Campaign highlights proper view on love

(December 09, 2010) A program for Sri Lankan youths has been launched by the Church to promote awareness on love, sex and marriage in a modern and commercialized society. “As priests we are duty-bound to teach you the correct path in this highly commercialized, technological world,” Father Jude Nicolas told some 2,000 youths gathered at the beach front in Puttalam, north-western Sri Lanka. “Youth is a period of experimenting,” said the director of the family apostolate of Chilaw diocese in the western coast known for its tourism industry, which has been growing since the civil war ended in 2009. A youth centre called Sewilla (search) has been established to help address youth issues, according to Youth Apostolate director Father Anura Gamlath. Bishops, priests and nuns are deeply involved in the project, he added. The priest noted that youths are emotionally inquisitive and vulnerable. “Some experimenting youths are a growing challenge,” he said. The program involves analyzing and understanding the youths’ various emotions through group discussions, with priests accepting suggestions from young people. It is conducted with parents’ approval as sex education carries social stigma. Catechetical Director Father Linton Nihal added that although emotions cannot be controlled, they can be managed. “There are no one-off techniques that can be taught and mastered once,” he said adding that emotions can be channelled through teaching and experience. According to one of the participants, Praveen Kumara, sex should be considered sacred. “Marriage is the accepted way to have sex. As it is said in the Bible, we have to read the signs of the times as Christians in order to be holy,” he said.