The Sheepfold and the Voice of the Shepherd

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Stone sheepfold John 10:22-30 Recently my boys have been spending a great deal of time outside in the area that will soon be transformed into our garden. They spend endless hours digging in the dirt for worms. They then promptly take those worms and throw them to the chickens. It amazes me how even chickens can learn to recognize sounds or voices. My oldest makes this funny high-pitched sound when he comes out of the house and heads toward the coop. The chickens practically fall over themselves running toward the fence or out of the coop when they hear him making his sound. They know there is food to follow! In Sunday's Gospel Jesus tells us that, "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." and "I am the gate for the sheep." Today, again, Jesus mentions that His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  In these few verses we learn that Jesus is both gate and shepherd for the sheep. In those days and even today in some places, a sheepfold w
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Let's Talk About Sex

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Dear Parents,

Your child is about to be sexualized. What I mean to say is that your child is about to be exposed to images, thoughts, ideas, insinuations, and ways of life that you may not want them to know about. Their innocence is about to be taken from them long before it need be. No, I am not talking about them turning on the computer and accidentally finding a pornographic site while performing research for a school project. Nor am I speaking of them flipping through the television channels unsupervised. No, I am not speaking only to the public school parents but mainly to those in Catholic schools because I am familiar with those programs.

If you have not received one already, you will be receiving a letter from the school or teacher informing you that the Human Growth and Development program will begin in your child's class. Yes, HGD is the politically correct way of talking about sex education programs today. This letter will tell you that this program will be presented by a trained person who is sensitive to the needs of the young people. It will further tell you that it is approved by not only the staff but the Diocese as well. You will even be invited to review the student books for yourself. Finally, it will state, if it is written according to some Church teaching, that you, as a parent, have the ability to request that your child be withdrawn from these classes.

Many of you will glance at the letter and not consider what the content will be, trusting the school and the Diocese. Others will ask to review the student books and finding no nudity or other such image will approve of your child participating. Finally, there will be those of you, who will investigate the text, and finding it offensive in content, doctrine, and style will determine that this is not for your child or family.

To those of you who will trust the school and the Diocese I suggest simply that you should not. The current state of catechesis in our country today should give you ample reason to fear for your child's soul and health. To those of you who will review the student text I suggest that you ask to see any and all supplementary materials as well as the teacher's textbook. For those of you who will be investigating the text in detail I offer you my prayers and support. I offer my encouragement to you and your child. To you because you will be marked as long as you are at the school. You will be spoken about by the staff as being extreme and strange. To your child because he or she will most likely find the withdraw from the class unpleasant at the hands of the staff. He or she will also face the questions of peers and possible pressure to conform. To you and your family I offer the links below which are linked to reviews of the two most popular HGD series used in most Dioceses in the United States.

I will be marked for my stance as well. I have dealt with teachers, principals, priests, and publishers and felt like I was trying to hold back the tide. I have been told that if we wait till the students are older it will be too late. So, the age of sexualization continues to drop while the age of fornication follows suit and no one makes any sort of connection. I have been told that we must expose the young people to the knowledge of contraception by the same people who haven't a clue about Natural Family Planning. May the good Lord help us!

I pray that you and I are given the grace, that comes with the sacrament of Marriage, to tend and protect our garden against this intrusion into innocence. We know too well what happened in that other garden of innocence so long ago when it was not tended to nor protected.

God Bless you! Sincerely, A Friend

Reviews of Harcourt Growing In Love
http://www.wf-f.org/03-1-GILComment.html

http://www.totustuus.com/GrowingInLoveACritique.pdf

http://catholicparents.org/cuf_growing.html

Reviews of Benzinger Family Life
http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=131

http://catholicparents.org/religiouseducation/parentsvsbenziger.html

Comments

Barbara said…
I thank God that I am still free to home school in our country. For the moment.

You're a good man, James Hahn.
4:12 PM
Beth F said…
And all the more reason to home school! Thank you for posting this!

I did get a chuckle out of the line: "I have been told that we must expose the young people to the knowledge of contraception by the same people who haven't a clue about Natural Family Planning." So true so true!
10:46 AM
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