Parenting is tough. Parenting teenagers can be especially tough. “Every parent wants to know how do I talk to my kids about love, relationships, sex, dating and their body,” says Katie Edge, an Owensboro mother of two young children, who is part of a committee that is bringing national chastity speaker Jason Evert to Owensboro.
Jason will be presenting a session for parents and a separate session for youth on October 25th at the RiverPark Center. Over the past 15 years, Jason has traveled to 40 countries on six continents to present a message of purity and chastity to young people and their parents. He also founded ChastityProject.com and authored ten books on purity, chastity and abstinence.
“I wish I had heard this when I was a teenager,” Edge said. Which is exactly why she has gotten involved with the Chastity Project in the first place. “When I heard Jason’s material through the Chastity Project, I realized this is what people need to hear.”
To get the ball rolling, Katie had a meeting with about 20 women to brainstorm and discuss how they could get the message of the Chastity Project to more people. One of the attendees at that meeting happened to be associated with the Horn Family Foundation. When the material was presented to the Horn Foundation, they agreed to sponsor an event to bring Jason and Crystalina Evert to Owensboro.
At that point, the idea was presented to the Diocese of Owensboro’s Office of Family Life, who brought it to the Diocesan Committee on Chastity and Abstinence. The event became a collaboration among many entities who have been preparing over a year for this event.
The planning committee decided early on to host the event at the RiverPark Center, rather than a church, so it would be a neutral environment where parents would feel welcome no matter if they have a church affiliation or not.
“I think all parents have this sense of how do I teach my kids this, and Jason has a good way to present it – he’s funny, he’s engaging, and he has this way of coming across like we’re all in this together,” Edge said.
“Jason bridges the gap,” added Joe Bland, Director of Family Life for the Diocese of Owensboro. “I think he relates well with the kids, but he also relates well to parents too, because he is one.”
October 25th – Night Presentation at Owensboro RiverPark Center
- 5:30 – Jason Evert gives his presentation “Parenting for Purity” to parents, while the youth gather for pizza and activities.
- 7:00 –Jason will then give his youth presentation, “Love or Lust,” for ages 7th grade through young adults.
- A bilingual director of Hispanic Youth Ministry will give the presentation in Spanish in a separate room for Spanish speaking adults.
October 26th – School Presentation at Owensboro Sportscenter
- 9:45am – A repeat presentation will be given Monday morning, October 26th at the Owensboro Sportscenter at 9am. That presentation is open to any student in 7th-12th grade. The Diocese has arranged for 16 of the 17 Catholic schools in the diocese to attend.
- Public school students are more than welcome, and can get an excused absence for “religious formation” with parent permission to attend. Check with school admnistration for details.
For more information, call Robin Tomes at (270) 683-1545.
This event was made possible by generous support of the Horn Family Foundation.
