Safe Haven Sunday is August 21st

Pornography is a widespread problem in our society, made ever broader by easy access and free content through the internet.
The statistics are alarming. To mention a few--studies indicate that:

• 93% of boys and 62% of girls were exposed to pornography before the age of 18
• 57% of young people seek out porn once a month
• 75% said their parents had never discussed Internet pornography with them
• 56% of divorce involves one party having an obsessive interest in pornographic websites

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ formal statement, Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography, states, “We must see our role in protecting children from pornography as our sacred duty, as well as an aspect of our work to create safe environments in accord with our ongoing implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”
Together we can address this issue by teaching those who have been entrusted to our care about pornography’s effects and to share resources with them. 

Dear Parishioners, 

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and I wish to bring one
particular issue to your attention. And without a doubt, it’s not easy to discuss, but it’s important. That issue is pornography.

In November of 2016, the USCCB released a pastoral response to pornography, called Create in Me a Clean Heart. The intention of writing this document was to:
• offer healing and hope to those who have been wounded by pornography;
• articulate the Catholic Church’s response to the pastoral crisis brought about by the production and use of pornography; and
• raise awareness of its pervasiveness and harms.

Why? Because pornography is hurting many people, including marriage, families, singles, and even priests. In the formal statement, the USCCB speaks directly to parents about being proactive about the issue of pornography in the life of the home – affecting children, individuals and married couples – to ensure the home keeps its status as a “safe haven” for all. The Bishops state, “The use of pornography by anyone in the home deprives the home of its role as a safe haven…”

Thus, in this Weekend we will be celebrating Safe Haven Sunday with the theme. This awareness effort is meant to draw our attention as a community to the seriousness of the issues of pornography and to recommit ourselves to take steps to ensure our homes are safe havens for all.

The church want to help for your healthy and holy marriages, families, and individuals; including how to talk to your children about internet dangers. You can begin learning now by texting SECURE to 66866 to receive seven days of emailed digital tips!
Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, intercessors of
the home, and St. Michael, help families stay healthy and have a safe haven in their homes.