Milford parish to host chastity speaker

By Kenny Keane, Globe staff reporter
Posted Nov. 7, 2002

MILFORD - There are many temptations that arise during the teenage years, which can be heavily influenced by peer pressure. Many teens can be pressured into drinking alcohol, smoking, using illegal drugs or even into having sex.

St. Joseph Church in Milford wants to help relieve some of that pressure and help these teens make the right choice. Leslee Unruh, a speaker from Sioux Falls, S.D., who has been a guest on Dr. James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" radio show and has appeared on Oprah Winfrey's television show, will come to St. Joseph on Thursday, Nov. 14 to talk to teens about sexual abstinence.

"This is something that we try to do every year if we can," said Karen Schwaller, director of religious education (DRE) at St. Joseph Church. "We invite kids from all over the area to come and take part in some type of a special program. When our religious ed board looked at what we wanted to do this year, we kept coming back to this subject because we know that there are kids out there who are starting this sexual activity at such a young age.

"It seems like it's starting younger and younger all the time. If there's something we can do to prevent even one teenager from becoming pregnant, it will have been all worth it."

Schwaller said she hasn't personally seen Unruh, but she comes very highly regarded.

"It sounds like she gets the kids involved in a lot of the points that she tries to get across. So it should be a fun evening," Schwaller said. "The information that was sent to me tells me that she likes to get across to the kids that they're greatest sex organ is their mind, which I think is pretty catchy.

"She addresses peer pressure, what should feel right and wrong in a relationship and just how to say no - how to say no and feel good about it instead of feeling bad."

Last year they had a man from Omaha speak at the church about drinking and driving. He had lost his 16-year old son in a car accident. Schwaller said St. Joseph holds about 550 people comfortably, and they had a standing room only crowd.

"The kids were just wowed by what he said to them," Schwaller said. "I really felt good after that got over because I just knew that it reached some of the kids, and I hope this does the same."

Unruh's talk, which should last about an hour, will begin at 7 p.m. with refreshments and a chance to speak with Unruh afterwards. Schwaller said they sent out invitations to churches around the area, but if there are churches or youth groups that did not get an invitation, she said to consider this their invitation to come. Those interested in attending can contact the parish office at (712) 338-2274.

"We want this message to get out to as many kids as possible to try to reach as many as we can," she said. "It's an epidemic proportion. Some parents don't know how to talk to their kids about it, but this woman does."

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