children to such a programme the Vatican is violating the rights of Catholic parents to be the primary educators of their children in sexual matters. It is entirely inappropriate for children to be exposed to explicit sexual imagery, such as that contained in this course, and to be encouraged to discuss sexual matters in a classroom environment.” (source Lifesite news)
Parents will be held accountable if they permit falsehood to be presented to their children
Now we can bemoan this situation and we can give out about the Pontifical council and the bishops, but God placed the onus on Catholic parents to make sure that their children were properly educated in the Faith. He will hold us to account for this wonderful and onerous task. I was involved with a group who tried to prevent ‘relationships and sexuality education’ from coming into our schools several years ago. We were unsuccessful in our attempt. We were not defeated by the government. We were defeated by the support that our bishops and other Catholic parents gave to this objectionable programme. That is why my children are home schooled because I could not risk their purity and faith being damaged by faulty religious programmes in the ‘Catholic’ schools. I will answer to God for how I lead my wife and family in holiness and I for one will not willingly allow anyone to corrupt my children.
© John Lacken 2016
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Author: John Lacken
Founder: Legio Sanctae Familiae – The Legion of the Holy Family
E-Mail: john@truedevotions.ie
Website: www.truedevotions.ie
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