Domestic Church Families, Become what you are

Men of the Cross Conference

On Saturday, October 22nd men from around the Diocese of La Crosse will converge in Marshfield to take part in this year's annual Men of the Cross conference. From its inception, the focus of this conference is to lead men into a deeper relationship with Christ and to discern through fellowship and prayer on how to be husbands, fathers and brothers of the Cross. Last year, the conference drew in more than 400 men and there is an expectation of growing from that number for this year.

FEATURED ARTICLES for October - November 2016

Uniting the Body and Mind & Gender Debates

By: Alice Heinzen
About a month ago, I watched a mom and her college bound son shop at the local Walmart for dorm room necessities. The mom looked exasperated and he looked indifferent. As I walked by them, the mom proclaimed “Get your act together!” Clearly, the son’s body may have been in Walmart, but his spirit was definitely somewhere else. He was totally detached.

We know what it’s like to have our body in one place and our mind another. Most of us would admit that separating our body from our mind is not good; that is gets us into trouble (not paying attention) or brings about confusion (what was I doing again?) or even worse, causes injury or harm (not paying attention while driving). Let’s admit it: being called out when we are not integrated is probably beneficial, even if it is embarrassing or doesn’t feel good.

God wants you to be united in body and mind. That is probably why it feels great when every part of you is focused on the same direction with the same purpose. There is a great sense of peace and joy that happens when your body and spirit are integrated; when they are united. Perhaps that is why we try so hard to get and keep our act together. Doing so just seems so right.

A few days after this encounter in Walmart, I was sent a position paper from the American College of Pediatricians. As I read the paper, I realized that the idea of getting one’s act together (integrating one’s body with one’s mind) is at the heart of the gender debate.

The premise of the gender debate is that a person’s body and mind don’t have to be unified. Those who promote gender theories believe that the body and mind are two separate entities that can exist apart from one another. Because they can be separated, it becomes possible for a person who is biologically a boy to think he is a girl and vice versa.

Gender theory is diametrically opposed to Catholic Church teaching which says that each human person is a unity of the body and soul. In God’s plan, the human body and the soul come together as one at the moment of conception. At that time until death, the soul animates the body; the two are substantially united. This is the way God designed us. This is our nature.

The gender debate is raising concern in many families. Parents feel ill-equipped to respectfully and confidently respond to persons who question their gender identity. Do parents ignore the situation or deny it? Do they give the person time to experience their feelings and see what develops? Should parents help the individual pull their God given act together? What is the right course of action?

The American College of Pediatricians suggests that parents, educators and legislators reject the idea that the body and mind are separate. The medical professionals from John Hopkins University encourage everyone to help the individual connect with reality and get their act together. This means facing the issue, not ignoring it. It means finding ways to love the person through the midst of their confusion and struggle. It means dropping judgment and fully committing to doing all that is possible to return a person with gender identity concerns to their God-given nature; unification of their body and mind.

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October - That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.

November - That within parishes, priests and lay people may collaborate in service to the community without giving in to the temptation of discouragement.

December - That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

Great Websites for Internet Safety

We encourage you to bookmark these websites and blogs or download these apps this month.

Covenant Eyes – I know – I know. When you first click on this site, you are going to be asked to purchase an internet filter for your computer. PLEASE go beyond their sales pitch and click on their blog tab to read great articles about internet safety, how to become an internet accountability partner with a family member or friend or to download the free ebook on Your Brain on Porn. The good folks that created this program have a vested interest in providing families with the tools needed to block the dark side of the web. Their services are considered “top shelf” and well suited to Catholic families. In fact, they also offer an app for persons who have become addicted to porn and want to break free from it. The app can be found at: http://www.covenanteyes.com/challenge/

Internet Safety 101 –Preventing the Internet-enabled exploitation of children can seem like an overwhelming task as kids are at risk of encountering inappropriate content, dangerous people and engaging in risky behavior across multiple Internet platforms. The good news is that you don’t need a Ph.D. in Internet technology to be a great cyber-parent. However, you do need to make a commitment to become familiar with the technology your children use and to stay current with Internet safety issues.

This website provides parents with the absolute basics for the safe use of the internet. If your children are on the net and you are NOT sitting at their side, you must visit this site and become educated, equipped and empowered.