The Catholic Vision of Love (CVOL) is a sexuality program that is implemented in every parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  It is not “sex” education.  Its goals are to help your children respect themselves because they are made in the image of God.

Below are the topics of the lessons. If you would like to see the entire curriculum, it is available in the Religious Education Office.

Grade 5
Self-Respect – Acknowledging why you are so important
Understanding the changes we experience
Friendship, love, and life
Christ in my home and in my life

Grade 6
Vocation – God has a role for each of us
Being responsible for our own lives
Life is worth living
Learning how large love is

Grade 7
Vocation:  We are called to make a commitment
Modesty: A virtue we should emulate
Making good use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Christ and the courage to be pure of heart

Grade 8
Your vocation: To make the world a better place
Living in a world that suffers from AIDS
Christ and my conscience
The Eucharist and love

Some things that you, as parents, can do to help your child’s education in human sexuality

1. Monitor all media to be sure that these things are reflective of the values of our faith.  Your children are learning and being formed by the media in ways that are quite contrary to the teachings of Christ and the values that lead to happy and satisfied lives.

2. Help your children to experience the goodness of modesty in dress, in speech, in attitude and action, in respecting their own bodies and in respecting themselves and others.

3. Grow in your understanding of what the faith teaches and put into practice those convictions in your own lives. Children need to see that good people think and feel in the ways that the faith teaches. Your example is critical in helping your children know not only what the Church teaches, but why it is taught.
    
4. Pray together with your children at home, attend Mass regularly as a family, and encourage regular reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Faith must be alive in the home if young people are to find insight and courage to care about what the Church teaches concerning sexuality.

Working together, we can make great progress in educating our children in the essential values of human life.  In so doing, we are empowering our children to make the right moral decisions and embrace positive moral living.