schools
Talk at St Aidan’s High School
Sr Andrea went to St Aidan’s in Wishaw last week as part of a team of people who were invited to talk to all of the fourth years at St Aidans. They talked about matters relating to relationships: marriage, contraception, STDs and abortion. The whole day, these fourth years were bombarded with various aspects of Church teaching which, sadly, they had apparently never heard before. Again, however, it was a great opportunity and a joy as ever to meet young people.
School Visit (30/9/08)
As part of their social justice remit in RE, a group of around 20 6th year pupils from St Aloysius College (Glasgow) came to the Initiative for a talk on our work and the underlying attitudes and causes of abortion. In discussion groups we pondererd on what Pope John Paul II referred to as the ‘Contraceptive mentality’. It was very interesting for us to gauge the different reactions from these young men and women: the girls focused very much on the challenges of finding a like-minded boy; a number of the boys, for their part, thought it too idealistic to wait until they’re married.
It was a great visit in many respects but I don’t think their reactions were out the ordinary and that makes me a little sad. the beauty of young people is their indomitable spirit, their ambition to go higher – and yet in this issue that lies at the very heart of their being, their life and love, they have already settled for second best. They believe one of today’s many myths, that you can’t survive without sex.
Still, it was fantastic opportunity to give these young people something of the beauty of the Church’s vision of Christian love and sex and, God willing, some seed will have been sown. there are tremendous signs of hope. The problem we face in today’s society are only shadows compared to the Grace God works in His people.
Our Education officer is Elain Gallacher. She is available to speak to school groups, and to arrange visits to the Initiative.
Sr Andrea and Elain with some students from Holyrood High School .
DAY FOR LIFE 2008
This year’s Day for Life, organized by the Bishops of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, is fast approaching. The Scottish Bishops have designated the Feast of the Visitation, 31 May 2008, as a day on which we refocus our thoughts and energies, and persevere all the more in building a civilization of love in which all people, no matter how young, old, or disadvantaged, can flourish.
For this year’s Day for Life the Bishops have asked us to concentrate on the issues surrounding mental health, an area profoundly relevant to our own work in dealing with women traumatized by unwanted pregnancy or suffering from Post Abortion Syndrome.
We have therefore mailed all the schools in Glasgow to with all the information they need and a variety of ideas as to how they can mark this day, together with a variety of resources.
However everyone can do something to mark this day, whether you are a pro-life group, parish group, individual or family. All of us are called to speak out for unborn children and for their mothers, experiencing the mental anguish of crisis pregnancy and abortion. Feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation and fear are common. Without loving support and practical help, women can feel that abortion is the only choice.
Here we have provided a variety of ways in which you can take part in marking this important day. I sincerely hope you can take advantage of these resources. Please contact me if you need any more support or further hep (tel: 0141 433 2680 email: schools.prolifeinitiative(at)googlemail(dot)com).
DAY FOR LIFE – RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS
Stumbling Blocks into Stepping Stones (.pdf)
EDUCATION ARCHIVE
A message from our Education Officer Elain Gallagher (12 December 2007).
