Letter to the Editor

Valenti refuses to answer questions on sex ed programs

Editor:

May the Peace of Christ be with you!

On October 23 you called my office requesting information on the Archdiocese's program on sex education. You had a list of questions for your newsletter Defend Life.

I immediately indicated that the Archdiocese's program is not sex education but catechesis on human sexuality, which is a vast difference. Sex education is a biology course. Catechesis of human sexuality stresses age appropriateness in educating children on how God created the human body to work.

We teach the theology of the body, which centers the instruction on morality and virtue. The catechesis on human sexuality is based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the documents of the Holy See.

I indicated that I preferred that the questions be written out and sent to me. On October 24, I did receive your letter and seven questions.

I respectfully decline to respond to your inquiry. My decision rests on the recent edition of your newsletter and the gross inaccuracies that have been portrayed in the article dealing with the Archdiocesan convocation held on August 29. Having one person's opinion, most of which is taken out of context, and then printed as the main focus of the convocation, is irresponsible journalism.

Moreover, it certainly misses what was the major focus of the gathering, namely the safety and protection of children and the commitment of the Church of Baltimore to live up to its reponsibility.

In my own personal opinion there seems to be another agenda that the newsletter is advancing, and I do not intend to have the integrity of the Archdiocese's program be compromised by distortions.

Dr. Ronald J. Valenti
Executive Director
Catholic Education Ministries