A Pastoral Response to Pornography

At their November 2015 General Assembly, the U.S. bishops approved the formal statement “Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography” with an almost unanimous vote.

Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, which directed the statement’s development, said: “My brother bishops’ approval of this statement shows our collective concern for the widespread problem of pornography in our culture today. As the statement says, virtually everyone is affected by pornography in some way. So many people –including within the Church– are in need of Christ’s abundant mercy and healing. My hope is that the statement can serve as a foundation and catalyst for increased pastoral attention to this challenge at the national and local level.”

“Create in Me a Clean Heart” is available in both English and Spanish. Please visit the USCCB’s website to read the document and find resources.

Freedom from Pornography

There are many good men and women in the Church who have struggled with pornography, and if you or a loved one have been effected by pornography, you are not alone! In 2014, the Barna Group conducted a survey among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults on pornography use and found that:

  • 37% of Christian men and 7% of Christian women viewed pornography several times a week or more
  • 64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women use pornography once a month or more
  • 21% of Christian men either think that they are addicted or are unsure if they are addicted to pornography
  • 2014 ProvenMen.org Pornography Addiction Survey – conducted by Barna Group: The survey results are located at: provenmen.org/2014pornsurvey/pornography-use-and-addiction
Resources
  • Covenant Eyes:
    • An Internet Accountability and Optional Internet Filtering Service. For all the computers, smartphones, and tablets you use, the service provides a report of the websites your kids visit, the search terms they use, and the YouTube videos they watch. Tailored to the individual family’s needs, it can even block the Internet completely at certain times a day.
    • Website has numerous articles regarding pornography.
    • http://www.covenanteyes.com/family/
    • How to React the First Time Your Child Admits to Watching Porn
  • Diocese of Arlington
    • Comprehensive website featuring their Bishop Paul Laverde’s pastoral letter on pornography, “Bought with a Price.” They list resources for men and women, internet filters and several links to other resources.
    • http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/purity/index.aspx
  • For Your Marriage from U.S. Bishops
  • Integrity Restored:
  • Kings Men
    • An organization that seeks to assist men in their task as leader, protector and provider. Their mission is “Under Christ the King’s universal call to serve, we as men, pledge to unite and build up other men in the mold of leader, protector, and provider through education, formation, healing, and action.” Part of this mission is to help men struggling with pornography.
    • http://thekingsmen.org/tkm-battles/
  • Knights of Columbus and the “Fathers for Good” program
  • National Center on Sexual Exploitation
    • An organization that provides education and lobbying efforts to end pornography and sex trafficking from a political and secular point of view.
    • http://endsexualexploitation.org
  • RECLAiM Sexual Health
    • An anonymous, online recovery program from pornography addiction and other unhealthy sexual behaviors. Combining the Brain Science of Change, insights from Theology of the Body and the full support of our faith. While rooted in Catholic teaching and understanding, this program is open to people of all faiths who desire to be whole again.
    • reclaimsexualhealth.com