Safe Haven Sunday

When?

On April 7, 2019, the first Sunday of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we will celebrate Safe Haven Sunday as an archdiocese.

What is Safe Haven Sunday?

This awareness day will give us an opportunity to address the harmfulness of pornography in marriages, families, and our culture as a whole, while providing helpful resources to both individuals and families. It is an opportunity for us to take a proactive approach in equipping parents so they may better protect and safeguard their homes.

Why?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ formal statement, Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography, states, “We must see our role in protecting children from pornography as our sacred duty, as well as an aspect of our work to create safe environments in accord with our ongoing implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” Together we can address this issue by teaching those who have been entrusted to our care about pornography’s effects and to share resources with them.

How can we participate?

Below you will find the Safe Haven Sunday Parish Implementation Guide.  This will assist you in the simple roll-out process that is involved and answer many of the questions you may have.

If you wish to provide the primary educational resource to be distributed to parishioners on Safe Haven Sunday – Covenant Eyes’ book, Equipped: Smart Catholic Parenting in a Sexualized Culture, please visit the online store.  The deadline for ordering in February 15^th.

What if we missed the deadline?

Your parish can still participate!  Parishes can encourage parents to sign up for the free 7-day text-to-join campaign.  This 7-day campaign is available at no cost and gives parents practical tips and detailed means for creating a safe media environment in their home.

The following arrangement of promotional materials has been provided for your convenience.  Graphics for TV monitors in the vestibule,  8.5×11 flyers, and 11×17 posters are all available for parishes to print on their own.  The materials are available in English or Spanish and with or without the date, in the case that your parish is celebrating on an alternate Sunday.

Please contact Patrick Metts at 404-920-7643