Laity and religious bring sex education to Indonesian seminaries (photos)
The St Joseph seminary in Tarakan and the Saint John XXIII seminary in Lawang are parties to the course. Passionist Sister Kristina Fransiska CP led the discussions. Knowledge and spiritual guidance guarantee the continuous respect of the body.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – In the last week of February, 72 seminarians from the dioceses of Tanjung Selor (capital of North Kalimantan province) and Malang (East Java) took part in a sex education course.
The latter is the initiative of the Paguyuban Gembala Utama (Association of the Good Shepherd, PGU), a NGO set up by alumni from the Mertoyudan, Garum and Bogor seminaries.
Supported by the Komisi Seminar, the Commission for the seminaries of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI), the PGO contributes to the training of aspiring priests and helps them meet the challenges of modern society.
Across Indonesia, there are some 40 minor seminaries, 13 institutes where students attend the year of Spirituality (TOR) and 14 major seminaries, said Fr Joseph Kristanto Suratman PR, Komisi Seminari executive secretary.
After months of meetings and exchanges, sex education was chosen by PGU members as one of the topics to discuss in seminaries.
The St Joseph minor seminary in Tarakan, in the Diocese of Tanjung Selor, joined first the course, followed by the Saint John XXIII’s TOR in Lawang, Diocese of Malang. Some 31 seminarians took part in the meeting in Tarakan and 41 in Lawang.
Passionist Sister Kristina Fransiska CP lead the discussions at both venues along with other speakers.
The nun brought to the attention of the seminarians two fundamental aspects, which guarantee the constant respect for the human body, namely knowledge and the spiritual guide.
We are called to treat our body with respect and responsibility, said the nun. "If you relate to your body this way, then you will have the same attitude towards your friends," the former law professor at the Catholic University Widya Karya in Malang told the students.
Sharing her personal experience, she indicated how to avoid inappropriate temptations and attitudes.
Benny and Yanda, a married couple from Malang, spoke to the future priests on how to focus the body's passion towards "positive aspects".
The couple explained that in the priesthood, as in marriage, loyalty to the married person is "the most difficult challenge". At the same time, "Consecrated life is like the life of a couple: fidelity and obedience are essential".
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