“Last year, our Diocese joined together for Safe Haven Sunday, a time to reflect on the gift of our families and the need to protect our homes from the harmful influences of pornography,” said Bishop Alfred Schlert in a letter to priests and deacons of the Diocese.
This year, the weekend of Feb. 21-22, the first Sunday of Lent, the Diocese of Allentown will once again participate in Safe Haven Sunday. The theme for this year is “Equipping the Family: Having Critical Conversations.”
“I am deeply grateful for the openness, courage, and prayerful participation you showed,” said Bishop Schlert. “The feedback received following last year’s celebration has had measurable, and perhaps even more so, immeasurable positive effects on the faithful, leading to awareness, education, positive change, healing, and hope.
“Safe Haven Sunday will give us the opportunity to once again address the harmfulness of pornography in marriages, families, and the culture while providing helpful resources to both individuals and families.”
It is inspired by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ formal statement “Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography,” in which they explain, “The use of pornography by anyone in the home deprives the home of its role as a ‘safe haven’ and has negative effects throughout a family’s life and across generations.”
Leading the effort in the Diocese is the Lumen Christi Commission, formed in 2018 by Bishop Schlert to protect the faithful of the Diocese from pornography.
According to Father Allen Hoffa, Chair, the work of the commission is “fighting against the evil of pornography and making sure that people are educated, making sure that we are doing the work of prevention, intervention, and also healing.”
“I invite every parish to embrace this weekend as an opportunity to renew our commitment to creating safe, faith-filled environments,” said the Bishop. “Let us walk together in hope, relying on God’s grace to heal wounds, restore relationships, and guide our families toward holiness.”
For more information, go to www.adlumenchristi.org.
