Four Working Principles & Their Particular Norms
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| 1 |
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. |
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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. 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. |
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| 2 |
Only information proportionate to each phase of their individual development should be presented to children and young people. |
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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,
© to particular problems associated with these stages. In the light of this principle, the relevance of timing in relation to specific problems can also be indicated.
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| 3 |
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:
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. |
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| 4 |
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. |
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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, |
Taken from "Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality," Pontifical Council for the
Family, Vatican City.
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