Last night at our weekly youth ministry meeting after Mass we gave a questionairre for our teens to fill out on the topic of sexuality. The questions were very blunt and to the point mostly revolving around the topic of sex before Marriage and sexual activity by teens.

The teens were very open (we asaked them to not write their names on the questionairre) and sincere. There was a tone of overwhelming confusion, moral depravity, and loss of values which rang throughout the answers to this questionairre. There were some who really thought sex should be saved for Marriage, but sadly many think sex is just another way to have fun on a date.

One of the questions focusesd on what the teens thought was the Catholic Church's take on sex. Id say about 50% thought that the Church has no business in the topic, others thought that The church was somewhat positive, others were curious to find out.

I have been working many years with teens, and ultimately I think that you can present the facts, but teens (for better or worse) make decisions based on their free will. I think that the best thing to do after presenting what the Church teaches on this topic and on others is to be a living example of what you preach. This speaks volumes more than a talk or class. God neither forces us to do the righ thing, nor does He despair of us; all we can do someimes is cast out the seed in hope that it will eventually take root.

Our society has sex posted almost everywhere you go, and teh results are being felt in the divoce rate, STD's, broken hearts, and abortions. I think teens are confused and in some ways searching for truth, but they still want to think that they know everything and are invincible. Our poor teens don't havve much of a chance in today's world to be chaste, but they are definitely searching for more meaning and truth; all we can do at times is be there for them whenever they want direction and be examples of fulfilled, well balanced, faithful, deeply happy, and convinced Catholic Christians. The truth is beautiful and everybody longs for it in their lives, it just takes some a long path to find it and we need to be ther for teens when they are searching.

Joe

-- Joseph Carl Biltz (jcbiltz@canoemail.com), February 03, 2003

Answers

Joe, you're right. Sadly many people have forgotten Aristotle's advice about the need for a systematic emphasis on training young people in moral virtue as the first essential step in educating them in higher truths....because without moral virtue some people simply can not understand true wisdom.

Plato mentions the same thing in his story about the cave...forget trying to tell slaves about the brilliance of the sun outside when they are content looking at shadows by candle light...

Jesus commands us to "let the little children come to me and do not hinder them". Because if we hinder them with either a total lack of human formation and protection and information about sex and marriage, then we make it much harder for them to come to him and understand his nature and will when they are older and more compromised...

Children are barbarians until we civilize them. They don't know how to read, write, be polite, considerate, do good, and reject the instant gratification of the moment for latter good...until we teach them! Parents chiefly but all educators are essentially doing the work of "civilizing" the next generation of this "civilization".

When we fail, we see the rise of new barbarians. I know many people who played fast and loose with moral norms and to this day insist it was "good for them" to experience many "lovers"...but today these same people are incapable of a sustained relationship. They are terrified of commitment or divorce...they've given themselves away so often they can't or don't believe they can preserve themselves for anyone of thing.

It's sad how many slaves exist who believe they are exercising "choice" or free will!

-- Joe Stong (joestong@yahoo.com), February 03, 2003.

There is a positive approach to teaching young people about sexual morality. Rather than what some percieve as negativity, "Thou shalt not," (which I don't have a problem with!) I presented to my older children many instances of saints--canonized in the Church--who were willing to die for their purity! So great a treasure is your physical purity, for your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. I taught them of Blessed Antonia, St. Maria Goretti, St. Agnes, St. Dominic Savio ("Death before sin") This gave them something wonderful to ponder on, and a goal to strive for. I would not hesitate to mention the sinfulness of "any" sexually impure acts, but I believe the positive examples offered by the saints were influencial and beneficial. All three daughters chose virgin martyrs as their Confirmation patrons. The stories of these and many other saints for purity are very inspiring! Plus, their intercession is powerful also. Hopefully some of these young people will develop a devotion to one or more of these holy saints. Pax Christi.

-- Anna <>< (FloweroftheHour@hotmail.com), February 03, 2003.