Guatemala City, Guatemala, Oct 9, 2007 / 09:22 am
The Bishops’ Conference of Guatemala presented a teaching guide this week entitled “Education for Love.” The guide is aimed at helping parents and teachers to educate their children about sexuality based on science and Christian values.
Bishop Victor Hugo Palma, president of the Committee on Education of the bishops’ conference, explained that their proposal was meant “for all of society.” There are no biblical quotes, there are not quotes of the Virgin Mary. It’s pure science, based on reason and natural law.”
Bishop Palma noted that “the person is not a thing” and that an appropriate sex-ed curriculum was urgently needed. He said the bishops had been working on the text for over a year and that it will be used for children in first grade through the third year of high school beginning in 2009.
Bishop Palma said the guides address various issues and while they acknowledge the existence of artificial contraception, they also warn against it. “The different methods that exist should be made known. But we are not in favor of those that are for avoiding births. Comprehensive information must be given, not the simplistic information that has been provided up to now,” he said.