What guidelines are in place that dictate how Birth Control Is to taught at a High School Level as part of a Health Class in a Catholic School?Are actual Birth control Devices allowed to be introduced?

-- Thomas Leo Kempf (TLKHYTEK@AOL.COM), March 13, 2000

Answers

Thanks, Thomas, for this excellent question.

As you know, the Catholic Church has taught for 20 centuries (and always will teach) the truth it received from God -- that (objectively speaking) a couple commits a mortal sin by using any method of contraception -- also known as artificial or unnatural birth control.

With this in mind, it should be clear that, when these methods are mentioned in a classroom lecture (or private tutoring) on human sexuality, it should be made clear that they are condemned. The fact that they are to be avoided like the plague should be demonstrated by not making them "exhibits" to be viewed and handled, as though it were O.K. for the instructor to have them. Since it is typical that at least some of the students will be immature in their behavior and/or thought processes, having such things in class can be counter-productive, promoting joking and even a fascination. This is fertile material for the devil to use to plant suggestions and make temptations.

What I wish to do now is provide you with a means to get at three resources for your deeper reading -- two being Vatican documents and one being an excellent magazine article. These give you more and better information than I can write, and they provide you with documentation to use to combat improper instruction that may be given in your children's schools.

I will now give you the Internet URLs of these three resources. The Vatican documents are somewhat long. Therefore, because you may not have time to read them right away, I will also quote a particularly significant portion of one of the documents below, and I will urge you to read at least that right now.
The Vatican documents are:
1. "Educational Guidance in Human Love" (guidelines from the Congregation for Catholic Education, 1983) at http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CCEGUIDE.HTM
2. "The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality" [TMHS] (excellent new helps from the Pontifical Council for the Family, 1995) at http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PCFSEXED.HTM
The article is by layman Kenneth Whitehead. It is an analysis of TMHS, with added facts, as published in "Crisis" magazine, at http://www.ewtn.com/library/ISSUES/SE-NVG.TXT

And now, here is the promised excerpt from "The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality." Even this excerpt is somewhat long, but I think that you will find it rewarding, and it should prompt you to read the full document soon.

Four Working Principles and Their Particular Norms
121. In the light of these recommendations, education for love can take concrete form in four working principles.

122. Human sexuality is a sacred mystery and must be presented according to the doctrinal and moral teaching of the Church, always bearing in mind the effects of original sin. Informed by Christian reverence and realism, this doctrinal principle must guide every moment of education for love. In an age when the mystery has been taken from human sexuality, parents must take care to avoid trivializing human sexuality, in their teaching and in the help offered by others. In particular, profound respect must be maintained for the difference between man and woman which reflects the love and fruitfulness of God himself.

123. At the same time, when teaching Catholic doctrine and morality about sexuality, the lasting effects of original sin must be taken into account, that is to say, human weakness and the need for the grace of God to overcome temptations and avoid sin. In this regard, the conscience of every individual must be formed clearly, precisely and in accord with spiritual values. But Catholic morality is never limited to teaching about avoiding sin. It also deals with growth in the Christian virtues and developing the capacity for self-giving in the vocation of one's own life.

124. Only information proportionate to each phase of their individual development should be presented to children and young people. This principle of timing has already been presented in the study of the various phases of the development of children and young people. Parents and all who help them should be sensitive: (a) to the different phases of development, in particular, the "years of innocence" and puberty, (b) to the way each child or young person experiences the various stages of life, (c) to particular problems associated with these stages.

125. In the light of this principle, the relevance of timing in relation to specific problems can also be indicated. (a) In later adolescence, young people can first be introduced to the knowledge of the signs of fertility and then to the natural regulation of fertility, but only in the context of education for love, fidelity in marriage, God's plan for procreation and respect for human life. (b) Homosexuality should not be discussed before adolescence unless a specific serious problem has arisen in a particular situation. [Cf. Educational Guidance in Human Love, 101-103.] This subject must be presented only in terms of chastity, health and "the truth about human sexuality in its relationship to the family as taught by the Church." (c) Sexual perversions that are relatively rare should not be dealt with except through individual counseling, as the parents' response to genuine problems.

126. 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" and "clear and delicate". These four words used by the Catholic Church exclude every form of unacceptable content in sexual education. For example: (a) visual erotic material, (b) written or verbal erotic presentations, (c) obscene or coarse language, (d) indecent humour, (e) the denigration of chastity and (f) attempts to minimize the gravity of sin against this virtue. Moreover, even if they are not erotic, graphic and realistic representations of childbirth, for example in a film, should be made known gradually, so as not to create fear and negative attitudes towards procreation in girls and young women.

127 No one should ever be invited, let alone obliged, to act in any way that could objectively offend against modesty or which could subjectively offend against his or her own delicacy or sense of privacy. This principle of respect for the child excludes all improper forms of involving children and young people. In this regard, among other things, this can include the following methods that abuse sex education: (a) every "dramatized" representation, mime or "role playing" which depict genital or erotic matters, (b) making drawings, charts or models etc. of this nature, (c) seeking personal information about sexual questions Excluding the context of prudent and appropriate teaching about the natural regulation of fertility. or asking that family information be divulged, (d) oral or written exams about genital or erotic questions.

Particular Methods

128. Parents and all who help them should keep these principles and norms in mind when they take up various methods which seem suitable in the light of parental and expert experience. We will now go on to single out these recommended methods. The main methods to avoid will also be indicated, together with the ideologies that promote and inspire them.

... (a) Recommended Methods

129. The normal and fundamental method, already proposed in this guide, is personal dialogue between parents and their children, that is, individual formation within the family circle. In fact there is no substitute for a dialogue of trust and openness between parents and their children, a dialogue which respects not only their stages of development but also the young persons as individuals. However, when parents seek help from others, there are various useful methods which can be recommended in the light of parental experience and in conformity with Christian prudence.

130 As couples or as individuals, parents can meet with others who are prepared for education for love to draw on their experience and competence. These people can offer explanations and provide parents with books and other resources approved by the ecclesiastical authorities.

131. Parents who are not always prepared to face up to the problematic side of education for love can take part in meetings with their children, guided by expert persons who are worthy of trust, for example, doctors, priests, educators. In some cases, in the interest of greater freedom of expression, meetings where only daughters or sons are present seem preferable.

132. In certain situations, parents can entrust part of education for love to another trustworthy person, if there are matters which require a specific competence or pastoral care in particular cases.

133. Catechesis on morality may be provided by other trustworthy persons, with particular emphasis on sexual ethics at puberty and adolescence. Parents should take an interest in the moral catechesis which is given to their own children outside the home and use it as a support for their own educational work. Such catechesis must not include the more intimate aspects of sexual information, whether biological or affective, which belong to individual formation within the family.

134. The religious formation of the parents themselves, in particular solid catechetical preparation of adults in the truth of love, builds the foundations of a mature faith that can guide them in the formation of their own children. This adult catechesis enables them not only to deepen their understanding of the community of life and love in marriage, but also helps them learn how to communicate better with their own children. Furthermore, in the very process of forming their children in love, parents will find that they benefit much, because they will discover that this ministry of love helps them to "maintain a living awareness of the 'gift' they continually receive from their children." To make parents capable of carrying out their educational work, special formation courses with the help of experts can be promoted.

... (b) Methods and Ideologies to Avoid

135. Today parents should be attentive to ways in which an immoral education can be passed on to their children through various methods promoted by groups with positions and interests contrary to Christian morality. It would be impossible to indicate all unacceptable methods. Here are presented only some of the more widely diffused methods that threaten the rights of parents and the moral life of their children.

136. In the first place, parents must reject secularized and antinatalist sex education, which puts God at the margin of life and regards the birth of a child as a threat. This sex education is spread by large organizations and international associations that promote abortion, sterilization and contraception. These organizations want to impose a false lifestyle against the truth of human sexuality. Working at national or state levels, these organizations try to arouse the fear of the "threat of over-population" among children and young people to promote the contraceptive mentality, that is, the "anti-life" mentality. They spread false ideas about the "reproductive health" and "sexual and reproductive rights" of young people. Furthermore, some antinatalist organizations maintain those clinics which, violating the rights of parents, provide abortion and contraception for young people, thus promoting promiscuity and consequently an increase in teenage pregnancies. "As we look towards the year 2000, how can we fail to think of the young? What is being held up to them? A society of 'things' and not of 'persons'. The right to do as they will from their earliest years, without any constraint, provided it is 'safe'. The unreserved gift of self, mastery of one's instincts, the sense of responsibility  these are notions considered as belonging to another age." [Letter of the Holy Father to the Heads of State in view of the Cairo Conference, March 19, 1994]

137. Before adolescence, the immoral nature of abortion, surgical or chemical, can be gradually explained in terms of Catholic morality and reverence for human life. As regards sterilization and contraception, these should not be discussed before adolescence and only in conformity with the teaching of the Catholic Church. Therefore the moral, spiritual and health values of methods for the natural regulation of fertility will be emphasized, at the same time indicating the dangers and ethical aspects of the artificial methods. In particular, the substantial and deep difference between natural methods and artificial methods will be shown, both with regard to respect for God's plan for marriage as well as for achieving "the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife" and openness to life.

