Fr. Todd 10/12/25

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,

            This weekend in our Diocese we celebrate Safe Haven Sunday.  https://www.covenanteyes.com/safe-haven-sunday/catholic-resources/  Once a year in October we have this weekend to talk about the dangers of pornography in all its pervasiveness so that our homes can truly be a safe haven.  Why is this so important?  There is an old Latin proverb that says it the best: Corruptio optimi pessima, meaning “the corruption of the best is the worst”.  The evil one loves nothing more than taking the best of things and twisting them into monstrosities – which is all that pornography does.  It distorts the very best of God’s gifts and in so doing distorts the ability for us as men and women to see and treat one another with our inherent dignity.

This is no longer a hidden danger.  It is insidious and its effects ripple through every level of our society and family structures.  Sadly, the average age for when a child is exposed to pornography is getting lower and lower, now around 8 years old.  We need to know that internet safety, healing, and protection is possible.  It is important for parents to know what steps they can take to protect themselves and their home.

There are two things actively working against us.  First is the addictive nature of screens and media – they are made to be addictive and so we shouldn’t be surprised that they are indeed addictive!  We need to have some barriers in place or we will be pulled in more and more.  Media free zones/places at home, work, school are and should become more common.  Secondly is that the pornography industry is an industry – it seeks to make money and it is very good at it.  It is no accident that small children encounter it.  Like any good drug dealer, it pays to get someone hooked when they are young so there is a stable customer for many years.  Safe Haven Sunday provides a good opportunity to look at barriers to resist an industry that is actively trying to sell itself.

There are many excellent resources for us.  Safe Haven Sunday is a partnership with Covenant Eyes.  https://www.covenanteyes.com/ 

They offer filtering and accountability software that has been very successful in both helping people break free from struggles with pornography along with protecting families from its reach into their lives and homes.

Our Diocese is looking to partner in a particular way with Integrity Restored.  https://integrityrestored.com/  It is a treasure trove of resources and exists “to help restore the integrity of individuals, spouses, and families that have been affected by pornography and pornography addiction”.

The fight is always worth it!  Let us make our homes true Safe Havens.

God Bless,

Fr. Todd