Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said sexuality and sex is a topic that is best explained by parents to their children.
“It is the parents that have the primary responsibility in teaching our children the right behavior and values and view in life. If not, we may ask other relatives, like grandparents, uncles, aunts to help guide our children,” Tagle said.
The prelate made the pronouncement in his dialogue with the youth last Sunday at the Sta. Cruz Church in Manila.
One of the young participants shared how there was an increasing number of teenage pregnancies in government hospitals.
Tagle blamed the trend to the failure of some parents to inform their children especially on the issue of sexuality and sex.
Without the said guidance, children tend to look to rely on incomplete information on mass media about the sensitive topic leading to poor choices.
“Children do not fully understand the holistic issue of sexuality; that it is not just a physical need but that it has its consequences,” Tagle said.
He lamented how some parents event take advantage of the ignorance of their children on the said topic to sexually exploit them.
“Worldwide, those trafficking their children online are mostly their own parents. It is no longer the syndicates, but their own parents,” Tagle said.
“It is our call to the parents to please stop harming the body because it is the body of Christ,” he added.
Image credits: Martina Summer Dagal