138. In some societies professional associations of sex-educators, sex counsellors and sex therapists are operating. Because their work is often based on unsound theories, lacking scientific value and closed to an authentic anthropology, theories that do not recognize the true value of chastity, parents should regard such associations with great caution, no matter what official recognition they may have received. When their outlook is out of harmony with the teachings of the Church, this is evident not only in their work, but also in their publications which are widely diffused in various countries.

139. Another abuse occurs whenever sex education is given to children by teaching them all the intimate details of genital relationships, even in a graphic way. Today this is often motivated by wanting to provide education for "safe sex", above all in relation to the spread of AIDS. In this situation, parents must also reject the promotion of so-called "safe sex" or "safer sex", a dangerous and immoral policy based on the deluded theory that the condom can provide adequate protection against AIDS. Parents must insist on continence outside marriage and fidelity in marriage as the only true and secure education for the prevention of this contagious disease.

140. One widely-used, but possibly harmful, approach goes by the name of "values clarification". Young people are encouraged to reflect upon, to clarify and to decide upon moral issues with the greatest degree of "autonomy", ignoring the objective reality of the moral law in general and disregarding the formation of consciences on the specific Christian moral precepts, as affirmed by the Magisterium of the Church. Young people are given the idea that a moral code is something which they create themselves, as if man were the source and norm of morality. However, the values clarification method impedes the true freedom and autonomy of young people at an insecure stage of their development. In practice, not only is the opinion of the majority favoured, but complex moral situations are put before young people, far removed from the normal moral choices they face each day, in which good or evil are easily recognizable. This unacceptable method tends to be closely linked with moral relativism, and thus encourages indifference to moral law and permissiveness.

141. Parents should also be attentive to ways in which sexual instruction can be inserted in the context of other subjects which are otherwise useful (for example, health and hygiene, personal development, family life, children's literature, social and cultural studies etc.). In these situations it is more difficult to control the content of sexual instruction. This method of inclusion is used in particular by those who promote sex instruction within the perspective of birth control or in countries where the government does not respect the rights of parents in this field. But catechesis would also be distorted if the inseparable links between religion and morality were to be used as a pretext for introducing into religious instruction the biological and affective sexual information which the parents should give according to their prudent decision in their own home.

142. Finally, as a general guideline, one needs to bear in mind, that all the different methods of sexual education should be judged by parents in the light of the principles and moral norms of the Church, which express human values in daily life. The negative effects which various methods can produce in the personality of children and young people should also be taken into account.

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May God bless you in your efforts to protect the innocence and chastity of young people. JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), March 14, 2000.

Dear Thomas, Ignorance breeds fear and misunderstandings. Yes, birth control is discussed in Catholic schools and sex ed is part of learning from grade 2 onward. It is not all bad. They discuss "bad feelings" and when to say "no" and what abuse is with the little kids. By the 6th grade, they have guide that they follow. In HS all aspects of birth control are discussed and condoms and pills are shown. They are also taught the Catholic version on birth control and what constitutes a good family life. My only problem with the system is that in the 6th grade they discuss the gay lifestyle and I don't think the kids are emotionally capable of understanding this in relation to their own lives. Based on this, my kids were opted out of sex ed class. What you need to understand is that many parents do not have frank discussions with their kids as to sex and such. That is not the case in my house. There are no stupid questions. There are no questions that I won't answer even if it becomes real uncomfortable. I do not hand books to my kids or the neighbors kids and tell them to read it to answer any questions they have. I will do my best to give them whatever information they are capable of handling. Many parents get all hung up on sex and relaionships and do their kids the injustice of their silence. I don't believe in that. Forewarned is forearmed. Ellen

-- Ellen K. Hornby (dkh@canada.com), March 26, 2000.