Small monthly gifts, big Catholic mission. Become a sustaining member today. Loverde in this pastoral letter released on December 7, You are not your own; you were bought with a price.
Introduction II. The Gift of Sight VI. Conclusion "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? Introduction: "The life of man is the vision of God" Saint Irenaeus In my forty years as a priest, I have seen the evil of pornography spread like a plague throughout our culture. Never before have so many Americans been so tempted to view pornography.
This plague stalks the souls of men, women and children, ravages the bonds of marriage and victimizes the most innocent among us.
It obscures and destroys people's ability to see one another as unique and beautiful expressions of God's creation, instead darkening their vision, causing them to view others as objects to be used and manipulated. It has been excused as an outlet for free expression, supported as a business venture, and condoned as just another form of entertainment. It is not widely recognized as a threat to life and happiness. It is not often treated as a destructive addiction.
It changes the way men and women treat one another in sometimes dramatic but often subtle ways. And it is not going away. I know of this plague from my brother priests who routinely confront it in the confessional; from counselors who treat it through our various Catholic social service agencies; from Catholic school teachers, youth ministers, and religious education teachers who confront its effects in the lives of our youth; from parents who speak of the challenge of raising children with modesty in our culture; and from my involvement in the Religious Alliance Against Pornography, an interfaith coalition of religious leaders.
