Pornography is easier than ever for young people to access today, said Jeremy Rohr, a parishioner of St. Michael in St. Michael. Rohr founded a ministry focused on “the transformative impact of human and spiritual formation to free young men from the lure of pornography.”
Rohr recently joined Patrick Conley, host of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show, to describe the issue and the ministry.
“Part of the reality of the internet these days is they’ve designed it to be even more addictive and habit forming than ever,” Rohr said. “So our goal is to provide resources and training” for fathers of young boys, “equipping them with practical strategies and techniques to help their sons learn to live free of pornography;” and “men in general” who want to learn how to help other men, “because it’s really a journey that is best done alongside someone,” Rohr said.
Rohr offers five-week courses online. A pastor in a parish near Rohr’s has encouraged him to package the offering into a four-hour “Saturday morning course that dads and men can come to,” which Rohr is considering as an offering starting in 2024. “I would love invitations to parishes to come and share this information,” he said.
When he first felt called to build this ministry, Rohr thought he’d provide a program for youth and campus ministers. But what he found is that “the person that needs it isn’t necessarily going to raise their hand and sign up for it.” He began asking, who is motivated to learn the information needed and put it into use and said, “it’s the parents.” “Most men understand what the struggle is like,” Rohr said. “Chastity is a lifelong process. And so, dads want to help their sons in this area, but most of them would probably admit that they don’t really know how to.”
Rohr said course participants appreciate that the information presented is simple and straightforward. And he hears feedback about how content applies “to all aspects of raising teens.”
For more information about Rohr’s ministry and to sign up for the course for fathers and mentors, visit freedomtolove.org. To hear the full interview, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. May 5 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. May 6 and 2 p.m. May 7.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Cami Berthiaume, producer of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show, who shares memories from the show and where she will be contributing next in her career; and Sharon Shuck, whose parents attended an Indian boarding school, who discusses the schools’ generational impact.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
