From the Middle of the Middle West

Comes a Pastoral Letter on the Dignity of the Human Person and the Dangers of Pornography, by Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City - St. Joseph.

While I am taking a risk in posting something that I haven't read through (no time today), I can certainly attest to the dangers of pornography: to the spiritual life, to marital relationships, and to friendships. It is something that I hear all to often in the confessional, and in hearing that, you hear how it can wreck a person's life, as bad and possibly worse than even some of the hardest drugs on the black market.

Advice I give to those struggling with the addiction involves trying to put blocks on the computer against inappropriate sites, changing the times of access to the computer (i.e. if you recognize that you access pornography late at night, don't get on the computer late at night!), making sure the computer is in a public place (not in the bedroom), and in extreme cases removing internet access from the home.

Since pornography is such a habitual practice, steps have to be taken to avoid falling back into the trap, don't just pray for it, do something about it!

On a related note, this problem is finally getting some much needed attention. At the upcoming Director of Vocations convention, this is am optional workshop presentation.

Mary, mother of purity, pray for us!

(A swing of the thurible to A Simple Sinner for the link.)