Dear Friends in Christ:
There are many topics that I have wanted to address for a long time but haven’t had the chance to do so. Today, I would like to address two of those topics. Both are important but not in the same way or degree. The first topic is the beauty of being a foster or adoptive parent. As Catholics, we are uncompromisingly, unconditionally, and unapologetically pro-life and pro-child! We believe that every child is a gift of God. We believe that human life is created by God with dignity and deserves respect. Period. In today’s world, many fail to see this, and others, out of hatred, selfishness, or ignorance, reject the dignity of life. We embrace life. We respect and cherish all human life, even the lives of unborn children, the elderly, the sick, the poor, and the disabled. A very concrete and heroic way to express this love for life is for married couples to care for a child as foster parents or adoptive parents. There are many reasons why a mother may not be able to care for her child, but every child deserves to be loved and cared for. Some mothers, out of love for their children, ask that their child be raised by others. This is a loving and selfless act by the birth mother. But for the children, what they need most are families open to welcoming them and loving them as foster parents or as adoptive parents.
I have known many families who have adopted children or served as foster parents. Each has told me that they always received more love and joy than they thought they gave. It is not an easy thing to do. Many children have suffered greatly through no fault of their own and have special challenges. But what a beautiful witness of love. Have you and your spouse ever considered being a foster parent or adopting a child? Is your heart big enough to love a child in this way? It is a special calling to be a foster parent or adoptive parent. Pray and if you are willing, God will bless you in ways you cannot imagine.
A second topic, again important but not in the same way or on the same level, is the use of technology and social media. Let me begin by stating that technology and social media are morally neutral. In other words, they are not intrinsically good or bad. They can be used for great good and benefit. They can also be misused, manipulated, used for evil, and cause great harm to us and others. One of the most destructive aspects of technology and social media is that they are seductive, accessible, and easy to use. Without much thought or effort, we can be easily robbed of one of our most valuable and irreplaceable gifts, time. Have you ever been with someone, but they spent the entire time looking at the phone and not paying attention to you? Technology and social media can easily lead one into evil and sin. Our minds can be polluted, and our senses dulled by images and ideas that degrade us. Our wills and character can be weakened and corrupted by these immensely powerful influences.
The simplest solution is to restrict our usage. Don’t carry your phone everywhere. Turn the device off. Limit screen time. Do not give phones to young children. Supervise and monitor children’s use (including teens), and guard your own use of technology. Technology is not merely a nuisance. It is increasingly toxic to mental health, marriages, relationships, and sexual and emotional maturity. Technology and social media can be even more addictive and dangerous than drugs and alcohol. Just as we would not give the car keys to a 10-year-old child or let a 15-year-old loose in a bar, we should be just as protective and cautious with technology and social media. It does no good for us to tell kids one thing and not practice the same responsible behavior ourselves. A good example is a powerful teaching tool.
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy