PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN

In two weeks, our Second Annual Summer Soccer Camp will begin. Earlier this month, we held two organizational meetings. We are blessed to have many talented and faith-filled volunteers. Many of whom, are public school teachers giving of themselves and their time over the summer, to help the children of our parish family gain new skills and insight.

There are many new faces this year, which is always wonderful.

Tonight, I will be holding a Virtus: Protecting God's Children training session, so we can place all our wonderful new volunteers with the children. For the most part, everyone willingly participates in these sessions...understanding, that while we are not part of the problem...it is in our power to be the solution.

At our last soccer meeting, however, one individual's displeasure at being required to take the training was loud and clear. I simply don't understand the reticence, reluctance, and seeming fears of impending doom, which surround the announcement that volunteers must attend ONE on-site session, to arm themselves with the information necessary, to keep our most precious gifts from God...OUR CHILDREN...safe!

We are all too familiar with the sins of the past in regard to pedophilia, in all institutions that serve children, including the Church. Why then, when a program is put in place to bring awareness to the problem, in the hope that not a single child more will suffer...do good people balk?

Isn't the health and well-being of a child more valuable than the few hours spent learning how to protect that child?

Is it fear of facing reality...seeing that the "bogeyman" looks just like us?

Is it fear of facing our own behaviors...recognizing the changes we must make in ourselves, in order to keep children safe?

Is it just anger at being put upon one more time for the sins of others?

Is it any or all of that...or something more?

I really don't understand, because to me, it is very simple...children have been hurt badly in the past...their innocence stolen away.

Children are being hurt right now in the present...their innocence stolen away.

Some have taken their own lives to escape the pain...some more, very likely, will take their own lives to escape the pain.

WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC!

WE MUST DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC!

The light has been shined on the darkness.

Why would some rather stay in the dark?


How about YOU?

What are YOU being required to do that makes YOU balk?

WHY IS THAT?

How are YOU going to reconcile YOURSELF to it?