Catholic Church to promote its own sex-ed guides

Cartago Bishop José Francisco Ulloa said Wednesday that the Catholic Church will promote its own version of sex-ed guides to be used by youth groups and families.

Ulloa explained that church officials will promote their own books, because they failed to reach an agreement with the Education Ministry (MEP) on new sex-ed guides to be used in public schools this year. “They [MEP] believe in concepts like free sexuality, and we don’t,” he added.

Marielos Hernández, head of the Child Welfare Office, on Monday asked the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court to reject more than 4,000 complaints filed against MEP’s sex-ed guides, arguing that the guides “only intend to provide teens with tools for a healthy lifestyle.”

The Catholic sex-ed books were published in 2009 and prohibit the use of contraceptives such as condoms and pills. They also promote chastity and virginity.