This book provides a Catholic commentary on the Relationship and Sex Education given to all secondary school pupils in England. It is written by a Catholic medical doctor and has been awarded an Imprimatur. It is an easy read, informative, not excessively long and highly engaging. It has been positively reviewed by parents with children in non-Catholic schools.
It highlights the challenges as well as the opportunities posed by the RSE programme, which children in all secondary schools in England, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, are required to follow.
Doctors frequently encounter young patients whose physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing have been seriously damaged by departures from the God-given truths about sex, marriage and relationships. A contributory cause of this great sadness in our society is possibly the insufficient and erroneous teaching about sex, marriage and relationships in schools. This book seeks to mitigate any such detrimental effects.
Catholic Bishops in England have gone to great lengths to ensure that the state-sponsored curriculum in Catholic schools reflects the teaching of Jesus Christ and his Church. It is far from an easy task for many complicated reasons and is an ongoing process. However, this same protection is not afforded to the many Catholic children who do not attend Catholic schools.
Consequently, this book was written primarily for students not attending a Catholic secondary school. However, it is also an accessible work of reference for all who are involved with RSE programmes within the Catholic educational system, especially parents, teachers and students.
St Peter, the first Pope, said: "Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, and do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). This book attempts to fulfil this instruction and has been positively reviewed by parents, students, priests and doctors in support of this assertion.
