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Pornography has long been a temptation for Christians and a problem for society in general. The strong presence of sex in today's culture and on the internet has made pornography a problem for young teens as well - one that Catholic educators must now address.

Mary Moller, a catechist at St. Luke's parish in Schenectady, said that teens are exposed to sex much earlier today than ever before.

"It is mainstream nowadays. It's common and they see it everywhere," she told The Evangelist.

In teaching Catholic sexual morality to youth, Mrs. Moller uses the "theology of the body" approach of Pope John Paul II. This emphasizes the gift of sexuality, and explores how acts of love, friendship, charity and marriage are ultimately expressions of a desire for God.

She added that teens' time online has its consequences on their understanding of sex: "They're informed, and misinformed as well."

Market research conducted by internet providers states that the average age of a boy's first exposure to internet porn is 11 - not surprising, since there are 4.2 million pornographic websites on the internet today.

Another temptation facing teenagers is the new phenomenon of "sexting," the sending of sexually explicit messages or photographs between cellular phones. A study by the Associated Press and MTV recently reported that 30 percent of teens have either sent or received "sexts."

With the combination of pornography and "sexting" bombarding young teens, how can the Church help?

In a pastoral letter titled, "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart," Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City stated that acknowledging the problem of pornography, talking about it and frequenting the sacraments can help teens overcome temptations.

Mrs. Moller agrees. She said that open and honest discussion with teens gives them a safe environment to share the problems and temptations they face, instead of being scared or shamed into silence.

In faith formation classes, "we talk about the consequences," she explained, "and we address the fact that everyone has sexual desires, but there is a way to manage them and work through them."

(10/07/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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