Teaching the Catholic Understanding of Human Sexuality in Secondary Schools

Prompted by the changes in the SPHE Curriculum this year in relation to what constitutes human sexuality, we are offering an online course devised specifically for Secondary School Teachers over six Thursday evenings commencing the 12^th of October. Each session will be 50 minutes from 8.00pm to 8.50pm. The details of the course can be read below.

Teaching the Catholic Understanding of Human Sexuality in Secondary School

When it comes to the understanding of human sexuality, the Catholic alternative is, in many ways, a well-kept secret. The Catholic vision for sexuality is coherent, compassionate and life-giving, but in order to teach it with clarity, we first need to appreciate its goodness. In this short course, designed specifically with secondary teachers in mind, Fr Chris Hayden will present the Catholic alternative, a vision of human sexuality that is joyful, positive, responsible and realistic.

Fr Chris Hayden S.T.L., Ph.D. is a priest of the Diocese of Ferns. He is currently serving as Spiritual Director of Ireland’s National Seminary, St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. He is Author of A Better Vision; Understanding, Living and Sharing the Catholic Vision for Human Sexuality.

The course, which will be held online via Zoom, will consist of six fifty-minute sessions at a cost of €60 which will include a copy of Fr Chris’s book for reference on the topic modules. The following outline presents some of the principal topics that will be covered:

COURSE OUTLINE

SESSION 1	12^th October	The Christian understanding of sex. What it means to be a sexual, embodied person. Sex as the language of self-gift.
SESSION 2	19^th October	Healthy and unhealthy understandings of sex. The centrality of human dignity. A sound understanding of conscience, freedom and authenticity.
SESSION 3	26^th October	The ‘marriage principle.’ Is the Christian approach to sex realistic? ‘Responsible’ sex. A positive understanding of chastity and self-restraint.
SESSION 4	2^nd November	Understanding some of the demanding but wise teachings of our faith. The harm of pornography; contraception and its effects; a compassionate understanding of homosexuality.
SESSION 5	9^th November	Understanding the sexual revolution. Gender ideology, identity and diversity. Our faith’s positive understanding of the human body.
SESSION 6	16^th November	Sex education. What should a sound programme of sex education cover? What values should it promote? Addressing the myth that sex education should be value-free.

To register for this course please email fernsda@ferns.ie to book your place.