Catholicism means God. It means Jesus. It means Bibles on the night stand.
It means haddock on Friday, and church on Sunday. It means no faggot friends. It means every sperm is a child, waiting to blossom within the uterus of its mother.
And so of course, It means no sex before marriage.
So, dearest mother, I wonder, what does that mean? Because believe me, I’ve heard the stories, I’ve taken health. I know there are countless ways to express my love and compassion. It’s not always just the carrot and the bagel. And you don’t seriously expect us to just hold hands, do you? Do you want us to dance only touching each other’s shoulders? Arms length apart? I’m not in elementary school. This isn’t Junior High.
Television normalizes sex. Billboards show me what is attractive. The internet provides debatable information on sexuality. But the messages the media provides are confusing. And I know better than to trust what the ignorant kids advise at school.
So, dearest Mother, will you talk? I don’t have the guts to bring it up. It’s awkward. But if you talk, I’ll listen. It’s sort of my job as a teenager to pretend I’m not caring about, or even hearing the words you speak. But perhaps your voice is more powerful than you think.
Catholicism doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it.
-Jose
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Hi Jose, I’m Catholic too. I care. Hang in there. Locally we are trying to offer a program called 4Parents, on how to talk to pre-teens and teens. It’s hard for kids and it is hard for parents to discuss the issues, but it is so important. It’s not a “one time (Thee Talk). It is on going as issues and guidance is needed. Try to hang on to your values and respect for yourself despite what TV, movies, some music and society is trying to get you to think is real life. You need to think about your dreams, your goals, getting a good education and career. Studies report that young adults actually don’t make reasonable decissions until they are around 24 years old. So enjoy your time now being a kid. Maybe you can send your parents a cute card or a note that let’s them know you want to talk now, while you have so many questions and ideas. Let me know how things are going.